Grab your binoculars and get outside — Montana has more than 400 avian species to spot. The state’s diverse terrain offers plentiful opportunities to observe a rich variety of birds, those passing through along major migratory routes as well as year-round winged residents. Scan the skies from our highest peaks, the nearest riverbank, or simply as you travel to your next destination — every moment in Montana has the potential for a bird sighting.Â
In spring, witness the remarkable migration of snow geese and tundra swan at Freezout Lake Wildlife Management Area, where hundreds of thousands of waterfowl rest before continuing on to their northern nesting grounds. Explore Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, the last known breeding area of trumpeter swans in the state and home to the largest wetland complex in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Visit Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge, a 2,800-acre reserve where over 240 avian species have been recorded. The floodplain reserve is particularly active during the fall and spring migrations, but you can observe its 100 resident species throughout the year. In deep winter, look for cedar waxwings in mountain ash trees across the state or snowy owls at Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge in Charlo.
Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge covering 12,383 acres (19 square miles)is located on the western edge of the northern Great Plains, 50 miles east of the Rocky Mountains and 12 miles north of Great Falls. Despite its name, Benton Lake is actually a 5,000-acre shallow wetland created by the last continental glacier thousands of years ago. Benton Lake is an oasis for water birds. During spring a...
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Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was established in 1936 as a migratory bird refuge. It is located in the grass prairie region of north-central Montana and has 15,551 acres. Bowdoin is one of over 540 refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System. Major habitat types on the Refuge include saline and freshwater wetlands, native prairie, planted dense nesting cover and shrubs. Refuge wetlan...
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Those seeking wild game in its natural habitat will be rewarded at the second largest refuge in the continental U.S., Missouri River Country's Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. It's 1,100,000 acres! Bugling elk, herds of mule deer, red fox and coyotes call this place home. That doesn't mean the bird watchers will feel left out! Songbirds like the mountain bluebird and blackcapped chicka...
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Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located on the heavily glaciated rolling plains of northeastern Montana, between the Missouri River and the Canadian border. The refuge was established in 1935 to provide important breeding and stopover habitat for a diverse array of migratory birds. The refuge consists of two noncontiguous tracts of land totaling 31,702 acres. The north tract includes the...
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The Bison Range is a historical wildlife conservation area that is home to roughly 350 bison. In 2020, they incorporated it into the Montana Water Rights Protection Act. In 2022, they officially restored it to the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes.
Originally, the Flathead Indian Reservation was home to the Pablo-Allard bison herd up until the beginning of the 20th century. However, after t...
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Designated in 1964, the Refuge was created to provide habitats for migratory birds. The 2,800 acres of lush riparian and wetland habitats attract a variety of wildlife. About 250 species of birds, 37 species of mammals, and 17 species of reptiles and amphibians have been documented on the Refuge.
Be sure to look for the following common bird groups: waterfowl (33 species), grebe, wading bird,...
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The Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness is a 158,516-acre wilderness of rugged mountains saddling the Continental Divide located in southwestern Montana approximately 22 miles west of Anaconda, Montana. It is known for its high, rugged, and beautiful mountain scenery where mountain goats make their home. Elevations range from 5,100 feet in the lower reaches to 10,793 feet on West Goat Peak where the effec...
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