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New Brunswick

New Brunswick Species

  • New Brunswick is one of the smallest provinces in Canada but still has a very impressive birding scene. Birders flock to Grand Manan and the Bay of Fundy to see the spectacle of spring and fall migration.

  • More than 430 species of birds can be found in New Brunswick.

  • The Black-capped Chickadee is the provincial bird (and my personal favourite!)

 

Clubs and Organizations 

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​Hotspots

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​Events & Festivals 

  • May 15-18, 2025: Paddlefest Music and Nature Festival is 4 days of music, art, outdoor activities and environmental events.

  • June 6-8, 2025: Festival of Nature is a weekend of field trips, workshops, and celebrating nature in New Brunswick. Location changes every year and will be in Miramichi this year.

  • Various dates: Nature Trust New Brunswick often offers guided bird walks, webinars and other nature activities throughout the year.

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Guided Tours

New Brunswick

Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island Species

  • Prince Edward Island (PEI) is the smallest province in Canada at 5660 square kilometres, but still has an impressively diverse bird list.

  • More than 320 species of birds can be found in PEI.

  • The Blue Jay is the provincial bird.

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Clubs and Organizations 

  • Nature PEI is a charitable organization governed by a volunteer board of directors and promotes understanding, appreciation, and conservation of nature.

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​Hotspots

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Events & Festivals 

  • Various dates: Nature PEI occasionally offers guided bird walks, webinars and other nature activities throughout the year.

 

Guided Tours

  • Sadly, I do not know of any companies or individuals offering guided birding tours of PEI, please let me know if you have anything to share!

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PEI

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia Species

  • Nova Scotia is virtually surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, giving unlimited opportunities for seabird observations. It is also home to numerous Atlantic Puffin breeding colonies.

  • More than 470 species of birds can be found in Nova Scotia.

  • The Osprey is the provincial bird.

 

Clubs and Organizations 

  • Nature Nova Scotia maintains a list of nature clubs in Nova Scotia, where you can find (and join) an organization where you live or are visiting.

  • Nova Scotia Bird Society promotes the study and conservation of wild birds in Nova Scotia. Since its establishment in 1955, the NSBS has grown into the largest single Natural History group in the province.  

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Hotspots

 

Events & Festivals 

  • May 2025? (no 2025 information available): Halifax Bird Week hosted birding walks throughout Halifax in 2024, stay tuned for 2025 event information.

  • May 23-25, 2025: Celebration of Nature is the annual gathering for naturalists in Nova Scotia and symposium for all things nature. This year, we’re adventuring to the North shore of the Minas Basin with friends from the Cliffs of Fundy Geopark.

  • Various dates: Nova Scotia Bird Society offers guided bird walks, webinars and other nature activities throughout the year.

 

Guided Tours​

  • Eagle-Eye Tours: offers a fall tour (August/September) of Nova Scotia return from Halifax. 

  • Field guides: offers a tour from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia in both 2025 & 2027. Starts in St. John’s and ends in Halifax.

  • Tropical Birding Tours: offers the reverse of the Fieldguides tour. 11-days starting in Halifax and ending in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

  • Heatherlea: will be offering a 9-day tour of Nova Scotia in 2027.

  • Bird Island Boat Tours: offers daily 2.75-hour tours to see Puffins and other sea birds from Big Bras d’Or. Tours start up in May.

  • Donelda’s Bird Island Puffin Tours: offers daily 2.5-hour tours of Puffins and other sea birds from Englishtown (20 minutes east of Baddeck). Tours start up in May. I’ve personally done this tour and had a blast! I am very prone to seasickness (especially when watching Puffins through binoculars on a moving boat!), so definitely recommend some kind of motion sickness medication both the night before and the day of the tour.

  • Peggy’s Cove Boat Tours: offers daily 2.5-hour tours of Puffins and other sea birds in Peggy’s Cove.

Nova Scotia

Newfoundland & Labrador

Newfoundland & Labrador Species​

  • Newfoundland & Labrador (NL) offers numerous opportunities to see interesting birds. It is one of the only places in Canada you can see Atlantic Puffins up close and is also home to the most accessible seabird colony in North America.

  • More than 420 species of birds can be found in NL.

  • The Atlantic Puffin is the provincial bird.

 

Clubs and Organizations ​

  • Nature Newfoundland and Labrador are one of the province’s most active environmental organizations. They host interesting guest speakers as well as engaging outdoor events, hikes, and workshops.

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​Hotspots​

  • Provincial eBird hotspot list

  • Nature Newfoundland & Labrador lists some birding spots in and around St. John’s.

  • Tourism Newfoundland & Labrador has a comprehensive list of birding areas throughout NL.

  • Cape St. Mary’s is a top birding destination. It is the most accessible seabird rookery, the third-largest nesting site and the southernmost colony of Northern Gannets in North America. Honestly this site is magical- when I went everything was enveloped in fog and drizzle, but still was completely breathtaking.

  • Bay Bulls & Witless Bay teem with hundreds of thousands of birds, of many species. The largest Atlantic puffin colony in North America is here, with more than 250,000 nesting pairs, so you’re practically guaranteed to see some of these lovable clowns of the sea during the season.

  • Read my blog post about visiting the Puffin Viewing Site on the Bonavista peninsula. All of the puffin pictures on this site were taken there.

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​Events & Festivals ​

  • July 15, 2025: Bird Island Puffin Festival hosts a weekend a family events, unfortunately not really any birding or conservation activities, but still looks fun.

  • Various dates: Nature Newfoundland & Labrador offers guided bird walks, webinars and other nature activities throughout the year.

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Guided Tours​

  • Eagle-Eye Tours: offers a couple tours of NL, including one in conjunction with Canadian Geographic Adventures.

  • Field guides: offers a tour from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia in both 2025 & 2027. Starts in St. John’s and ends in Halifax.

  • Tropical Birding Tours: offers the reverse of the Field guides tour. 11-days starting in Halifax and ending in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

  • Bird⋅The⋅Rock: offers small-group day and multi-day tours. They are also available for private tours.

  • WINGS: offer a winter birding tour in January.

  • Avocet Tours: offers one tour in July.

  • The American Birding Association: offers an adult birder camp in June.

  • Partnership for International Birding: offers two tours in July.

  • O’Briens: offers daily puffin & whale watching boat tours in Witless Bay from May- September.

  • Gatherall’s: offers daily puffin & whale watching boat tours in Witless Bay from May- September.

  • Molly Bawn: offers daily puffin & whale watching boat tours in Witless Bay from May- September.

  • Iceberg Quest: offers daily whale, bird, and iceberg watching boat tours from St. John’s as well as Twillingate.

  • Trinity Eco-Tours: offers whale, bird and iceberg watching boat tours onboard a zodiac from Trinity. There has been a Steller’s Sea Eagle seen frequently in the Trinity area, and this tour is your best chance to find him!

NL

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