Birds in Montana
When the state's notable birds are present through the year, with arrival and departure timing.
Species recorded in Montana on the USGS Breeding Bird Survey, ordered by how consistently they appear on survey routes. Monthly presence describes typical seasonal timing modeled from regional patterns, not month-by-month survey counts. The chart below shows when each is present through the year.
Data updated: August 2026Sources & method · Corrections
- American Robin Turdus migratorius
- Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
- Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
- Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia
- Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta
- Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus
- Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus
- Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
- Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
- Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus
- European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
- Common Raven Corvus corax
- Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis
- Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
- Northern House Wren Troglodytes aedon
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
- Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus
- Black-billed Magpie Pica hudsonia
- Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
- Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
- Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata
- Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) Colaptes auratus cafer
- Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
- Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
| Species | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Robin Turdus migratorius | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: common | April: abundant | May: abundant | June: abundant | July: abundant | August: abundant | September: abundant | October: common | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Killdeer Charadrius vociferus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| European Starling Sturnus vulgaris | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Common Raven Corvus corax | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Northern House Wren Troglodytes aedon | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Black-billed Magpie Pica hudsonia | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) Colaptes auratus cafer | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
The Montana birds you'll actually see
A printable checklist of the birds most consistently recorded in Montana.
The complete Birds of Montana
The state's most-recorded birds, ranked from survey data, with when each is present through the year and a life list to keep.
Want it on paper? See the printable Birds of Montana.