A colorful western tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) sits in a bush with an insect in its mouth.
Overview
279 bird species have been documented in Glacier, with 144 species known to nest in the park. Raptors, songbirds, shorebirds, waterfowl, and more rely on Glacier's diverse habitats and location along important migratory pathways.
As climate change progresses, the population and distribution of bird species in Glacier may shift. Rising temperatures and changing seasonal weather patterns can affect the timing and availability of food. While these impacts are ongoing, Glacier continues to serve as a refuge for birds, those who study them, and all who love to find birds in the wild.birds and birding throughout the National Park Service .
Species List
Use the legend below to learn where, when, and how often birds are found in the park.
Swans, Geese, Ducks
Swans, Geese, Ducks
Range
SP
S
F
W
Greater White-fronted Goose
W
r
Snow Goose
E,W
u
r
u
Ross's Goose
E,W
r
Canada Goose
#
E,W
c
c
c
u
Trumpeter Swan
#
E,W
r
u
r
r
Tundra Swan
E,W
c
c
r
Wood Duck
#
E,W
r
r
r
r
Gadwall
E,W
u
u
u
r
Eurasian Wigeon
W
a
a
a
American Wigeon
E,W
c
c
c
r
Mallard
#
E,W
c
c
c
c
Blue-Winged Teal
E,W
u
u
u
Cinnamon Teal
E,W
u
u
u
Green-Winged Teal
E,W
u
u
u
Northern Shoveler
E,W
c
u
u
r
Northern Pintail
E,W
u
u
u
r
Canvasback
E,W
r
r
Redhead
E,W
u
u
r
Ring-necked Duck
#
E,W
c
u
u
Greater Scaup
W
a
Lesser Scaup
E,W
u
u
u
r
Harlequin Duck
#
E,W
u
u
r
Surf Scoter
W
r
White-winged Scoter
E,W
r
r
Long-tailed Duck
W
a
Bufflehead
#
E,W
c
c
c
c
Common Goldeneye
#
E,W
c
r
u
c
Barrow's Goldeneye
#
E,W
c
c
c
r
Hooded Merganser
#
E,W
u
u
u
r
Common Merganser
#
E,W
c
c
c
c
Red-breasted Merganser
#
E,W
r
r
r
r
Ruddy Duck
E,W
u
r
u
Grouse, Ptarmigan, Turkey
Grouse, Ptarmigan, Turkey
Range
SP
S
F
W
Ring-necked Pheasant
+
W
a
Ruffed Grouse
#
E,W
c
c
c
c
Spruce Grouse
#
E,W
c
c
c
c
Dusky Grouse
#
E,W, A
c
c
c
c
Sharp-tailed Grouse
E
r
White-tailed Ptarmigan
#
A
u
u
u
u
Wild Turkey
W
r
Loons
Loons
Range
SP
S
F
W
Red-throated Loon
W
a
Pacific Loon
W
r
r
Common Loon
#
E,W
u
u
u
r
Yellow-billed Loon
W
a
Grebes
Grebes
Range
SP
S
F
W
Pied-billed Grebe
E,W
r
r
r
r
Horned Grebe
E,W
c
u
u
u
Eared Grebe
#
E,W
u
r
r
Red-necked Grebe
#
E,W
u
u
u
r
Western Grebe
E,W
u
r
u
r
Cormorant
Cormorant
Range
SP
S
F
W
Double-crested Cormorant
E,W
r
r
r
r
Pelican
Pelican
Range
SP
S
F
W
American White Pelican
E,W
r
r
Herons, Bitterns, Ibis
Herons, Bitterns, Ibis
Range
SP
S
F
W
American Bittern
#
E,W
r
r
r
Great Blue Heron
#
E,W
u
u
