Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

ANIMAL LIFE

A National Park is a spacious natural reserve, and in it those creatures that have survived through the past are protected from harm by humans. They are not protected from each other, there being no attempt to change natural relationships of predator and prey.

Since the animals are in their natural habitats, and not in cages, you may not be able to see at close range the kinds of animals you may want to see at any time you like. Instead, you must expect to see them at their convenience, not yours. This requires careful, patient watching, but the rewards are great for the observant outdoorsman. An occasional glimpse of a bull elk grazing free in his native meadow may be more satisfying than the most detailed inspection of a confined creature in a zoological garden. Our society needs both types of experiences.

Although there are about 35 species of mammals in the park, this booklet can present brief descriptions of only a few of those likely to be of greatest interest.

Treeline is at about 11,500 feet altitude near Trail Ridge Road.

Hoofed Mammals

The largest mammal of Rocky Mountain National Park is the AMERICAN ELK, or “wapiti.” It is really a big deer—distinctly larger than the local mule deer and usually with a more reddish or brownish coat. The true American representative of the Old World elks is the moose, not found in Rocky Mountain National Park.

American elk were almost exterminated here by ruthless hunting in prepark days. Seventy animals introduced here in 1913 and 1914 from Yellowstone National Park made possible the present population of over 600 elk in this park.

During summer, the elk are usually high in the mountains, feeding on the lush grass of the widespread tundra and the forest glades. Their food consists mostly of grass, herbs, and twigs of woody plants. The summer is a short but prosperous time for these animals. Usually by early autumn, fierce storms in the high country put an end to days of ample forage, and most of the elk move down into the small meadows at lower altitudes. In late September, as the mating season begins and the bulls fight for possession of the herds, large groups of elk can be seen in such places as Horseshoe Park and Beaver Meadows. This is when the bugling challenges of the bulls can be heard echoing across the valleys. In November, this period ends and the more prosaic struggle for survival on the limited winter range begins.

Formerly, during winter, the elk could scatter well below the present site of Estes Park village; now they are “bottled up” within the park meadows, because of the encircling human developments. Or perhaps these introduced elk and their descendants never developed a more extensive winter migration pattern, for the more venturesome individuals among them would have been killed or harried by hunters in the lower country east of the park. In any case, most of them do not move out of the park.

Times are hard for the elk until spring permits their return to the high country, where ample feed awaits them. Grave concern is felt by wildlife experts about the winter food shortages confronting this species. Without deliberate control by the park rangers, in order to keep the population at a level that can be supported by the limited and overused vegetation of the park’s winter ranges, the herd itself would face mass starvation. The absence or near disappearance from this region of some of the most effective predators of the elk—cougar, wolf, and grizzly—has removed most of the aboriginal population controls.

Whether you visit the park in summer or winter, you should be able to see elk—at least with binoculars. In summer (especially in the evenings) you may see them along Trail Ridge Road, emerging from the forests below Fall River Pass or the Rock Cut area. The cirque below Fall River Pass is a good place to look for them with binoculars. From mid-September until March or April, herds of elk are normally to be seen in Beaver Meadows, Horseshoe Park, Moraine Park, and in the meadows north of Grant Lake; but patience and some keenness of observation are required.

Although elk, especially the bulls, occasionally stay high in the deep-snow belt, most of them feed in lower meadows during winter.

It should be easier to find MULE DEER, a familiar sight in many areas in early morning or evening, even in midsummer. Hikers encounter them on the trails throughout the park. When startled, the mule deer takes flight, characteristically bounding from all four feet at once, making soaring leaps, and landing with such force that its feet make a drumming sound. This bouncing but graceful gait has earned it the nickname “jumping deer” in some areas. It is effective in ascending rocky slopes and traversing brush country.

