THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF NIAGARA offers a wealth of birding opportunities throughout the year. Habitats range from Carolinian forest to southern acid peat bog and from two Great Lakes and the Niagara River to area sewage ponds. For waterfowl, gulls and shorebirds, Lakes Ontario and Erie can be very productive. The Niagara River in the winter months is legendary for thousands of gulls of many species. Inland, the numerous conservation areas, municipal parks, natural ponds and lakes, and man-made water facilities such as landfill sites, water treatment plants and sewage ponds can be rewarding for birding enthusiasts. The Short Hills Provincial Park and the Wainfleet Bog are also highly productive during the spring and fall migration periods.

This article is divided into five sections with subsections as shown below. At the beginning of each section we indicate the various trips we usually make when we bird the area and how long it takes us to cover each section.

For further information on hotspots, please consult the following websites: Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, Ontario Trails Council, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (Natural Heritage Information Centre), Metro Toronto Zoo and Brock University Department of Tourism and the Environment.