Best bird watching and birding events in Ontario
Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park
With almost 500 species of birds to spot throughout the year and nearly 300 species that breed in the province, Ontario offers some of the finest bird watching experiences in Canada.
In terms of numbers and variety, peak birding is in the spring and fall. During these seasons, migrating songbirds, shorebirds, waterfowl and birds of prey select sites for temporary pit stops on their way to and from their nesting destinations. However, bird watching in Ontario is a four-season activity thanks to the bird species that reside in the province year-round.
Bird watching doesn’t require bank-breaking gear, but you will want a few items to maximize your birding experience. These include the best bird watching binoculars in your price range, a field guide, a camera with a decent zoom and good-quality bug spray. Additionally, bird watching apps like eBird and Merlin help with bird identification in the field.
Find the top birding events, bird watching hotspots and bird sanctuaries in Ontario.
Southwestern Ontario
The unique location, climate and topography of Ontario’s southernmost region serve as the perfect staging site for various bird species during migration seasons. You may even catch a rare sighting, as was the case when a roseate spoonbill was viewed at Springwater Conservation Area in Aylmer.
Canada’s Southcoast Birding Trail identifies a network of birding hubs, observatories and events with a handy downloadable map.
Notable birding spots and events include:
Point Pelee National Park
Over 300 species migrate through one of Canada’s smallest yet most ecologically diverse parks, making it one of Ontario’s most popular and productive birding spots. After extensive structural renovation, the 24-metre-high metal observation Tip Tower reopened to the public, which is great news for avid birders.
Special events at Point Pelee are always a bit hit. In early February, the Visitor Centre hosts annual owl prowls. Guests learn about owls in the park and venture out to listen for their calls.
Join fellow bird observers during the annual Festival of Birds in May to welcome the return of warblers, vireos, orioles and tanagers.
Location: 1118 Point Pelee Drive, Leamington
Pelee Island
Located on the path of two major birding migration routes, Canada’s southernmost community is a designated Important Birding Area. Accessible by ferry, Pelee Island sits approximately 30 kilometres south of the mainland in Lake Erie.
The annual Springsong: A Celebration of Birds and Birding is a popular ticketed event held in mid-May at the Pelee Island Heritage Centre. Notable authors and ecologists, including Margaret Atwood, Lawrence Hill and David Suzuki, have attended in the past.
Location: Pelee Island Heritage Centre, 1073 West Shore Road, Pelee Island
Hillman Marsh Conservation Area
Explore the unique shorebird habitat of marsh and mudflats along the birding trail, take in the sights from a bird blind or the viewing tower and check out the educational display at the visitor centre at this nature preserve.
Over 100 bird species have been recorded migrating through this area, including sandpipers, ducks and warblers.
Bird lovers are welcomed to the Hillman Marsh Shorebird Celebration held during May each year.
Location: 1826 Mersea Road 2, Leamington
Holiday Beach Conservation Area
Well known for exceptional bird watching and photography opportunities from the viewing deck, Holiday Beach is also the site of an annual fall hawk watch.
In mid-September, eager birders flock to see migrating hawks and raptors in flight during the Festival of Hawks. The celebration is held in partnership with the Holiday Beach Migration Observatory.
The park operates seasonally between April and mid-October.
Location: 6952 County Road 50, Amherstburg
Jack Miner Migratory Bird Sanctuary
Established in 1904, the Jack Miner Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Kingsville is a great spot to get up close to observe and even feed waterfowl.
The Migration Festival is held annually in mid-to-late October with special activities and birding demonstrations.
Location: 332 Road 3 West, Kingsville
Rondeau Provincial Park
Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario’s second-oldest provincial park, is a world-renowned birdwatch destination.
The Festival of Flight event, held in May each year, attracts birdwatchers from near and far to celebrate the return of spring and the annual songbird migration.
Location: 18050 Rondeau Park Road, Morpeth
Long Point Bird Observatory
Located just outside of Long Point Provincial Park on the shores of Lake Erie in Norfolk County, this research station and visitor centre welcomes visitors to observe the rich birdlife during the spring and fall migrations.
Over 400 bird species have been observed in the area, so many opportunities exist to add to your birding life list.
The annual World Migratory Bird Day is observed at the station on the second Saturday of May.
Location: 13 Old Cut Boulevard, Port Rowan
Canadian Raptor Conservancy
Also located in Norfolk County, the Canadian Raptor Conservatory should be on every bird lover’s itinerary. However, visits are by appointment only.
