20 bird species often spotted in Colorado
More than 500 species of birds have been documented in Colorado as of July 2020, according to the Colorado Bird Records Committee of Colorado Field Ornithologists. Here’s a look at some of the wild bird species you might spot during a Colorado adventure.
Red Tail Hawk (Photo) Credit GarysFRP (iStock)
1. Red-Tailed Hawk
One of the most commonly seen birds of prey in Colorado is the Red-Tailed Hawk. These hawks are popular in Rocky Mountain National Park spring through fall, as well as during the winter in Colorado’s lower elevations. Red-Tails are the largest of the hawks, getting their species name from the rich, russet-red around the tail.
Photo Credit: GarysFRP (iStock).
Bald Eagle (Photo) Courtesy of Anne Whitehurst
2. Bald Eagle
Only found in North America, the bald eagle is one of the continent’s largest birds of prey. Since 1782, the Bald Eagle has been recognized as the nation’s symbolic bird. Their head and tail feathers turn predominantly white at 4- and 5-years-old.
Photo Courtesy of Anne Whitehurst.
House Finch (Photo) Credit Merrimon (iStock)
3. House Finch
The House Finch features four long toes perfect for gripping tree branches. Three of the toes face forward and one faces backward. These birds can sing complex songs with their highly developed voice boxes [listen here].
Photo Credit: Merrimon (iStock).
Northern Flicker (Photo) Credit DawnKey (iStock)
4. Northern Flicker
Found throughout the year in Rocky Mountain National Park, the Northern Flicker prefer to breed in habitats of aspen, riparian, and coniferous forests up to 12,000 feet above sea level. One unique characteristic of the male Northern Flicker is a bright red “mustache” stripe.
Photo Credit: DawnKey (iStock).
Ferruginous Hawk (Photo) Credit SteveMcsweeny (iStock)
5. Ferruginous Hawk
The Ferruginous Hawk is often spotted in pairs, soaring in wide circles. Males typically perform a “sky dance” by repeatedly diving and ascending. Ferruginous Hawks can be found in Colorado’s grasslands, sagebrush fields, and on edges of pinyon-juniper forests at low to mid-level elevations.
Photo Credit: SteveMcsweeny (iStock).
Lark Bunting (Photo) Credit nickavarvel (Flickr)
6. Lark Bunting — Colorado’s State Bird
The Lark Bunting was designated as Colorado’s state bird in 1931 because of its acrobatic dance, melodic song, and it being a native to the state [listen here]. Lark Buntings are part of the sparrow family with a wingspan of 11 inches. These birds have short, lightly-colored bills and short tails with white-tipped feathers. The wings feature a distinctive large white patch.
Photo Credit: nickavarvel (Flickr).
Golden Eagle (Photo) Credit ian600f (iStock)
7. Golden Eagle
Considered to be very large raptors, the Golden Eagle can grow to have a 7-foot wingspan. Golden Eagles can be seen year-round, usually soaring or gliding hundreds of feet in the air.
Photo Credit: ian600f (iStock).
Mourning Dove (Photo) Credit Janet Griffin-Scott (iStock)
8. Mourning Dove
The flight of the Mourning Dove is direct and rapid. The wings produce a whistling sound during flight. Male doves can be determined by their 5- to 7-note “coo” call during spring and summer [listen here].
Photo Credit: Janet Griffin-Scott (iStock).
American Robin (Photo) Credit photographybyJHWilliams (iStock)
9. American Robin
The American Robin can be found throughout Colorado, from urban areas to open woodlands to areas with juniper and fruit-bearing shrubs at up to 11,500 feet above sea level. The robin is distinguished by its gray-brown back and wings, an orange belly, and a dark gray head.
Photo Credit: photographybyJHWilliams (iStock).
Black Capped Chickadee (Photo) Credit ballycroy (iStock)
10. Black-Capped Chickadee
The Black-Capped Chickadees typically weighs just 0.33 of an ounce. They will respond to imitated calls like chick-a-de-dee-dee or dee-dee-dee [listen here]. They also produce a whistled fee-bee-ee, fee-bee, or com-ing with a high first note followed by descending notes.
Photo Credit: ballycroy (iStock).
