sign in sign up
<<
Home , Calliope hummingbird, Flathead River, Mountain bluebird, Western bluebird, Wise River

Lake

Interior photos by Gary Swant, John Belobraidic and Bob Martinka. Bob and Belobraidic John Swant, Gary by photos bird Interior Cut Bank

will be provided upon request. Produced in part with accommodations tax funds. funds. tax accommodations with part in Produced request. upon provided be will Apgar McDonald Printed in the U.S.A. for free distribution. Alternative accessible formats of this document document this of formats accessible Alternative distribution. free for U.S.A. the in Printed Browning

West Glacier Printed on recycled paper recycled on Printed Libby spell. a for Columbia

Shelby Craig

humans, too, find this a pretty great place to nest nest to place great pretty a this find too, humans, 1 Falls Coram 2 3

Wolf CreekRudyard 800-879-1159 | southwestmt.com | 800-879-1159

In those moments, you’ll get a deeper sense why why sense deeper a get you’ll moments, those In Grant-Kohrs Ranch Martin City Lincoln Chester

1105 Main Street | Deer Lodge, MT 59722 MT Lodge, Deer | Street Main 1105 WhitefishNational Historic Site East Glacier Galata Havre You’ll also experience moments of profound quiet. quiet. profound of moments experience also You’ll Hungry & Arrow Stone Park Box Horse Park ValierBlackfoot Valley Sieben

KALISPELL near Ovando Elder soaring above wide open valleys. open wide above soaring Essex

Heart Butte streams, the piercing screech of red-tailed hawks hawks red-tailed of screech piercing the streams, Kila Dupuyer Beartooth Wildlife

Management Area ROCKY BOY’S with the whisper of leaves along quiet mountain mountain quiet along leaves of whisper the with Flathead River ckfoot Riv Marion Bigfork Bla er

Somers Blackfoot River Big Sandy INDIAN Lake, the trilling song of the hermit blending blending thrush hermit the of song trilling the Lake, Conrad

RESERVATION

birders and nonbirders alike. nonbirders and birders Lakeside cry of loons as the morning mist burns off Ennis Ennis off burns mist morning the as loons of cry

Your exemplary behavior will generate goodwill with with goodwill generate will behavior exemplary Your trumpeter swans anywhere. You’ll hear the echoing echoing the hear You’ll anywhere. swans trumpeter Rollins Bynum

Proctor Swan Lake Brady Practice common courtesy in contacts with other people. people. other with contacts in courtesy common Practice

Here you’ll find one of the largest populations of of populations largest the of one find you’ll Here Dayton Virgelle

Elmo Loma

where they exist. And please respect private property. property. private respect please And exist. they where

the life list. life the Big Arm Choteau

important feeding sites. Stay on roads, trails and paths paths and trails roads, on Stay sites. feeding important Thompson Fort Benton studied gaze and sharp ear with plenty of ticks on on ticks of plenty with ear sharp and gaze studied

from nest and nesting colonies, roosts, display areas and and areas display roosts, colonies, nesting and nest from

a beginning birdwatcher, this region will reward the the reward will region this Fallsbirdwatcher, Hotbeginning a Springs

Polson

Keep disturbance to a minimum. Keep well back back well Keep minimum. a to disturbance habitat Keep

Whether you consider yourself a dedicated lister or or lister dedicated a yourself consider you Whether Condon

in , 316 are found in Southwest Montana. Montana. Southwest in found are 316 Montana, in Fairfield 4

sound recording or filming. filming. or recording sound Ronan Vaughn GREAT

simply staggering. Of the 428 bird species recorded recorded species bird 428 the Of staggering. simply Helena Valley & restraint and caution during observation, photography, photography, observation, during caution and restraint Plains FALLS

De Borgia Charlo Augusta Canyon Ferry Wildlife

of resident species and viewing opportunities is is opportunities viewing and species resident of Winifred stressing or exposing them to danger, exercise exercise danger, to them exposing or birds stressing Paradise Management Area

St. Regis FLATHEAD INDIAN

through this region. And year-round, the diversity diversity the year-round, And region. this through Fort Shaw

