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Bird Watching

Bird Watching Banff/Lake Louise

Fenland Trail and Vermilion Lakes
Much less strenuous are the Fenland Trail/Vermilion Lakes which are very close to the Banff townsite (just west and north of town, on the north side of the Bow River). Anybody can give you directions to the trailhead. These trails are good and flat and make for a nice half-day walk. The Fenland Trail goes through primarily an old-growth conifer habitat, but there are also some wet meadows, willow thickets, and aspen habitats along the way. Along Fenland Trail are (among others):

three-toed, black-backed, hairy, downy, and pileated woodpeckers
blue, ruffed, and spruce grouse
magpies, ravens, crows, Clark's nutcrackers
grey, blue, and (rarely) Stellar's jays
black-capped, boreal, and mountain chickadees
white breasted and red breasted nuthatches
several owl species are possible (most commonly seen is the great horned owl, but even then you have to be very lucky)
various wood warblers are possible
hermit thrush (and possibly a few other species as well)
various new-world sparrows (most commonly the white-throated sparrow)
various flycatchers (most commonly the western wood peewee)
brown creepers and Townsend solitaires (or so I am told, as they are both very secretive)
northern goshawk, sharp shinned, and coopers hawk

In the more open marsh habitat of the Vermilion Lakes (which can be reached by the same trail system as Fenland) you can see: the usual roundup of North American ducks, but most notable is the Barrow's goldeye which is near the eastern limit of its range.

Also there are:

blue heron and American bittern
marsh wren
yellow throat
red-tailed and Swainson hawk
bald and golden eagle
a few other shore bird species, most commonly the spotted sandpiper
water dipper (in the moving water near the lake's outlet)

Cave and Basin
The marsh below the Cave and Basin (about 3km west of town, but on the south side of the Bow River) is also worth a look for the same marsh birds, and also (surprisingly) some tropical fish that were introduced about 40 years ago and live near the outlet of the hot springs. It is an amazing sight to see in a cold day in winter, when its -30C and all the trees are covered with snow and frost and there are tropical fish swimming at your feet.

Banff Townsite
Within the town of Banff itself (and almost anywhere else in the park for that matter) the American robins, American magpies, common ravens, black-capped chickadees, and northern flickers are extremely abundant and can be found in pretty much anybody?s yard. Grey jays are particularly abundant as well, and are well known for taking (and occasionally stealing) food right from your hand. Bird feeders (and bird feeding) are forbidden in Banff National Park, however, and so the diversity of birds in the town is not as great as one would expect.

Canmore Townsite
It has been my experience that European birders get most excited about seeing hummingbirds, which is understandable since they are a New World specialty and very unique. There are two species nesting around Banff (rufous and calliope), and at least two more (ruby throat and black chinned) will show up occasionally as well. Unfortunately, despite being reasonably common, hummingbirds aren't easy to come across and they are so quick its very very difficult to get more than a fleeting glimpse. I think you would be much more likely to get them if you go to the town of Canmore just east of the Banff Park entry gates and stake out someone's hummingbird feeder. (For those unfamiliar, a hummingbird feeder is basically a glass or plastic bottle hanging in a tree with a red opening at the bottom). You can find hummingbird feeders in people's yards just by walking around any of the older residential areas in Canmore. But you are not allowed to feed birds in national parks so you won't see them in Banff itself, which is why you have to go to Canmore. A yard with lots of yellow and red ornamental flowers will also attract hummingbirds but landscaped yards are uncommon in Banff, where the growing of ornamental (introduced) flowers is discouraged.

Aspens
On the way from Banff to Canmore (near the eastern edge of the park) there is also some aspen habitat, which is rare within Banff National Park (where the forests are almost all coniferous). The aspens are also worth a stop. This is a great area for wrens, wood warblers, ruffed grouse, flycatchers, and the Accipiter hawks. You can also find aspen habitat around the east end of Banff Springs golf course.

Lake Minnewanka
The largest lake in the area is Lake Minnewanka, a short drive north and east of Banff townsite. This area has never been very productive for me and I wouldn't recommend it. Grey jays and ring-billed gulls do however frequent the shore area. Nearby Two-Jack Lake does however have some possibilities (that I admit that I have yet to explore) and may be worth a look as it offers a more hospitable shoreline and a greater diversity of habitat.

Johnston Canyon
Going west from Banff townsite, there are two highways taking you to Lake Louise. Highway one is the main high-speed thoroughfare, but. I would choose instead highway 1A, which has lots of little meadows and spots you can stop at. Among them is Johnston Canyon, where the black swift nests (one of very few places in Alberta where they do). It is also a good place for water dippers. Definitely stop there.

Vermilion Pass
About half way between Banff and Lake Louise (just west of Johnston Canyon) is Castle Junction, which is the turn off to Vermilion Pass and Radium Hot Springs. Take a quick 10km excursion up this road as well. Near the crest of the pass is the "Vermilion Burn", where a massive forest fire occurred about 30 years ago. There are still lots of dead standing trees and an abundance of berry bushes, so it is worth a look. Various owls and the rare Lewis woodpecker can be picked up there by the fortunate.

Lake Louise
There is very little flat land around Lake Louise itself and the walks in that area are much more strenuous than Fenland Trail/Vermilion Lakes. And birding in that area is generally less productive, species wise, due to a much smaller variety of habitats. The forests in that area are mostly lodgepole pine, which does not support a lot of diversity. You are more likely to come across Stellar's jays there than in Banff townsite, however...and these are beautiful birds and worth a try. Also exceptional is the varied thrush, which can be seen in small meadows in the area, and occasionally in the landscaped grounds of Chateau Lake Louise as well. You can also take a gondola up the Lake Louise ski hill and hope for a rosy finch or white-tailed ptarmigan but your chances aren't great. You have to do a lot of walking before you are likely to come across either of these birds.

Field Townsite
Driving across the Great Divide along highway one into British Columbia can add the chestnut backed chickadee to your list as well; and the further west you go the more likely a Stellar's jay or varied thrush sighting is. The area around the town of Field BC (about 30km west of Lake Louise on highway one) will get you some results and is a good spot for water dippers. Water dippers are wonderful little birds: quite drab, but absolutely fascinating to watch.

Columbia River Valley
Another excellent area is the Columbia River Valley south of Golden BC, which is another 60km or so west of Field. There are a lot of marshes and small lakes there, with ospreys and bald eagles all over the place. The usual assortment of marsh birds are in abundance as well.

Banff/Lake Louise Tourist Information