Western Montana’s mix of mountains, wetlands, grasslands and river corridors creates rich habitat for birds year-round. Raptors circle above open valleys, waterfowl gather on lakes and marshes, and songbirds move through cottonwood groves and forest edges. For birders, Glacier Country offers remarkable variety—and plenty of quiet places to watch the skies.

Local expertise can make birding here even more rewarding. Guided outings and local birding groups help visitors learn where to look and what to listen for throughout the seasons.

BIRDING RESOURCES + EVENTS

Field trips to places like Glacier National Park are a major component of Wings Across the Big Sky. Photo: Jan Wassink

BIRDING HOT SPOTS

If you’d like to do some birding on your own, check out the following hot spots.

Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge
One of Western Montana’s most productive birding sites is at the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge in the Bitterroot Valley, where more than 225 bird species have been recorded. Trails wind through riparian forest, wetlands and open fields along the Bitterroot River. In spring and fall, ponds at the north end of the refuge fill with migrating waterfowl, while songbirds gather in the riparian corridor and raptors hunt overhead.

The Montana Natural History Center leads birding field trips to places like Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge. Photo: Montana Natural History Center

Council Grove State Park
Along the Clark Fork River just west of Missoula, Council Grove State Park offers excellent birding in cottonwood groves and open river habitat. Watch for osprey, Lewis’s woodpeckers, shorebirds and hummingbirds moving through the area, especially during spring and summer.

Owen Sowerwine Natural Area
The Owen Sowerwine Natural Area near Kalispell is known for its rich wetland habitat. Songbirds, waterfowl and raptors frequent the ponds and cottonwood forests of this Flathead Valley location. Nearby West Valley Ponds provide one of the best places in the region to watch sandhill cranes gather during fall migration.

Mission Valley
The Mission Valley is one of Western Montana’s most important birding landscapes. Three standout destinations anchor the area:

Wetlands, grasslands and surrounding foothills create habitat for waterfowl, raptors, cranes and owls, particularly during migration seasons.

NOTABLE BIRDS OF GLACIER COUNTRY

Western Meadowlark
Montana’s state bird, the western meadowlark, is especially common in open grasslands during spring and summer. Its bright yellow chest and flute-like song make it one of the region’s most recognizable birds. Meadowlarks often sing from fenceposts or low shrubs across places like the CSKT Bison Range.

Osprey
The osprey is one of Glacier Country’s most familiar raptors. These fish-eating birds are often seen along rivers and lakes, especially near Missoula’s Riverfront Trail. Ospreys plunge feet-first into the water to catch fish, carrying their prey forward in their talons as they fly off to feed. A nesting platform near Missoula’s baseball stadium has hosted returning osprey pairs for years. You can also follow Iris—one of the oldest-known ospreys in the world—on the Hellgate Canyon Nest Cam in Missoula. Iris usually returns to her nest in April.

Osprey, also known as “fish hawks,” feed almost exclusively on fresh fish.

Harlequin Duck
Glacier National Park holds the densest population of harlequin ducks in Montana. These striking birds breed in cold, fast-moving mountain streams—an unusual habitat for ducks. Look for them in late spring along Upper McDonald Creek near the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Lewis’s Woodpecker
Named for explorer Meriwether Lewis, this distinctive Lewis’s woodpecker can often be spotted in Council Grove State Park from late spring through summer. Their greenish-black backs, red faces and salmon-colored bellies stand out against dead snags where they nest.

Unlike other woodpeckers, Lewis’s woodpeckers feed mostly by snatching flying insects from midair.

Pileated Woodpecker
One of North America’s largest woodpeckers, the pileated woodpecker measures more than a foot long and sports a brilliant red crest. Their loud calls and powerful drumming echo through forested areas like the Owen Sowerwine Natural Area, where cottonwood snags provide nesting habitat.

Bluebirds
Spring in Glacier Country often brings flashes of brilliant blue as mountain bluebirds and western bluebirds return. Mountain bluebirds are entirely blue, while western bluebirds have warm orange chests. Mountain bluebirds are frequently seen in open areas like the CSKT Bison Range, while western bluebirds favor open woodlands, like Blue Mountain Recreation Area near Missoula.

Sandhill Crane
Standing more than 3 feet tall with a wingspan approaching 6 feet, sandhill cranes are among the largest birds in Montana. Their prehistoric silhouettes glide overhead with neck and legs fully extended. During fall migration, hundreds gather near West Valley Ponds outside Kalispell, where a viewing platform offers excellent vantage points.

During migration, sandhill cranes may be seen in groups called “sedges.”

Trumpeter Swan
For a chance to see North America’s largest waterfowl, visit Pablo National Wildlife Refuge, where trumpeter swans have been successfully reintroduced. Wildlife biologists with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes have helped establish a growing population that now numbers around 200 birds.

Great Blue Heron
The majestic great blue heron can be found year-round anywhere water is present—rivers, wetlands and lakes across the region. At Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge, visitors can often observe nesting colonies in the conifers near the ponds during spring and summer.

Short-eared Owl
Montana hosts 15 owl species, but one of the most exciting to spot is the short-eared owl. Unlike many owls, these birds are often active during daylight hours. In the Mission Valley, especially near Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge, birders sometimes spot them perched on fenceposts or gliding low over open fields in the late afternoon and evening.

A short-eared owl flys low over vegetation to hunt for voles.

Common Loon
Glacier Country contains Montana’s only nesting habitat for common loons. To hear their haunting calls, visit Spencer Lake west of Whitefish between March and September. During summer evenings, their distinctive calls echo across the water.

For more information and birding resources, visit our birding page.  

Please note: We ask that all our visitors and residents recreate responsibly by being mindful of the following: know before you go; plan ahead; play it safe; leave no trace; tread lightly; and help build an inclusive outdoors.

March 23, 2026

Related: Birding, Bison Range, Bitterroot Valley, Charlo, Flathead Corridor, Flathead Indian Reservation, Glacier National Park, Kalispell, Missoula, Moiese, Montana, Outdoor Fun, Pablo, Parks, Stevensville, Whitefish, Wildlife

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