Please observe and enjoy birds from a distance. To avoid avoid To distance. a from birds enjoy and observe Please Moiese RESERVATION make their annual spring and autumn migrations migrations autumn and spring annual their make

Birding Ethics Birding 435 Belt

D Ulm Southwest Montana. Every year, vast flocks of birds birds of flocks vast year, Every Montana. Southwest Dixon St. Ignatius e a

r R

bo iv Denton Turns out, humans aren’t the only species drawn to to drawn species only the aren’t humans out, Turns e Stockett Superior r n r Raynesford

Cascade Winston

to request a comprehensive vacation planner. vacation comprehensive a request to Arlee Seeley Geyser

alive with birds. with alive Lake

fully experience this miraculous place. Call 800-879-1159 800-879-1159 Call place. miraculous this experience fully 434 3

towns. So set your camera to stun, slow your pace, and and pace, your slow stun, to camera your set So towns. Stanford

America’s finest trout fishing and the most welcoming of of welcoming most the and fishing trout finest America’s Experience a Big Sky Sky Big a Experience THE Monarch

Alberton PRICKLY Craig discoveries, endless hiking and biking trails, some of North North of some trails, biking and hiking endless discoveries, Ovando 2 Lincoln PEAR

Greenough CANYON Hobson you’ll find well-preserved ghost towns, rockhounding rockhounding towns, ghost well-preserved find you’ll Wolf

Bonner Blackfoot River Neihart and adventures. Among breathtaking vistas and valleys valleys and vistas breathtaking Among adventures. and Creek

MISSOULA Helmville Utica parks, Southwest Montana offers stunning landscapes landscapes stunning offers Montana Southwest parks, Canyon

Clinton Creek

Located between Yellowstone and Glacier national national Glacier and Yellowstone between Located Lolo

Marysville 5

Southwest Montana. Southwest

one reason to come to come to reason one Florence Drummond HELENA East Judith Gap

to Helena Canyon 10

Ferry Georgetown &

an epic landscape is just is landscape epic an Kooskia, Reservoir White SulphurSilver Lakes Areas

Stevensville PINTLER SPRING MEADOW

Victor SCENIC Garrison Elliston 4 Springs

Great birding in in birding Great ID LAKE STATE PARK R ROUTE Montana Galen o 1 Two ck Clancy City Winston C Dot re Harlowton ek DEER Jefferson

Philipsburg City Martinsdale Yellowstone National Park National Yellowstone Corvallis LODGE Basin 11 HAMILTON 5 Warm Townsend Warm SpringsRingling Wildlife Springs Boulder Management Area Georgetown 10

Lake Silver Lake

r

Birding in Birding Darby e

ANACONDA v

i

R

Glacier National Park National Glacier 569 r 399 e d Conner l LEWIS & CLARK BUTTE u o CAVERNS B Wilsall STATE PARK Logan Sula Big Big Ho Manhattan le R 6 Timber Cranes & Rails Northern Pygmy-Owl (3, 4, 5, 9) Black-billed Magpie (1–12) Northern Rough-winged Swallow ive Clyde Park Following is a you’ll have a good r 12 Three Northern Saw-whet Owl (12) Black-capped Chickadee (1–11) (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) BIG HOLE Wise River Whitehall Forks (Gruiformes) r Belgrade BATTLEFIELD e v Dewey Greycliff chance to encounter. Numbers in parentheses Northern Shrike (winter) (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) i r American Coot (2, 4–8, 10) Western Screech-Owl (9, 10) Black-headed Grosbeak (1–11) R e Divide Silver iv r R Silver Star e Reed Point Sandhill Crane (1, 2, 4, 7–10) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (12) Northern Waterthrush (1, 9, 10) v on Harrison refer to the bird-watching area marked on the i Star rs LIVINGSTON R e e Olive-sided Flycatcher (3, 5, 9) s Je Ennis Lake Area Sora (1, 2, 8, 10) Nightjars Blue Jay (4, 5) Wisdom i Pony Creek Pony e l W Melrose map and described on the reverse side of this Virginia Rail (1, 2, 8, 10) (Caprimulgiformes) Bobolink (1, 2, 4) Orange-crowned Warbler (1–11) to 9 o Reservoir H McLeod Twin BOZEMAN Norris g i PIONEER