The males of all deer, including the American elk, grow antlers annually. For a short period in late winter and spring they have no antlers at all, but by June the new growths begin, getting larger and larger until August, when they attain full size. Until then, the antlers are “in velvet”—with a soft, hairy covering—which dries up and peels or is rubbed off. Often the animal helps the removal of the velvet by rubbing its antlers against the trunks and branches of trees. Many “rubbing trees” can be seen along the trails. The deer enter the mating season with polished, full-sized antlers, and these majestic adornments are worn until the season of shedding. One might expect to see discarded antlers everywhere; but because they contain much salt and calcium they are eaten by porcupines and other rodents. Few shed antlers, therefore, are seen by visitors to the park.

Mule deer are common. The fawns, born in early June, are spotted when young.

Male bighorn display the horns that have made them famous.

In summer, mule deer are seen singly or in small groups, browsing in the higher country; like the elk, they descend into the lower meadows in autumn. They, too, find the winter difficult, because of limited range. Deer are browsing animals, eating such things as willow, aspen, antelope bitterbrush, and even pine needles. Much of their natural food has been overbrowsed, and this condition has helped to make beggars of many of them. It is not unusual to see them in the streets of Estes Park village or near the town garbage dump looking for food. June, however, brings the lush green vegetation on which they regain their strength. That month also is fawning time. The spotted fawns are usually hidden in the woods and are nursed twice a day by the mother, who stays nearby but out of sight. Sometimes well-meaning visitors report an abandoned baby deer. In most instances, the fawn has not been abandoned; the visitors simply failed to see the mother in the background. Fawns, which keep their spots until autumn, run with the mother until the next spring.

The greatest thrill for many park visitors is when a BIGHORN, or mountain sheep, comes close enough to be photographed; however, those occasions are rare. Like most large mammals of the West, the bighorn was on the verge of extinction 40 years ago, but, thanks to various conservation measures, it is now well established. Formerly, bighorn were distributed throughout the park and beyond to the foothills. Today, they are largely restricted, by man’s necessary settlement of the land, to portions of the park remote from man’s developments. Most visitors—when they get to see them at all—spot bighorn on Trail Ridge Road near Milner Pass (on Specimen Mountain) or in the Mummy Range. They are seen now and then near Sheep Lake (in Horseshoe Park), usually in small family groups of ewes and lambs. Successful pictures of them have been made mostly in this vicinity.

Predatory Mammals

Yellowstone and Yosemite are two National Parks where visitors have ample opportunity to become acquainted with the BLACK BEAR. Many people, by foolishly feeding or petting these wild animals, have become too intimately acquainted, and have been injured in the process. Here in Rocky Mountain National Park, these opportunities seldom occur, for the bear population is low. If you are lucky enough to see one of these bulky, furry creatures lumbering along the road, do not try to fraternize with it.

Brown bear are present in the park, but not in large numbers.

Although the species present here is called the black bear, there are blonds among them, too. The brown bear and cinnamon bear are merely color phases of the black bear. Bears eat almost everything, including roots, berries, ants, frogs, fish, carrion, and such small mammals or birds as get into their clutches. They seem to be particularly voracious in eating garbage—discarded lunches, bacon, and similar material likely to be present in a campground. The bear is a relatively solitary animal. He has poor eyesight, but good hearing and sense of smell. Bears usually hibernate in fitful sleep, living off stored-up layers of body fat. The surprisingly small, squirrel-sized young are born in February during this semihibernation. The mother gives devoted care to her cubs, and defends them vigorously.

You can’t see grizzlies here, for they were extirpated from this region before the park was established.

The COUGAR has many aliases—mountain lion, catamount, painter, panther, puma—depending upon the locality. Almost 9 feet long including the 3-foot tail, the adult cougar may weigh over 200 pounds. Its coat is dull, yellowish brown; immature cougars have blackish spots. It has acute powers of sight, smell, and hearing. A sly, crafty, and tireless hunter, it is not often seen by man even where it is abundant. The cougar is part of the natural wildlife community, and is protected from hunters within park boundaries. The chances of seeing one here are remote, for many who have spent a lifetime in these mountains have never reported seeing one. A few observations of these animals, however, are usually reported in the park each year.

