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Where
and When
Flathead’s most common bird species are listed below according
to the type of habitat they frequent, and when they are present.
Local spots where you can find these habitat types are also
listed.
The seasonal breakdown used here:
ALL YEAR – species that stay in the Flathead throughout the
year;
WINTER
– species here for only the winter
(they go north in
the spring for breeding);
SPRING
MIGRATION – species that pass through during migration,
but generally are absent the rest of the year;
SPRING &
SUMMER–
species that arrive in spring and stay the summer
(they breed and
produce young here).
Keep
in mind
“Common”
does not mean guaranteed. Spots of a given habitat type
may not attract all of the species listed for that type.
Look for the unexpected. Birds stray from their usual
habitat. Also, though a species may be listed as common
for a particular season, smaller numbers of that species
may be found in the Valley during other seasons as well
(e.g. an American Robin in winter).
There are some species of special interest that are not
really “common” but are usually seen at particular spots
around the Flathead. These are listed in parentheses.
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LAKES, PONDS, RIVERS, SLOUGHS
Bays of Flathead Lake (e.g. Somers Bay), Echo Lake, Tally Lake,
Smith Lake, Church Ponds (in West Valley),
Flathead River (e.g. Owen Sowerwine Natural Area, the confluence
of Flathead and Stillwater Rivers, Foys Bend, mouth where the
River enters Flathead Lake),
Flathead River Sloughs,
Swan River (e.g. stretches above mouth into Flathead Lake,
Porcupine Creek Road bridge, Swan River National Wildlife
Refuge), Ashley Creek near Flathead River,
Logan Creek near Tally Lake
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Waterbirds |
ALL
YEAR
Mallard, Canada Goose, Bufflehead, Common Merganser,
Common Goldeneye, American Coot, Ring-billed Gull
(On
some high mountain streams – American Dipper)
WINTER
Herring Gull
SPRING MIGRATION
Tundra Swan, Northern Pintail,
Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon |
SPRING
& SUMMER
Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Hooded
Merganser, Green-winged Teal, Red-necked Grebe
(Some
local lakes – Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant)
(Some local ponds & marshes – Wood Duck)
(Some high mountain streams -- Harlequin Duck) |
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Birds that
catch bugs over open water |
SPRING
& SUMMER
Violet-green Swallow,
Cliff Swallow
(At some local lakes, e.g. Smith Lake – Black Terns) |
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Shorebirds |
ALL
YEAR
Killdeer
(but
only a small number in winter) |
SPRING
& SUMMER
Spotted Sandpiper |
RIPARIAN AREAS
(brush and cottonwoods adjacent to water)
Waters listed under Lakes, etc., Lawrence Park
ALL
YEAR
Bald Eagle, Downy Woodpecker,
Song Sparrow |
SPRING
& SUMMER
Osprey, Great Blue Heron,
Belted Kingfisher, Yellow Warbler,
Western Tanager, Veery, Vaux’s Swift,
Cedar Waxwing, Eastern Kingbird |
WET MEADOWS & MARSHES
(boggy vegetation adjacent to lakes and sloughs)
Smith Lake, Flathead River Sloughs, Blaisdel Waterfowl Production Area (near Somers), north shore of Flathead Lake, Bog Road in Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge
SPRING
& SUMMER
Red-winged Blackbird,
Yellow-headed blackbird, Common Yellowthroat,
Marsh Wren, Willow Flycatcher (listen for call),
Wilson’s Snipe, Sora, American Bittern
(usually won’t see these last three, but can often hear them) |
FORESTS
Tally Lake area, Lone Pine State Park, Jewel Basin, Swan Lake Recreation Area
ALL
YEAR
Mountain Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Hairy
Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Clark’s Nutcracker, Gray
Jay, Steller’s Jay, Pine Siskin, Evening Grosbeak, Pine
Grosbeak, Red Crossbill, Ruffed Grouse
(Often can also see Pileated Woodpecker,
White-breasted Nuthatch, and Brown Creeper) |
SPRING
& SUMMER
Red-naped Sapsucker,
Western Tanager, Swainson’s Thrush,
Yellow-rumped Warbler |
OPEN GRASS & SHRUB/AGRICULTURAL FIELDS
Smith Valley,
West Valley,
Lower Flathead Valley
ALL
YEAR
Ring-necked Pheasant,
Black-billed Magpie, Red-tailed Hawk,
Northern Harrier, Gray Partridge, Wild Turkey,
Rock Pigeon
WINTER
Rough-legged Hawk, Canada Goose,
Northern Shrike |
SPRING
MIGRATION
American Pipit
SPRING
& SUMMER
Western Meadowlark,
Mountain Bluebird, Eastern Kingbird,
American Kestrel, Brewers Blackbird,
Brown-headed Cowbird
(In grasses near water, e.g. fields near Church Ponds and
Smith Lake – Sandhill Crane) |
URBAN
Backyard and schoolyard feeders,
Woodland Park
ALL
YEAR
House Sparrow, House Finch,
American Goldfinch, Evening Grosbeak,
Ring-billed Gull, Merlin, Sharp-shinned Hawk
WINTER
Bohemian Waxwing |
SPRING
MIGRATION
White-crowned Sparrow
SPRING
& SUMMER
Chipping Sparrow,
Barn Swallow, Vaux’s Swift,
Common Nighthawk |
FOUND IN A WIDE VARIETY OF HABITATS
ALL
YEAR
American Crow, Common Raven,
Great Horned Owl, Black-capped Chickadee,
Dark-eyed Junco, European Starling |
SPRING
MIGRATION
Yellow-rumped Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet
SPRING
& SUMMER
American Robin,
Chipping Sparrow, Rufous Hummingbird, Calliope Hummingbird,
Mourning Dove |
Prepared by Dan Casey, American Bird Conservancy, and Linda
Winnie,
Flathead Audubon Society
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