May 24, 2026
Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Centeri
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(c) Whitney Brook Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Birding Guide
Birding Guide for Montana
Big skies, mountains, plains, and wildlife
Birding highlights, common sightings, and the best places to look for birds in Montana. Use the highlight list to start quickly, then work through the full guide for a broader local view.
Sightings
152
Species
67
Active Months
12
Category Overview
Birds across Montana
This guide focuses on birdlife within Montana's wider region guide, helping families explore common sightings, shoreline birds, forest species, and the places where birding is easier to begin.
Latest Sightings
Recent bird sightings in Montana
A recent look at bird sightings across Montana.
May 7, 2026
ZooMontanai
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no rights reserved
License: CC0 1.0 ↗
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May 2, 2026
ZooMontanai
Photo attribution
no rights reserved
License: CC0 1.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Apr 23, 2026
ZooMontanai
Photo attribution
no rights reserved
License: CC0 1.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Jul 17, 2025
Cut Bank Ranger Station Historic Districti
Photo attribution
no rights reserved
License: CC0 1.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Jul 17, 2025
Cut Bank Ranger Station Historic Districti
Photo attribution
no rights reserved
License: CC0 1.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Sightings Map
See where bird sightings cluster
Start wide, then zoom in to see where bird sightings cluster across Montana.
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Top Highlights
Top 5 birds to see in Montana
These birds are snapped the most across this region.
Red-winged Blackbird
7 snaps
Dusky Grouse
6 snaps
Tree Swallow
6 snaps
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Barrow's Goldeneye
5 snaps
Mountain Bluebird
5 snaps
Places to Start
Best places for birding in Montana
These place guides connect well with the birds covered in this region.
Park46 sightings50 species
Montana, US
Lake Missoula
You might spot Western Ponderosa Pine and Great Horned Owl.
View place guide →
Zoo30 sightings13 species
Montana, US
ZooMontana
You might spot Tiger, Grizzly Bear, and Red Panda.
View place guide →
Zoo30 sightings8 species
Montana, US
Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center
You might spot Grizzly Bear and North American River Otter.
View place guide →
Park30 sightings12 species
Montana, US
St. Mary Utility Area Historic District
You might spot Sticky Geranium, Osprey, and Brown Bear.
View place guide →
Park43 sightings50 species
Montana, US
Polebridge Ranger Station Historic District
You might spot Sticky Geranium, White-Tailed Deer, and Common Toadflax.
View place guide →
Park30 sightings12 species
Montana, US
East Glacier Ranger Station Historic District
You might spot Black Bear, Moose, and Lodgepole Pine.
View place guide →
Full Guide
Full Montana birds list
The complete ranked list for this guide, ordered by sightings count.
17 snaps26 snaps36 snaps45 snaps55 snaps65 snaps74 snaps84 snaps94 snaps104 snaps114 snaps123 snaps133 snaps143 snaps153 snaps163 snaps173 snaps183 snaps193 snaps203 snaps212 snaps222 snaps232 snaps242 snaps252 snaps262 snaps272 snaps282 snaps292 snaps302 snaps312 snaps322 snaps332 snaps342 snaps352 snaps362 snaps372 snaps382 snaps392 snaps402 snaps412 snaps422 snaps432 snaps442 snaps451 snaps461 snaps471 snaps481 snaps491 snaps501 snaps511 snaps521 snaps531 snaps541 snaps551 snaps561 snaps571 snaps581 snaps591 snaps601 snaps611 snaps621 snaps631 snaps641 snaps651 snaps661 snaps671 snaps
Red-winged Blackbird
Dusky Grouse
Tree Swallow
Barrow's Goldeneye
Mountain Bluebird
Ruffed Grouse
American Robin
Bald Eagle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Great Blue Heron
Lewis's Woodpecker
Cedar Waxwing
Chipping Sparrow
Common Merganser
House Finch
Northern Yellow Warbler
Pileated Woodpecker
Red-tailed Hawk
Violet-green Swallow
White-crowned Sparrow
American Avocet
American Dipper
American Goldfinch
Barn Swallow
Black-headed Grosbeak
Bufflehead
Canada Goose
Canada Jay
Cliff Swallow
Common Loon
Common Raven
Duck
Harlequin Duck
Lazuli Bunting
Northern Flicker
Northern House Wren
Ruddy Duck
Rufous Hummingbird
Sandhill Crane
Spotted Sandpiper
Spruce Grouse
Steller's Jay
Swainson's Thrush
Trumpeter Swan
American Coot
American Crow
American White Pelican
Black-capped Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Common Goldeneye
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Evening Grosbeak
Gray Catbird
Hairy Woodpecker
Hammond's Flycatcher
House Sparrow
Killdeer
MacGillivray's Warbler
Mountain Chickadee
Mourning Dove
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Pine Siskin
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Red-naped Sapsucker
Western Grebe
Western Meadowlark
Western Wood-Pewee
Other Guides
Keep exploring Montana
Switch from birding to flowers and bugs for a broader view of Montana's wildlife and nature.
