Birds perched on a tree at Alta Ski Area

Winter Birding
field guide

By Alta Environmental Center 02-19-2025

become an expert birder on the slopes.

While skiing and birding may seem like an unlikely pair, Alta’s unique mountainous ecosystem—famous for harboring some of the best snow on earth—is also home to some of the toughest birds in North America. From tiny Chickadees to powerful raptors, these high-altitude birds endure frigid temperatures, deep snow and harsh winds—thriving where few creatures can.

Since the 1970s, bird enthusiasts and researchers from around the world have flocked to Alta year-round to observe and study its avian inhabitants. Scientists have spent decades monitoring the hundreds of species that frequent Little Cottonwood Canyon, and their work continues today. These ongoing research efforts provide valuable insights into the health of Alta’s ecosystem and support the implementation of bird-friendly practices within the ski area.

View the Alta Environmental Center's monthly findings on eBird >

Meet Alta's 16 hardiest winter birds

While many species come and go with the changing seasons, these 16 birds call Alta home year-round. Whether it's a sunny summer day or one of Alta's infamous deep winter storm days, these birds thrive in this harsh mountain environment. If you look closely, you may spot them along the slopes, in the glades or perched on one of the local feeders hidden across the mountain.

Mountain Chickadee

Mountain Chickadee| Photo: Tyler Struss

The Mountain Chickadee is a small, energetic songbird with its distinctive black cap and white "angry bird" eyebrow strip—which sets it apart from the Black-Capped Chickadee. To spot this bird, you'll have to look closely as its size, gray back and pale belly help it blend into snowy landscapes.

Call: A raspy, high-pitched “chick-a-dee-dee” and a whistled "fee-bee" call
Habitat: This bird spends its time foraging for insects among Alta's pine, fir and spruce trees and collecting seeds from nearby feeders
Fun Fact: The Mountain Chickadee relies on its sharp memory to retrieve food caches hidden throughout the forest

Brown Creeper

Brown Creeper | Photo: Connie Misket

The Brown Creeper is a tiny, well-camouflaged songbird with streaked brown plumage, a white belly and a down-curved bill. It blends perfectly with tree bark as it spirals upward along trunks—using its stiff tail for support while searching for insects hidden in the bark.

Call: A high-pitched “seet” call and a musical warbling song
Habitat: Commonly found creeping among Alta's mature spruce, fir and pine trees
Fun Fact: Brown Creepers only climb upward on tree trunks—when they reach the top, they fly down to the base of another tree and start again

Steller's Jay

Steller's Jay | Photo: John Shafer

The Steller’s Jay is easily recognized for its striking looks with its dark blue body, black head and tall head crest. Often mistaken for a Blue Jay, this jay has a sleeker look and prefers mountainous forests. These Jays are intelligent, noisy and curious birds that aren't shy about stealing food from campsites or feeders.

Call: This bird can mimic other birds, squirrels and even human sounds, but the most notable call is a loud“shack-shack-shack"
Habitat: Commonly found in Alta's high-elevation coniferous forest, perched on pine and fir trees or lurking near local feeders
Fun Fact: The Steller’s Jays are sneaky food thieves—they’ll watch other birds hide food and then steal it later

Clark's Nutcracker

Clark's Nutcracker| Photo: Connie Misket

The Clark's Nutcracker is a medium-sized gray bird with black wings and a white tail. Its long, pointed bill is perfect for cracking open pine seeds. These intelligent and social birds are often seen flying between mountain peaks and perched in limber pine trees, calling loudly as they go.

Call: A harsh, raspy “kraaa-kraaa” call or a series of sharp "Kree" notes
Habitat: Found in high elevations, perched on top of Limber pine trees that line Alta's rocky ridges
Fun Fact: These birds play a key role in forest growth by stashing limber pine seeds on rocky ridgelines—sprouting new trees from the seeds of their forgotten caches

Hairy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker | Photo: Iz La Motte

The Hairy Woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker with a black-and-white striped head, white belly, solid black back and white spotted wings. Males have a small red patch on the back of the head, while females do not. This bird looks very similar to Alta's other woodpecker—the Downy Woodpecker—but is larger in size and has a longer bill.

