Bird Watching

Along the rivers, lush willow and cottonwoods provide a sanctuary for warblers and dippers, out in the arid sagebrush steppe, sage grouse and sandhill cranes wander, and on the high elevation tundra, black rosy finches flit. But for most people, the most common bird sighting in Wind River Country will be a hawk, eagle or falcon. You are almost guaranteed to spot a rough-legged hawk perched along the highway here during the winter, and bald eagles are a common sight in a cottonwood trees beside the Wind River near Dubois. Peregrine and prairie falcons nest in the cliffs along the front range of the Wind River Mountains, and kestrels frequently sit on telephone lines around the county scanning the surrounding fields for prey.

Bird watchers can stop by the Wyoming Game and Fish office in Lander at 260 Buena Vista (307-332-2688) for tips on where to go bird watching. There is also a Red Desert Chapter of the Audubon Society in Wind River Country where you can find out more information. The chapter often sponsors free weekly bird walks during the summer.