People travel all over the world to spot endemic or rare birds. Vancouver Island is host to an abundance of sea bird species which can be hard to spot without the help of on-water transport. Good thing we have sea kayaks and guides who know their birds well! This quiet way of travel allows us to get a better view of birds than one can in a larger boat or by land. This article lists the most common birds to see on our sea kayaking tours as well as the spotting potential and a brief description of each one. As you continue reading, you may notice the spotting potential is often listed as ‘Low’. This is because many of these marine birds are much quieter and smaller than the marine mammals listed in our other blog post on wildlife spotting, making them much harder to spot.

In this article, population status is used to determine how healthy the population of a species is as well as if it is threated and by what. Status can be broken down into (in order from least concern to most concern): Data Deficient, Least Concern, At Risk, and Endangered, with one species falling out of these categories as Invasive.

Birds Of The West Coast

Bald Eagle

Scientific Name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Habitat: Anywhere near a body of water in areas with sufficient food sources in large nests
Status: Least Concern
Spotting Potential: High
Most Commonly Spotted On: Ucluelet Harbour Tour, Toquaht Bay/Barkley Sound Tours

Description: Both male and female bald eagles look the same: brown body with white head and tail, yellow beak, and orange feet. Females are larger than males, typically weighing 9 to 11 lbs (4 to 5 kg) while males weigh around 6 to 8 lbs (2 to 3.5 kg). They have one of the largest wing spans of all birds in Canada with a range up to 7.5 ft (2.2m). Juvenile eagles are a mottled brown colour with a yellow beak and orange feet, and do not grow adult plumage until they are 4 or 5 years old. Fun fact: the noise often attributed to bald eagles in movies is actually a hawk! Bald eagles actually make a more high-pitched chirp and call than expected.

Osprey

Scientific Name: Pandion haliaetus
Habitat: Nearby bodies of water with nests in the tallest tree or structur
Status: Least Concern
Spotting Potential: Low – Medium  
Most Commonly Spotted On: Barkley Sound/Toquaht Bay Tours, Broken Group Islands Tours

Description: Ospreys are smaller than eagles and can be differentiated by their body colouring. They have sleek brown wings and a brown body with white underbody and a white head. Defining features are their dark eye streak and dark wrist patches. Their wingspan can be up to 6 ft (1.8m). Ospreys are fantastic at catching fish, and as a result, their diet is almost all fish! They dive from high in the sky or their perch and catch fish which have come close to the surface.

Great Blue Heron

Scientific Name: Ardea herodias fannini
Habitat: Near bodies of water with nests high up in trees or dense bushes
Status: At Risk
Spotting Potential: Medium – High
Most Commonly Spotted On: Ucluelet Harbour Tour

Description: Other than its height (3 ft / 1 m), the great blue heron can be identified by its long legs, greyish blue body, white head, and black stripes above its eyes. They tend to nest close together in what is called a ‘heronry’, which can house upwards of 200 birds. While their diet usually consists of small fish, they sometimes eat small crustaceans, reptiles, insects, and frogs. These large birds often look out of place as they fly or perch up in trees as they tuck their long necks up against their bodies. Great blue herons call sounds like a loud, hoarse squawk. Surprisingly, bald eagles are known to tussle and kill great blue herons. These birds are considered ‘At Risk’ due to failure to nest from eagle predation, human disturbances, and destruction of nesting and foraging areas.

Barred Owl

Scientific Name: Strix varia
Habitat: Rainforests, dry forests, marshes, urban areas, farm fields, and more!
Status: Least Concern
Spotting Potential: Low
Most Commonly Spotted On: Ucluelet Harbour Tour, Broken Group Islands

Description: This owl can often be located by following the sound of its loud call, which sounds like someone saying:  “who cooks for you”. The chicks make a slightly different noise that is more of a screech or hiss. Barred owls are considered midsize, with a height around 1.5ft (0.5m) and weight just over 2lb (0.9kg). They have greyish brown feathers brown strips which run vertically down their body.

Common Merganser

Scientific Name: Mergus merganser
Habitat: Near bodies of water, in wetlands, and bogs
Status: Least Concern
Spotting Potential: Low - Medium
Most Commonly Spotted On: Toquaht Bay/Barkley Sound Tours, Ucluelet Harbour Tour

Description: This duck is perhaps one of the easiest to see from a distance with their bright rusty-red feathers which create a slight mohawk on their head – but that is only the females! Males are a bit less vibrant with white bodies with a black stripe down the middle and dark green heads. These ducks are also known to brave white-water rapids – sometimes even paddlers follow them to find the right route through the turbulent river. Females tend to parent communally: one mother will take their own ducklings along with the ducklings of others and lead them through the water. As well, these awesome moms will often carry several ducklings on their backs to give them a break from swimming.