The organization provides education, research and rehabilitation for various species of birds of prey, including owls, eagles, hawks, falcons and vultures.
The centre also hosts incredible bird of prey events, workshops and flight demonstrations, which are great for bird enthusiasts and photographers.
Location: 2848 Front Road, Vittoria
Hamilton, Halton and Brant
Birding opportunities in Hamilton, Halton and Brant extend from the shores of Lake Ontario and the Grand River to the points and peaks along the Niagara Escarpment.
Mountsberg Raptor Centre
Located within Mountsberg Conservation Area, this educational facility is home to both native and non-native birds of prey, including hawks and owls.
Unique experiences include private raptor encounters, hawk walks and bird-of-prey presentations.
Location: 2259 Milburough Town Line, Campbellville
York, Durham and Headwaters
North of Toronto, the rural landscapes of farms, meadows and fields in York, Durham and Headwaters attract bird species and birders.
Luther Marsh Wildlife Management Area
Luther Lake is surrounded by wetlands, forests and fields that provide a refuge for various wildlife. Over 260 bird species have been reported, making this one of the top places to enjoy bird watching in the area.
It’s important to note that this multi-use, year-round park permits hunting on designated days.
Location: 034588 21 Side Road, Grand Valley
Huron, Perth, Waterloo and Wellington
From friendly chickadees to a majestic snowy owl sighting on a backcountry road, bird watching is a year-round activity in and around Waterloo and along the Grand River.
The Grand River watershed is a significant waterway travelling south from Dufferin County into Lake Erie with several tributaries along the way.
A highlight in Stratford is the annual release of the mute swans on the Avon River in early April.
Dryden Tract
Designated as an Environmentally Significant Policy Area, the Dryden Tract is within the northern limit of the Carolinian forest zone and therefore, home to Carolinian forest bird species.
Over 130 species have been observed in the area, including warblers, flycatchers, cuckoos and even owls.
Location: 1785 Alps Road, Cambridge
F.W.R. Dickson Wilderness Area
Winter birding is equally as magical as the summer season in this nature preserve.
Follow the figure eight recreational trail through the forest, thickets and wetlands and keep a lookout for an assortment of sparrows, woodpeckers, nuthatches and friendly chickadees willing to stop for a visit in exchange for a few sunflower seeds along the boardwalk.
Location: 699, North Dumfries Township Road 5, Ayr
Kawarthas and Northumberland
The diverse landscapes of wetlands and woodlands, lakes and fields attract many species in Kawarthas and Northumberland.
Nesting platforms throughout this region offer a rare sighting of majestic ospreys each spring. Keep safety in mind when located close to roads and highways.
Great bird watching spots include:
Carden Alvar Provincial Park
Carden Alvar Provincial Park is a globally rare ecosystem and an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) in Kawartha Lakes, northwest of Lindsay.
The flat limestone landscape with alvars, shrubs, grasses and wildflowers provides a valuable habitat for over 200 species of birds, including the largest breeding population of endangered loggerhead shrike in Ontario.
Two marked hiking trails provide visitors with a view of the habitat. The Couchiching Conservancy introduced a Passport to Nature program that promotes guided and self-guided walks and other events.
Location: Cardon
Presqu’ile Provincial Park
Along Lake Ontario, Presqu’ile Provincial Park is another Important Bird and Biodiversity Area known for many migrating waterfowl, warblers and shorebirds.
During the Warblers and Whimbrels Weekend event in mid-May, birders are treated to guided bird walks for sightings of migrating warblers and shorebirds.
Location: 328 Presqu’ile Parkway, Brighton
Southeastern Ontario
Discover several key birding hotspots and experiences from Prince Edward County to the Frontenac Arch and stretching along the St. Lawrence River.
Eastern Ontario Birding specializes in guided birding tours throughout the region.
Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory
Prince Edward County was designated as an IBA in 1998 and has served as a major staging point for migrating birds, including sparrows, finches, cardinals and warblers.
The Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory provides banding and research on migrating bird populations. It also offers birding activities such as guided walks and tours, and bird banding demonstrations and workshops.
The Observatory hosts several signature events each year, including the annual Spring Birding Festival in mid-May and Starry Nights with Saw-whets on select evenings in the fall.
Location: 6056 Long Point Road, Milford
Birdhouse City
Just outside Picton, Macaulay Mountain Conservation Area features a unique attraction of approximately 100 birdhouses.
