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Yellowstone National Park Bird-watching

This Tour Comes From...

National Geographic Guide to Birdwatching Sites, Western U.S.

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In the northwest corner of the state, Yellowstone National Park encompasses 2.2 million acres [890,308.4 hectares] of forest (much of it regrowing after the great fires of 1988), grassland, and wetlands. Birding is far from the minds of most visitors, who come to see geysers, hot springs, bison, moose, elk, and bears. There are plenty of birds to see here, too, especially for Easterners making their first trip West. Checking varied habitats at differing elevations will turn up typical species such as Cinnamon Teal; Broad-tailed Hummingbird; Red-naped Sapsucker; Olive-sided, Hammond’s, and Dusky Flycatchers; Gray and Steller’s Jays; Clark’s Nutcracker; Black-billed Magpie; Violet-green Swallow; Mountain Chickadee; Swainson’s Thrush; MacGillivray’s Warbler; and Western Tanager. As always, there are certain montane birds it takes a bit of luck to see, such as Northern Goshawk, Blue Grouse, Williamson’s Sapsucker, Pine Grosbeak, and Red Crossbill. For these species, time spent walking trails may eventually pay off.

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The great gray owl typically hunts at night.

Photograph © Joe McDonald/Corbis

After you’ve seen Old Faithful, some of the park’s best birding can be found by driving from West Thumb, on Yellowstone Lake, east and north to Tower and west to Mammoth Hot Springs. Depending on the size of your map, this may not seem like much distance, but note that it’s actually 73 miles [117.5 kilometers]. As you skirt Yellowstone Lake to Fishing Bridge and a bit beyond, stop where you can to scan for Common Loon, American White Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Trumpeter Swan, Barrow’s Goldeneye, California Gull, and other waterbirds, as well as Osprey and Bald Eagle.
Heading north along the Yellowstone River, you’ll find White-throated Swift flying through canyons; American Dipper flits from rock to rock along rapids; and with luck you might see Harlequin Duck (ask park personnel about this scarce bird). Where roads cross meadows, stop to check surrounding trees—and hope to find a huge Great Gray Owl looking back at you. If you’re not successful, you could spot a Sandhill Crane nesting or a beautiful sky blue Mountain Bluebird. In sagebrush areas, look for Sage Thrasher and Brewer’s Sparrow.
Three-toed and Black-backed Woodpeckers frequent burned woodland, and the Yellowstone fires of 1988 provided vast areas of such habitat. Ask park naturalists about any recent sightings and about the chances of seeing these often elusive species.