Bird watching in the winter can sometimes be limited but several sites in the Montreal area offer great viewing opportunities.
First, the Marguerite D'Youville wildlife refuge that includes Ile Saint-Bernard is a great place for bird watching in winter.
The different access to open water on the St. Lawrence River and Lake St. Louis gives you the opportunity to see several species of ducks and water birds.
In winter, bird feeders are installed and you can observe many species coming to feed. The star of the area is certainly the Tufted Titmouse, which can be seen fairly easily.
The Boisé Papineau in Laval also offers a nice assortment of feeders that attract many species.
Walking around the many trails, you'll find a pair of Pileated woodpecker living there year round. One can also observe several species of owls including; screech owls; Barred Owl; or a small, well camouflaged Saw-whet owl.
If you are in the west of Montreal, make a trip to the Morgan Arboretum, which offers over 25 km of trails and several winter species such as Pine Siskin, Bohemian Waxwing, Common Redpoll, and White-winged Crossbill.
Though hard to see, the Red-bellied Woodpecker sometimes makes really short appearances at the feeders.
For people who want to see Quebec’s provincial bird this winter, the Snowy Owl, the regions of Mirabel, St-Hubert and St-Clet provide suitable habitats for this species.
You will also find many other species in these fields including Snow Bunting, Lapland longspur and Horned Lark.
