#Idaho birds of prey list Patch#

Birders should stop first at a rest area 0.3 mile north for access to wetland habitat and a small patch of woodland that can attract migrant songbirds. The main entrance is from a road into the state fish hatchery off Highway 30 south of the town of Hagerman. Set alongside the Snake River in south-central Idaho, Hagerman is famed for large flocks of wintering ducks, as well as nesting waterbirds. Dozens of Bald Eagles can be present in winter. Snow Goose is especially common in spring, along with hundreds of Trumpeter Swan and Tundra Swan. Just a few of the breeding birds seen here are Trumpeter Swan, ten or more species of ducks, Greater Sage-Grouse, Eared Grebe, American White Pelican, American Bittern, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Northern Harrier, Sandhill Crane, American Avocet, Long-billed Curlew, Wilson’s Phalarope, Franklin’s Gull, Short-eared Owl, Peregrine Falcon, Sage Thrasher, Yellow Warbler, Western Tanager, and Yellow-headed Blackbird.Īs many as 50,000 waterfowl can be present at the refuge in spring and fall, when Sandhill Crane numbers also peak. The auto tour route passes both wetland and upland areas. The vegetation around the headquarters often attracts migrating flycatchers, warblers, and other songbirds. Stop at the refuge office two miles west of Interstate 15 for advice and brochures, but in spring and fall don’t be in a hurry to drive away. Waterfowl and raptors are among the highlights, but it’s also home to sagebrush birds and migrant and nesting songbirds. This 10,500-acre refuge in southeastern Idaho has the top bird list in the state with more than 260 species. In spring, flocks of Sharp-tailed Grouse gather on prairie breeding grounds as males tamp their feet and rattle their tail feathers to attract mates, a lasting memory for anyone who enjoys birds and nature. In the north, for example, explore national forests and mountains dotted with glacially formed lakes, and the rolling hills of the Palouse Prairie. With such a vast network of destinations and protected lands, you can set out forth in any direction and find spectacular birding. Stay a little while longer to visit the nearby World Center for Birds of Prey, a globally important research and education center. Another easily accessible site near Boise is the famed Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, protecting hundreds of pairs of nesting raptors along the Snake River. In early summer, birders delight at the sight of Western Grebes dancing on Lake Lowell. Protected wilderness and outdoor recreation areas are connected by an extensive birding trail that spans 2,000 miles and 175 different sites (see the interactive map).įor starters, take a short drive from Boise, the state’s capital and major city, to Deer Flat, one of the oldest national wildlife refuges in the country. Scenic mountains, sagebrush, forests, rivers, and lakes combine to make Idaho an alluring and rugged landscape that also comprises some of the largest unspoiled natural areas in the country.

Idaho birds of prey list