There are more than 400 species of birds that come through Montana over the course of the year. But Montana is a big place so not all of them make it to the Helena Valley. Still, more than 250 species have been recorded here. Only a handfull of that number are seen commonly.
This list shows many of the most common species you will see in the greater Helena area. If you see something that is not on this list, that’s terrific! Follow this link to the main bird image library on NatureMT for a more comprehensive list. You may also want to get a couple of birding apps for your phone.
Birding Apps
The Birda app helps you to get involved with a very large birding community- both in the States and internationally. The Merlin Bird ID app is good for solitary learning. Honestly, I encourage you get both and get involved with a local birding club to start your birding journey sooner rather than later.
Sparrows | Songbirds | Raptors | Near Water | Corvids | Woodpeckers | Gulls
Sparrows–
Sparrows are typically brown and grey. More colorful songbirds are in the next list (below).
Montana reliably has twelve species of sparrows throughout the year, here are the eight most common. Sparrows are a tough lot to ID. The head patterns, neck colors, breast and side area feather patterns play an important role in determining which sparrow you are seeing.
American Tree Sparrow
Size: 6.5 inches (16cm)
Habitat: Shrubby thickets, marshy areas
Seasons: Year-round
ID help: Bi-colored bill is the key ID attribute. Clear breast, with brown dot in center.
Chipping Sparrow
Size: 5-51/2 inches (14cm)
Habitat: Open woods, in-town, grasslands
Seasons: Warmer months
ID help: Warm, rufous cap and narrow black mask. Clear breast.
English, or House Sparrow (introduced species)
Size: 6 inches (16cm)
Habitat: Typically found in town, near water, up in the hills, in grasslands and forests
Seasons: Year-round
ID help: Grey forehead, brown mask. Clear breast.
Technically called English Sparrows, these little brown and grey birds were introduced in the 1850’s in New York to help control Linden Moths. By the early 1900’s they were found coast to coast.
Lark Sparrow
Size: 6.5 inches (17cm)
Habitat: Out of town in the hills surrounding Helena; grasslands, scrubby areas, and forests
Seasons: Warmer months
ID help: Bold facial patern. Rusty forehead, rusty mask, black moustache. Clear throat with a dot on the breast.
Savannah Sparrow
Size: 5 1/2 inches (14cm)
Habitat: Meadows, prairie, grasslands
Seasons: Warmer months
ID help: Small yellow eyebrow. Mottled breast.
Song Sparrow
Size: 6 – 6.5 inches (15-17 cm)
Habitat: Brushy thickets, marshes, scrubby areas.
Seasons: Year-round
ID help: Long tail, warm brown color, grey eyebrow, streaked breast.
Vesper Sparrow
Size: 6 1/2 inches (16cm)
Habitat: Meadows, prairie, grasslands
Seasons: Warmer months
ID help: Overall darker, white tail flashes in flight, light eye-ring. Heavily speckled breast.
White-crowned Sparrow
Size: 7 inches (18cm)
Habitat: Brushy thiskets, woodlot edges, open woodlots.
Seasons: Warmer months
ID help: Distinctive black and white stripes on head, orange bill, pale, clear breast.
Not one of these, but pretty sure it’s a sparrow? Check this list.
Songbirds– also called perching, or passerine birds
While it is true that sparrows are songbirds, I have put their more colorful brethren in this list.
American Goldfinch
Size: 5 inches (13cm)
Habitat: Loves thistles and weedy, seedy areas, open woods, feeders.
Seasons: Year-round, but much more common in warmer months
American Robin
Size: 10 inches (25cm)
Habitat: Almost everywhere
Seasons: Year round, less common in colder months
Black-capped Chickadee
Size: 5 to 5.25 inches (12-13cm)
Habitat: Mixed forests, thickets, residential areas, loves feeders.
Seasons: Year-round
ID help: Black cap and white cheeks. Buffy-colored body.
Bullock’s Oriole
Size: 8 to 8.5 inches (20-22 cm)
Habitat: Open woods, deciduous trees.
Seasons: Warmer months
ID help: Striking orange bird with a black eye stripe and throat patch.
