Birdwatching in Saskatchewan: How to Spot the Province’s Most Stunning Birds

License plates in the Canadian Prairie province of Saskatchewan carry the slogan “Land of Living Skies,” and that makes birders smile from ear to ear behind their binoculars. The spacious province comes by its moniker honestly — wide-open spaces abound in Saskatchewan, and a variety of habitats ranging from woodlands and wetlands to badlands and the boreal create havens for both resident and migrating birds. It also has the distinction of being one of the few places where two of the four North American Flyways overlap. In short, there be birds in Saskatchewan (and you should be there, too).

BIRDING IN SASKATCHEWAN:
WHERE TO GO & WHAT YOU’LL SEE

The Meewasin Valley

Photo: Agami Photo Agency/Shutterstock

The city of Saskatoon is bisected by the South Saskatchewan River as it flows through the Meewasin Valley, an ecosystem that has been protected for decades to ensure its natural resources remain vibrant and accessible. Meewasin means “it is beautiful” in Cree, and the area’s many bird species only help prove the point. Join the Birding Breakfast at Beaver Creek Conservation Area and follow a Meewasin guide along a trail to identify and track a few resident birds, plus some of the migratory ones. Back at the interpretive center, enjoy local coffee and a continental breakfast box in the great outdoors. For a deeper dive, jump on the Circle Drive loop trail for 10+ miles of exploration.

What you’ll see: Meewasin is songbird central. Keep your eyes peeled and your field notebook handy for the Gray Catbird, Cedar Waxwing, Spotted Towhee, and Magnolia Warbler.

How to get there and where to stay: Meewasin is right in Saskatoon, one of Saskatchewan’s two major cities, so proximate lodging is easy to find. Take your pick, for example, between the modern Alt Hotel Saskatoon and the historic Delta Hotels Bessborough.

Redberry Lake Biosphere Region

Photo: Tourism Saskatchewan/ Neil Zeller Photography

Two landscapes collide to create something irresistible to birds within the Redberry Lake Biosphere Region, which was designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2000. Situated where boreal meets grasslands, it’s filled with towering balsam poplar, trembling aspens, and oak groves along with rolling open plains. The region is home to the Redberry Lake Migratory Bird Sanctuary, an important migratory spot for the Tundra Swan, the critically endangered Whooping Crane, and tens of thousands of ducks. Take your pick from the Songbird Morning or Night With Owls experience — both offer observations, a banding demonstration, and a cookout. With 188 species listed here, birders should be able to make a few checkmarks, including Species at Risk Act birds like the aforementioned Whooping Crane, Peregrine Falcon, and Piping Plover.

What you’ll see: The Redberry Lake Biosphere Region is 95 percent open water, so it’s all about shorebirds and waterfowl. Along with the White Pelican, look for terns, loons, grebes, and gulls, as well as the Great Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Spotted Sandpiper, Killdeer, American Avocet, Willet, Upland Sandpiper, Marbled Godwit, Wilson’s Snipe, and Wilson’s Phalarope.

How to get there and where to stay: Campsites are available at Redberry Lake Regional Park. Alternately, you’ll find modern hotels in North Battleford about 40 miles to the west, and Saskatoon is around an hour’s drive south.

Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area

Photo: Tourism Saskatchewan/ Neil Zeller Photography

There’s history here. The Last Mountain Lake Migratory Bird Sanctuary was the first bird sanctuary established in North America, and it’s served as a critical habitat ever since. Located between Regina and Saskatoon, the long strip of lake is also part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network, among other designations, making it a must-stop for birders. There are trails and observation towers, along with self-guided interpretive trails with a floating dock and bird blind that make a DIY outing easy. Guided birding options are available through the park and select local operators.

What you’ll see: The Sandhill Crane, Double-crested Cormorant, Ring-billed Gull, California Gull, Common Tern, and American White Pelican take center stage here. Water control structures by Ducks Unlimited Canada allow lake levels to be manipulated, providing additional mud flats for shorebirds like plovers, avocets, and sandpipers.

How to get there and where to stay: Last Mountain Lake is northwest of Regina, where hotel options are plentiful. To stay closer to the water, try Centre Street Suites at Regina Beach.

Grasslands National Park

Photo: Tourism Saskatchewan/Chris Hendrickson Photography

In the southern reaches of Saskatchewan lies Grasslands National Park, a landscape of lowland and upland grasslands intersected by rivers and coulees, with patches of badlands. It’s vast, a bit mysterious, and home to birds that crave specific habitats. The area’s prairie dog colonies attract a variety of raptors, owls, larks, and curlews. The upland grasslands see sparrows, pipets, and meadowlarks, while grouse and godwits favor the lower grasslands. In the rivers and coulees, look for ducks, sandpipers, and songbirds galore. Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation and Saskatoon Custom Bird Tours offer a three-day tour where Burrowing Owl, Ferruginous Hawk, Golden Eagle, Sprague’s Pipit, Upland Sandpiper, Long-billed Curlew, and Baird’s Sparrow are on the checklist.

What you’ll see: In summer, look for the Upland Sandpiper, Long-billed Curlew, Willet, Marbled Godwit, and Northern Shoveler. Songbirds include the Lark Bunting, Chestnut-collared Longspur, Sprague’s Pipit, Western Meadowlark, Rock Wren, and Loggerhead Shrikes. Come back during the fall migration to see a host of other species, including Harris’s Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow and White-crowned Sparrow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Yellow-rumped Warbler, raptors, American White Pelican, Snow Goose, and Sandhill Cranes.

How to get there and where to stay: Grasslands National Park is south of Swift Current and near the Montana border. In the village of Val Marie, The Sanctuary Inn offers suites in a converted church. There’s also The Convent Inn, The Crossing at Grasslands, and the Canalta Hotel Shaunavon. Camping inside the park is another option, with your choice of established sites, backcountry opportunities, and Parks Canada’s oTENTik tent-cabin hybrids.

BIRDING IN SASKATCHEWAN:
TIPS AND TRICKS

Photo: Tourism Saskatchewan/Keith Starks

Keep these points in mind to plan the perfect birding adventure in Saskatchewan:

• The province is vast, covering over 250,000 square miles (650,000 square kilometers), an area nearly as big as Texas. And with a population of about 1.2 million, it means towns can be spaced far apart (Texas, to continue the comparison, has a population of 30 million). That means you may have to cover long distances between fueling stations, so keep an eye on your gauge.
• Remember that distances on road signs are posted in kilometers, not miles.
• In the warmer months in northern areas, sunrise happens early — like 4 AM — so plan for an early start.
• Go with a pro like Stan Shadick who’s been checking off species for more than 30 years. Shadick is a past president of Nature Saskatchewan and current field trip chair for the Saskatoon Nature Society. You’ll find his name on Birds of the Saskatoon Area and the recently published Birds of Saskatchewan. For a guided excursion, you can get in touch with Shadick through Saskatoon Custom Bird Tours.
• Last but not least, don’t sleep on planning your birding trip to Saskatchewan — the province’s eagles, owls, sparrows, and cranes are ready to welcome you.