Animals

MOUNTAIN BIRDS

A wide variety of birds fill the Colorado mountains.

The Mountain Chickadee is a year-round resident of high elevation conifer forests.

Harsh winter conditions can drive the tiny bird down to lower elevations to seek warmer temperatures and more abundant food.

The Clark's Nutcracker prefers subalpine coniferous forests.

This bird specializes in eating and storing pine seeds. It can store 30,000 or more seeds to help it and its mate survive the winter.

The Gray Jay is a curious, fearless bird that frequents campgrounds and parking lots in search of tasty morsels. It has been known to steal food right off a plate!

Steller's Jays have adapted well to humans, becoming unrelenting thieves in campgrounds.

Those still living in the secluded coniferous forests, however, tend to be quite shy.

This female hummingbird (possibly a Broad-tailed Hummingbird) pauses briefly at the 'nectar bar'.

A male Black-chinned Hummingbird takes a drink.

Hummingbirds must constantly eat in order to sustain their high metabolism and heart rate of roughly 1,200 beats per minute.

The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is a very tiny bird that flits from shrub to shrub in search of small insects.

The Rock Wren is a well-camouflaged small bird that lives a very secretive life.

The Mountain Bluebird can often be found in open meadows hunting for insects. The vibrant blue color of the males is far more spectacular than the grayer females (above).

The Downy Woodpecker is best identified by its short beak and bright red tuft. It is the smallest of the Rocky Mountain woodpeckers and is commonly seen in forests, parks and backyards.

The Common Grackle can be recognized by its iridescent plumage. It continues to expand its range west, as forests are cleared to create agricultural land.




animals pikas prairie dogs marmots badgers rabbits voles tree squirrels ground squirrels chipmunks beavers muskrats bears coyotes deer elk bison bighorn sheep pronghorn geese water birds common birds MOUNTAIN birds of prey land birds butterflies bees & bugs lizards others		MOUNTAIN BIRDS A wide variety of birds fill the Colorado mountains. The Mountain Chickadee is a year-round resident of high elevation conifer forests. Harsh winter conditions can drive the tiny bird down to lower elevations to seek warmer temperatures and more abundant food. The Clark's Nutcracker prefers subalpine coniferous forests. This bird specializes in eating and storing pine seeds. It can store 30,000 or more seeds to help it and its mate survive the winter. The Gray Jay is a curious, fearless bird that frequents campgrounds and parking lots in search of tasty morsels. It has been known to steal food right off a plate! Steller's Jays have adapted well to humans, becoming unrelenting thieves in campgrounds. Those still living in the secluded coniferous forests, however, tend to be quite shy. This female hummingbird (possibly a Broad-tailed Hummingbird) pauses briefly at the 'nectar bar'. A male Black-chinned Hummingbird takes a drink. Hummingbirds must constantly eat in order to sustain their high metabolism and heart rate of roughly 1,200 beats per minute. The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is a very tiny bird that flits from shrub to shrub in search of small insects. The Rock Wren is a well-camouflaged small bird that lives a very secretive life. The Mountain Bluebird can often be found in open meadows hunting for insects. The vibrant blue color of the males is far more spectacular than the grayer females (above). The Downy Woodpecker is best identified by its short beak and bright red tuft. It is the smallest of the Rocky Mountain woodpeckers and is commonly seen in forests, parks and backyards. The Common Grackle can be recognized by its iridescent plumage. It continues to expand its range west, as forests are cleared to create agricultural land.