Bufflehead Duck

Scientific Name: Bucephala albeola
Habitat: In tree cavities near bodies of water
Status: Least Concern (Increasing!)
Spotting Potential: Low
Most Commonly Spotted On: Broken Group Islands Tours, Ucluelet Harbour Tour

Description: This duck is actually the smallest diving duck in all of North America, with males weighing around 1lb (0.45kg) and females just under 1lb (11oz). Male buffleheads are more vibrant when breeding than females with the feathers around their face being a mixture of greens, blues, purples, and yellows, and a defining white spot at the back of their heads. Females are a simple brown colour, but they still have a similar white spot, though this time just under their eyes and the side of their heads. These ducks spend their summers and breeding season on lakes and ponds in the interior, then head to the warmer coastal areas on both the west and south coasts from the northern most points down to Mexico.

Surf Scoter

Scientific Name: Melanitta perspicillata
Habitat: Near or on bodies of water
Status: At Risk
Spotting Potential: Low
Most Commonly Spotted On: Outer Waters Tour, Broken Group Islands Tours, Clayoquot Sound Tours

Description: Little is known about the specific details of this bird. The population is notably in decline but the reasons still remain unknown. Males are black with a white spot on their forehead and another on the back of their neck. Their bright orange beak tips can be a great way to spot them. Females, like the bufflehead duck, are brown in colour with two white spots on either side of their faces. Another way to identify them is the loud raucous made when a flock takes off.

American Coot

Scientific Name: Fulica americana
Habitat: Nearby or on bodies of water, marshes, bogs, and wetlands
Status: Least Concern
Spotting Potential: Low
Most Commonly Spotted On: Outer Waters, Broken Group Islands Tours, Toquaht Bay/Barkley Sound Tours

Description: The American coot has a black body with its main defining feature being its white beak. Depending on the distance away when spotting, these birds also have spectacularly bright red eyes. As well, the American coot neither a duck nor does it have webbed feet. Instead, they have incredibly long toes with lobes of skin on each toe, making their feet quite large in comparison to their bodies. This helps the bird stand on muddy ground without sinking in.

Harlequin Duck

Scientific Name: Histrionicus
Habitat: Near or on bodies of water
Status: Least Concern
Spotting Potential: Low - Medium
Most Commonly Spotted On: Broken Group Islands Tours

Description: Harlequin ducks are certainly one of the most exciting looking ducks out there – except perhaps the wood duck. Males have a mixture of blue, grey, and orange feathers while females look, once again, incredibly similar to surf scoter and bufflehead females, except harlequins have whiter faces. Male harlequins make a very high-pitched squeaking sound which has earned them the nickname of  ‘sea mouse’. For unknown reasons, harlequin ducks also appear to break bones more often than any other species.

Western Grebe

Scientific Name: Aechmophorus occidentalis
Habitat: Summer on marshes and lakes for breeding, winter in sheltered bays and inlets
Status: Data Deficient
Spotting Potential: Low – High
Most Commonly Spotted On: Broken Group Islands Tours, Outside Waters Tour, Clayoquot Sound Tours

Description: The western grebe is one of the larger species to see on Vancouver Island. They look like cormorants from a distance as they swim, except cormorants hold their head high. This bird is meant for swimming and a life on the water, not a life on land as their feet are not centred on their body and sit further back. They have a white throat, chest, and underside, with the rest being blackish grey. Other distinguishing features are their bright red eyes and long yellow beak.

Common Loon

Scientific Name: Gavia immer
Habitat: Lakes and large bodies of water
Status: At Risk
Spotting Potential: Medium
Most Commonly Spotted On: Broken Group Islands Tours, Toquaht Bay/Barkley Sound Tours, Clayoquot Sound Tours

Description: The common loon is a classic symbol in Canada. In fact, it is where we got the name for our $1 coin – the Loonie! As their name implies, they are an often-seen staple in Canadian waters where 95% of the population calls home. The call it makes is a well-known sound for anyone who spends time nearby clean water as well as a typical sound for movies with camping scenes. These birds are characterized by their black head, white striped neck with a blue band, and bright white underbelly. While these loons are notably resilient birds, they are still under threat from pollution, habitat loss, and overfishing.