Pacific Wren (5, 9) Salmon, ID B Common Nighthawk (1–12) Bohemian Waxwing (winter) (1–11) er Bridges foldout, where you are especially likely to see MTNS iv Norris R Gallatin Common Poorwill (3, 4, 12) Brewer’s Blackbird (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11) Pine Grosbeak (5, 9) 278 SCENIC le Absarokee Plovers, Sandpipers & Bi o Sheridan Gateway that particular species. Pine Siskin (5, 9, 11, 12) BYWAY g H allies (Charadriiformes) Brewer’s Sparrow (2, 6, 10) r e Fishtail HIGHWAYS v Pinyon Jay (4) Jackson Ri 6 American Avocet (4, 6–8, 10, 12) Swifts & Brown Creeper (3, 4, 5, 9) d RUBY Nevada ea RIVER Nevada City Interstate Route Polaris rh MADISON American Golden Plover () Brown-headed Cowbird (1–11) Pygmy Nuthatch (4) e Argenta v VALLEY City Ennis Pray Nye Roberts , Geese & Swans Loons (Gaviiformes) a RIVER (fall migration) (1, 10) Red Crossbill (4, 5, 9, 11) Principal Highway e SCENIC Black-chinned (11) Bullock’s Oriole (1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 12) B VALLEY Big Sky Emigrant () Common Loon (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10) ROUTE SCENIC Roscoe Baird’s Sandpiper (4, 6–8, 10) Calliope Hummingbird (1–11) Canyon Wren (4, 12) Red-breasted Nuthatch (5, 9, 12) Other Highway 278 Virginia American Wigeon (1–8, 10) Pacific Loon (4, 6, 10) Ruby M ROUTE Black-bellied Plover (fall migration) (1, 10) Red-eyed Vireo (1, 2, 4, 10) Reservoir a (1–11, 12) Cassin’s Finch (1, 4, 12) BANNACK City d Unpaved Road i Barrow’s Goldeneye (2, 10) s Cameron o Black-necked Stilt (4, 6–8, 10, 12) Red-winged Blackbird STATE PARK n White-throated Swift (3, 4, 12) Cassin’s Vireo (12) DILLON R 399

