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The Top of the Island region supports an incredible variety of bird life, including year round inhabitants, seasonal regulars, migratory stopovers and occasional visitors. This mix of regular and rare makes the area a prime choice for those seeking to add species to their “life lists”.
The forests, mountains and bogs that define the wilderness perimeters of the region are home to a mix of songbirds, grub eaters and predators. Chickadees, siskins, jays, woodpeckers keep a wary eye out for hawks, owls and gyrfalcons.
The salt marshes, beaches and harbors host shorebirds, both large and small, from tiny plovers, (some endangered), sanderlings, pipers and terns through large waders like the Great Blue Heron to the large number of bald eagles who make the shores of the area their private food-gathering grounds.
The geographic positioning of the Top of the Island, however, is what makes the region so beloved to bird fanciers. As a major stopping point between the Arctic summering grounds and the warmer climes of the wintering areas to our south, spring and fall witness stopover rituals of a large variety of “infrequent visitors”, and it is during these seasons that offer birders their optimal opportunity for sighting rare species.
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Coincidentally, the best sighting times for birders occur during times of lower summer tourist visitation, so bird fanciers not only find off-season rates for services, but also, while with a bit of assistance from local guides results in viewing opportunities experienced in relative privacy.
The link to Cape Breton Highlands National Park’s birding page, http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ns/cbreton/natcul/natcul1cii_E.asp, offers additional information on the 200+ species of birds that can be found at the Top of the Island. The vast majority of these species occur not only in the National Park, but in almost all cases more frequently at the Top of the Island due to the more isolated and less visited character of the region.