Call: A sharp, high-pitched “peek!” accompanied by the sound of fast drumming on tree trucks
Habitat: Commonly found hunting for insects on dead or decaying trees amongst Alta's forest
Fun Fact: Hairy Woodpeckers are nature’s pest control and keep our forest healthy by feasts on tree-boring beetles

Downy Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker, Adult Male (L) and Adult Female (R)

The Downy Woodpecker is the smallest woodpecker in North America—with a black-and-white striped head, white belly and black wings with white spots. Males have a tiny red patch on the back of their head, while females do not. This bird looks almost identical to Alta's other woodpecker—the Hairy Woodpecker—but is smaller in size and has a much shorter bill.

Call: A high-pitched "pik" call and drumming on tree trunks—much like the Hairy Woodpecker, but with shorter and lighter bursts
Habitat: Commonly spotted near local feeders or in Alta's forest on aspen, willow and pine trees
Fun Fact: Downy Woodpeckers use their stiff tail feathers for balance while climbing trees

Pine Siskin

Pine Siskin | Photo: John Shafer

The Pine Siskin is a small, streaky gray finch that can be easily identified by its subtle yellow edges on its wings and tail. These social birds often form flocks, fluttering between tree branches or visiting feeders.

Call: Their song is a mix of trills, chatters and high-pitched notes—a buzzy “zzzzreee” call that sounds like static
Habitat: Can be spotted by local feeders or in Alta's coniferous forest on pine and spruce trees
Fun Fact: Pine Siskins have a speedy metabolism—sometimes eating up to three times their body weight in seeds—to increase their body temperature so they survive freezing winter nights in the mountains

Pine Grosbeak

Pine Grosbeak, Male (L) and Female (R) | Photo: Connie Misket

The Pine Grosbeak is a large, plump finch with a thick, stubby bill. Males are a rosy-red color with gray wings and tails, while females and juveniles are yellowish-orange with gray bodies. These gentle birds move slowly and are often seen in small flocks.

Call: A soft warbling song and a whistled “tew” call
Habitat: These birds can be found amongst Alta's coniferous forest, perched on fir and spruce trees as they forage for seeds and berries
Fun Fact: Pine Grosbeaks are the largest finch species in the world

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Red-breasted Nuthatch | Photo: Friends of Alta

The Red-breasted Nuthatch is a small songbird with a blue-gray back, rusty-orange belly and a bold black-and-white striped head. It has a sharp, pointed bill and is often seen creeping headfirst down tree trunks searching for food.

Call: A nasal, high-pitched “yank-yank” call that sounds like a toy horn
Habitat: Commonly found perched on pine, fir and spruce trees amongst Alta's forest or by local feeders
Fun Fact: Red-breasted Nuthatches coat their nest entrances with sticky tree resin to keep out predators and competitors

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch

Hepburn's Rosy-Finch (L) Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (R) | Photo: Iz La Motte

The Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch is a tough, high-altitude finch with a dark brown body, pinkish-red wings and a distinctive gray cap on its head. These birds are well-adapted to cold, snowy environments and are often seen traveling in large flocks. Alta is home to two subspecies: the Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, which has a gray crown that follows the eyeliner and Hepburn's Rosy-Finch, which has a gray crown that covers the whole cheek.

Call: A soft, warbling “chew-wee” and a series of musical tweets—similar to the call of the Black Rosy-Finch
Habitat: Commonly found along Alta's high, rocky mountain slopes—moving to lower elevations by feeders in the winter
Fun Fact: Due to the remote nature of its habitat, the Rosy-Finch is one of the least studied birds in North America

Black Rosy-Finch

Black Rosy-Finch | Photo: National Audubon Society

The Black Rosy-Finch is a rare, high-altitude finch with a dark brown-black body, pink highlights on its belly and wings and a gray crown on its head. It thrives in harsh, snowy mountain environments, often seen in flocks foraging on windswept slopes. Due to the remote nature of its habitat, it remains one of North America's least studied birds. As part of the Black-Rosy Finch study, an RFID feeder was installed to monitor the species at the top of the Collins lift on the Patrol Shack—kept full thanks to the Alta Ski Patrol.

Call: A soft, buzzy “chew-wee” call and a series of high-pitched, tinkling notes
Habitat: Thrives in extremely high-altitude, rugged terrain but descends to lower elevations in winter, sometimes visiting feeders in Alta
Fun Fact: Alta is one of the best places in the world to see the Black Rosy-Finch

Learn more about the rare Black Rosy-Finches of Alta >

Red Crossbill

Male Red Crossbill (L), Female Red Crossbill (R) | Photo: Connie Misket

The Red Crossbill is a stocky finch with a unique crossed bill designed for prying open pine cones. Males are brick-red or orange, while females are olive-yellow with grayish wings. These birds are often seen in large flocks, chattering as they forage among Alta's treetops.