Calliope Hummingbird
Size: 3.25 inches (8cm)
Habitat: Canyons and forest edges in the hills around Helena
Seasons: Warmer months, but arrives early
ID help: quite small. Lovely green back and red or black throat – depends on the light – that looks like an inverted V. Flies up in a seeping arc, hovers for a moment, then dives nearly straight down.
Bohemian Waxwing
Size: 8.25 inches (21cm)
Habitat: In town in winter. Large flocks begin to fly in February. In town, riparian areas, fruit trees, open forest.
Seasons: Year-round, more common in colder months
ID help: Grey breast. Slihgtly larger than Cedar Waxwings.
Cedar Waxwing
Size: 7.5 inches (18 cm)
Habitat: In town, near ponds and streams, open woodlands.
Seasons: Year-round, more common in warm months
ID help: Cedar breast, yellowish belly.
Dark-eyed Junco
Size: 6-6.5 inches (15-16cm)
Habitat: Pine forests, brushy areas, suburban areas, visits feeders in colder months.
Seasons: Year round, more common in colder months
ID help:Light colored bill with a very dark eye. Several subspecies with different body coloration occur in Helena.
Subspecies shown is an “Oregon” Dark-sided Junco.
Eurasian Collared Dove (introduced species)
Size: 12-13 inches (31-33cm)
Habitat: Everywhere
Seasons: Year round
ID help: Very similar to Mouring Doves, but with fan-shaped tail, lighter brown coloration, and prominent black and white ring around the back of their neck. Short bill, often makes an abrupt COOooo as it lands. Typical call is three toned gravelly cooo – ooo – oo.
House Finch
Size: 5.75 – 6 inches (14-15 cm)
Habitat: Nearly everywhere in the Helena Valley
Seasons: Year round
ID help: Red breast with buffy streaking. Fairly distinct red eyebrow, with top of head brown-ish. If the breast is plain and the whole forehead is red- it may be a Cassin’s Finch.
House Wren
Size: 5.75 – 6 inches (14-15 cm)
Habitat: Nearly everywhere in the Helena Valley
Seasons: Year round
ID help: Quite small and quite loud. Striated tail and wings. Slightly down curved bill.
Mountain Bluebird
Size: 7.25 to 7.75 inches (18-19 cm)
Habitat: More open areas with some trees. I’ve seen them in Centennial Park in the early spring.
Seasons: Warmer months, though they can be here starting in February.
ID help: Typically all blue with grey bellies
Mountain Chickadee
Size: 5 to 5.25 inches (12-13cm)
Habitat: Mixed forests, thickets, residential areas in winter, loves feeders.
Seasons: Year-round
ID help: Black cap, white eyebrow, black mask, and white cheeks. Grey body.
Mourning Dove
Size: 12 inches (31cm)
Habitat: Everywhere
Seasons: Year round
ID help: Very similar to Eurasian Collared Doves, but with longer, pointed tail, warmer brown coloration, and small black spot behind and below the eye and a few more on the wings. Makes a mournful cooing sound. Bill can appear to turn down slightly.
Pine Siskin
Size: 5 inches (13cm)
Habitat: Pine and mixed woods, visits feeders
Seasons:year round
ID help: Small and brown with a light yellowish cast over much of the body- more promiment near the tail. Black and white wingbars.
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Size: 4.5 inches (11cm)
Habitat: Forested areas, large neighborhood pines. Occasionally seen at feeders.
Seasons: Year-round
ID help:White eyebrow, black eye almost always in a black mask strip. Reddish breast.
Rock Pigeon (feral pigeon)
Size: 12-13 inches (32-34cm)
Habitat: Everywhere
Seasons: Year-round
ID help: Coloration is extremely variable.
Rufous Hummingbird
Size: 3.75 inches (9-10cm)
Habitat: Woody or brushy areas. Hedgerows. Often visits feeders.
Seasons: Warmer months, but surprisingly hardy. Sometimes shows up in March
ID help: Red throat when the light hits it, white bib, brownish or greenish body. Often spreads its tail and shows white tipped tail feathers.
Spotted Towhee
Size: 8 inches (20cm)
Habitat: Open woods, brushy, shrubby undergrowth, hedgerows near open areas.
Seasons: Warmer months
ID help: Striking red eye, white spattering on wings, red-sides with white breast.