u
r
Black-crowned Night Heron
W
a
Great Egret
W
a
Ibis
Ibis
Range
SP
S
F
W
White-faced ibis
W
a
Vulture, Hawks, Eagles, Falcons
Vulture, Hawks, Eagles, Falcons
Range
SP
S
F
W
Turkey Vulture
E,W
u
u
u
Osprey
#
E,W
u
c
u
Northern Harrier
E,W
u
u
u
Sharp-shinned Hawk
#
E,W
u
u
u
r
Cooper's Hawk
#
E,W
u
u
u
r
Northern Goshawk
#
E,W
u
u
u
r
Red-shouldered Hawk
W
a
Broad-winged Hawk
E,W
a
a
Swainson's Hawk
#
E,W
r
r
r
Red-tailed Hawk
#
E,W
c
c
c
Rough-legged Hawk
E,W
r
r
r
Ferruginous Hawk
E,W
r
Bald Eagle
#
E,W
u
u
u
u
Golden Eagle
#
E,W,A
r
r
r
r
American Kestrel
#
E,W
u
u
u
Merlin
E,W
r
r
r
r
Gyrfalcon
E,W
a
a
Peregrine Falcon
E,W
r
r
r
Crane
Crane
Range
SP
S
F
W
Sandhill Crane
#
E,W
r
r
r
Stilt, Avocet
Stilt, Avocet
Range
SP
S
F
W
Black-necked Stilt
E,W
r
American Avocet
E,W
r
r
Shorebirds
Shorebirds
Range
SP
S
F
W
Black-bellied Plover
E,W
a
a
Semipalmated Plover
E,W
a
a
Killdeer
#
E,W
c
c
c
r
Spotted Sandpiper
#
E,W
u
c
c
Solitary Sandpiper
E,W
u
u
u
Upland Sandpiper
r
Baird’s Sandpiper
E,W
r
r
r
Least Sandpiper
r
Pectoral Sandpiper
E,W
r
Semipalmated Sandpiper
r
r
Western Sandpiper
r
r
Greater Yellowlegs
E,W
r
Lesser Yellowlegs
E,W
r
r
Willet
E,W
r
r
Long-billed Curlew
E,W
u
Marbled Godwit
E,W
r
Sanderling
r
Long-billed Dowitcher
E,W
r
Wilson's Snipe
#
E,W
c
c
u
Wilson’s Phalarope
E,W
u
u
Red-necked Phalarope
E,W
r
r
r
Gulls, Terns
Gulls, Terns
Range
SP
S
F
W
Black-legged Kittiwake
W
a
Sabine's Gull
W
a
Bonaparte’s Gull
E,W
r
r
Franklin’s Gull
E,W
u
u
Ring-billed Gull
E,W
c
u
c
California Gull
E,W
c
u
c
Herring Gull
E,W
r
Glaucous-winged Gull
W
a
Glaucous Gull
W
a
Caspian Tern
E,W
r
r
Black Tern
#
E,W
r
r
Common Tern
E
r
r
Forster’s Tern
E,W
r
Pigeons, Doves
Pigeons, Doves
Range
SP
S
F
W
Rock Pigeon
+
E,W
r
r
Eurasian Collared-Dove
+
W
r
Band-tailed Pigeon
W
a
Mourning Dove
E,W
u
u
u
Owls
Owls
Range
SP
S
F
W
Western Screech-Owl
#
E,W
r
r
r
r
Great Horned Owl
#
E,W
u
u
u
u
Snowy Owll
E,W
r
r
Northern Hawk Owl
#
E,W
r
r
r
r
Northern Pygmy-Owl
#
E,W
u
u
u
u
Burrowing Owl
W
a
Barred Owl
#
E,W
u
u
u
u
Great Gray Owl
#
E,W
r
r
r
r
Long-eared Owl
#
E,W
r
r
Short-eared Owl
E,W
r
r
Boreal Owl
#
E,W
r
r
r
r
Northern Saw-whet Owl
#
E,W
r
r
r
r
Nighthawk
Nighthawk
Range
SP
S
F
W
Common Nighthawk
#
E,W
u
u
r
Swifts
Swifts
Range
SP
S
F
W
Black Swift
#
E,W
r
r
r
Vaux’s Swift
#
E,W
u
u
White-throated Swift
E,W,A
a
a
Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds
Range
S
S
F
W
Black-chinned Hummingbird
#
W
r
r
Rufous Hummingbird
#
E,W,A
c
c
Calliope Hummingbird
#
E,W,A
c
c
Kingfisher