The charming and whimsical birdhouses are maintained and restored by volunteers and house tree swallows, bluebirds, wrens, chickadees and purple martins.
Location: 224 County Road 8, Picton
Mac Johnson Wildlife Area
Located within the Frontenac Arch Biosphere, east of Kingston, the wetlands and open waters in the Mac Johnson Wildlife Area are visited by majestic Trumpeter Swans, thanks to a long-running conservation and restoration program.
The area is managed by Cataraqui Conservation, and the reservoir is designated as a provincially significant wetland. Follow the Wildflower Loop, an educational interpretive trail through the watershed.
Location: Debruge Road, Brockville
Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary
Home to over 200 species of birds, the Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary, part of the St. Lawrence Parks Commission, offers excellent bird watching opportunities.
Look for waterfowl, raptors and other species along winding, self-guided nature trails through forests, fields and wetlands.
Friends of the Sanctuary organizes special events and programs throughout the year.
Location: 5591 Morrisons Road, Ingleside
Bruce, Grey and Simcoe
Extensive parks, coastlines and hiking trails in Bruce Grey and Simcoe offer abundant bird watching opportunities.
MacGregor Point Provincial Park
Lake Huron’s shoreline experiences a great deal of bird activity, especially during migration seasons.
The annual Huron Fringe Birding Festival in late May and early June coincides with the end of migration and the beginning of nesting season. This multi-day event celebrates the area's biodiversity with guided hikes, bird identification workshops and other birding adventures.
Keep a keen lookout for black-crowned night herons and American egrets touching down on the Bruce Peninsula.
Location: 1593 Bruce Road 33, Port Elgin
Chantry Island
Just north of the coast of Saugeen Shores, Chantry Island is a designated migratory bird sanctuary that welcomes cormorants, seagulls, egrets and herons.
Cruise from Southampton to the island to view the birds and tour the heritage lighthouse with the Marine Heritage Society.
Location: Chantry Island
Wye Marsh
Established in 1978 as a National Wildlife Area, Wye Marsh has since been designated a Provincially Significant Wetland due to its diverse wildlife, including Trumpeter Swans.
Open year-round, the park features a great boardwalk and trail network and nature appreciation programs like guided tours and birds of prey demonstrations. Check for upcoming events and workshops.
Location: 16160 Highway 12 East, Midland
Minesing Wetlands Conservation Area
Part of the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority, the Minesing Wetlands, located just west of Barrie, is a significant wetland habitat that supports a diverse array of flora and fauna, including songbirds in the spring and a variety of waterfowl drawn to the wetland's unique ecology.
Hiking trails and paddling routes provide ample birding opportunities. Look for bufflehead, scaups, gadwalls, black and ring-necked ducks from the waterfowl viewing platform in Clearview.
Location: 363 Mill Street, Angus
Niagara Region
Beamer Memorial Conservation Area
Part of the internationally designated Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve, this park is renowned in the region as one of the best places to view the annual spring hawk migration.
Location: 28 Quarry Road, Grimsby
Algonquin Park, Muskoka and Parry Sound
Swaths of mixed forests and freshwater lakes and rivers through Muskoka and Algonquin Park provide the ideal habitat for migratory and breeding birds.
Make a reservation for Nature Takes Flight, a series of guided birding events in Muskoka from mid-April to mid-May.
Muskoka Field Naturalists have compiled a comprehensive list of excellent bird watching hotspots throughout the region.
Algonquin Provincial Park
For decades, Ontario’s iconic park has been a great destination for appreciating Canada’s national bird, the whiskey jack, or Canada jay. Sightings have recently declined, most likely due to climate change.
The park is also home to a host of feathered residents and visitors, including woodpeckers, ravens, finches and grouse. And it’s always a treat to hear the enchanting call of the loon from across the water.
Check out birding events and sightings from the Visitor Centre or connect with the Algonquin Wildlife Research Station.
An excellent alternative to Algonquin is the nearby Limberlost Forest and Wildlife Reserve, a private wilderness park that’s free to visit year-round.
Location: Ontario 60
Torrance Barrens Conservation Reserve
Just south of Bala, the Torrance Barrens Conservation Reserve is a popular spot for night sky and stargazing, but during the day, the spotlight is on the birds.
There is a selection of trails of varying lengths and six designated camping sites. Look for field sparrows, vireos and eastern towhees, as well as blue herons, sandhill cranes and waterfowl in the marshes.
