Birding in Zion National Park
ZION NATIONAL PARK ISN'T JUST A HIKER'S PARADISE; IT'S A BIRDWATCHER'S DREAM COME TRUE. WITH OVER 290 BIRD SPECIES RECORDED WITHIN ITS BOUNDARIES, ZION OFFERS ENTHUSIASTS A CHANCE TO SPOT A DIVERSE ARRAY OF AVIAN LIFE AMIDST ITS STUNNING RED ROCK LANDSCAPES. WHETHER YOU'RE A SEASONED BIRDER OR A CURIOUS NEWBIE, THE PARK'S VARIED HABITATS—RANGING FROM DESERT SHRUBLANDS TO LUSH RIPARIAN ZONES—PROVIDE AMPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMORABLE SIGHTINGS. HERE ARE 20 NOTABLE BIRDS YOU MIGHT ENCOUNTER DURING YOUR ZION ADVENTURE:
CALIFORNIA CONDOR (GYMNOGYPS CALIFORNIANUS) ONCE ON THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION, THESE MAJESTIC SCAVENGERS BOAST A WINGSPAN OF UP TO 9.8 FEET. LOOK FOR THEM SOARING ABOVE THE CANYON CLIFFS.
PEREGRINE FALCON (FALCO PEREGRINUS) RENOWNED FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE SPEED, THESE FALCONS OFTEN NEST ON ZION'S TOWERING CLIFFS. KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THEIR SWIFT AERIAL DIVES.
AMERICAN DIPPER (CINCLUS MEXICANUS) THIS AQUATIC SONGBIRD CAN BE SPOTTED ALONG THE VIRGIN RIVER, DIVING UNDERWATER TO FEED ON INSECTS.
WOODHOUSE'S SCRUB-JAY (APHELOCOMA WOODHOUSEII) WITH STRIKING BLUE AND GRAY PLUMAGE, THESE INTELLIGENT BIRDS ARE COMMON IN ZION'S PINYON-JUNIPER WOODLANDS.
WESTERN BLUEBIRD (SIALIA MEXICANA) MALES DISPLAY VIBRANT BLUE FEATHERS WITH RUSTY CHESTS. LOOK FOR THEM IN OPEN WOODLANDS AND MEADOWS.
GREAT BLUE HERON (ARDEA HERODIAS) OFTEN SEEN WADING IN THE PARK'S WATERWAYS, THESE TALL, GRACEFUL BIRDS HUNT FOR FISH AND AMPHIBIANS.
COMMON RAVEN (CORVUS CORAX) UBIQUITOUS THROUGHOUT THE PARK, THESE ADAPTABLE BIRDS ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR INTELLIGENCE AND VARIED VOCALIZATIONS.
SPOTTED TOWHEE (PIPILO MACULATUS) THESE GROUND-FORAGING BIRDS HAVE STRIKING BLACK, WHITE, AND RUFOUS PLUMAGE AND ARE OFTEN HEARD RUSTLING IN THE UNDERBRUSH.
RED-TAILED HAWK (BUTEO JAMAICENSIS) A COMMON RAPTOR IN ZION, RECOGNIZABLE BY ITS BROAD WINGS AND REDDISH TAIL. WATCH FOR THEM SOARING ABOVE THE CANYON.
WILD TURKEY (MELEAGRIS GALLOPAVO) THESE LARGE BIRDS ARE OFTEN SPOTTED FORAGING IN OPEN MEADOWS AND ALONG ROADSIDES WITHIN THE PARK.
BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD (ARCHILOCHUS ALEXANDRI) THESE TINY, AGILE BIRDS ARE COMMON IN ZION DURING THE WARMER MONTHS, OFTEN SEEN FLITTING AMONG FLOWERS AND FEEDERS.
WHITE-THROATED SWIFT (AERONAUTES SAXATALIS) KNOWN FOR THEIR RAPID FLIGHT, THESE SWIFTS ARE OFTEN SEEN DARTING AROUND CLIFF FACES AND OVER OPEN AREAS.
YELLOW WARBLER (SETOPHAGA PETECHIA) THESE BRIGHT YELLOW SONGBIRDS ARE OFTEN FOUND IN RIPARIAN AREAS, FLITTING AMONG WILLOWS AND OTHER SHRUBS.
MOURNING DOVE (ZENAIDA MACROURA) RECOGNIZABLE BY THEIR SOFT COOING CALLS, THESE DOVES ARE COMMON THROUGHOUT THE PARK'S OPEN AND SEMI-OPEN AREAS.
NORTHERN FLICKER (COLAPTES AURATUS) A TYPE OF WOODPECKER, THESE BIRDS HAVE A DISTINCTIVE CALL AND ARE OFTEN SEEN ON THE GROUND FORAGING FOR ANTS.
CANYON WREN (CATHERPES MEXICANUS) KNOWN FOR THEIR BEAUTIFUL DESCENDING SONG, THESE WRENS ARE OFTEN FOUND AMONG ROCKY OUTCROPS AND CANYON WALLS.
WESTERN TANAGER (PIRANGA LUDOVICIANA) MALES ARE STRIKING WITH THEIR BRIGHT YELLOW BODIES AND RED HEADS. THEY CAN BE FOUND IN CONIFEROUS FORESTS WITHIN THE PARK.
COOPER'S HAWK (ACCIPITER COOPERII) THESE AGILE HAWKS ARE OFTEN SEEN DARTING THROUGH WOODLANDS IN PURSUIT OF SMALLER BIRDS.
SAY'S PHOEBE (SAYORNIS SAYA) A FLYCATCHER WITH A SOFT GRAY BODY AND CINNAMON BELLY, OFTEN SEEN PERCHED ON SHRUBS AND FENCES.
LESSER GOLDFINCH (SPINUS PSALTRIA) THESE SMALL FINCHES HAVE BRIGHT YELLOW UNDERPARTS AND ARE OFTEN SEEN IN FLOCKS, FEEDING ON SEEDS.
AFTER A REWARDING DAY OF BIRDWATCHING, FINDING A COMFORTABLE PLACE TO RELAX IS ESSENTIAL. LOCATED IN THE HEART OF SPRINGDALE, JUST STEPS FROM THE ZION SHUTTLE AND THE RENOWNED BIT AND SPUR RESTAURANT, ZION CANYON CASITAS OFFERS LUXURIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS TAILORED FOR NATURE ENTHUSIASTS. EACH CASITA IS CONSTRUCTED WITH SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS AND ADORNED WITH EXQUISITE ARTWORK AND DESIGNER FURNISHINGS. WITH FULLY STOCKED KITCHENS, PLUSH BEDDING, AND PRIVATE PATIOS BOASTING BREATHTAKING VIEWS, IT'S THE PERFECT SANCTUARY TO UNWIND AND PERHAPS EVEN SPOT A FEW MORE FEATHERED FRIENDS RIGHT FROM YOUR DOORSTEP.
WHETHER YOU'RE TRAVERSING ZION'S DIVERSE TRAILS OR RELAXING IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR CASITA, THE AVIAN WONDERS OF THIS NATIONAL PARK ARE SURE TO LEAVE AN INDELIBLE MARK ON YOUR HEART. HAPPY BIRDWATCHING!