A much smaller cat occasionally seen in the park is the BOBCAT. It roams the forested areas of the park principally hunting small rodents and rabbits. Grouse also are taken, and on forays above treeline the bobcat may feed upon ptarmigan. It lives in dens in the rocks and sometimes in a hollow tree. Like the snowshoe rabbit upon which it preys, the bobcat has natural “snowshoes”—its feet are expanded in winter by long hairs, which help support the animal on the snow.

A close cousin to the domestic dog is the COYOTE. This exceedingly cunning animal is actually extending its range, despite man’s attempts to wipe it out, and is very common in the park. Few people fail to thrill upon first hearing its song—a high, staccato yipping often heard by visitors as they leave the evening talks at Moraine Park. You can expect to see coyotes almost anywhere in the park; early morning is a good time to look for them in the grassy meadows.

Another member of the dog family, the RED FOX, is seen occasionally by visitors. It is notoriously wary and cunning, and although less fleet-footed than the jackrabbit, it is faster than the coyote. Its family life meets with our approval, for the male actually feeds the female during the lying-in period, and at the risk of its own life leads hunters away from the den and its helpless occupants. It eats almost anything; small rodents are preferred.

People often bring back tales of an unusual animal on the trail above Bear Lake. Usually, they have seen the MARTEN, the largest of our remaining local weasels and an altogether interesting animal. This creature is at home in the treetops or on the forest floor. Like all weasels, it is a voracious feeder and a peril to its neighbors. It successfully hunts birds and squirrels in the trees, and preys on rats, rabbits, fish, grouse, frogs, insects, and other weasels. Its repertory of sounds includes hisses, squalls, barks, growls, and shrieks. It breeds in summer, but the young are not born until the following spring; its life span is about 18 years. It is closely related to the famous Russian sable, and has been nearly exterminated by trapping through most of its original range.

Young martens show the curiosity typical of their kind.

The MINK is rare in the park, but is occasionally seen on Glacier Creek. This member of the weasel family is an excellent swimmer, and catches fish with ease. Its dense and oily fur keeps it warm in cold water, but it lacks any other apparent adaptations to an aquatic life. So agile an animal has few natural enemies apart from disease; its most important predator is, oddly enough, the great horned owl. The young are born blind and helpless, and only the size of one’s finger, but by summer’s end they become self-sufficient.

The WEASEL is a small, sharp-eyed creature with an extremely long body, small triangular head, and furtive ways. Weasels are successful hunters, searching through brush piles and rock heaps and in underground burrows for rodents of all kinds. There are two species in the park—the LONGTAIL WEASEL and the SHORTTAIL WEASEL, or ERMINE. The latter is less than half as large as the former. Like that of certain other mountain dwellers, the fur of weasels becomes white as the snows of winter approach, replacing the brown of summer.

Horseback riders crossing Moraine Park and Beaver Meadows are usually wary of the large holes that are the work of the BADGER. Although a creature of the plains rather than of the mountains, the badger lives in some of the lower meadows of the park, and there have been reports of badgers being seen near Fall River Pass. It is a meat eater, and its large front feet have long claws, which enable it speedily to dig out a ground squirrel.

Red fox.
—Drawing by Walter A. Weber.

Gnawing Mammals

The YELLOWBELLY MARMOT, with its reddish underparts, grizzled back, and bushy tail, is seen by nearly all park visitors. Although it is more common in medium altitudes in the mountains, it also may be seen high along Trail Ridge Road, and a pair, reportedly, is living atop Longs Peak! These rodents live in dens, usually rockpiles, into which they pack twigs and grass to make a comfortable nest. They store up a heavy layer of fat in the summer and hibernate during the cold winter. Their natural food consists of grasses, berries, and roots. Their short, sharp whistle can be heard a mile away. During the summer, hikers occasionally see rather humanlike scenes, as marmot families sun themselves on the “front porches” of their rockpile homes.