Western Bluebird
Size: 7 inches (18cm)
Habitat: Open pine forests
Seasons: Warmer months, rarely year round
ID help: Brilliant blue bird with a red breast.
Western Meadowlark
Size: 9.5 inches (24cm)
Habitat: Open country, agricultural fields, roadsides.
Seasons: warmer months, occasionally found in winter
ID help: about the size and shape of a Starling, but brown backs wiith lemon-yellow breasts. Black bib. Meadowlarks are in the blackbird family.
Western Tanager
Size: 7.5 inches (18cm)
Habitat: Open forested areas.
Seasons: Warmer months
ID help: Vibrant red/orange head. Yellow nape and back, black with strong white wingbars.
White-breasted Nuthatch
Size: 5.75 inches (15cm)
Habitat: Forested areas, large neighborhood pines. Occasionally seen at feeders.
Seasons: Year-round
ID help: Almost always seen just like the picture- walking on the bark with the woodpecker like bill out. Black eye in a white face.
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Size: 9-10 inches (23-26cm)
Habitat: Marshy areas, ponds, agricultural areas.
Seasons: Warmer months
ID help: Perhaps one of the most well aptly named birds on the planet.
Raptors
American Kestrel
Size: 9.5 to 10.5 inches (24-27cm)
Habitat: Open country, neighborhoods, roadsides, powerlines.
Seasons: Year round, more common in shoulder seasons.
ID help: Buffy breast with black spots, grey wings on females, black moustache. Smaller than a Merlin and more colorful.
See Rapid Raptor Resource
Bald Eagle
Size: 30 to 37 inches (78-94cm)
Habitat: Often near water, open country and agricultural field, soaring overhead.
Seasons:Year rounds, but more common in shoulder seasons.
ID help: Distictive white head and tail on mature birds. Juveniles are hard to distinguish from Golden eagles, but Balds are much more common the Helena area.
Cooper’s Hawk
Size: 14 to 20 inches (36-51 cm)
Habitat: Forests, open woodlands, fields near woodlots, occasions bird-feeders
Seasons: Mostly warmer months
ID help: Similar looking to Sharp-shinned hawk, but larger, end of tail is more rounded, dark cap. Aerobatic flyer in the forest. In flight, the head juts forward of wings.
Merlin
Size: 11 to 12 inches (28-31cm)
Habitat: Open forest, cliffs, roadsides, grasslands, agricultural fields, neighborhoods.
Seasons: Year round
ID help: Larger than a Kestrel, typically brown or grey backs with heavily speckled breast.
See Rapid Raptor Resource
Red-tailed Hawk
Size: 19 to 23 inches (48-57cm)
Habitat: Open country, roadsides, mountains, open woodlots.
Seasons: Year round.
ID help: Most common raptor. Lots of variation.
See Rapid Raptor Resource
Turkey Vulture
Size: 26 to 27 inches (66-69cm)
Habitat: Everywhere, but typically soaring. Sometime perched on dead trees or fence posts
Seasons: Warmer months
ID help: Huge black birds taht rarely flap as the soar and rock back. and forth. red head. When soaring, wings are black at the fore, and grey at the tips and trailing edge.
Not one of these, but pretty sure its a raptor? Check this list.
Woodpeckers
Northern Flicker
Size: 12 inches (30cm)
Habitat: Open forests, woodlots, neighborhoods
Seasons: Year round
ID help: Red cheek, brown eyebrow, spekled body, black bib.
Downy Woodpecker
Size: 6.5 to 6.75 inches (17-18cm)
Habitat: Forests, woodlots, feeders, neighborhoods.
Seasons: Year round
ID help: nearly identical paterns to Hairy Woodpecker, but smaller overall, bill length is shorter than head length.
Hairy Woodpecker
Size: 9 to 9.75 inches (23-24cm)
Habitat: Forests, woodlots, feeders, neighborhoods.
Seasons: Year round
ID help: nearly identical paterns to Downy Woodpecker, but larger overall, bill length is longer than, or about equal to head length.
Not one of these, but pretty sure it’s in the woodpecker group? Check this list.
