Top 15 Birds in Colorado
Colorado is home to a rich diversity of birdlife, thanks to its varied landscapes from alpine mountains to plains and wetlands. Here are 15 remarkable bird species you can spot across the Centennial State.
1. Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
- Description: A majestic raptor with a white head and tail, dark brown body, and powerful yellow beak.
- Habitat: Lakes, reservoirs, and large rivers, especially in winter.
- Ecosystem Services: Scavenger that helps clean up carrion and maintain ecosystem health.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern, but protected under federal law.
2. Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides)
- Description: A vibrant blue songbird with a lighter belly, known for its gentle appearance.
- Habitat: Open woodlands, meadows, and foothills.
- Ecosystem Services: Insect control and seed dispersal.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
3. Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia)
- Description: Striking black and white plumage with iridescent blue-green highlights on the wings and tail.
- Habitat: Open country, shrublands, and near human settlements.
- Ecosystem Services: Scavenger and seed disperser.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
4. Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
- Description: Large owl with prominent ear tufts, yellow eyes, and mottled brown plumage.
- Habitat: Forests, deserts, and urban areas.
- Ecosystem Services: Rodent and pest control.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
5. American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus)
- Description: Stocky, dark gray songbird that bobs along streams and dives underwater for insects.
- Habitat: Fast-moving mountain streams and rivers.
- Ecosystem Services: Indicator species for stream health.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
6. Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana)
- Description: Bright yellow body with a red-orange head in males, and black wings with wing bars.
- Habitat: Coniferous forests and woodlands.
- Ecosystem Services: Insect control and pollination.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
7. Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
- Description: Sleek, fast-flying raptor with blue-gray back and distinctive facial markings.
- Habitat: Cliffs, urban skyscrapers, and open landscapes.
- Ecosystem Services: Controls populations of medium-sized birds.
- Conservation Status: Recovered; Least Concern but monitored.
8. Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)
- Description: Dark blue body with a black crest and head, known for its loud calls.
- Habitat: Coniferous forests and montane regions.
- Ecosystem Services: Seed disperser and predator of insects.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
9. Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys)
- Description: Colorado's state bird; males are black with white wing patches during breeding season.
- Habitat: Grasslands and prairies.
- Ecosystem Services: Insect control and seed dispersal.
- Conservation Status: Near Threatened due to habitat loss.
10. Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
- Description: Large hawk with a reddish tail and broad wings; variable plumage.
- Habitat: Open country, woodlands, and urban areas.
- Ecosystem Services: Rodent and small mammal control.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
11. American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)
- Description: Huge white waterbird with black wing tips and large orange bill.
- Habitat: Lakes, reservoirs, and wetlands.
- Ecosystem Services: Fish population control.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
12. Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana)
- Description: Gray bird with black wings and tail, known for storing pine seeds.
- Habitat: High-elevation pine forests.
- Ecosystem Services: Critical seed disperser for pine forests.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern but dependent on pine ecosystem health.
13. White-tailed Ptarmigan (Lagopus leucura)
- Description: Small grouse with seasonal plumage changes: white in winter, mottled brown in summer.
- Habitat: Alpine tundra and high mountain slopes.
- Ecosystem Services: Part of alpine food web, prey for raptors.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
14. Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia)
- Description: Small, long-legged owl with bright yellow eyes and a round head with no ear tufts.
- Habitat: Grasslands and prairies, often in abandoned burrows.
- Ecosystem Services: Insect and rodent control.
- Conservation Status: Species of Concern in some regions due to habitat loss.
15. Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus)
- Description: Small hummingbird with iridescent green back and males with rose-red throat patches.
- Habitat: Mountain meadows and open woodlands.
- Ecosystem Services: Pollination of native flowers.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