Call: A sharp, metallic “jip-jip” and a mix of warbling, musical notes.
Habitat: These birds can be spotted roaming the mountain tops in search of pine, fir and spruce trees with a good cone crop to feast
Fun Fact: Red Crossbills can breed any time of year if there’s enough food—even in the middle of winter!

Cassin's Finch

Cassin's Finch, Male (L) and Female (R)

The Cassin’s Finch is a medium-sized finch with a streaky brown back, a pale belly and a slightly peaked head. Males have a rosy-red head, throat and chest, while females and juveniles are brown with heavy streaks. They are often mistaken for House finches but have a more defined red cap and longer bill.

Call: A rich, warbling song often mixed with a rising “cheet” sound
Habitat: These birds can be spotted in the treetops of Alta's pine and fir trees or visiting nearby feeders
Fun Fact: Males' vibrant colors come from carotenoid pigments, which are obtained from colorful foods like orange berries

Dusky Grouse

Dusky Grouse | Photo: Rocko Menzyk

The Dusky Grouse (aka Mountain Chicken) is a large, ground-dwelling bird with dark gray-brown plumage, a long tail and feathered legs for warmth. Males have bare yellow eye combs and reveal violet throat patches during courtship. These well-camouflaged birds often blend into the forest floor and are known for their "sneak attacks" on unsuspecting passersby.

Call: During mating season, males produce a deep, low “hoop-hoop-hoop” sound
Habitat: These birds are often seen foraging on the ground for evergreen needles or roosting in pine, fir and spruce trees
Fun Fact: Unlike many birds, the Dusky Grouse migrates uphill for winter—moving into dense coniferous forests where they rely on evergreen needles for food

Northern Pygmy Owl

Northern Pygmy Owl | Photo: Bryant Olsen

The Northern Pygmy Owl is a tiny—but fierce—predator. This owl is only the size of a sparrow with white speckles, bright yellow eyes and two dark “false eyes” on the back of its head to confuse predators. Unlike most owls, it is active during the day.

Call: A series of high-pitched, hollow “toot-toot-toot” notes
Habitat: This owl is usually spotted hiding amongst pine, fir and aspen trees or perched on tree branches while hunting
Fun Fact: Despite its tiny size, the Northern Pygmy Owl hunts birds three times larger than itself—including woodpeckers and jays!

Golden Eagle

The Golden Eagle is one of North America's largest birds of prey, with dark brown plumage and golden streaks on the back of its head and neck. Juveniles have white patches on their wings and tail. Adults have broad wings and a slightly smaller head than a bald eagle, soaring with slightly upturned wings in a shallow "V" shape. Look for its golden feathers in good lighting.

Call: Typically silent, they occasionally let out a high, weak “klee-klee-klee”
Habitat: This species prefers mountainous terrain, open woodlands and cliffs—it can be seen at Alta soaring over ridges or perching on rocky ridgelines
Fun Fact: Golden Eagles can dive at speeds over 150 mph, making them one of the fastest birds of prey

Birding at Alta 101: resources

Learn more about the birds that call Alta home and how to get involved.

Alta's Infamous Bird Feeders

Bird feeders around the mountain offer a unique way to experience Alta’s birdwatching firsthand. But remember, they are also the homes of our feathered friends. We encourage you to explore the mountain in search of these magical spots while respecting their habitat and fellow birders.

These feeders are part of a community effort to support native wildlife and are intentionally placed in quiet, undisturbed areas. To minimize traffic and protect these sanctuaries, we don’t share exact locations. However, many of them are nestled among the trees in the Sunnyside, Sugarloaf and Collins areas—so keep an eye out!

Feeder Access & Etiquette:

During winter, all feeders within the ski area are only accessible by skiing. Uphill travel of any kind is prohibited within Alta Ski Area during the operating season.
Looking for an alternative spot? Some homes along Summer Road have personal feeders that are occasionally filled, and uphill travel is permitted in this area, making it an excellent birdwatching destination for backcountry skiers or those on foot or snowshoes.
Not a skier? Feeders become more accessible in the off-season, allowing for more leisurely exploration when skiing isn’t required.

Wherever you go, enjoy the adventure, respect the wildlife and take in the beauty of Alta’s birds in their natural habitat.

Winter Birding field guide