Birdwatching in Glacier National Park, MT 2025
Glacier National Park is a birder’s paradise
Best time: May–August
Due to a variety of climates, Glacier National Park boasts a considerable avian diversity. Glacier National Park is home to over 260 bird species, including aquatic, forest, and terrestrial birds. You'll have the best chances to see many different kinds of birds on your Glacier adventure during their breeding season from May to August.
West Glacier
Glacier National Park is one of the top spots to see harlequin ducks in the contiguous 48 states. Ducks and dippers are abundant in MacDonald Creek, starting from the lake and up to the Sacred Dancing Cascades. Fish Creek campground and picnic area, near Apgar, is another destination to look for harlequins and other aquatic birds. Some of the best hikes for birding include Trail of the Cedars, a half-mile boardwalk that goes through the lush old-grown forest. Thrush and swifts are especially abundant in the area. Logan Pass is a good place to look for bird species that prefer alpine meadows: willows, ptarmigans, and gray-crowned rosy finches.
East Glacier
The Two Medicine Valley is another excellent birding destination in Glacier National Park. The Two Medicine Campground area and Medicine Lake Trail feature Steller’s jay, pine grosbeak, and olive-sided flycatcher.
You can also spot many blue herons, Canada geese, and tundra swans in Glacier Country. Great horned owls and rare northern hawk owls can be found in the park occasionally. Resident species also include bald eagles, golden eagles, ospreys, falcons, and hawks.
