The high desert ecosystem and rocky cliffs of the Reserve provide excellent habitat for many birds of prey, including golden eagle, prairie falcon, red-tailed hawk, Swainson's hawk, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper's hawk, American kestrel, and great-horned owl. Bald eagle and ferruginous hawk are also observed in winter, but with less frequency. Other bird species of interest include turkey vulture, sage grouse, piñon jay, Clark's nutcracker, common nighthawk, cliff swallow, mountain bluebird, mountain chickadee, rock and canyon wrens, green-tailed towhee, Virginia's warbler, western tanager and lazuli bunting.
Within City of Rocks and Almo Valley, 138 species have been documented, and are included on the Reserve's .