Location: Southwood Road, Bala
Haliburton Highlands to the Ottawa Valley
Experience incredible birding opportunities from the shores of the Ottawa and Madawaska Rivers to the Algonquin Highlands and rural stretches of farm and forest in Ontario’s Highlands.
Haliburton Forest & Wild Life Reserve
Hundreds of kilometres of hiking trails provide ample year-round bird watching opportunities in this massive nature reserve.
Join Yours Outdoors and Royal Canadian Falconry on a Predator Prowl at the Haliburton Forest Wolf Centre to learn about raptor species and meet a few in-person.
Location: 1095 Redkenn Road, Haliburton
High Lonesome Nature Reserve
Located in the Pakenham Hills, within a Provincially Significant Wetland, this nature reserve features eight kilometres of marked trails that wind through forest, meadow and wetlands. Look for various songbirds in the spring and blue jays, nuthatches and woodpeckers throughout the year.
Location: 867 Carbine Road, Pakenham
Northern Ontario
Bucket list bird watching opportunities exist in Northern Ontario’s beautiful boreal forest and vast rugged wilderness.
From hiking trails in Superior Country to the lakes and forests in Northwest Sunset Country, and from Algoma Country and the vistas of Northeastern Ontario up to the remote saltwater shores of Hudson Bay, birding highlights include:
Chapleau Crown Game Preserve
Located in Algoma Country, Chapleau is the world’s largest crown game preserve at over 700,000 hectares.
In addition to moose, bear, wolf and beaver, look for boreal forest birds such as woodpeckers, grouse, ravens and great horned owls. Waterways and wetlands attract bald eagles, herons, osprey, loons and ducks.
One of the most unusual sightings recently was of a crested caracara, a reclusive Central and South American falcon, spotted in Foleyet, just east of Chapleau.
Location: Algoma Country
St. Joseph Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary
On the tip of St. Joseph Island, Fort St. Joseph is National Historic Site and a designated migratory bird sanctuary.
Migratory birds rest in spring and fall with over 200 species recorded, including waterfowl, shorebirds, warblers, woodland birds and birds of prey.
Location: 185 Fort Road, Hilton Beach
Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park
Approximately an hour's drive northeast of Thunder Bay, Ouimet Canyon is a massive, two-kilometre-long gorge believed to have been carved by glaciers. The canyon is about 150 metres wide with steep walls that drop over 100 metres deep.
Viewing platforms along the rim overlooking this spectacular natural attraction offer an unbeatable vantage point for bird watching. Look for peregrine falcons, a threatened raptor species spotted nesting along the canyon cliffs.
Nearby, the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority hosts special events, including annual bird counts and the Dorian Birding Festival in May.
Location: Greenwich Lake Road, Pass Lake
Sleeping Giant Provincial Park
In addition to surreal views of Lake Superior, over 200 bird species have been identified in this park.
Located at the southern tip of Sibley Peninsula on the north shore of Lake Superior, the Thunder Cape Bird Observatory monitors migrating bird species, including waterfowl, raptors and passerines. Accessible by boat or hiking trails, visitors are welcome during the spring, from late April to early June and in the fall, from August through October.
Location: R R 1, Pass Lake
Sunset Country
In Ontario’s northwest, Sunset Country is a birders’ playground.
Pelicans, cranes, snowy owls and bald eagles have been spotted in and around the Sable Islands and Rushing River Provincial Parks and up to the shores along Lake of the Woods. Northwest of Lake of the Woods is one of the highest densities of nesting bald eagles in Ontario.
Pei lay sheesh kow
Pei lay sheesh kow is a designated IBA that covers Tidewater Provincial Park. Its name in Cree translates to “an area that abounds with birds”.
If you make the long trek north to James Bay in the spring and fall, you may be rewarded with sightings of waterfowl, migrating shorebirds such as sandpipers or the red knot, as well as loons, pelicans, cranes, owls and eagles. Look for seals and beluga whales, too.
East of Moosonee, the Hannah Bay Migratory Bird Sanctuary lies within the Moose Cree First Nation homelands and offers refuge to ducks, sandpipers, gulls, snow geese and other waterbirds.
Location: Moosonee
Whether you’re a lifelong birder or new to the amazing world of bird watching, Ontario’s diverse habitats and ever-changing seasons offer endlessly rewarding opportunities to observe birds.
Last updated: January 30, 2026