Corvids- Magpies, Ravens, Crows, Jays, and their kin
American Crow
Size: 17 to 18 inches (43-46cm)
Habitat: Everywhere
Seasons: Year round
ID help: Often in large groups, bill shorter than head. in flight, wide tail, rarely soar. A croW’s tail is Wide. Sounds are more ‘caw’ or ‘cah’-like
Black-billed Magpie
Size: 18-20 inches (47-50cm)
Habitat: Everywhere
Seasons: Year round
ID help: Often in large groups, long, iridescent tail. Loud and very aerobatic. Often congregate in groups near raptors to harass them.
Brewer’s Blackbird
Size: 9 inches (23cm)
Habitat: Usually near some water/marsh/wet meadow, but can be more widepread
Seasons: Warmer months.
ID help: Brilliant yellow eye. Very similar to Common Grackle at first glance, but shorter tail, smaller beak and smaller overall than Grackle.
Brown-headed Cowbird
Size: 7.5 inches (19cm)
Habitat: Almost anywhere, in nesting season it parasitizes other bird nests by laying an egg and having others ‘parent’ the nestling.
Seasons:Warmer months
ID help: Smallish blackbird with a chocolate head and neck. Dark eye, stout bill.
Clark’s Nutcracker
Size: 12 inches (30cm)
Habitat: Evergreen forests and nearby surrounding areas.
Seasons:Year round
ID help: Loud and showy. Often heard long before they are seen. Distinctive grey and black birds.
Common Grackle
Size: 12-13 inches (32-34cm)
Habitat: Nearly all habitats except forests
Seasons: Warmer months
ID help: Yellow eye, iridescent purle-blue head and green-black-purple body and wings. Tail long and wedge shaped.
Common Raven
Size: 23 to 25 inches (59-62cm)
Habitat: Everywhere
Seasons: Year round
ID help: Typically in smaller numbers, huge bill that is nearly the length of the head. In flight, tail is “V” shaped. Often soars. A raVen’s tail is V shaped. Sounds are deep and metalic-sounding.
European Starling (introduced species)
Size: 8.5 inches (22cm)
Habitat: Nearly everywhere
Seasons: Year round
ID help: Often in large flocks, pointed yellow bill. iridescent body. Often mimics other birds.
Red-winged Blackbird
Size: 8.5 inches (22cm)
Habitat: Near water
Seasons: Warmer months
ID help: Often in large flocks, bi-colored bill. Red and yellow shoulders.
Western Meadowlark
Size: 9.5 inches (24cm)
Habitat: Open country, agricultural fields, roadsides.
Seasons: warmer months, occasionally found in winter
ID help: about the size and shape of a Starling, but brown backs wiith lemon-yellow breasts. Black bib. Meadowlarks are in the blackbird family.
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Size: 9-10 inches (23-26cm)
Habitat: Marshy areas, ponds, agricultural areas.
Seasons: Warmer months
ID help: Perhaps one of the most well aptly named birds on the planet.
Not one of these, but pretty sure it’s in the blackbird group? Check this list.
Gulls
A word on gulls- The Helena valley has thousands of gulls in he warmer months. Most are Ring-billed, but several other species occur. Gulls exhibit different plumages in their first through fourth years. Ring-billed gulls display mature plumage in their third year, California gulls take four years to mature. Gulls in their transitional plumage can be maddening hard to ID. If you get a tad frustrated by this when you are looking at gulls, welcome to birding!
Need images of year 1 through 3 immatures.
California Gull
Size: 21-22 inches (53-56 cm)
Habitat: Dumps, parks, ponds, lakes, fallow fields
Seasons: Warmer months
ID help: Larger than most of our gulls- look closely at the enf of the beak. Cali’s have a red and black spot. Transitional plumage for three years.
Ring-billed Gull
Size: 17-18 inches (43-46cm)
Habitat: Dumps, parks, ponds, lakes, fallow fields
Seasons: Warmer months, but some show up in late Feb and leave in late October
Typically Near Water
Still need Killdeer – Common Merganser – Snow Goose – Ross’s Goose – Tundra Swan – Trumpeter Swan
American Avocet
Size: 18 inches (46cm)
Habitat: shallow water, mudflats, ephemeral ponds
Seasons: warm months
ID help: Unmistakable tall wading bird with upturned bill.
