Montana is Spanish for mountain, and few states in the Lower 48 have such a vast assemblage of mountain ranges. And there are Montana's nicknames--the Big Sky, the Treasure State, and, as Lewis and Clark would have it, "the land of the shining mountains." Our goal on this birding tour is to show you Montana: its birdlife and wildlife, its mountains, and its two fabulous national parks--Yellowstone and Glacier--and all the nooks and crannies of the basin/range topography as only a well-traveled Montanan knows them.

We'll begin our adventure in Yellowstone. Here we'll search for the iconic birds of the park, birds such as Western Tanager, Williamson's Sapsucker, Trumpeter Swan, Harlequin Duck, Barrow's Goldeneye, Dusky Grouse, Peregrine Falcon, and some other surprises. And we won't forget the mammals, Grizzly, Black Bear, Gray Wolf, Coyote, Bison, Elk, Pronghorn, Bighorn Sheep, Mule and White-tailed deer--the list goes on. Naturally we'll also visit Old Faithful, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Yellowstone Lakes, geysers and hotsprings, fumaroles, and explore some special places dear to your guide. The drive from Yellowstone to Glacier will take us off the beaten path through the striking Centennial Valley and Red Rock Lakes, with the greatest concentration of Trumpeter Swans and Moose in the entire Greater Yellowstone.

Glacier National Park, with its breathtaking mountain scenery, is often referred to as the Switzerland of the US. The birding includes such attractions as Townsend's and MacGillivray's warblers, Varied Thrush, White-tailed Ptarmigan, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Black and Vaux's swifts, and Dusky Grouse. Mountain Goats are the most obvious large mammal in Glacier, though Hoary Marmot and Columbian Ground-Squirrel can also be found, and Grizzlies, White-tailed Ptarmigan, and Wolverine are always a possibility.

From Glacier, we'll continue to one of the longest and lowest valleys in the mountains, known as the Rocky Mountain Trench. Here we skirt the edges of famous Flathead Lake and spectacular Ninepipes National Wildlife Refuge. We will be on the lookout for Common Loon, Red-necked Grebe, Sprague's Pipit, Short-eared Owl, Baird's Sparrow, Ferruginous Hawk, McCown's and Chestnut-collared longspurs, and Gray Partridge.

Join Terry McEneaney on this unique birding tour of Montana's great national parks. It is a trip not to be missed.

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