Primitive Road u Red Lodge Blue-winged Teal (2–8, 10) Grebes b R Black Tern (2, 7) (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11) y Cedar Waxwing (1–12) B i l R v (2, 4, 6, 7, 10) 8 a e (Podicipediformes) c iv r Bonaparte’s Gull (2, 4, 10) Rock Wren (8, 12) Grant kt er Cooke Kingfishers Chipping Sparrow (1–12) ROUTE MARKERS ai Silver Goose (2–8, 10, 12) Eared Grebe (2, 4, 10) l D Gardiner Gull (4–6, 8, 10) Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1–12) e (Coraciiformes) Clark’s Nutcracker (5, 7, 9, 11, 12) 324 er 7 Gate City C Canvasback (1–8, 10) Horned Grebe (3, 10) Interstate BIG SHEEP CR. r Sage Thrasher (8) e Caspian Tern (4, 6, 7, 10) Belted Kingfisher (1–12) Clay-colored Sparrow (2, 10) Clark e BACKCOUNTRY k Mammoth Common Goldeneye (1–8, 10, 12) Pied-billed Grebe (2, 4, 6, 7, 10) U.S. Route 324 Canyon Forster’s Tern (4, 6, 10) Cliff Swallow (1–12) Sagebrush Sparrow (8) Reservoir BYWAY Hot Springs Tower Junction Common Merganser (2–8, 10, 12) Red-necked Grebe (2, 4, 5, 10) Franklin’s Gull (4, 6–8, 10) Common Grackle (1, 6, 10) Savannah Sparrow (1–10) State Route Quake Red Rock Lakes BEARTOOTH Gadwall (1–8, 10) Western Grebe (2, 6, 7, 10) RED ROCK LAKES Lake Hebgen YELLOWSTONENational Wildlife Refuge Greater Yellowlegs (1–10) (Piciformes) Common Raven (1–12) Say’s Phoebe (4, 9) Other Route NATIONAL Lake ALLAMERICAN ROAD Greater White-fronted Goose (10) WILDLIFE Herring Gull (4, 6, 10) American Three-toed (5, 9) Common Redpoll (winter) (5, 9, 10) Snow Bunting (winter) (8, 9, 10) Green-winged Teal (1–8, 10) Dell REFUGE NATIONAL Canyon Cormorants (Suliformes) Killdeer (1–10, 12) Black-backed Woodpecker (3, 5, 9) Common Yellowthroat (1–10) Song Sparrow (1–10) PUBLIC LANDS Lower 7 NorrisLower Upper Lima Red Rock Red Rock Red Rock Hooded Merganser (2, 4, 6, 8, 10) Double-crested Cormorant (7, 10, 12) Lima Upper Lake Lake Least Sandpiper (4, 6–8, 10) Downy Woodpecker (1–12) Cordilleran (Western) Spotted Towhee (4, 12) Reservoir Lake PARK Lesser Scaup (1–8, 10) BLM Land Red Rock Lima Lesser Yellowlegs (1–10) Hairy Woodpecker (1–12) Flycatcher (3, 5, 6, 12) Sprague’s Pipit (3) Monida Lake Reservoir Long-tailed (4, 10) National Forest Service West Pelicans & Wading Birds Long-billed Curlew (1, 2, 4, 6–10) Lewis’s Woodpecker (3, 10, 11) Dark-eyed Junco (1–11) Steller’s Jay (5, 9, 11) Madison Lake Mallard Duck (1–8, 10, 12) Wilderness Areas Yellowstone (Pelecaniformes) Long-billed Dowitcher (4, 6–8, 10) Northern Flicker (1–12) Dusky Flycatcher (3–5, 7, 12) Swainson’s Thrush (3, 9) Junction Northern Pintail (2–8, 10) American White Pelican Marbled Godwit (4, 8, 10) Pileated Woodpecker (3, 5, 11) Eastern Kingbird (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12) Townsend’s Solitaire (3, 5, 9, 12) National Wildlife Preserve West Northern Shoveler (1–8, 10) (4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12) to Idaho Falls, ID Thumb Pectoral Sandpiper (4, 6–8, 10) Red-naped (1–3, 7, 10, 11) Evening Grosbeak (1, 2, 4, 5, 6–11) (1–4, 6, 8, 10, 11) IDAHO Old Red-breasted Merganser (4, 6, 10) to Rexburg, ID Black-crowned Night-Heron (7, 8, 10) Ring-necked Gull (4–6, 8, 10) Williamson’s Sapsucker (2, 5) Golden-crowned Kinglet (1–11) Veery (3, 9) Faithful Redhead (2–8, 10) Great Blue Heron (1–10) Grant Sabine’s Gull (10) Gray Catbird (1, 2, 4, 6, 10–12) Vesper Sparrow (1–10) Village Ring-necked Duck (2–8, 