Intern Latasha Spence holds Griffin, a great horned owl ambassador.

Take the opportunity to talk with the animals

Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre to hold two-day open house

Would you like to meet a great horned owl named Griffin? Or try conversing with Jet, a crow who laughs and says “hi”? Or maybe watch an eastern box turtle? Would you like to learn more about these creatures and about work to help injured or orphaned birds and animals? If so, consider booking a

A few of Manitoba’s southern lakes hold some of the most important white pelican breeding areas on the continent.

Angling for a view

Pelican watching, with a little fishing on the side, breaks up the mid-summer pause in bird watching options

Mid-summer is a bit like purgatory for keen birdwatchers. The spring migration and birds in breeding plumage are in the rear-view mirror. Our flashy songbirds are raising young and have cut back their singing. They will soon molt and become a drab version of their spring selves. “Fall” warblers, meanwhile, are the ultimate test of


File photo of a small flock of tundra swans taking off from a grain field in early spring. (WWing/iStock/Getty Images)

Spring planting work can kick up avian flu, feather sector warns

Three more poultry outbreaks confirmed in Canada so far this week

Spring planting work could soon start to bring unintended gifts left by wild birds from fields into farmyards, Ontario’s poultry and egg sectors warn, as more cases of avian flu are confirmed at poultry farms across the country. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Thursday reported three additional outbreaks of H5 avian influenza in commercial

File photo of a flock of snow geese on Buffalo Pound Lake in south-central Saskatchewan. (Bobloblaw/iStock/Getty Images)

Ontario bans birds at events as avian flu spreads

Infected snow goose found in western Saskatchewan; two backyard flocks in Montana also confirmed infected

Up against several outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian flu in commercial poultry flocks, Ontario is temporarily banning birds from appearing at shows and other such events. Provincial Agriculture Minister Lisa Thompson on Friday announced a ministerial order taking effect just after midnight Saturday (April 9), in which “the movement to and participation of birds in


The feather sector in Manitoba could be facing the arrival of high-path avian influenza as migratory birds from hot zones to the south touch down in the province.

Poultry sector in the line of fire

Experts concerned that migratory birds from the U.S. might bring Manitoba’s first brush with highly pathogenic avian flu in 12 years

The province’s chief veterinary authority is watching this year’s arrival of migratory birds with a wary eye. This year, it worries, those birds may come with a side order of highly pathogenic avian flu (H5N1). As of March 31, the U.S. Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) had confirmed avian influenza at 95 farm sites,

The geography of the Pembina Valley at Holo Crossing makes it prime raptor-counting territory.

Spend a day at a hawk watch in the Pembina Valley

There are few places better than Holo Crossing to see raptors in migration

With the arrival of warmer weather, it’s time for the annual spring ‘Hawk Watch’ in the Pembina Valley southwest of Morden. This region, also known as ‘Raptor Highway,’ is where birdwatchers gather each spring to watch hawks, eagles and vultures as they soar above the valley on their migration north. Avid birders count and record


File photo of Canada geese in a park in Nova Scotia. (Andyqwe/iStock/Getty Images)

No trade bans expected from Nova Scotia bird flu findings

High-path H5N1 a 'non-poultry detection'

A new outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a backyard flock in central Nova Scotia isn’t expected to affect international trade in Canada’s feather sectors. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on Tuesday confirmed a high-path H5N1 strain affecting birds on the property, describing it Thursday as a “non-poultry detection” among animals not produced

A northern gannet colony at the Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve on Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula. (Benedek/E+/Getty Images)

No bans expected from Newfoundland avian flu outbreak

High-path H5N1 kills 360 birds on 'non-poultry' farm

Neither federal nor international animal health officials expect to see import bans imposed on Canadian poultry coming out of an avian flu outbreak at a farm on Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Wednesday reported a confirmed outbreak of a highly-pathogenic (‘high-path’) strain of H5N1 avian influenza at an exhibition farm in


A simple bird-feeding shelter.

Feeding birds an opportunity to watch and photograph birds

Chickadees, nuthatches and woodpeckers are among the most common winter bird visitors

Whether you’re a newcomer or a longtime participant in the joys of watching and feeding birds, the hobby can offer months of enjoyment and education. These COVID times seem to have prompted more people to take up both birdwatching and bird photography. Winter’s arrival brings changes to these pastimes but those who feed birds have

Swans and mallard ducks, seen using a car as a photography blind.

Continue with bird activities in spring

With the new season come new avian arrivals and observation opportunities

Are you one of those who has recently taken up watching birds, or feeding or photographing them? With most Manitobans staying close to home, these have become new hobbies for many. With the arrival of spring, there are different birds to watch for, new requirements in bird feeding and maybe some changes in how you