The TASSEL-EARED, or ABERT, SQUIRREL is an excellent example of the zonal specialization of mammals. It is almost entirely restricted to the ponderosa pine forest belt. Its showy ear tufts, although often absent during the summer, set it apart from other local squirrels. It feeds mostly on ponderosa pine seeds, the bark of twigs and young trees of this species, and such wild fruits and succulent vegetation as are available. The Abert squirrel builds nests in the trees and is a familiar sight to hikers in the ponderosa pine forests. It is usually gray-colored, but may be brown or even completely black.

Another small arboreal rodent, the SPRUCE SQUIRREL, chatters and scolds when a stranger enters its patch of forest. It roams both the lodgepole pine and higher spruce-fir forests with their bitter winters, yet it does not hibernate. Even after the most severe storms it will emerge to travel through the treetop world it occupies. Some bird enthusiasts have little regard for it, because of its habit of eating eggs and young birds whenever the opportunity presents itself. However, in a National Park the squirrel’s desire to live is considered to be as important as is the bird’s. A certain “balance” of population is the result, which is, after all, one of the desirable features in an area dedicated to preserving natural conditions.

CHIPMUNKS are particularly familiar at Trail Ridge Road parking areas. These small squirrels are reddish-brown above, with white underparts and with four white stripes running along the back. A definite stripe across the face distinguishes them from the golden-mantled ground squirrels, with which they are often found.

The GOLDEN-MANTLED GROUND SQUIRREL is often confused with the smaller chipmunks which it joins in begging for visitor handouts at parking areas below treeline on Trail Ridge Road. Its natural food is succulent plant material and seeds, but many of the gregarious little animals are becoming more or less dependent upon food offered them by humans. You can see them most conveniently at Many Parks Curve.

Another little rodent, common in the lower meadows, is the RICHARDSON GROUND SQUIRREL (“picket pin”). It lives in colonies, after the fashion of the prairie dog of the plains. It is abundant in Moraine Park.

Relatively few park visitors see the BEAVER; but all can see examples of its work. It works at night as a rule, and usually remains out of sight when humans are abroad. These industrious rodents are much larger than the related chipmunks and marmots, and weigh as much as 90 pounds. Beaver pelts were part of the lure that led to the early exploration of the West. Almost exterminated about 50 years ago, they are now relatively abundant in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Yellowbelly marmot—seen by most visitors.

The beaver is well adapted to its water environment. The hindlegs are webbed for efficient swimming; the tail, broad and horizontally flattened, helps in underwater maneuvering. However, its swimming speed at the surface of the water is only about 2 miles per hour. Beaver can remain submerged for over 5 minutes; this ability helps in escaping enemies.

The beaver is sometimes seen by alert observers in late afternoon or early morning.

Beaver dams are abundant in the park. Many typical examples can be seen in Horseshoe Park, Moraine Park, Glacier Basin, and Hidden Valley, and along the Colorado River. Nearly all of the park trails pass beaver workings. The dams are built of various materials in this region, but most commonly of mud, parts of aspens, and debris. They are started from the upstream side—usually on shallow creeks—and as the water level rises so does the dam. The beaver uses its front paws almost as hands. The load of mud or sticks sometimes is carried by being pressed against the chest as the animal walks on its hind feet to the top of the structure it is building. The dam is made to create a stabilized water level. This is essential for protection of the beaver’s island den—a lodge made of sticks and mud. The beaver house starts as a solid heap of debris, but the animal chews and digs out a couple of underwater tunnels, as well as one or more dome-shaped rooms with the floor a few inches above water level. In this dry retreat the beaver rests, sleeps, and rears its family. Few natural enemies can pursue it through the underwater entrances. Its food is chiefly aspen bark and twigs. A winter supply is stored under water during late summer.

