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
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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
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
Ring-billed Gull
Larus delawarensis
Golden-crowned x White-throated Sparrow (hybrid)
Zonotrichia atricapilla x albicollis
Mallard x Northern Pintail (hybrid)
Anas platyrhynchos x acuta
Short-billed Dowitcher
Limnodromus griseus
Spotted Towhee (maculatus Group)
Pipilo maculatus
Black Scoter
Melanitta americana
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Canada Goose
Mallard
Virginia Rail
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
American Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Brown Creeper
Pacific Wren
Marsh Wren
American Robin
House Finch
Fox Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Spotted Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird
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.