When people think of the hottest birding spots in North America, Wyoming doesn't always come to mind. But about 400 species have been seen in the state, and the opportunities can be enticing enough for even the world's best birders. Take it from Sandy Komito, well known for his record-breaking "Big Year" of viewing 745 different species in 1998.
Twenty years ago, as Komito was closing in on an earlier Big Year record, he heard about the Scott family, a Harvard-educated clan who ranch on about 100,000 acres near Casper. Komito was told that Oliver Scott, author of A Birder's Guide to Wyoming, would be willing to help him build his list if he ever needed help in the Cowboy State.
"I called him from Denver, told him who I was, what I was trying to accomplish. Later that same evening, he picked me up at the airport and insisted on putting me up for the night rather than my staying at a motel.
"The next morning, he and his wife found two of the species I needed, a flock of pinion jays and sage grouse on his huge ranch. This brought my year's total to 706, within reach of the record," Komito recalls. Oliver Scott died in 1996, but his sons carry on the family traditions of ranching and birding. "I've always had a warm spot for these warm and friendly folks," Komito tells the Wyoming Division of Tourism.
But you needn't be pursuing a record to enjoy birding in Wyoming. Local birders are almost always happy to share their knowledge of the sport and the state's avian attractions. One of the best ways to get oriented and connect with other bird enthusiasts is to contact a local chapter of the Audubon Society. In the Casper area, the Audubon Center at Garden Creek (101 Garden Creek Road, has a self-guiding nature trail. Other Audubon chapters
Central Wyoming Sandhill Crane
are active in the Cody, Cheyenne, Gillette, Lander, Laramie, Pinedale, and Sheridan areas.
The National Wildlife Refuge system has several sites in Wyoming. The Seedskadee NWR north of the town of Green River was named for the Shoshone Indian word "Sisk-a-dee-agie," or "river of the prairie hen." (That'd be Sage Grouse to us today.) More than half of Wyoming's bird species can be seen here.
Cokeville National Wildlife Refuge – also in southwestern Wyoming – has one of the state's highest densities of nesting waterfowl. In southeastern Wyoming, the Hutton NWR and the Snowy Range Scenic Byway are favorite birding locations. The Platte Valley Festival of Birds – held annually on the weekend after Memorial Day – is a good time to visit the Saratoga-Encampment area.
Of course, Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks are prime destinations for birding, too. Komito recommends the book Finding the Birds of Jackson Hole by Bert Raynes and Darwin Wile for exploring this area. The Yellowstone Association Institute offers birding expeditions lasting a day or longer, and the Teton Science Schools run a summer series of bird banding breakfasts where families can join field staff in monitoring Jackson Hole-area songbirds.
Keep your eyes and binoculars peeled for these birds (and many others) in Wyoming:
Western meadowlark – This is the state bird. It's about 9 inches long, with a sharply pointed bill. In breeding season, spring through fall, both male and female sport a yellow belly with a black bib.
Brown-capped rosy finch – Look along the cliff faces, talus slopes, and rock fields of Wyoming's mountains to find this little bird. Unique to the Central Rocky Mountains, it's about 6.25 inches long with a black forehead, pink belly, and forked tail.
Greater sage grouse – As their name implies, Sage Grouse like sagebrush, and they can only be seen in the interior West. They're large birds, about two feet long. The male grouse makes a showy display in mating season (springtime), puffing out his white breast and producing clucking, hooting, and popping sounds.
Trumpeter swan – Up to six feet long, these large white swans live in marshy areas along rivers and lakes. Look for them in the national parks as well as at Seedskadee NWR.
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