Because of its energy, skill, and persistence, the beaver has become a symbol of industriousness. It is also often credited with more intelligence than it probably possesses. Its apparent industry and resourcefulness are due more likely to inherited instincts than to reasoning. At any rate, this large rodent is surely one of the most interesting animals in the park.

A narrow tail distinguishes the muskrat from the beaver, which may live in the same locality.

The MUSKRAT is frequently active in daylight hours. It lives in the same environment as the beaver, but in the park has a much more limited distribution and is confined to lower elevations. It builds lodges, too; they are much smaller than those of the beaver, and are largely composed of mud and plant material. The lodge serves as a secondary food source in the winter, and many muskrat houses are practically eaten away by spring. Unlike the beaver, a strict vegetarian, the muskrat eats fish, insects, and any birds it can catch, as well as plant food. This animal has not acquired the ability to build dams, but does make rafts of sticks and twigs. When seen closely, a muskrat is easily distinguished from a beaver, for it is smaller and has a slender, vertically flattened tail, quite unlike that of the beaver.

Probably everyone recognizes the PORCUPINE. It is a large, short-legged rodent, rather clumsy of behavior, and usually seen either sleeping or leisurely chewing the bark of a tree. The porcupine survives, despite its sluggish behavior, because of the protection afforded by some 30,000 quills in its pelage. Although it cannot “throw” these quills, they are very loosely attached, and when the tail is vigorously thrashed about it is inevitable that some of the quills become detached and fall away. The unlucky recipient of such a slap of the tail will be convinced that the quills were thrown, although the effective embedding of quills is done by direct contact.

The MOUNTAIN COTTONTAIL is often seen in the lower forests. Despite heavy predation by many natural enemies, the cottontail manages to maintain itself because of its high birth rate. One mother may produce a total of 25 young in the 4 or 5 litters born during the year. It is fairly small, grayish-brown in color, with rather short ears and a conspicuous cottony tail resembling a powder puff. It lives in underground burrows and retains the same color winter and summer.

The SNOWSHOE HARE nests on the surface of the ground. Its fur changes from grayish-brown in summer to white in winter. A denizen of the spruce-fir and lodgepole pine forests and of the tundra, it hops about the snow on its huge, furry, “snowshoe” feet, apparently finding the severe winters of the high country no great hardship. It is not common in the park, and therefore is not often seen.

Porcupine.

Friendly chipmunks make themselves known throughout the park.

Motorists on the highest parts of the Trail Ridge Road often see the PIKA, which looks like a small, grayish guinea pig but is really a close relative of the rabbit. It is found in the rock slides and talus piles in the high country mostly above treeline, and is seldom seen below 9,000 feet. Despite the subzero temperature of the tundra belt, it does not hibernate. Its habit of storing little bundles of mountain grasses and other alpine plants has given it the nickname of “alpine haymaker”; it is also sometimes called “cony”—a name better reserved for an unrelated Old World mammal. Look for the pika at Rock Cut on Trail Ridge Road, it seems to have favorite sunning spots from which it greets the traveler with shrill shrieks.

Coldblooded Vertebrates

Many animals do not possess an adequate mechanism for maintenance of constant body heat. Some of these, taking advantage of the slowness with which water changes temperature, live mostly in an aquatic environment. Few can endure the cold winters of high altitudes.

Unlike other animals in National Parks, fish may be taken, under regulations designed to conserve the resource. As long as you have a State fishing license, you may exercise this privilege in Rocky Mountain National Park. The season and catch limits vary from year to year; you are urged to ask a park ranger about current regulations.

Coyote.

The original trout in the park is the BLACK-SPOTTED, or CUTTHROAT, TROUT. Once found only in the northern Rockies, it has been transplanted widely. It has numerous subspecies and color variations, but here it is usually an olive-green on back and upper sides, shading into a yellowish cast on lower sides. The lower surface becomes red at spawning time. The body and fins are black-spotted. The red streak on each side of the lower jaw has given it the name “cutthroat.” Its principal foods are insects and small aquatic animals. Spawning takes place in midsummer in the high country.