Kingfisher
Range
SP
S
F
W
Belted Kingfisher
#
E,W
u
u
u
r
Woodpeckers
Woodpeckers
Range
SP
S
F
W
Lewis’s Woodpecker
#
E,W
u
u
r
Red-headed Woodpecker
#
E
a
Downy Woodpecker
#
E,W
c
c
c
c
Hairy Woodpecker
#
E,W
c
c
c
c
White-headed Woodpecker
W
a
American Three-toed Woodpecker
#
E,W
c
c
c
c
Black-backed Woodpecker
#
E,W
r
r
r
r
Pileated Woodpecker
#
E,W
c
c
c
c
Northern Flicker
#
E,W
c
c
c
r
Williamson’s Sapsucker
#
E,W
r
r
Red-naped Sapsucker
#
E,W
c
c
u
Flycatchers
Flycatchers
Range
SP
S
F
W
Olive-sided Flycatcher
#
E,W
c
c
Alder Flycatcher
E,W
r
r
Willow Flycatcher
#
E,W
u
u
Least Flycatcher
#
E,W
r
r
Hammond’s Flycatcher
#
E,W
c
c
Dusky Flycatcher
#
E,W
c
c
Cordilleran Flycatcher
E,W
r
r
Ash-throated Flycatcher
W
a
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
W
a
Western Wood-Pewee
#
E,W
u
u
Say’s Phoebe
E,W
r
r
Western Kingbird
E,W
r
r
Eastern Kingbird
#
E,W
u
u
Shrikes
Shrikes
Range
SP
S
F
W
Loggerhead Shrike
E,W
a
a
a
Northern Shrike
E,W
r
r
r
Vireos
Vireos
Range
SP
S
F
W
Cassin’s Vireo
#
E,W
u
u
Warbling Vireo
#
E,W
ab
ab
Red-eyed Vireo
#
E,W
u
u
Jays, Magpie, Crow, Raven
Jays, Magpie, Crow, Raven
Range
SP
S
F
W
Gray Jay
#
E,W
c
c
c
c
Steller’s Jay
#
E,W
c
c
c
c
Blue Jay
E,W
r
r
r
r
Clark’s Nutcracker
#
E,W,A
u
u
u
u
Black-billed Magpie
#
E,W
u
u
u
u
American Crow
#
E,W
u
u
u
r
Common Raven
#
E,W,A
c
c
c
c
Lark
Lark
Range
SP
S
F
W
Horned Lark
E,W,A
r
r
r
r
Swallows
Swallows
Range
SP
S
F
W
Tree Swallow
#
E,W
ab
ab
u
Violet-green Swallow
#
E,W,A
c
c
u
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
#
E,W
u
u
u
Bank Swallow
#
E,W
u
u
u
Cliff Swallow
#
E,W,A
c
c
u
Barn Swallow
#
E,W
c
c
u
Chickadees
Chickadees
Range
SP
S
F
W
Black-capped Chickadee
#
E,W
c
c
c
c
Mountain Chickadee
#
E,W
c
c
c
c
Boreal Chickadee
#
E,W
u
u
u
u
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
#
E,W
u
u
u
u
Nuthatches, Creeper
Nuthatches, Creeper
Range
SP
S
F
W
Red-breasted Nuthatch
#
E,W
c
c
c
c
White-breasted Nuthatch
#
E,W
r
r
r
r
Brown Creeper
#
E,W
u
u
u
u
Wrens, Dipper
Wrens, Dipper
Range
SP
S
F
W
Rock Wren
#
E,W, A
u
u
u
House Wren
#
E,W
u
u
Pacific Wren
#
E,W
c
c
u
r
Marsh Wren
W
a
American Dipper
#
E,W
c
c
c
u
Kinglets
Kinglets
Range
SP
S
F
W
Golden-crowned Kinglet
#
E,W
c
c
c
c
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
#
E,W
ab
ab
c
Bluebirds, Thrushes, Solitaire
Bluebirds, Thrushes, Solitaire
Range
SP
S
F
W
Eastern Bluebird
E
a
Western Bluebird
E,W
r
Mountain Bluebird
#
E,W, A
c
c
c
Swainson’s Thrush
#
E,W
ab
ab
c
Hermit Thrush
#
E,W, A
c
c
c
Varied Thrush
#
E,W
c
