At-home activities

Point Pelee National Park

Flock to Point Pelee National Park from the comfort of your own home! Try one of these at-home activities and learn something new about the most southern point of mainland Canada.

Backyard birding

Learn which bird feeder and bird seed is best for your space:

Choosing the right box

Depending on where you live, you might find different species looking to nest in your green space. Here is a handy chart with many of the species commonly found in this area with their preferred habitats and nesting box hole sizes.

<h>Box requirements</h>

Bird Species	Habitat	Hole Size
American Kestrel	Open areas like orchards, fields, meadows	7.5-8 cm
Black-capped Chickadee	Forested lots, yards with hardwood trees, meadows	2-3 cm
Eastern Bluebird	Open areas with little ground cover like orchards, fields, lawn	3.5-4 cm
Eastern Screech-Owl	Forest areas and edges	7.5-8 cm
European Starling	Varied range of habitats, from urban to rural areas	4 cm
Flycatcher	Forest edges, woodlots with mixed deciduous trees	4.5 cm
Northern Flicker	Clearings, forest edges, pastures, urban parks	6.5 cm
Nuthatches	Pine-hardwood forest, forest edges, cypress swamps	2.5 cm
Sparrow	Suburban areas (parks, gardens, backyards), urban, and agricultural areas	3.5 cm
Tree swallow	Open areas near wetlands, marshes, or swamp.	3.5 cm
Wood duck	Forested area near wetlands, ponds, marshes, or swamps.	10 x 7.5 cm
Wrens	Woodland area, open forest with thick underbrush, suburban neighborhood gardens or backyards	3-4 cm round 1.2 x 13 cm slot

Choosing the right food

Knowing what kinds of birds you would like to find in your yard will tell you what kind of feed you should by. Here is a handy chart with many of the species commonly found in this area and their food preferences.

<h>Food</h>

Bird Species	Black oil sunflower	Striped sunflower	Cracked corn	Thistle (Niger)	Millet	Suet	Peanuts	Fruit	Sugar Water Nectar
Indigo Bunting	Yes	Yes	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-
Northern Cardinal	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	Yes	Yes	Yes	-
Grey Catbird	-	-	-	-	-	Yes	-	-	-
Black-capped Chickadee	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	Yes	Yes	-	-
Mourning Dove	-	-	Yes	-	Yes	-	-	-	-
American Goldfinch	Yes	-	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-
Evening Grosbeak	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	Yes	-	-	-
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Yes
Blue Jay	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	Yes	Yes	-	-
Dark-eyed Junco	Yes	-	Yes	-	-	Yes	-	-	-
Northern Mockingbird	-	-	-	-	-	Yes	-	-	-
Nuthatches	-	-	-	-	-	Yes	Yes	-	-
Baltimore Oriole	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Yes	Yes
Pine Siskin	Yes	-	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-
House Finch	Yes	Yes	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-
Red-winged Blackbird	-	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-
Sparrows	Yes	-	Yes	-	Yes	-	-	-	-
American Robin	-	-	-	-	-	Yes	-	Yes	-
Woodpeckers	-	-	-	-	-	-	Yes	Yes	-
Wrens	-	-	-	-	-	-	Yes	-	-