American White Pelican
Size: 60+ inches (155+ cm)
Habitat: Lakes, canals, ponds, rivers
Seasons: Warmer months, though some show up in late Feb/early Mar
ID help: Massive birds with a 9 ft (3m) wingspan. Often seen soaring. White wings and body with black wingtips and trailing edges
Belted Kingfisher
Size: 13 inches (33cm)
Habitat: Typically perched on a wire or branch over water
Seasons: Generally year round, more common warmer months
ID help: Dry rattle when flying ot diving, orange belt around belly, wonderful mohawk, large bill.
Black-necked Stilt
Size: 14 inches (36 cm)
Habitat: Shallow water, mudflats, ephemeral ponds
Seasons: Warmer months
ID help: Another well-named bird- distinct black neck, long pink legs (stilts)
Canada Goose
Size: 30-43 inches (76-110cm)
Habitat: Lakes, ponds, flooded fields, fallow fields, golf course (much to the players’ dismay)
Seasons: Year round
ID help: White chinstrap, grouchy, loud. In flight, often in undulating “V” patterns. Smaller ‘cousin’, the Cackling Goose looks similar, but sized more like a large mallard. (see next entry)
Cackling Goose
(in front of three Canada’s)
Size: 23-30 inches (58-80cm)
Habitat: Lakes, ponds, flooded fields, fallow fields, golf course (much to the players’ dismay)
Seasons: Year round
ID help: White chinstrap, shorter, somewhat downturned bill, blocky head, stout neck. Less common than Canada Geese
Common Goldeneye
Size: 18-19 inches (46-49cm)
Habitat: Open water
Seasons: Year round in Helena valley waterways, more common Spring-Summer-Fall
ID help: Striking golden eye, oval white patch under eye, dives almost constantly.
Common Merganser
Size:
Habitat:
Seasons:
Great Blue Heron
Size: 45 to 47 inches (115-120cm)
Habitat: Shorelines of nearly all waterways, wet fields
Seasons: Year round, but less cpmmon in winter
ID help: Large and easily spooked, adults show disticltive mullet-featerh on back of head. Blue/grey body and wings. In flight- neck is pulled in towards body.
Killdeer
Size: 10.5 inches (27cm)
Habitat: Fields, shorelines, mudflats, more rural parking lots.
Seasons: Warmer months
ID help: Our most common plover. White eyebrow, two black necklaces, pointed tail with warm red-orange upper surface. Often feigns injury or cries and runs on the ground to lead you away from nesting site.
Lesser Scaup
Size: 16-17 inches (41-44cm)
Habitat: Water
Seasons: Year round is not rare, but warmer months are more likely
ID help: Glossy black/purple head with slight peak near the rear of the head. Yellow eye, black and grey body.
Mallard
Size: 22-23 inches (55-59cm)
Habitat: Water- from lakes and rivers to ponds, flooded fields and depp puddles.
Seasons: Year round
ID Help: Shiny, metallic green head. Warm brown breast. Small blue patch with white edges on wing.
Northern Pintail Duck
Size: 25-26 inches (63-66cm)
Habitat: Water
Seasons: Warmer months, early arriver in spring
ID help: elegant looking duck with a long pointed tail. Chestnut head with whote bib.
Ring-necked Duck
Size: 17 inches (43cm)
Habitat: Water
Seasons: Warmer months- early arriver
ID help: Distinct white ring on blue/grey bill. yellow eye. White shoulder stripe separates the black breast from the grey sides.
Sandhill Crane
Size: 36 to 48 inches (90-122cm)
Habitat: bogs and marshes, fields, open prairie.
Seasons: Warmer months
ID help: Large, loud grey birds. Often dance with others, in flight- neck is outstretched. Amazingly loud rattle/trumpet call that carries for miles.
Wood Duck
Size: 18-19 inches (45-49cm)
Habitat: Water, perches in trees
Seasons: Year round
ID help: Strikingly colored and patterned with a long mullet. Red/orange eye.
In process
Northern Shoveler
Size: 18 to 19 inches (46-49cm)
Habitat: Water, prefers marshes and ponds to open or moving water.
Seasons: Warmer months
ID help: Wonderfully large, wide bill. Yellow eye.
This printable pdf lists all of the birds that have been recorded in Lewis and Clark County. Enjoy!