American Kestrel (Photo) Credit emranashraf (iStock)
11. American Kestrel
Dubbed North America’s “littlest” falcon, the American Kestrel features an earth-toned pallet of colors. The tops of its head and wings are rusty browns and spotted with black and the tail features a black band near the tip. Males have slate-blue wings while the females have reddish-brown wings. Both genders of the American Kestrel have “mustaches” or “sideburns,” which are typically pairs of black vertical lines on the side of the face.
Photo Credit: emranashraf (iStock).
Broad-Tailed Hummingbird (Photo) Credit DWPhoto (iStock)
12. Broad-Tailed Hummingbird
Commonly seen in Colorado forests and urban areas, the Broad-Tailed Hummingbird has a rose-magenta throat, a white chest, and green flanks. Their bodies are slender and their heads are large in proportion to their bodies. These hummingbirds are often seen zipping from flower to flower and can be heard by the sound of their wings, called a trill. Males perform aerial displays by ascending high, then diving rapidly to produce the trill with their wings.
Photo Credit: DWPhoto (iStock).
Greater Sandhill Cranes, Monte Vista, Colorado (Photo) Credit Gary Gray (iStock)
13. Sandhill Crane
Cranes are among the oldest living birds on the planet with fossil records dating back 9 million years. Cranes produce a loud trumpeting call of “gar-oo-oo” [listen here]. It is produced by a modified windpipe that has been likened to a French horn. Sandhill Cranes can be found in the San Luis Valley where they are often spotted performing intriguing "dance" during which they jump up and down.
Photo Credit: Gary Gray (iStock).
Burrowing Owls (Photo) Credit duckycards (iStock)
14. Burrowing Owls
The Burrowing Owl is usually the only owl seen during the daytime. These owls favor habitats in Colorado like grasslands and desert landscapes. Burrowing Owls typically occupy burrows created by other small mammals such as prairie dogs and ground squirrels, but they can dig their own burrows, too.
Photo Credit: duckycards (iStock).
Sage-Grouse (Photo) Credit no107 (iStock)
15. Greater Sage-Grouse
The characteristics of the Greater Sage-Grouse makes this wild bird one of Colorado’s weirdest animals. Both genders of the Sage-Grouse feature narrow, pointed tail feathers and shades of yellow and green over their bodies. These birds are only seen in northwestern areas of Colorado where sagebrush is abundant.
Photo Credit: no107 (iStock).
Stellar Blue Jay (Photo) Credit Melissa Kopka (iStock)
16. Steller’s Blue Jay
Known to have an attitude, the Steller’s Blue Jay are half black, half blue. The blue jay prefers Colorado’s evergreen forests and feature a white streak on its chest. Steller’s Blue Jays are inquisitive, often spotted hopping around with their long legs while looking for food.
Photo Credit: Melissa Kopka (iStock).
Osprey (Photo) Credit nikpal (iStock)
17. Osprey
The Osprey is one of Colorado’s most unique birds of prey. They primarily eat fish and hunt by diving feet first to grab the prey with their talons. Upon capturing a fish, the osprey then turns it to face head-first so it’s aerodynamic during flight. The Osprey dates back to at least 11 million years ago and can have a lifespan of up to 30 years.
Photo Credit: nikpal (iStock).
Black Billed Magpie (Photo) Credit mivivi (iStock)
18. Black Billed Magpie
Often seen on the backs of moose, deer, and elk, searching for ticks, Black-Billed Magpies are found scavenging around Colorado. The magpie is black and white overall and has a blue-green iridescence on its wings and tail.
Photo Credit: mikvivi (iStock).
Mallard (Photo) Credit Raphael Amesoeder (iStock)
19. Mallard
The Mallard can be found in Colorado’s wetlands, such as ponds, lakes, reservoirs, marshes, and rivers from 9,000 feet to 11,000 feet above sea level. males feature a gray body with a brown chest, black ear, and an iridescent green head. Female and juvenile Mallards are brown with orange and brown bills.
Photo Credit: Raphael Amesoeder (iStock).
Young Merriam Turkey Gobbler (Photo) Credit sstaton (iStock)
20. Wild Turkey
Colorado is home to the Wild Turkey, which tend to live in ponderosa pine and other coniferous forests with shrubby areas up to 8,000 feet in elevation. The Wild Turkey is brown overall, with a bronze-green iridescence, and rusty brown or white rump and tail feathers.
Photo Credit: sstaton (iStock).
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