Victoria - Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary
British Columbia · Canada
Moderate
May-October
Free (donations appreciated)
Open daily, dawn to dusk
About This Location
Victoria - Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary is a productive birding destination in British Columbia, with 229 species recorded on eBird. This lake habitat attracts Canada Goose, Mallard, and Common Merganser among many others. Boreal and temperate forests host breeding warblers, sparrows, and waterfowl during the productive summer months.
Location
Loading map...
Notable Species
Live Bird Data
Powered by eBird / Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Notable Sightings
Rare or unusual species spotted nearby in the last 14 days
Red-tailed Hawk (Harlan's)
Buteo jamaicensis
Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes
Wilson's Phalarope
Phalaropus tricolor
Franklin's Gull
Leucophaeus pipixcan
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serrator
Evening Grosbeak (Northwestern or type 1)
Hesperiphona vespertina
Long-tailed Duck
Clangula hyemalis
Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillus
Black-bellied Plover
Pluvialis squatarola
Bar-tailed Godwit (Siberian)
Limosa lapponica
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Great Blue Heron
Red-tailed Hawk
Downy Woodpecker
American Crow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Violet-green Swallow
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Marsh Wren
Bewick's Wren
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Finch
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Spotted Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Yellow Warbler
Black-headed Grosbeak
Birding Tips
- 1
Scan the water surface methodically for diving ducks, loons, and grebes.
- 2
Check the shoreline and mudflats for shorebirds and wading birds.
- 3
Peak breeding season runs from late May through June for most songbirds.
- 4
A spotting scope is essential here — many waterbirds stay far from shore and are difficult to identify with binoculars alone.
- 5
Winter months bring peak waterfowl diversity — visit November through February for the best duck and goose viewing.
Amenities
Nearby Attractions
- Swan Lake Nature House
- Rithet's Bog
- Beacon Hill Park
More in British Columbia
George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary
Fraser River Delta sanctuary near Vancouver with 300+ species and massive winter Snow Goose flocks.
Beatton Provincial Park
Boreal/Taiga birding hotspot in British Columbia with 212 recorded species.
Becher's Prairie & Lakes North of Hwy 20
Grassland birding hotspot in British Columbia with 207 recorded species.
British Columbia Birding Guide
Complete guide to birding in British Columbia →