Betty Ford Alpine GardensBetty Ford Alpine GardensBetty Ford Alpine Gardens
From tiny songbirds in mountain meadows to remarkable survivors living above the treeline, the Rocky Mountains are home to a fascinating, although smaller, variety of birds. This guide features 15 birds native to or regularly occurring in the Rocky Mountain region, with special attention to high-elevation habitats near Vail, Colorado.
Not all these birds live above the treeline. Some inhabit subalpine forests, mountain streams, and meadows below true alpine elevations.
These species are especially associated with the open, windswept landscapes near or above the treeline.
Look for: A small, round-bodied bird with feathered feet. Brown and mottled in summer, almost entirely white in winter.
Habitat: Rocky tundra and alpine slopes above the treeline.
Identification tip: The only North American ptarmigan with a white tail year-round.
Look for: A brown bird with pink highlights on its wings and belly and a dark forehead.
Habitat: Alpine cliffs, snowfields, and rocky mountain slopes.
Identification tip: Watch for small flocks feeding near melting snow, where insects and seeds become exposed.
Look for: A slender, gray-brown songbird with a pale underside, fine streaking, and a thin bill.
Habitat: Open alpine tundra and grassy mountain slopes during breeding season.
Identification tip: Often walks along the ground while repeatedly bobbing its tail.
Look for: A large, entirely black bird with a heavy bill, shaggy throat feathers, and a wedge-shaped tail.
Habitat: Mountain cliffs, forests, and open alpine landscapes.
Identification tip: Listen for its deep, croaking call and watch for soaring birds with wedge-shaped tails.
These species are often easier to spot along trails, forest edges, and wildflower meadows.
Look for: Males are brilliant sky blue; females are mostly gray-brown with blue on the wings and tail.
Habitat: Open mountain meadows and grassy slopes.
Identification tip: Watch for hovering or low perching as it searches for insects.
Look for: A striking bird with a dark head, pointed crest, and deep blue body.
Habitat: Conifer forests and wooded mountain communities.
Identification tip: Its bold crest and loud, harsh calls make it easy to recognize.
Look for: A medium-sized gray bird with black wings, white wing patches, and white outer tail feathers.
Habitat: High-elevation conifer forests, especially near whitebark and limber pines.
Identification tip: Often heard making loud, nasal calls. It stores pine seeds, helping some mountain pines reproduce.
Look for: A soft gray bird with a pale face, darker cap, and rounded appearance.
Habitat: Cool spruce-fir forests at high elevations.
Identification tip: Often appears unusually curious around people, but should never be fed.
Look for: A small, heavily streaked brown finch with yellow flashes in the wings and tail.
Habitat: Mountain conifer forests and woodland edges.
Identification tip: Listen for its buzzy, rising calls as flocks move between trees.
These species are often easier to spot along trails, forest edges, and wildflower meadows.
Look for: A compact, charcoal-gray bird with a short tail.
Habitat: Cold, fast-flowing Rocky Mountain streams.
Identification tip: Repeatedly bends its knees as though doing little squats. It can dive and walk underwater to find food.
Look for: A very large dark-brown eagle with golden feathers around the back of its head and neck.
Habitat: Mountain cliffs, open valleys, and alpine terrain.
Identification tip: Look for broad wings held in a slight V while soaring.
Look for: A broad-winged hawk, often brown above and pale below. Many adults have a rusty-red tail.
Habitat: Open mountain valleys, meadows, and forest edges.
Identification tip: Listen for its familiar descending scream. Young birds may not have red tails.
Hummingbirds are among the most remarkable pollinators of the Rocky Mountains. These tiny, fast-moving visitors play an important role in pollinating mountain wildflowers.
Several hummingbird species migrate through or breed in Colorado, visiting subalpine meadows and occasionally alpine tundra during the short summer growing season.
(Selasphorus platycercus)
Identify: Small green hummingbird with a white chest. Males have a brilliant rose-red throat and produce a distinctive metallic trilling sound with their wings.
Where: Colorado mountain forests, meadows, and subalpine habitats, commonly breeding at elevations up to about 10,500 feet and sometimes higher.
Look for: A hovering hummingbird feeding on tubular wildflowers, particularly red or pink blossoms.
Alpine connection: One of Colorado’s most characteristic high-elevation breeding hummingbirds.
(Selasphorus rufus)
Identify: Small hummingbird with rusty-orange coloring. Males have a vivid orange-red throat; females are mostly green above with rusty coloring on their sides and tail.
Where: Mountain meadows, forest edges, and high-elevation wildflower areas during migration through Colorado.
Look for: A fast, energetic hummingbird aggressively defending a patch of nectar-rich flowers.
Alpine connection: A seasonal migrant that uses Colorado’s mountain wildflowers as important feeding resources, especially during late summer.
(Selasphorus calliope)
Identify: North America’s smallest regularly breeding bird. Males have distinctive magenta throat streaks against a pale background.
Where: Mountain meadows, open forests, and shrubby slopes in western Colorado, particularly during migration.
Look for: A very small hummingbird feeding among flowering shrubs and mountain wildflowers.
Alpine connection: Occurs in Colorado’s mountain environments but is less characteristic of high alpine tundra than the broad-tailed hummingbird.
Habitat | Birds to look for | Best general season |
Alpine tundra | Ptarmigan, rosy-finches, pipits, hummingbirds | Summer |
Subalpine forests | Canada Jay, Clark’s Nutcracker, Steller’s Jay | Year-round |
Mountain meadows | Mountain Bluebird, Red-tailed Hawk, hummingbirds | Spring–summer |
Mountain streams | American Dipper | Year-round where streams remain accessible |
Rocky cliffs and open skies | Golden Eagle, Common Raven | Year-round |
If you notice… | Look for… |
| A white bird blending into snow | White-tailed Ptarmigan |
| Pink feathers on a small alpine bird | Brown-capped Rosy-Finch |
| A small brown bird bobbing its tail | American Pipit |
| A bright blue bird in a meadow | Mountain Bluebird |
| A dark crest and blue body | Steller’s Jay |
| A gray bird with black-and-white wings | Clark’s Nutcracker |
| A gray bird diving into a stream | American Dipper |
| A huge dark bird soaring overhead | Golden Eagle or Common Raven |
Birds are important members of alpine ecosystems. They disperse seeds, control insect populations, and connect the mountain’s plants, soils, and wildlife.
High-elevation birds face challenges from habitat disturbance and changing snow and temperature patterns. Visitors can help by staying on established trails, avoiding nests, keeping pets under control, and never feeding wildlife.
Located at 8,200 feet in Vail, Colorado, Betty Ford Alpine Gardens provides an opportunity to explore the remarkable plants and habitats of mountain environments.
The Gardens are free to visit and open year-round. While the species in this guide occur in the Rocky Mountain region, this is not a verified checklist of birds observed on the Gardens’ property.
Editorial note: This introductory guide focuses on recognizable Rocky Mountain birds, with alpine specialists featured first. Bird occurrence varies by elevation, season, and location.