c
c
r
Veery
#
E,W
r
r
r
American Robin
#
E,W
ab
ab
c
r
Townsend’s Solitaire
#
E,W, A
c
c
c
u
Mockingbird, Catbird
Mockingbird, Catbird
Range
SP
S
F
W
Gray Catbird
#
E,W
u
u
u
Sage Thrasher
W
a
Northern Mockingbird
W
a
Starling
Starling
Range
SP
S
F
W
European Starling
+#
E,W,i
u
u
u
r
Pipit
Pipit
Range
SP
S
F
W
American Pipit
#
E,W,A
u
u
u
Waxwings
Waxwings
Range
SP
S
F
W
Bohemian Waxwing
E,W
r
r
u
Cedar Waxwing
#
E,W
c
c
c
Longspurs
Longspurs
Range
SP
S
F
W
Lapland Longspur
E,W,A
r
r
r
Chestnut-collared Longspur
E,W
r
McCown’s Longspur
E,W
r
r
Warblers
Warblers
Range
SP
S
F
W
Tennessee Warbler
#
E,W
u
u
Orange-crowned Warbler
#
E,W
u
u
Nashville Warbler
E,W
r
MacGillivray’s Warbler
#
E,W
c
c
Common Yellowthroat
#
E,W
c
c
American Redstart
#
E,W
u
u
Cape May Warbler
E,W
a
a
Northern Parula
W
a
Bay-breasted Warbler
W
a
Yellow Warbler
#
E,W
c
c
u
Blackpoll Warbler
E,W
r
Yellow-rumped Warbler
#
E,W
c
ab
u
Townsend’s Warbler
#
E,W
c
c
Wilson’s Warbler
#
E,W
c
c
Northern Waterthrush
#
E,W
c
c
Ovenbird
E,W
r
Yellow-breasted Chat
W
a
a
Sparrows, Towhees
Sparrows, Towhees
Range
SP
S
F
W
Green-tailed Towhee
E
a
Spotted Towhee
#
E,W
u
u
American Tree Sparrow
E,W
r
r
r
Chipping Sparrow
#
E,W
c
ab
u
Clay-colored Sparrow
#
E,W
u
u
Brewer’s Sparrow
#
E,W
u
u
Vesper Sparrow
#
E,W
u
u
u
Lark Sparrow
W
r
Savannah Sparrow
#
E,W
c
c
LeConte’s Sparrow
#
E,W
r
r
Fox Sparrow
#
E,W
c
c
u
Song Sparrow
#
E,W
u
u
u
r
Lincoln’s Sparrow
#
E,W
u
u
u
White-throated Sparrow
E,W
r
r
r
r
White-crowned Sparrow
#
E,W,A
r
ab
c
Harris’s Sparrow
E,W
r
r
Dark-eyed Junco
#
E,W
c
ab
c
u
Tanagers, Grosbeaks, Buntings
Tanager, Grosbeaks, Buntings
Range
SP
S
F
W
Western Tanager
#
E,W
c
c
r
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
E,W
a
Black-headed Grosbeak
#
E,W
u
u
u
Evening Grosbeak
#
E,W
c
c
c
c
Pine Grosbeak
#
E,W
u
u
u
u
Lazuli Bunting
#
E,W
u
u
Indigo Bunting
W
a
Lark Bunting
E,W
a
a
Snow Bunting
E,W
u
u
u
Blackbirds
Blackbirds
Range
SP
S
F
W
Bobolink
E,W
r
Western Meadowlark
#
E,W
r
r
r
Red-winged Blackbird
#
E,W
u
u
Yellow-headed Blackbird
E,W
r
Rusty Blackbird
E,W
a
a
Brewer’s Blackbird
E,W
r
r
Common Grackle
E
r
Brown-headed Cowbird
#
E,W
u
u
u
Bullock’s Oriole
#
E,W
a
a
Finches, Crossbills
Finches, Crossbills
Range
SP
S
F
W
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch
#
E,W,A
u
u
u
u
House Finch
W
r
r
Cassin’s Finch
#
E,W
u
u
u
American Goldfinch
E,W
r
r
r
Red Crossbill
#
E,W
c
c
c
c
White-winged Crossbill
#
E,W
u
u
u
u
Common Redpoll
E,W
u
u
u
Hoary Redpoll
W
r
Pine Siskin
#
E,W,A
c
c
c
u