The BROOK TROUT, originally native east of the Mississippi, was introduced into this park, where it has thrived and maintains itself through natural reproduction in many lakes and streams. It is olive-green to gray, with a sprinkling of red and gray spots on the sides. The front borders of the lower fins and the lower borders of the tail are white. Its food includes insects, worms, small minnows, and crustaceans. It spawns in autumn; the female deposits the eggs in a depression she scoops out in the streambed. After the eggs are fertilized, she covers them with gravel and leaves them to hatch unattended.

The RAINBOW TROUT is another nonnative trout of the park waters. Its original range was on the Pacific slope of the Sierras and the Cascades, but it has been transplanted widely. It is bluish-olive above the lateral line, changing to silvery-green on the sides. Its name is derived from a broad, reddish stripe on the sides. It eats insects, worms, and smaller fishes, and is a favorite of the angler for its fighting ability and tendency to break water when hooked. Spawning occurs from autumn to spring, depending on the altitude.

Cutthroat trout.

The most common amphibian in the park is the bright-green to tan LEOPARD FROG. Restricted to damp areas near ponds or creeks, it is most likely to be seen in spring and early summer when the gelatinous egg masses are being laid. The tadpoles develop into mature frogs in about 3 years. Until then, it lives on plant food; after maturity, it eats insects and worms. It is found in Moraine Park, Horseshoe Park, and other moist grassland valleys.

The THREE-LINED TREEFROG, our smallest amphibian—about an inch long—is often mistaken for a young leopard frog. Although it is a treefrog, possessing disks on its toes, it is seldom seen in trees; it prefers small ponds or swampy grassland. It is sometimes found under rockpiles or pieces of damp wood. Despite its small size, its loud chirps in spring and summer can be heard a half mile away. During its singing, a vocal sac beneath the lower jaw inflates to a size larger than the creatures head. It is easily recognized by the three stripes down its back. Look for this diminutive amphibian at Gem Lake.

The insectivorous MOUNTAIN TOAD, a nondescript denizen of marshy lake habitats, is common in Cub Lake Valley, Hallowell Park, and in the Ouzel Lake area in Wild Basin. In late spring, large numbers congregate in ponds to lay strings of eggs. The small tadpoles become adults by the end of summer.

View of Mount Ypsilon from near Bear Meadows approach to Trail Ridge Road.

The TIGER SALAMANDER is one of the oddest animals of the park. Salamanders do not walk out of fires, as medieval tradition had it, but are amphibians. Unlike frogs and toads however, they retain their tails after reaching maturity. They hatch from eggs in shallow ponds, breathe by means of feathery external gills at the back of the head. Later, the gills are absorbed and the salamander begins breathing with lungs; it then leaves the water for a moist underground burrow, returning to ponds in early spring to lay eggs on plants or debris in the water near the shore. In southern latitudes, the larvae (gill-breathing forms) are able to lay eggs; these are the axolotls of Mexico. Our local variety of the tiger salamander is about 8 inches long, gray-brown with dark spots. It is found in Sheep Lake, around which large numbers occur during the spawning season in June, and is often seen in suitable habitats along Cub Lake Trail. It eats insects, insect larvae, worms, and small snails. It is harmless to humans.

The only reptile in the park is the MOUNTAIN GARTER SNAKE, which is found throughout the mountainous areas of Colorado. Because of its fondness for water, it is often erroneously called a “water snake.” It is greenish-gray and may reach a length of over 2 feet. It feeds on frogs and worms; it is entirely harmless to man, but is capable of giving off an offensive odor when handled. The young are born alive in midsummer. These snakes may be seen near most of the marshy ponds or slow-moving streams in the park. The ponds in Cub Lake Valley and in Hallowell Park are favorite haunts of these interesting creatures.

