Stratford, Ontario is a Nature Canada Certified Bird Friendly City
Destination Stratford is pleased to announce that Nature Canada has recognized Stratford as an official Bird Friendly City. This designation was supported in part by the creative vision behind the 6th Annual Lights On Stratford’s installation, BIRDS OF A FEATHER.
Across Canada, people are coming together to make their cities bird-friendly. Nature groups, municipal officials, and other community groups are teaming up with Nature Canada to ensure our urban environments are safe havens rather than a source of threats.
A Bird Friendly City is a community where:
- Key threats to birds are effectively mitigated.
- Nature is restored so native bird populations can thrive.
- Residents are actively engaged in admiring and monitoring local bird populations.
- Organizations are creating events to protect birds.
- Progressive municipal policies are created to protect urban bird populations.
- A Bird Team has been created to oversee and lead these initiatives.
The world premiere of BIRDS OF A FEATHER illuminated Tom Patterson Island during the darkest months of the year. The featured species include: the Black-Capped Chickadee, Goldfinch, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Cardinal, and Snowy Owl. The team selected these birds for their vibrant appearance, recognizable calls, and their presence in Stratford and the surrounding area during the winter months.
To ensure the interactive display was fully bird-friendly, Lights On Stratford opted not have the birds sing actual bird calls, as that would confuse native and migratory birds in the area. Instead, Canadian composer Deanna Choi was commissioned to compose what we think the birds might sound like as a classical composition.
Helpful Resources to Become More Bird-Friendly
Educational Tools
Whether you’re an experienced, amateur, or beginner birdwatcher and bird enthusiast, Stratford offers many communities and resources to foster your interests.
The Stratford Public Library provides Bird-Watching Kits, including binoculars, a bird identification guide, and other helpful resources to help you discover all the joys of birding!
Interested in joining a group of like-minded bird and nature lovers? The Stratford Field Naturalists hold public meetings the second Wednesday of each month between September and June, where discussions centre around current environmental issues and include exciting guest speakers. Learn more about becoming a member here.
Found an Injured Bird?
If you have found a hurt or injured bird, seek assistance from the Humane Society of Kitchener, Waterloo and Stratford Perth. They can be reached in Stratford by phone at (519) 273-6600.
Bird Watching in Stratford
With our abundance of gorgeous parks and natural areas, Stratford enjoys several habitats that many birds call home.
Curious which species you’ll come across? Check out eBird, which features an extensive list of birds in Stratford and the surrounding region kept up-to-date by enthusiastic birders in the area. Refer to the map below as well for local bird-watching option!
Bird Conscious Living & Shopping
Committing to a bird-friendly lifestyle can seem daunting, but small changes can make a big difference. As consumers, our purchases hold a lot of power, and making small changes to the products we buy can have a big environmental and ecological impact, helping our feathered friends in more ways than we realize.
Let’s start with the home; for those who have gardens, consider ways to incorporate bird-friendly practices into your gardening. Consider removing invasive species and replacing them with native plants, shrubs, and trees that provide food and shelter for local birds. Avoid herbicides and pesticides, and consider providing a source of fresh water. Not sure which plants to include? Check out this helpful tool from Birds Canada, matching your area with the most compatible bird-friendly native plants.
Now onto one of our favourite pastimes, shopping!
Most of us love to shop, but did you know some products are made much more bird-friendly than others? Take coffee, for example, a staple of almost everyone’s morning routine. With many monoculture farms replacing biodiverse forests, coupled with extreme pesticide use in farming, our migratory bird friends and other wildlife down south often find themselves without habitat.
By purchasing cocoa and coffee beans from farms that abide by bird-friendly practices, you, as a consumer, are directly helping to mitigate habitat loss and ensure proper tree heights, biodiversity in plant growth, and foliage cover for Neotropical bird migrants’ winter habitats. Just look for the Smithsonian Bird Friendly® certification.
Looking for more Bird-Friendly retail options? Check out the map below!
Discover More With Our Bird-Friendly Map!
Upcoming Bird-Friendly Events!
November 2026
CROWvember: Urban Birds with David Gascoigne
December 2026
Lights ON Tales & Trails
January 2027
Lights ON: Creatures of Light at Night
Bird photos courtesy of Dave Carter (Canada warbler), and Chris Polkiewicz (owl).
