Birding in Colorado

The top birding locations in Colorado include Rocky Mountain National Park, Pawnee National Grassland, Adobe Creek Reservoir (Blue Lake) - Bent Co, Adobe Creek Reservoir (Blue Lake) - Kiowa County, Akron-Washington Company Recreation Reservoir, Animas River - Huck Finn Pond & Hatchery area, Antero Reservoir, Arapahoe Bend Natural Area, Arapahoe Bend Natural Area - Rigden Reservoir (Strauss Cabin Lake), Aurora Reservoir, Barr Lake State Park, Barr Lake State Park - banding station area (pre-2024), Barr Lake State Park - Neidrach Nature Trail & Visitor Center area, Baseline Reservoir, Bear Creek Greenbelt - S Kipling Pkwy to S Wadsworth Blvd, Bear Creek Lake Park, Bellvue Watson Fish Hatchery & Lake, Belmar Park, Big Johnson Reservoir & Bluestem Prairie Open Space, Bluff Lake Nature Center, Bobcat Ridge Natural Area, Boulder Creek - University of Colorado campus, Boulder Reservoir complex - Boulder Reservoir, Boyd Lake, Brush Hollow Reservoir, Brush State Wildlife Area, Cañon City Riverwalk - S Raynolds Ave to MacKenzie Ave, Cañon City Riverwalk - Sell Lake to S Raynolds Ave, Castlewood Canyon State Park, Centennial Park, Chatfield State Park, Chatfield State Park - Audubon Center & Trails, Chatfield State Park - Downstream from Kingfisher Bridge, Chatfield State Park - Marina Sandspit, Chatfield State Park - Plum Creek Delta, Chatfield State Park - Swim Beach, Cheraw Lake, Cherry Creek State Park, Clear Creek Trail - Golden to I-70, Clear Spring Ranch, Clement Park and Johnson Reservoir, Colorado River State Park - Connected Lakes section, Colorado River State Park - Fruita section, Colorado River State Park - Pear Park section, Confluence Park (Delta), Cottonwood Canyon (Baca County; county line just W of Rd 5-Rd 244 intersection), Crown Hill Regional Park, CSU - Environmental Learning Center, Denny Lake Park, Denver City Park, DeWeese Reservoir State Wildlife Area, Dixon Reservoir, Dolores Ponds (wastewater plant area), Douglas Reservoir, Dupont Open Space, East Boulder Trail - Teller Lakes, Eleven Mile State Park, Equalizer Lake, Evergreen Lake, First Creek at Green Valley Ranch, Flagler Reservoir State Wildlife Area, Fossil Creek Reservoir & Regional Open Space, Fountain Creek Regional Park, Fountain Creek Regional Park - Nature Center/Cattail Marsh area, Frantz Lake State Wildlife Area, Fruitgrowers Reservoir, Ft Lyon Wildlife Easement, Garden of the Gods, Golden Ponds Park and Nature Area, Grand Junction Wildlife Area, Grandview Cemetery, Hanover Road, Harriman Lake Park, Higbee Valley Road (Otero CR 804), Highline Lake State Park, Holbrook Reservoir, Horsethief Canyon State Wildlife Area, Jackson Lake State Park, Jackson Lake State Wildlife Area, John Martin Reservoir, Jumbo Reservoir, Kettle Lakes, Lagerman Agricultural Preserve - Lagerman Reservoir, Lake Estes, Lake Hasty (lake and campground), Lake Henry, Lake Loveland, Lake Meredith, Lake Pueblo State Park - Rock Canyon area (below dam, north of river), Lake Pueblo State Park - Valco Ponds 1-3, Lake Pueblo State Wildlife Area - swallows, Lamar Community College, Last Chance - Rest Area, Lathrop State Park, Lion's Club Fishin' Hole, Lon Hagler Reservoir State Wildlife Area, Long Pond Reservoir, Lory State Park, Louisville (town), Lower Latham Reservoir area, Lower Queens Reservoir, Main Reservoir (Lakewood), Mallard Pond, Manitou Lake, Marston Reservoir complex - Marston Reservoir, Matthews-Reeser Bird Sanctuary, McIntosh Lake, McPhee Reservoir - West End, Melody Tempel Grove, Memorial Park & Prospect Lake, Miramonte Reservoir, Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge, Morey Wildlife Reserve, Mount Ouray State Wildlife Area, Narraguinnep Reservoir, Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo, Navajo State Park and Reservoir, Neegronda Reservoir, Neenoshe Reservoir, Neenoshe Reservoir - Locust Grove, North Gateway Park (limited access during waterfowl season), North Shields Pond Natural Area, North Sterling Reservoir and State Park, Nucla - WTP, Old Saint Vrain Rd, Ordway Reservoir, Parker Regional Park (aka Salisbury Equestrian Park), Pastorius Reservoir, Pawnee NG - Crow Valley CG, Pella Crossing Open Space, Plaster Reservoir, Poudre Ponds, Poudre River Trail near US 287, Prewitt Reservoir, Prewitt Reservoir State Wildlife Area, Pueblo City Park, Pueblo Reservoir, Pueblo West Gravel Pit, Ramah State Wildlife Area, Rawhide Energy Station/Hamilton Reservoir, Red Lion State Wildlife Area, Red Rock Canyon Open Space, Red Rocks Park, Ridgway State Park, Rio Blanco State Wildlife Area - Rio Blanco Lake, River's Edge Natural Area, Riverbend Ponds Natural Area, Robert A Easton Regional Park, Rocky Ford State Wildlife Area, Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge - East Auto Tour, Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge - Lower Derby Lake, Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge - Wildlife Drive, Roxborough State Park, Runyon/Fountain Lakes State Wildlife Area, Russell Lakes State Wildlife Area, Ryan Gulch Reservoir, Saint Vrain State Park, Sandstone Ranch, Sinton Pond Open Space, Smith Reservoir State Wildlife Area, South Platte Park, South Platte River - McKay Rd & 100th area, South Republican State Wildlife Area - Hale Ponds, South Republican State Wildlife Area - south side, South Republican State Wildlife Area (former Bonny Reservoir), Spring Park Reservoir, Stagecoach State Park, Stalker Lake State Wildlife Area, Standley Lake and Park, Stearns Lake, Sweitzer Lake State Park, Tamarack Ranch State Wildlife Area, Tamarack Ranch State Wildlife Area - 385 Rd, Thurston Reservoir, Timnath Reservoir, Totten Reservoir, Trinidad Lake State Park, Turks Pond State Wildlife Area (closed during waterfowl season), Twin Lakes (Boulder County), Two Buttes State Wildlife Area (as a whole), Union Reservoir, Upper Queens/Neeskah Reservoir, Valmont Reservoir Complex, Van's Grove (Bent CR JJ, east of Ft Lyon), Vega State Park, Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat - Walden & Sawhill Ponds all together, Walker Road Gravel Pond, Waneka Lake/Greenlee Preserve, Wellington State Wildlife Area - Cobb Lake Unit, Wheat Ridge Greenbelt, Windsor Reservoir, Zink's Pond. Each offers unique habitats and species.

The best seasons for birding in Colorado are Spring and Summer and Fall. Spring migration brings diverse species through the area.

Notable species in Colorado include White-tailed Ptarmigan, Brown-capped Rosy-Finch, American Three-toed Woodpecker, Pygmy Nuthatch, Williamson's Sapsucker, Hairy Woodpecker, Common Raven, Mountain Chickadee, and more. The state supports mountain, forest, grassland, lake, river/riparian, urban park, wetland, canyon, coastal habitats.