No rattlesnakes or other poisonous reptiles have ever been found in the park. Reports of rattlesnakes near Glen Haven mark the highest known occurrences in this region—a fact that, while contributing to the visitor’s peace of mind, puzzles many people. This absence, or relative scarcity, of cold-blooded animals is probably due to the climate—long, cold winters and chilly summer evenings. The lower amount of oxygen at high altitudes may also be a factor. On the tundra, many pools are free of ice for only about 6 weeks—scarcely time for frogs’ eggs to hatch and for larvae to develop lungs before freeze-up. The cold nights, even in midsummer, would inhibit a large snake’s movements to such a degree that it would probably starve. Thus you can hike in the park in confidence that you will encounter no poisonous snakes.

Fishing is a popular recreation made doubly attractive by the mountain setting of the park waters.

Birds

With over 226 different species listed in the most recent publication on local birds, it is difficult to give adequate attention to the subject in the limited space of this booklet. Park birds, like our human population, can be classified as visitors and residents. Occasionally a “straggler” appears, far from its usual haunts. Birds, like humans, can be further classified by their preferences as to locale. Just as some people prefer to visit the high peaks and tundras, so some birds prefer these areas. A few people come here only to fish; so does the belted kingfisher. Like most humans, many birds can be seen throughout the park, and the greatest variety and numbers occur in summer.

A number of park birds—both resident and migratory—have specific preferences. For instance, if a bird’s diet is mostly seeds from pine cones, it will usually be found in pine forests. Typical park environments and the characteristic birdlife of zones are outlined in Appendix B. Most of the birds nest in these associations.

The lower altitudes of the park—ponderosa pine forests and grassy meadows—have a large, varied population of birds in summer. Here lives the STELLER’S JAY, easily recognized by its rich-blue wings, sharp crest, and saucy manner. The BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE, like Steller’s jay a member of the crow family, has a conspicuously long tail, a greenish-iridescent, black-and-white body, and a propensity for scavenging small animals killed by autos. The WILLIAMSON’S SAPSUCKER is always associated with the ponderosa pine in which it pecks its sap holes; and the “red-naped sapsucker”—a subspecies of the YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER—with bright-red throat and crown, is usually seen working on aspens. The GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE nests in the shrubs of the Montane zone during June. RED-EYED VIREOS, characterized by gray cap and black-bordered white stripe over the eye, are found in the forested valleys from June into August. The PIGMY NUTHATCH, a tiny, noisy bird with a brown head and white underparts, wanders in small, noisy flocks through the pine forests in spring and autumn but scatters during the nesting season. There is some migration of pigmy nuthatches to the plains when winter comes.

The chickadees—both the MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, which remains in the park during the winter and has a typical black cap, broken by a white line above the eye, and the BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, which becomes scarce in the winter—belong to the Montane zone. The VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW is an abundant species in this zone. The MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD arrives in “waves” during April, to leave scattered pairs to nest in holes in aspens or other cavities. It lacks the rufous breast, but has the characteristic azure color its name suggests. The WESTERN TANAGER, the most colorful bird in the park, is mainly black and yellow, with a red face. It is in the park from mid-May until August.

The gray jay, or “camp robber,” which often visits motorists during lunch stops.

Nesting in this general zone, in rocky cliffs and canyons, are the GOLDEN EAGLE (seen every summer); the CANYON WREN (its characteristic “laughing” song is often heard during May and June); and the WHITE-THROATED SWIFT (which comes in early May to nest in crannies in the cliffs at the very east edge of the park, and leaves in June).

Some birds commonly nest in lodgepole and aspen forests, from about 8,500 feet upward. They include the WESTERN WOOD PEWEE, with a dark gray back, dull gray underparts, and two white bars on the long wings; the WARBLING VIREO, a migrant that arrives in a “wave” late in May; the LINCOLN’S SPARROW, streaked, with a short tail, which spends only 2 months in the park; the RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, which appears suddenly in late April and fills the forests with its song during June; the showy AUDUBON’S WARBLER, with its fire-bright yellow spots and white wing patches; and the HERMIT THRUSH, whose songs ring through the lodgepole and spruce-fir forests and along the streams in July.

