Montana Birds (ID Guide)

ByTammy Poppie Updated on
Male bullock's oriole perched on a branch

You spotted a bird in Montana – but what type is it? There are more than 80 species of birds in Montana to enjoy and I’ve included them all in this complete list.

With more than 20 years of experience attracting backyard birds to my yard in Wisconsin, I’ve studied many of the birds in my area, many of which can also be found in Montana, so I have the information you’re looking for. For the remaining species, I rely on my field guides and friends at The Cornell Lab of Ornithology to guide me.

This article includes the species of wild birds you might find in and around a Montana backyard. They could be red, blue, brown or some other color. They could be tiny, small, medium, large, or enormous – all size variations are here!

Some wild birds live in Montana year-round, others are here to breed, and others are just migrating through. The range maps are color-coded so you know if it’s a year-round bird, there to breed, migrating through, or there during a nonbreeding time.

range map color coded key

I also included a beautiful closeup photo to help you identify your new feathered friends along with detail such as:

  • Size + appearance description
  • Diet in the wild and at the feeder
  • Habitat
  • Nest & eggs description
  • Range map

My hope is that this article will help you easily identify the bird you saw or plan to see one day.

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Montanans are lucky – they get to experience so many different species of birds that live there or are just passing through. Keep this article handy. When you see an amazing wild bird I guarantee you’ll want to know the species and details about it. Trust me! 

Happy Birding!

Sources

All About Birds. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 2021
eBird. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 2021
Noah, Strycker, and Alderfer Jonathan. National Geographic Backyard Guide to the Birds of North America. 2nd ed., National Geographic, 2019.