10) White-faced Ibis (7, 8, 10) Sanderling (4, 6–8, 10) Falcons (Falconiformes) Gray Flycatcher (8) Violet-green Swallow (5, 7, 9, 12) Ross’s Goose (2, 10) Semipalmated Plover (4, 6–8, 10) American Kestrel (1–10, 12) Gray Jay (5, 11) Warbling Vireo (2, 7, 11, 12) 278 Rudy Duck (2, 4, 6, 7, 10) Hawks, Ospreys, Eagles Semipalmated Sandpiper (4, 6–8, 10) Gyrfalcon (winter) (4, 10) Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (5, 9) Western (3, 10) Snow Goose (2, 4, 10) 11 9 8 Jackson Polaris & Allies (Accipitriformes) Solitary Sandpiper (1–10) Merlin (4) Green-tailed Towhee (12) Western Kingbird (1, 2, 4, 6, 10, 12) Surf Scoter (fall) (4, 5, 6, 10) Bald Eagle (1–8, 10, 12) Spotted Sandpiper (1, 6–10, 12) Peregrine Falcon (4, 7, 8, 10, 12) Hammond’s Flycatcher (3, 5, 9) Western Meadowlark Trumpeter Swan (2–8, 10) Cooper’s Hawk (1–10, 12) Upland Sandpiper (3) Prairie Falcon (2, 7, 8); winter (10) Harris’s Sparrow (winter) (10) (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10–12) 12 Tundra Swan (2–8,10) 278 Ferruginous Hawk (6, 7, 8) Willet (1–10) Hermit Thrush (5, 9, 10, 12) Western Tanager (1–12) Tizer Botanic Gardens White-winged Scoter (fall) (4, 5, 6, 10) to GrandClark Canyon Teton ReservoirNatl Park Golden Eagle (1–10, 12) Wilson’s Phalarope (4, 6–8, 10) Perching Birds Horned Lark (1, 2, 4, 8, 10) Western Wood-Pewee (1–12) Wood Duck (1–8, 10) Big Hole National &and Bannack Jackson, State WY Park (5, 7, 9, 10) Wilson’s Snipe (1, 4, 6–8, 10) (Passeriformes) House Wren (1–8, 10, 11) White-breasted Nuthatch (4) Battlefield Northern Harrier (1, 2, 4, 10) American Crow (1, 2, 4, 10) Lark Sparrow (3, 10, 12) White-crowned Sparrow (5, 7, 9) Upland Game Birds Osprey (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12) White-winged Crossbill (5, 9) Grant Pigeons & Doves American Dipper (1–11) Least Flycatcher (1–6, 10 ) Lewis & Clark () Red-tailed Hawk (1–10, 12) (Columbiformes) American Goldfinch (1, 2, 4–8, 11, 12) Lapland Longspur (winter) (10) Willow Flycatcher (1–12) Caverns State Park Dusky (Blue) (3, 5, 9) Rough-legged Hawk (winter) Eurasian Collared-Dove (1–12) American Pipit (10) (3, 6, 10, 12) Wilson’s Warbler (7, 8, 9) Gray (Hungarian) Partridge (1, 4, 6, 10) (1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 10) Cardwell Mourning Dove (1–12) American Redstart (2) Lincoln’s Sparrow (5, 7, 9) Yellow Warbler (1–12) Greater Sage-Grouse (7, 8) Sharp-shinned Hawk (1–10, 12) Rock Pigeon (1–12) American Robin (1–12) Loggerhead Shrike (8) Yellow-breasted Chat (3, 12) Ruffed Grouse (3, 4, 9, 12) Swainson’s Hawk (7, 8, 9, 10) American Tree Sparrow (winter) (1, 9, 10) MacGillivray’s Warbler (3, 4, 7, 9, 10) Yellow-headed Blackbird (1, 2, 4, 8, 10) Spruce Grouse (5, 9) Turkey Vulture (1–12) Owls (Strigiformes) Baird’s Sparrow (3) Marsh Wren (2, 6, 7, 8, 10) Yellow-rumped Warbler (1–12) Great Gray Owl (5, 9) Bank Swallow (1–12) McCown’s Longspur (6, 8) Great Horned Owl (1–12) Barn Swallow (1–12) (1-4, 7, 8, 10–12) For detailed descriptions of the numbered areas, please see the reverse side of this foldout brochure. Long-eared Owl (9) Black Rosy-Finch (9) Mountain Chickadee (5, 7, 9, 11, 12) Some map elements copyrighted by and reprinted with the permission of the Montana Department of Transportation. MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD MARSH WREN RED-TAILED HAWK CEDAR WAXWING GREAT GRAY OWL WOOD DUCK

