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    Bent's Old Fort

    National Historic Site Colorado

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  • Events and activities subject to change

    The public should be prepared for reduced hours and services provided by Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site employees due to the sequestration that became effective March 1, 2013. Please check back often for further details or changes.

Birds

Nature and Science

Red-tailed Hawk

(Levi Castello)

To date ninety-nine species of birds have been documented at the site. Great horned owls, Wild turkeys, Northern bobwhite, and Red-headed woodpeckers are commonly seen or heard along the river in the cottonwoods. In the winter Northern harrier and Red-tailed hawks stay and prey on the Black-tailed prairie dogs, and small rodents in the scattered trees along the river. Mallards, Snow geese, and Canada geese can be found in the large wetland during the winter. White-faced ibis migrate through the park in the spring. The park has a Bird Check List that includes 137 species of birds and lists 15 species that were identified from period diaries as being here during the 1840's.

- Saturday, August 9th 1845,
Report of Lt. James Abert of his Examination of New Mexico - "... Scattered around the fort in different cages we saw some of the birds of this region - mocking bird, 'turdus polyglottus,' magpie, 'corvus pica,' and two of the bald-headed eagle, 'falco leucocephalus' ."

Did You Know?

pocket billiards

One of the most interesting items described as being at Bent’s Fort was “a regularly established billiard room”.  Mentioned by many original visitors, the billiard table is as surprising to modern visitors as it was 160 years ago.  The impressive table measures 6ft. by 12ft.