Birders flock to Goderich for look at ultra-rare bird
Calliope hummingbird usually only seen on western side of the continent
As many as 100 bird enthusiasts from across North America are crowding into a backyard here this week to get a glimpse of a rare hummingbird that’s never before been seen in Ontario. The tiny Calliope hummingbird is home to the coastal areas of Oregon and California — but one has made Linda Johnston’s backyard its temporary home, and its presence has created a stir among the passionate subculture of birders. They have been flocking to the Goderich woman’s property since word of the Calliope’s arrival in Huron County started spreading — the crowd becoming so large that Johnston has permitted access to her backyard, but only from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily and only until Nov. 25. What brought the tiny bird to Goderich remains a mystery, but the Calliope is feeding, roosting and spending all of its time in a small area of Johnston’s backyard that includes a feeder. When it arrived, Johnston told a friend who is a birdwatcher and photographer. Photos of the tiny bird were put on Facebook along with a plea that it be identified. The Calliope was eventually identified, but by that time social media was buzzing over its Ontario visit.
“It’s amazingly rare from an ornithology perspective because this species of hummingbird is typically found in only Western Canada, B.C. and Alberta and Western U.S.A.,” said Dan Chronowic, a master’s student in ornithology at Trent University in Peterborough. “It winters in Mexico, so to be in Goderich at this time of year is a totally rare occurrence.”
One clue to the bird’s unlikely arrival in Goderich could be its migration habits. Not only is the Calliope the smallest of hummingbirds in the United States, it’s also the smallest long-distance migrant bird on the planet, travelling 5,000 miles annually from its breeding area to its wintering area. In discussion of how this species of hummingbird ended up in Ontario in November, Chronowic wonders if its migratory cues could be off. This happens with many bird species.
“This sometimes happens with birds. This one got super lucky that it found a spot that was still putting out hummingbird feeders in November.”
This week is the first time the Calliope has been officially recorded as being in Ontario.
Its presence has created another spectacle in Goderich: On Tuesday, the first day Johnston opened her backyard to the public, approximately 100 birdwatchers crowded in to catch a glimpse — and snap a photograph — of the rare Calliope.