GRANT-KOHRS RANCH BLACKFOOT VALLEY BEARTOOTH WILDLIFE HELENA VALLEY / GEORGETOWN ENNIS LAKE AREA 1 NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE / 2 NEAR OVANDO 3 MANAGEMENT AREA / AUGUSTA 4 CANYON FERRY WMA 5 & SILVER LAKE AREAS 6 Located just north of the quaint community of Ennis, ARROWSTONE PARK The Blackfoot Valley offers outstanding scenery as well In this windswept landscape where the Great Plains In spring and autumn, the Canyon Ferry Wildlife Situated between the rugged Pintler Mountains to the this 3,692-acre lake beckons visitors with some of as great wildlife viewing. Three core birding areas in the crumple at the foot of the , wild things Management Area near Helena resonates with the south and the Flint Creek range to the north, these high- Southwest Montana’s finest fishing, bird-watching, The 1,600-acre Grant-Kohrs Ranch is operated by the sunsets and simple solitude. For an exceptional birding National Park Service to give the public a view of how valley provide the best public access for birding. They abound. All of Montana’s big game species call this melodious songs of diverse bird species as they elevation lakes and the surrounding forests are popular include Browns Lake (mostly private shoreline, but public area home at various times of the year, as do upland pause along one of ’s major north-south destinations for anglers, hikers and birds of many loop head north on Jeffers Road from Ennis, then circle life used to be here. With plenty of healthy riparian the lake on Ennis Lake Road. habitat populated by diverse bird species, you’ll feel like roads and a fishing access site provide boat access and game birds, raptors, songbirds, furbearers and small migration routes. With its network of dikes and ponds, the . Sprawling across 3,000 acres, Georgetown you’re experiencing Montana’s wildlife of a century ago camping), Blackfoot Waterfowl Production Area, and mammals. area provides nesting birds plenty of protection — and Lake would be plenty scenic without its many resident Other good birding sites are found along the Madison or more. the Aunt Molly Wildlife Management Area Waterfowl offers birders amazing viewing opportunities. You will waterfowl, raptors and other birds that are drawn to the River, north and south of the lake. There are numerous Production Area complex. The 31,798-acre WMA is open to the public from May need a scope to maximize your experience. area’s verdant forests, meadows and marshes. Nearby mountain streams flowing into the valley as well as At the Grant-Kohrs Visitor Center you can purchase a 15 through November 30. Good birding can also be Silver Lake is smaller but offers great birding as well. A extensive short-grass prairies south of Ennis. While field guide of the common birds for these sites that found by traveling Highway 435 south of Augusta. That’s just one of many great places to bird-watch good location for birding in high-elevation meadows and This is a “prairie pothole” landscape surrounded by you’re in the area, you can marvel at another of the includes color photographs and a map of the ranch’s in the Helena Valley. You’ll find an even wider variety mountains is the Mount Haggin Wildlife Management mountains. A mixture of intermountain grasslands, region’s colorful species at the Ennis National Fish habitats. You can walk plenty of quiet roads, trails and HABITATS of species in the surrounding mountains as well as Area, located south of Anaconda on Highway 569. sagebrush-grasslands, agricultural fields, aspen stands The area is dominated by intermountain grasslands Hatchery, home to huge rainbow trout. the abandoned Milwaukee Railroad right of way. There’s in the lake habitats of the region. A detailed guide to and mixed- ridge tops dominate the area. and ponderosa pine forests, with some foothill and also a series of well-established trails at Arrowstone. birding in the Helena Valley can be downloaded at HABITATS HABITATS Cottonwood riparian habitats can be found along the prairie pothole habitats. Remnant patches of Douglas lastchanceaudubon.org/html/birding.html. There is Mountain lake wetlands, meadow, and stream riparian A willow / grass complex with sage and rabbit brush HABITATS Blackfoot River and its tributaries. Audubon Important fir and lodgepole pine forests can be found on also a bird list available for the Canyon Ferry WMA. areas with alder and willow. Extensive coniferous forest surrounds the lake. The foothills on the north end of Arrowstone Park is a riparian area along the Clark Fork Bird Area. north-facing slopes. Several creeks bisect the area, of spruce, fir and lodgepole pine, mixed with scattered the lake have a juniper / Douglas fir mixed forest. HABITATS River. There is also a series of small ponds and wet supporting riparian habitat. stands of aspen and open parks of mountain grasses. South of the lake are agricultural lands and short-grass areas. Grant-Kohrs habitats include ponds and wet BEST VIEWING SEASONS Dry grasslands, pine and fir forests, willow / April — September; June is prime for nesting songbirds. prairie. The Madison River fishing access sites feature marshes, riparian / stream, short-grass prairie and BEST VIEWING SEASONS cottonwood, riparian areas, lakes, prairie potholes, BEST VIEWING SEASONS May — September; June is prime for nesting May — September; October — November for scoters plenty of willow and cottonwood. Audubon Important hayfields. wetlands and cliffs. Audubon Important Bird Area. CONTACT songbirds. and loons; December — March for owls, jays and Bird Area. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks BEST VIEWING SEASONS BEST VIEWING SEASONS grosbeaks. Winter access can be limited. 406-542-5500 BEST VIEWING SEASONS April — October; November — March for winter CONTACT May — July for breeding birds; August — November tiny.cc/Birds-BrownsLake (Brown’s Lake) Helena FWP May — July for breeding birds; March — June and species. for shorebirds and migrants. CONTACT tiny.cc/Birds-AuntMolly (Aunt Molly) 406-444-2535 Pintler Ranger District (Philipsburg Office) August — November for shorebirds and migrants. CONTACT CONTACT tiny.cc/Birds-Beartooth (Beartooth WMA) 406-859-3211 southwestmt.com/communities/ovando.htm (Ovando) Townsend Chamber CONTACT Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site Anaconda Chamber/VIC • 406-563-2400 Ennis Chamber and VIC 406-846-2070 • tiny.cc/Birds-GrantKohrs southwestmt.com/communities/augusta.htm (Augusta) 406-266-4101 southwestmt.com/communities/anaconda.htm tiny.cc/Birds-CanyonFerry (Canyon Ferry WMA) 406-682-4388 tiny.cc/Birds-Ennis Powell County Chamber of Commerce tiny.cc/Birds-LastChance (Last Chance Audubon Society) 406-846-2094 tiny.cc/Birds-DeerLodge

