Colorado For The Birds: Birdwatching Trails And Festivals

DENVER, March 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- From the snow-capped Rocky Mountains to the dry grasslands of the short-grass plains, more than 450 species of birds inhabit Colorado's diverse landscape. Visitors can explore 27 designated birding trails that also highlight the state's beautiful scenery and enjoy festivals celebrating various avian species across the state. For additional birding information, visit www.COLORADO.com.

Birding Trails

The Colorado Birding Trail is a major public and private initiative linking outdoor recreation sites into a network of bird and wildlife watching sites.

Comanche Trail.  Lucky visitors can catch a glimpse of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken's rare mating ritual in the dawn's light or see Cassin's Sparrows skylarking.

Snow Goose Trail. Mountain Plovers, sandpipers, Sandhill Cranes and egrets are among the most-spotted birds during migration.

Greater Prairie-Chicken Trail. Whooping, cackling and puffing out their necks as they leap into the air, the male Greater Prairie-Chickens aim to impress their female counterparts each spring.

Spanish Peaks Trail. Water birds and dryland species alike share this stretch of land, where loons, swans, Pygmy Nuthatches and Ptarmigan can be found along the Highway of Legends Scenic Byway.

Headwaters Trail. In addition to spotting Pinyon Jays and Ptarmigans, visitors will also pass by the highest, largest and one of the most distinctive peaks in the state.

Black Swift Trail. A Black Swift sighting is almost guaranteed during the summer in the heart of Colorado's majestic San Juan Mountains.

Fruitgrowers Trail. One of the best places on the Western Slope to see water birds, the Fruitgrowers Trail is home to flocks of Sandhill Cranes, ducks and other shorebirds.

Upcoming Birding Festivals

Greater Prairie-Chicken Viewing Tour (March 29 – April 21, 2013) Visitors will learn from wildlife experts and witness the Greater Prairie-Chicken mating ritual.

Karval Mountain Plover Festival (April 26 – 28, 2013) Half of the population of Mountain Plovers nest in Colorado, and this festival provides optimum viewing opportunities on private ranch tours.

Ute Mountain/Mesa Verde Birding Festival (May 8 – 12, 2013) Birdwatchers will gather in Southwest Colorado this May in hopes of spotting more than 150 birds on the Colorado Plateau.

Yampa Valley Crane Festival (September 6 – 9, 2013) Daily viewings, expert speakers, films, art exhibits, workshops, family activities and more celebrate the flock joining local birds to feed and rest as they journey south.

Contacts:            Roland Alonzi / 646-442-6765, [email protected]

SOURCE Colorado Tourism Office