Bird Watching at Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park is in the southeast of Utah, close to Moab town. It covers Garfield, Grand, Wayne, and San Juan county. The park is 337,598 acres, hosting multiple landscapes constituting Colorado River buttes, canyons, mesas, and the Green River. The park is neatly sectioned into 4 sides: the Maze, the Needles, the Island in the sky, and the combination of the two rivers, Green and Colorado. The two rivers are famous for eroding the Colorado Plateau into two large canyons.

Major Attractions at Canyonlands National Park

If you go to Canyonlands National Park, it is given that you will go to Mesa Arch. It acts as this wonderful framing arch for the beautiful canyon. The Grand View Point is where you get a grand view. This is in Islands in the Sky, and you can see almost all the vast canyons from here. One can spot even the park’s Needle district from here.

The Visitor center Viewpoint is another one. Depending on which part you entered the park, this could be your first or last viewpoint. Since the viewpoint is not far from the visitor center, you can get there after buying some gifts from the visitor center. The dome-shaped beauty that is the Aztec Butte is a must too. The hiking trail is about 1.8 miles and is one of the unique places in Canyonlands.

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Bird Watching at Canyonlands National Park

A total of 468 bird species sightings have occurred in Utah. Even if we do not think of Canyonlands as a birdwatching hotspot, it is still a place where 273 species have been spotted, including seasonal migrants and year-round residents.

In Canyonlands, the birds are also the most noted animals. On a hot summer day, you still have chances of coming across a white-throated swift or a turkey vulture. The diversity can be easily sourced to the riparian corridors. By this, we mean the Green and Colorado rivers, which act as a source of food, water, and vegetation for the birds. The riversides have songs from Yellow-breasted Chats, Canyon Wrens, and Blue Grosbeaks filling up the space on spring and summer mornings. Cooper’s Hawks are often seen swiftly maneuvering among the trees by the riverbanks while Great Blue Herons look for fish in the shallows.

Lots of bird species show a preference for the upland areas. There, small trees and shrubs are in abundance. Western Meadowlarks and Say’s Phoebes are seen on the grasslands. On the pinyon-juniper woodlands, Juniper Titmice and Scrub Jays make their presence known. While it is hard to say which of these bird species would be frequenting which area, you can see Common Raven roaming about on the entire Canyonlands National Park.

10 Birds to See at Canyonlands National Park

Blue Grosbeak

Blue Grosbeaks are blue with brown wings and silver bills. They have habitats throughout North America. These birds are not endangered; their population is increasing. Their habitat is in brush and thickets near streams. Blue Grosbeaks’ rich songs can be heard from trees and power lines. They eat insects, seeds, and grain. They lay 3 to 5 eggs and build their nests 3 to 10 feet up in trees. Blue Grosbeaks will often put string, snakeskin, paper, rags, or other odd things in their nests. They migrate south across the Gulf of Mexico.

Cooper’s Hawk

Cooper’s Hawks are blue-gray with reddish-brown underparts. They are smaller than most Hawks but are still just as fast. They are woodland Hawks that live throughout North America. There was a small decline in their population, but has since recovered and is stable. This Hawk lives in mature forests and along the woods’ edge. Cooper’s Hawks feed mostly on small birds and sometimes consume chipmunks and squirrels. They lay 3 to 5 eggs in an old nest high up in
pine trees. Cooper’s Hawks migrate during the day moving south for the winter.

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Herons are tall with gray-blue wings. They are slow-moving birds and weigh about 6 pounds. You can find them all across the United States. Their population has stabilized since some small declines. They live near riverbanks, ponds, and edges of marshes. They hunt for food morning and night because they have night vision. These birds eat fish mostly but will also eat other small animals like frogs. They build their nests high or low in trees. Great Blue Herons use big sticks to make large platform nests. They lay 3 to 5 eggs. Northern populations east of the Rockies are migratory, but most other Great Blue Herons are not migratory.

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Black-chinned Hummingbirds are small green-backed Hummingbirds with a thin strip of purple on their black chin. You can find them throughout the western U.S. Their population is stable. They make their homes in river groves and near the suburbs. They make a low-pitched sound with their wings and enjoy feeding on nectar and small insects. Black-chinned Hummingbirds lay 2 eggs in a small cup-shaped nest 4 to 8 feet off the ground. They are migratory birds; they spend winters in Mexico.

Black-headed Grosbeak

Black-headed Grosbeaks have an orange-red body with a black head and black and white wings. They live throughout the western U.S. Black-headed Grosbeaks are common birds and not at risk of being endangered. They live in deciduous forests. They have a large bill used to crack open sunflower seeds. These birds also eat insects and berries. They lay 3 to 4 eggs and build their nests in trees or shrubs. Black-headed Grosbeaks migrate in late spring and then again in early fall.

House Finch

House Finches have a bright red head and chest. You can find them throughout North America. Their population is steady but declined some due to sickness. They make their homes near farms, canyons, and suburbs. They like to eat sunflower seeds, berries, and buds. House Finches sing a lot and like to be around other birds. They lay 4 to 5 eggs at a time and build their nests out of grass, twigs, leaves, and sometimes string and feathers. House Finches migrate in flocks by day.

Mountain Bluebird

Mountain Bluebirds are a powder-blue color. They live in the mountain region of western North America. Their population is stable and not at risk of being endangered. Mountain Bluebirds make their homes in the open country where there are few trees. These Bluebirds sit perched on fence posts, power lines, and tree tops. This allows them the ability to make a quick dive for food. Mountain Bluebirds eat insects and some berries. They lay 5 to 6 eggs and nest in
a tree, birdhouse, or dirt bank. They migrate late in the fall and early in the spring.

Northern Flicker

Northern Flickers are large with a brown and white body. They also have spots on their underparts. You can find them throughout North America. Their population has declined, but they are still abundant and not at risk of being endangered. They make their homes in open forests, groves, and woodlots. Northern Flickers eat mainly ants and beetles. They nest in small holes in trees much like other Woodpeckers. They lay 5 to 8 eggs. Most Northern Flickers migrate south for the winter.

Red-winged Blackbird

Red-winged Blackbirds are black with a red and yellow patch on their shoulders. They live throughout North America. Their population is widespread and stable. They make their homes near marshes and other wetlands. Red-winged Blackbirds prefer to feed on seeds and grain off the ground. Their song is one of the first signs of spring. They lay 3 to 4 eggs in nests close to water or fields of grass. Red-winged Blackbirds migrate south in flocks.

White-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrows are a gray bird with black and white stripes on their head and a yellow bill. These birds live throughout North America. Their population is widespread and common. They make their homes in forest edges, thickets, gardens, and parks. White-crowned Sparrows are a winter bird found in fields and along roadsides. They can be found on the ground looking for insects to eat. White-crowned Sparrows along the Pacific Coast are permanent residents. The ones from the north and mountain regions migrate south.

Final Thoughts

Canyonlands National Park might not have the title of birdwatching hotspot by birders, but it does not disappoint any interested birder. Even if you do not go there to birdwatch, the park offers plenty of activities for its visitors.

Ornithology

Bird Watching Academy & Camp Subscription Boxes

At the Bird Watching Academy & Camp we help kids, youth, and adults get excited and involved in bird watching. We have several monthly subscription boxes that you can subscribe to. Our monthly subscription boxes help kids, youth, and adults learn about birds, bird watching, and bird conservation.

Bird Watching Binoculars

The most common types of bird watching binoculars for viewing birds at Canyonlands National Park is the 8×21 binoculars and 10×42 binoculars. Bird Watching Academy & Camp sells really nice 8×21 binoculars and 10×42 binoculars. You can view and purchase them here.