Spring Is HERE: What Birds Will Be Coming To Montana?

Spring has officially sprung in Montana—well, kind of. Today marks the first day of the season, but winter isn't packing up just yet. Snow and chilly temperatures will likely stick around for a while, but that doesn't mean we can't start looking forward to the changes ahead!

One of the most exciting signs of spring in Montana is watching the landscape come alive with the return of migratory birds. Just this week, I've already spotted a few robins and bluebirds making their way back—and, I'll admit, I may have let out an overly enthusiastic shout each time. Thankfully, no one was around to witness my full-blown excitement.

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Call me a bird nerd, but hey, we all develop more "zen" hobbies as we get older. So, if you're like me and appreciate a bit of backyard ornithology, here are five species you can expect to see soon!

Western Tanager 

These little birds are hard to miss with their vibrant colors and are nick named the "Treetop Treasure." The males look like a highlighter darting through the air with partially redheads, bright yellow bodies, and black wings. They typically come back to the Bozeman area in late May to mid-June from their winter grounds in southern Mexico and Central America.

Rufous Hummingbird

This tiny but fierce little bird is one I look forward to every year. They are highly territorial and will attack birds many times their size. It has one of the longest migrations of a birds its size, traveling up to 3,000 miles from southwestern Mexico.

Sandhill Crane

With a wingspan of about 6.5 feet, these giant birds migrate from Northern Mexico in the spring to their breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska. During this journey, many stop in Montana; however, around 80% follow a 75-mile stretch of Nebraska's Platte River.

These birds are fun to watch because you may be able to catch them dancing. Their dance consists of bowing, jumping, running, wing flapping, and tossing sticks or grass. Most of the time, the dance is for courtship, but they also do it just for fun.

Osprey

"Sea Hawkes" or "Fish Hawkes" are one of the furthest migrating birds that come to Montana for the spring and summer. They travel all the way from southern South America! As its nickname suggests, the bird eats fish, and thus, you'll find them primarily around rivers and lakes.

Yellow Warbler 

Out of all the warbler species, this one is the most yellow. It's a beautiful little songbird whose spring and summer habitat spans across most of the U.S. and Canada. When winter rolls around, they migrate down to Central America and the northern parts of South America. If you want to catch a glimpse of these beauties, the best time is usually from mid-May to early June.

Credit: ABCbirds, nature.org