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Home Life in Ajax In The Neighbourhood Sustainability in Our Community

Bird-Friendly Ajax

Birds play an important role in Ajax’s ecosystem, but many local species are in decline due to human-driven pressures such as habitat loss and increased predation. Explore this page to learn how you can contribute to a bird-friendly Ajax.

How to Make Homes and Gardens Bird-Friendly

There are many ways you can make your property welcoming and safe for bird populations. Learn more below.

Adhesive decals can help prevent bird strikes on windows. For maximum effectiveness, they should be spaced no more than four inches apart so that birds don’t attempt to fly through the gaps.

These garden structures are great for providing cover for low-nesting birds.

How to Help Protect Birds from Predators

Predator-prey relationships are a natural and important part of urban ecosystems, but human activity can disrupt this balance by increasing predator populations. In urban areas, animals such as raccoons and domestic cats pose growing risks to local bird species.

Regulating Free-Range Cats

Domestic cats affect wildlife through predation, transmission of diseases, disturbance, and competition In Ajax, it is required that domestic cats stay within the property of their owners, even if they are allowed outdoor access. This law protects the safety of both cats and local prey species. Putting bells or brightly-coloured collars on your cat can reduce bird capture rates by up to 40%.

What Birds Are Found in Ajax?

Ajax’s landscapes are home to many types of birds and wildlife, with 106 bird species nesting in the Carruthers Creek Watershed.

Some birds are becoming harder to find, especially those that depend on meadows and wetlands. While species like the wood thrush and common yellowthroat are declining, others, such as the American redstart and blue-grey gnatcatcher, are increasing, showing why protecting these habitats is important.

Species Spotlight

A brown and white bird with spotted chest perches on a branch among green leaves.

Wood Thrush

Wood thrushes are songbirds that live in large, mixed forests, though they can also utilize smaller clusters of trees in fragmented areas. Within Ontario, most of their numbers are concentrated in the South. Their species status is of Special Concern, meaning they are not yet threatened or endangered and there are still populations in the wild. However, these songbirds remain at risk of endangerment and are experiencing a global decline, reflected in their loss here in Ajax. Habitat loss and fragmentation are among the biggest threats to the wood thrush.

A small brown sparrow-like bird perches on a weathered tree stump against a blurred green background.

Grasshopper Sparrow

Grasshopper sparrows are small songbirds that live in open, grassy areas. These birds are ground-nesters; they construct their cup-shaped nests out of grass and nestle them within a field. Their domain in Ontario is largely in the South, though some have been found along the Canadian Shield. This species is of Special Concern as their preferred habitat is threatened by row crop planting.

Close-up of an osprey standing near water, looking directly at the camera with one wing raised.

Osprey

Ospreys are large, slender birds of prey. Their impressive wingspan can reach nearly 1.8 metres across. As fish-eaters, they are usually spotted around bodies of water such as marshes and rivers. These birds are a testimony to conservation efforts, having experienced a tremendous recovery in past years. The osprey is no longer listed as a Species of Concern.

A small bird with black, orange, and white feathers perches on a branch with green leaves in the background.

American Redstart

American redstarts are small, striking warblers. These birds utilize Ontario’s lightly forested regions during their breeding months. The American redstart has been identified by TRCA as a Species of Regional Concern, though their local numbers are on the rise.

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