Calgary birders and photographers have been flocking to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary in recent weeks, hoping to catch a glimpse and maybe a photo of the rare and endangered red-headed woodpecker.
Local photographer Rika Raes says she’s never seen a red-headed woodpecker before, although she’s taken plenty of photos of other birds at the sanctuary.
“Its just very rare, its very exciting,” says Raes, who snapped quite a few photos of the bird last week. “I took about 2,000 pictures in about three hours so it takes me a long time to go through it.”
Birders and photographers could be seen walking the paths of the sanctuary on Monday afternoon, including photographer Carla Stringari Pudler, who was also hoping to snap a photo of the elusive bird.
“They say if you see a bird and you’re able to capture a good image … you win the lottery,” says Stingari Pudler. “That is the bird that everybody’s coming here to see if they have a chance to capture or even just see.”
In a statement to Global News, the city of Calgary says “the rare woodpecker was first sighted at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary a couple of weeks ago. However, City staff have heard from park visitors that they have not been able to successfully find the bird at the sanctuary today (Monday).”
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What is it about this bird and the hype that has photographers itching to snap a photo?
Jody Allair with Birds Canada says its because the red-headed woodpecker is a rare “jaw-dropping gorgeous bird” typically found in Ontario, southern Quebec, Manitoba and northern parts of the United States with only about one or two recorded in Alberta every year.
“This is probably a bird that probably has originated from the U.S., the Midwest U.S., and it’s just pushing north to see if you can find new suitable habitat,” says Allair.
Birds Canada estimates that there to around 6,000 of the red-headed woodpecker living in Canada, according to its most recent count.
While it’s listed as endangered on the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA), Allair says the population has been on the rebound in Western Canada over the past decade after a sharp decline in the 1970s.
“It’s more an indication of this expanding population that we’re seeing in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and down further into the Midwest U.S.,” says Allair.
“There’s still theories about why that population is doing well at the moment and the hope is that it’s not a blip and that, you know, it’ll continue to grow like this.”
He also says that there’s been a bit of red-headed woodpecker habitat recovery in some of the traditional range in the Midwest U.S.
“I think that’s probably leading to what we’re seeing now with these sort of individuals looking for, going beyond their normal range and acting as outliers,” says Allair.
Allair says chances are slim that this lone woodpecker will nest at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, but adds that the sanctuary meets “their traditional habitat needs” that can be found in southern Manitoba.
The city says while a “visit from a bird we don’t typically see in Calgary can be very exciting,” it recommends that visitors take steps in reducing stress on all wildlife, including rare birds which includes keeping a distance from the bird, gather in small groups, and speak in low tones if they’re near the bird.
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