Birding


Birding

If you're a bird watcher, you'll love birding in Missoula. Missoula and the surrounding area offer a bevy of fantastic birding-watching sites and opportunities.

Some of the more popular spots from which to go birding include Kelly Island, Rattlesnake National Recreation Area, Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge, Greenough Park, Maclay Flat/Blue Mountain Road, Mount Jump, the Kim Williams Trail, Pattee Canyon and along the Clark Fork River on US Interstate 90.


What types of birds might you see in Missoula and the surrounding nature areas? Woodpeckers, Blue Herons, flycatchers, Bald Eagles, and Osprey just to name a few.

Blue Mountain Nature Trail

  • Black Backed Woodpecker
  • Three Toed Woodpecker
  • Western Tanager
  • Rock Wren
  • Mountain Bluebird

Maclay Flat Nature Trail

  • Pileated Woodpeckers
  • Pygmy Owls
  • Yellow Warblers
  • Rufous Hummingbirds
  • Red-Winged Blackbirds

Kelly Island

  • Pileated Woodpeckers
  • Lewis's Woodpeckers
  • Yellow Warblers
  • Western Wood-Pewees
  • Spotted Sandpipers

Council Grove

  • Red-Tailed Hawk
  • American Kestrel
  • Osprey
  • Bald Eagles
  • Common Mergansers

Clark Fork River

  • Spotted Sandpipers
  • Killdeer
  • Willow Flycatchers
  • Rough-Winged Swallows
  • Belted Kingfisher

Tower Street

  • Osprey
  • Red-Tailed Hawks
  • Great Horned Owls
  • Great Blue Herons
  • Gray Catbirds

Greenough Park

  • Bullock's Oriole
  • American Dipper
  • American Redstarts
  • Lazuli Buntings
  • Western Screech-Owl

Waterworks Hill

  • Western Bluebirds
  • Western Meadowlarks
  • Savannah Sparrows
  • Vesper Sparrows

Erskine Fishing Access

  • Hairy Woodpeckers
  • Black-Chinned Woodpeckers
  • Red-Eyed Vireos
  • Willow Flycatchers
  • Gadwall Teal

Pattee Canyon

  • Brown Creeper
  • Townsend's Warblers
  • Western Tanagers
  • Hermit Thrush
  • Orange-Crowned Warblers
  • Three-Toed Woodpecker
  • Great Gray Owls

Rattlesnake National Recreation Area

  • Hammond's Flycatchers
  • Townsend's Warblers
  • Steller's Jays
  • American Dipper

Riverfront Trail

  • Osprey
  • Belted Kingfisher
  • Red-Winged Blackbirds
  • Cliff Swallows
  • Violet-Green Swallows
  • Vaux's Swifts

Mount Sentinel

  • Western Meadowlark
  • Savannah Sparrows
  • Lazuli Buntings
  • Calliope Hummingbirds

Kim Williams Trail

  • Red-Tailed Hawks
  • Cooper's Hawks
  • Prairie Falcon
  • Nashville Warblers
  • Cordilleran Flycatchers
  • Great Blue Herons
  • Common Mergansers

For more information check out:

Remember to recreate responsibly as you visit Missoula and explore our many options for outdoor recreation.

Happening Today

Dec 27 Happy Hour at A Carousel For Missoula
Dec 28 Missoula Valley Winter Market
Dec 29 Chanukah on ICE!
View All Events

Let's take care of

This Place Recreate Responsibly in Missoula
Recreate Responsibly

Birding in Missoula

You might
also like

View all posts
These Photos of Missoula Will Give You Major Spring Fever

Read more
How to Spend Your St. Paddy’s Day in Missoula

Read more
Your Monthly Guide to Missoula: March 2023

Read more

The moments we live for in Montana. #VisitMissoula #Missoula #TheresThisPlace⁠ ⁠ 📷 https://t.co/dtwnhsT9Y1 https://t.co/dtwnhsT9Y1

Follow Us
Arts & Culture Outdoor Recreation Explore Entertainment Water Activities Winter Activities
Transportation Day Trips 25 Things To Do Concierge

Sign up for our enewsletter

Start planning your vacation. Get our newsletter for must-see adventures, exclusive deals, upcoming events and much more.