Great-horned Owl perched in a farm hedgerow (David Bradbeer) Short-eared Owl hunting voles over a grassland (Hank Tseng). A farm lane in Delta, BC (Tyler Garnham). A Marsh Wren singing atop a hedgerow (David Bradbeer). A diversity of food grown in Delta, BC (Markus Merkens). Coopers Hawk perching on a fence (Markus Merkens). Barley growing in a Delta field (Tyler Garnham). Trumpeter Swans feed on a cover crop (David Bradbeer). Spring plowing on a Delta farm (Markus Merkens). Snow Geese taking off from a farm field (David Shackleton) Ladybird beetle on a barley plant (David Bradbeer)

Wading Birds & Cranes

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The wading birds and cranes found on Delta farmland include (click the links or photos to a view species profile):

• Great Blue Heron
• American Bittern
• Sandhill Crane

Wading birds and cranes can both be found on farmland in Delta. They appear similar in body type but are acutally from different families (waders are from the Ardeidae family and cranes the Gruidae family).

There are a variety of wading birds that rely on the Fraser River delta for food and shelter. Two species, the Great-blue Heron and the American Bittern, are commonly found using farmland, especially fields enrolled in the Grassland Set-aside Stewardship Program. Grassland Set-asides  provide habitat for small mammals, such as Townsend's vole, and both the Great-blue Heron and the American Bittern will slowly stalk voles in the tall grass. Once a vole is captured, the Heron or Bittern will quickly swallow it whole. American Bitterns will also roost in grassland set-asides, using their tan and brown camoflouage to conceal themselves amongst the grass.

The only crane found on the farmland of Delta is the Sandhill Crane. It feeds on seeds, vegetation, and invertebrates in farm fields. Sandhill Cranes can be seen feeding in fields enrolled in the Winter Cover Crop Stewardship Program, especially when the cover crop has begun to germinate.