Pacific Loon

Scientific Name: Gavia pacifica
Habitat: Winter in warmer marine environments and summer in arctic and subarctic lakes to breed
Status: Least Concern
Spotting Potential: Low (In Summer)
Most Commonly Spotted On: Only winter/early spring tours

Description: The Pacific loon is characterized by its long, sharp beak and white head. It has similar stripes on its neck as the common loon, except it lacks the blue colour. These birds can migrate incredibly long distances: far north in Eastern Siberia and as far south as the Baja Peninsula in Mexico. These birds are most threated by oil spills and being accidentally caught in fishing nets.

Belted Kingfisher

Scientific Name: Megaceryle alcyon
Habitat: Clean and healthy fresh or saltwater wetlands with shallow, fast-moving water with abundant perches nearby
Status: At Risk
Spotting Potential: Medium – High
Most Commonly Spotted On: Ucluelet Harbour Tour, Toquaht Bay/Barkley Sound Tours

Description: This small bird (0.15kg/0.3lb) is actually one of the larger kingfisher species. Their blue feathers on their head, back, and wings help define them against the browns and greens of the trees they perch in. They get their name from the dark grey belt across their neck and shoulders. These birds make a surprisingly loud chattering noise for their size and are incredibly good fishermen, as their name implies.

Farallon Cormorant

Scientific Name: Phalacrocorax auratus albociliatus
Habitat: Along rocky shorelines and perched on rock islands, wooden posts, and signposts
Status: At Risk
Spotting Potential: Medium - High
Most Commonly Spotted On: Ucluelet Harbour Tour , Toquaht Bay/Barkley Sound Tours, Outside Waters Tour

Description: These birds are incredibly common, especially nearby large boat terminals such as the ones BC Ferries utilizes. These long, skinny birds are optimally shaped for swimming and diving to catch their prey. They are entirely black except for their yellowy orange beaks, bright blue eyes, and occasional white flecks on the wings of immature birds. As mentioned above, these cormorants look similar to the long-necked Western grebe except that the cormorant holds its beak high in the sky.

Black Oystercatcher

Scientific Name: Haematopus bachmani
Habitat: On shore or on rocky outcroppings near the ocean where shellfish are plentiful
Status: Least Concern
Spotting Potential: Medium
Most Commonly Spotted On: Broken Group Islands Tours, Clayoquot Sound Tours

Description: This all-black bird would be hard to spot if not for its bright orange beak and off-white legs. As well, they have a rather high-pitched chirp that is often heard before the bird is spotted. They tend to travel in pairs with their mate. During high tide they rest and preen and at low tide they use their large bill to smash or pry open shellfish as their name implies.

Marbled Murrelet

Scientific Name: Brachyramphus marmoratus
Habitat: Nest in old growth trees or on talus slopes and spend their days on the open sea
Status: Endangered
Spotting Potential: Medium - High
Most Commonly Spotted On: During boat shuttle for Broken Group Island Tours, Broken Group Islands Tours (outside islands), Clayoquot Sound Tours

Description: Marbled Murrelets are tiny birds (0.2kg/0.5lbs) that spend a lot of their days flying to and from their nests in old growth forests. These birds are brown with whitish patches when breeding and black and white when not breeding. They dive to hunt for small fish and use their wings almost like propellers underwater. These birds are severely threated by habitat loss due to the logging of their old growth homes.

Ancient Murrelet

Scientific Name: Synthliboramphus antiquus
Habitat: Live either entirely offshore or occasionally close to shore
Status: At Risk
Spotting Potential: Low
Most Commonly Spotted On: Outer Waters Tour, Broken Group Islands Tours, and Clayoquot Sound Tours

Description: Much like the marbled murrelet, these birds dive and use their wings to travel through the water. They travel in pairs with their lifelong mates. Breeding adults are black with a white belly, beak, and a white patch on the back of their head. Non-breeding adults are whiter, except they do not have the white patch on their head. Their chicks are able to fly to sea with their parents just days after hatching. Male and females also take turns incubating the eggs while the other goes to find food.

Black Turnstone

Scientific Name: Arenaria melanocephala
Habitat: Coastal shorelines
Status: At Risk
Spotting Potential: Low - Medium
Most Commonly Spotted On: Ucluelet Harbour Tour

Description: These small birds often travel in large flocks and make a loud raucous when they fly away. Their name comes from their colouring as well as how they look for food: turning over stones. Sometimes, they will get thrust up using their legs, much like a human squatting heavy weight, to push or flip kelp and driftwood to expose flies and other food. They will also snowplough through the sand and through kelp to expose their food. These birds are also quite territorial and will chase larger birds like gulls away.

