The Living Estuary: Birds

Why do more than 300 species of birds spend at least part of their lives in British Columbia’s estuaries? Find out in this short video made in collaboration with our friends at the Nature Trust of British Columbia (www.estuaryresilience.ca).

This video is part of the series The Living Estuary. Estuaries form where rivers meet the sea—they are the gateways between fresh and salt water. And though they make up only a small fraction of British Columbia’s coastline, these dynamic and vibrant ecosystems are home to the vast majority of our coastal wildlife. Join us as we celebrate the plants and animals who call estuaries home in this series of short videos.

Hey, teachers! Here’s a cheat sheet of what’s included in this episode of The Living Estuary:
Why birds live in or visit estuaries: a source of food, a place to raise their young, a migration stopover
Mallard duck, killdeer, Canada goose, great blue heron, bald eagle, shorebirds, waterfowl

Created by the Hakai Institute for the Nature Trust of British Columbia
Executive produced by Meigan Henry
Written and edited by Kristina Blanchflower
Narrated by Kristina Blanchflower
Videography by Kristina Blanchflower, Grant Callegari, and Bennett Whitnell
Additional imagery provided by Storyblocks
Science consultation provided by Kelly Fretwell and Josh Silberg