In the spruce-fir forest, nesting birds you may expect to see include the PINE GROSBEAK, a large finch, the male of which has a rich rose-red head and breast; and the BROWN CREEPER, named for its habit of creeping up tree trunks. Thickets near treeline are the nesting area of the WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, a bird with strikingly black-and-white striped crown. It is as much at home above treeline as below, usually ready to scold all hikers who invade its territory. The WILSON’S WARBLER, with yellow body and black cap, nests in the willows at this altitude, but leaves the heights in August and returns in May.

Above the forests, on the wind-swept tundra, are some of the most interesting birds of the park. Here WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGANS spend the entire year. These alpine grouse, mottled-brown in summer, become pure white in midwinter. They assemble in small flocks in September to spend the winter together, but disperse during May and June for courtship and breeding. Nesting ptarmigans have been seen close by the busy Trail Ridge Road. Depending upon their natural camouflage for protection, they seldom show alarm when closely approached.

Ornithologists travel far to see BROWN-CAPPED ROSY FINCHES, which breed only on the high mountains of Colorado and probably northern New Mexico. Nesting in cliffs above treeline in summer, they band together in autumn to descend into the ponderosa forests for the winter. A third common bird of the tundra is the WATER PIPIT, a small ground bird, whose white-bordered tail is almost constantly in wagging motion. Pipits have an interesting courtship flight, and during midsummer are seen only above treeline, where they nest. By late August they descend to lower altitudes, not to return until June.

Even the most casual visitor notices the GRAY JAY and its cousin, CLARK’S NUTCRACKER. These members of the crow family are common at Bear Lake and at Many Parks and Rainbow Curve parking areas on Trail Ridge Road, where they compete with the chipmunks for hand-outs from motorists. The GRAY JAY, sometimes known as the Rocky Mountain jay or “camp robber,” has a dull-gray body, light-gray head, and short bill. It is often seen in the company of the Clark’s nutcracker, about the same size, but with a longer bill, light-gray body and white patches on black wings and tail. The nutcracker tends to range both above treeline and down into the ponderosa pine belt during summer, whereas the “camp robber” has a more restricted distribution.

The ptarmigan’s summer coat resembles lichen-covered boulders of the high meadows where it lives.

The COMMON RAVEN is often observed soaring over the canyons. RED-TAILED HAWKS are fairly common—those that nest on the cliffs southeast of the visitor center are almost always to be seen in summer in Moraine Park. The robin is abundant and widely distributed in the park in summer. Flocks of robins are to be seen above treeline into October. The sleek BOHEMIAN WAXWING passes through the park in winter and early spring. Along the beaver ponds, in the willows, the showy REDWINGED BLACKBIRD may be seen from May until July.

Possibly the most unusual bird of the park is the DIPPER, or “water ouzel,”—a chunky little dark-gray bird, with a habit of bobbing up and down constantly, which is seen only near rushing mountain streams or waterfalls. It hops into rushing water and even walks submerged on the stream bottom in search of aquatic insects—a method of food-gathering that appears suicidal but actually does the dipper no harm. The mossy, dome-shaped nest is usually built where spray can keep it moist. Look for these amazing creatures at Chasm Falls, at The Pool, along Mill Creek and Glacier Creek, or in the cascades in Wild Basin.

It is hoped that this brief treatment of the birds will arouse your interest in these important members of the park’s wildlife population.

Park-naturalist-conducted bird hikes are scheduled during the summer, and bird books are on sale at Moraine Park Visitor Center. Birds are an important element in the enjoyment of the park; take advantage of the opportunity to become acquainted with them.

Clark’s nutcracker, familiar at parking areas, is often confused with the “camp robber,” or gray jay.

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