WESTERN TRUMPETER SWAN AMERICAN AVOCET NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH BLACK-NECKED STILT RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD MEADOWLARK

RED ROCK LAKES NATIONAL CLARK CANYON RESERVOIR BIG HOLE NATIONAL WARM SPRINGS WILDLIFE TIZER BOTANIC GARDENS OTHER NOTABLE BIRDING AREAS 7 WILDLIFE REFUGE 8 & BANNACK STATE PARK 9 BATTLEFIELD 10 MANAGEMENT AREA 11 & ARBORETUM JEFFERSON VALLEY is a great place to spot sandhill When this refuge was established in 1939, the When Lewis and Clark stopped here they dubbed the Today, few places seem more peaceful than the Big The largest area for waterfowl production in the Located 18 miles south of Helena on Tizer Lake cranes and other species of birds and waterfowl. trumpeter swan was all but extinct. Today, North spot Camp Fortunate; and today, anyone who comes Hole Valley of Southwest Montana. But in August 1877, upper valley is actually a series of Road, Tizer is one of only three privately owned Information: tiny.cc/Birds-Boulder. America’s heaviest bird is thriving; but there’s still no through the area must surely feel lucky to be alive. This this was the site of a bloody battle between the Nez man-made ponds developed for treatment of surface internationally accredited arboretums in the United BEAVERHEAD SAGE-STEPPE AUDUBON better place to see these massive, majestic waterfowl sprawling reservoir teems with wildlife along its shores Perce and the U.S. Cavalry. The battlefield’s visitor water impacted by historic mining operations in States. It is also a hummingbird research facility where IMPORTANT BIRD AREA, arrayed across a complex than Red Rock Lakes, home to one of the largest and in the surrounding foothills. center offers historic displays and artifacts — and a Butte. The land is healthier now and the birds are you’ll find Calliope, rufous and black-chinned varieties. of high-elevation basins south of Dillon, is home to a thriving populations in the lower 48 states — as well as a bird checklist. You can also take a self-guided tour of everywhere, with 212 species documented in the With more than 400 different and more than population of greater sage-grouse. Information: tiny.cc/Birds- bevy of other birds. Nearby Bannack was Montana’s first territorial capital, the battlefield and visit the deeply moving tipi memorial WMA. All of the treatment ponds can be walked or 1,000 varieties of clematis, roses and perennials, MtAudubon. and now stands as one of the best-preserved ghost along the . The site has limited roads, but bicycled via an extensive network of dike roads and Tizer offers great habitat for a variety of other birds. The refuge headquarters, located at Lakeview, offers towns in the Rockies. Good birding can be found in the excellent trails and an observation deck. trails. The Ducks Unlimited and Job Corps Ponds have The gardens sit at the entrance to the Elkhorn Wildlife WILLOW CREEK RESERVOIR (also called Harrison a small visitor center with wildlife displays and campgrounds and along the road and stream. Additional roads that can be driven. Autumn brings some 28 Management Area, accessing 600 square miles of Lake) is one of a chain of lakes and reservoirs that serve as brochures. Upper Lake Campground is an excellent bird species can be found along the gravel road leading The battlefield is open year-round, albeit with reduced species of shorebirds to the area, and winter is a public lands to bike, hike and enjoy additional bird critical stopovers for