Looking up at the mountain peaks is a fairly natural instinct when in the Canadian Rockies. But there’s a lot more to see than snow-capped summits, jagged ridges and plunging couloirs. Look closely -- a golden eagle might be riding the thermal air masses, swooping between tree-covered valleys and soaring high above ridges and sheer rock faces at speeds near 120 kilometres (72 miles) per hour. You might spot an osprey plunging into the sea-green water to rise with a thrashing fish grasped tightly in its powerful talons. Or, if listening carefully enough, you may hear a pleated woodpecker’s forceful knocking as the prehistoric-looking bird with the pointed crimson crest hammers out rectangular holes near tree bases searching for mites.
More than 220 bird species are known to inhabit the Rockies and, from water to forest to steep mountain crags, the Bow Valley offers prime viewing habitat for enthusiastic ornithologists. The local Bow Valley bird-watching population loves to share its knowledge and passion for witnessing various species nesting in the valley. A flock of guidebooks exist, ranging from small starter books that identify the five-dozen most commonly spotted birds in the Rockies to more detailed (and expensive) encyclopaedia-sized volumes.
The Columbia Valley and Kinbasket Lake on the Rockies’ western flanks north to Golden, British Columbia, is home to the most diverse bird population in the province. Around 270 bird species have been recorded in the area’s wetlands, a prime breeding ground for bald eagles, osprey and great blue heron. Closer to Canmore, plains lead to foothills and foothills to mountains in Kananaskis Country, comprising birds from many different habitats, including golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, black-billed magpies, Canada jays, ravens and red-breasted nuthatches. Golden eagles have passed over the Bow Valley on their north and south annual migrations every spring and fall for more than 11,000 years. Each migration can involve as many as 5,500 eagles flying in small groups at extremely high elevations, with more than 850 birds passing overhead on a peak day. Older eagles appear earliest in the spring, utilizing relatively stable air masses during late February and early March. Younger birds are the first to head south in the fall. Golden eagles mate for life and generally travel in pairs. To celebrate the event, Canmore plays host to the annual two-day Festival of Eagles every October, featuring hikes, interpretive presentations, displays and guests speakers.