Greater Yellowlegs

Scientific Name: Tringa melanoleuca
Habitat: Marshes and shorelines
Status: Least Concern
Spotting Potential: Low
Most Commonly Spotted On: Toquaht Bay/Barkley Sound Tours, Ucluelet Harbour Tour

Description: The greater yellowlegs has many nicknames: marshpiper, telltale, tattler, and yelper with the latter referring to its loud calls. This bird is not typically found on shorelines as they prefer marshes and bogs where bugs are abundant, but it does happen. These birds have a long, thin beak, a white face, neck, and belly, with a mottled brown back. Their long yellow legs are their most noticeable feature.

Lesser Yellowlegs

Scientific Name: Tringa flavipes
Habitat: Marshes and shorelines
Status: Least Concern
Spotting Potential: Low
Most Commonly Spotted On: Toquaht Bay/Barkley Sound Tours

Description: As their name implies, they are the smaller, more dainty yellowlegs species. They also have a thinner beak than the greater yellowlegs. As well, they are quite loud like the greater yellowlegs, giving loud, shrill alerts. Surprisingly, the two are not very closely related. Because of their tendency to flock and protect their young and wounded members of their flock, they were easy targets for hunting. A hunting ban in the early 1900’s on these birds allowed them to recover.

Pigeon Guillemot

Scientific Name: Cepphus columba
Habitat: Close to shore of the Pacific Ocean
Status: Least Concern
Spotting Potential: Low
Most Commonly Spotted On: Outer Water Tours, Broken Group Islands Tours (outer islands), Clayoquot Sound Tours

Description: The Pigeon Guillemot does not look much like a typical pigeon despite its name. This bird is mainly black with a white spot on their wings and bright red feet when breeding. During mating dances, the male circles around the female to highlight their red feet. Non-breeding adults and immature birds are mainly white with a mottled black back, black beak, and black tail feathers. This bird can also dive to depths of 45 metres (147ft) if the water is deep enough using their wings to swim like the murrelets above. They are also known to climb rock faces using their feet to stay attached while they flap aggressively to move upwards.

Rhinoceros Auklet

Scientific Name: Cerorhinca monocerata
Habitat: On the ocean and shorelines
Status: Least Concer
Spotting Potential: Low
Most Commonly Spotted On: Outside Waters Tour, Broken Group Islands Tours (outside islands), Clayoquot Sound Tours

Description: Rhinoceros auklets get their name from the small horn which sticks up from their beaks. The use of this horn is unknown, but testing has shown the horn is fluorescent in ultraviolet light which humans cannot see. This leads researchers to believe it is used for communication underwater and at night. Breeding adults are dark brown in colour with white plumage which looks like eyebrows and a mustache. Non-breeding adults and immature birds do not have this white plumage but rather have a mottled white belly. They are closely related to puffins, a bird which is slowly making its return on Vancouver Island!

Cassin’s Auklet

Scientific Name: Ptychoramphus aleuticus
Habitat: Offshore and shorelines to burrow
Status: At Risk
Spotting Potential: Low
Most Commonly Spotted On: Outer Waters Tour, Broken Group Islands Tours (outer islands), Clayoquot Sound Tours

Description: Cassin’s auklets are a chunky bird in shape but not in weight (0.2g/0.5lbs). They breed together in massive colonies which are notably quite loud due to screeching calls. These birds are brown with a mottled white underbelly, small white eyebrows and a white dot under their beak. Cassin’s auklets are known to delay breeding to match times with abundant prey.

Common Murre

Scientific Name: Uria aalge
Habitat: On the water with nests on cliffs
Status: Data Deficient
Spotting Potential: Low
Most Commonly Spotted On: Broken Group Islands Tours (outside islands), Outer Waters Tours, Clayoquot Sound Tours

Description: Another small sea bird, the common murre can be distinguished by its tuxedo colouring: dark brown head and back with a sharp line separating its white belly and wings (breeding adults). Non-breeding adults have more white running up their neck and chins than the breeding adults. As well, common murre eggs can have unique colourings with spots and flecks as to distinguish them from other birds’ eggs on the same cliff. Their eggs also have a different shape to typical eggs: very pointed on one side while thick and round on the other so they do not roll off cliff edges as easily. They can dive to depths of roughly 100ft/30m.