waterfowl, shorebirds and other migrants spot for birding due to its mix of lakeside habitats. south from Bannack to Grant. hours in the winter. Highway 43 to the battlefield is great time to spot rough-legged hawks, prairie falcons and wildlife watching. Tizer is open to the public April traveling from the Rocky Mountain Front through the mountain Dirt roads are impassable after heavy rains, and make also rich in bird species, especially raptors and owls and gyrfalcons. through September (and, depending on weather, into HABITATS valleys of west-central Montana. Audubon Important Bird Area. sure to top off your gas tank before venturing this way. seen early in the morning and in winter months. For October) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, including all Riparian habitat, short-grass / sagebrush prairie and Information: tiny.cc/Birds-MtAudubon. those seeking a deeper understanding of the history HABITATS holidays. Information: tiny.cc/Birds-Tizer. HABITATS agricultural fields surround the reservoir. Late summer of this site, a commemoration of the battle is held Primarily wetlands consisting of cattail, rush, sedge MISSOURI HEADWATERS STATE PARK is located Primarily open grassland and sagebrush with isolated mud flats offer shorebird viewing at the west and south every August. and willow, as well as riparian areas of willow, alder, where the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin rivers join to form stands of and aspens. Willow habitat is found inlets to the reservoir. Bannack features riparian habitat LEWIS & CLARK CAVERNS water birch, aspen and cottonwood. the . Camp where Lewis and Clark stayed on their along streams, lakeshores and marshes throughout along Grasshopper Creek and mature sagebrush habitat HABITATS 12 STATE PARK journey westward, and marvel at the abundance of birds and the refuge. Audubon Important Bird Area. for several miles south to Grant. Subalpine-montane riparian shrub land, dry-mesic BEST VIEWING SEASONS Located midway between Butte and Bozeman, Lewis other wildlife that call this area home. Audubon Important Bird spruce fir forest and aspen / willow stands host a April — October; spring and fall for waterfowl; late & Clark Caverns State Park is best known for the Area. Information: tiny.cc/Birds-MissouriHead. BEST VIEWING SEASONS BEST VIEWING SEASONS diverse bird community in a relatively small area. summer for shorebirds; June for songbirds. June — July for breeding birds; August — September April — October; November — March for winter spectacular limestone cave and the bats that reside for shorebirds and migrants. species. BEST VIEWING SEASONS CONTACT within. But this rugged chunk of displaced Great Basin May — September; November — March for winter Warm Springs Wildlife Management Area habitat is home to a diversity of bird life. From the CONTACT CONTACT species. 406-693-7395 towering limestone cliffs to the Jefferson River, the Red Rock Lakes NWR Bannack State Park park encompasses six diverse habitat types and Picnic area Restroom 406-276-3347 406-834-3413 CONTACT For a guide to the wildlife area, email [email protected]. gives access to some of Southwest Montana’s tiny.cc/Birds-RedRock tiny.cc/Birds-Bannack Big Hole National Battlefield tiny.cc/Birds-WarmSprings (Warm Springs WMA) more unusual bird species. The park’s 10 miles of Bicycling Hiking 406-689-3151 hiking trails and visitor center are open year-round. tiny.cc/Birds-BigHole Information: tiny.cc/Birds-Caverns. Visitor center Camping