Meet Idaho’s Winter Warriors: 10 Iconic Birds That Call the State Home

Idaho is a big state for nature lovers. Due to its remote location, stunning scenery, and vast wilderness areas, the state joins the ranks of Wyoming, Montana, and Alaska as being perhaps one of the most wildlife-friendly states in the United States.

This is true for bird life as well as other types of animals. The state is a popular choice for birds year-round, and this includes the rather frigid winters that the state experiences.

If you’re an Idaho resident or are just planning a visit to the spud state, here’s a list of some of the most notable bird life that spends the winter in this beautiful state.

1. Bald Eagle

Starting the list off is one of the most notable birds of North America, the emblematic Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). Bald Eagles can actually be seen in Idaho year-round, and are not uncommonly seen soaring above some of the massive rivers and lakes that are within the state’s borders.

Bald Eagles are fairly difficult to miss, as their crown of white feathers and massive size ensures that they stand out from whatever other bird life might be present in the area.

2. American Goldfinch

The American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) is a member of the finch family Fringillidae. These finches are quite distinctive with their yellow-gold plumage. This type of bird consumes mostly grain pods and seeds, and can mostly be found in meadows close to more forested areas.

3. Red-Tailed Hawk

Another iconic bird of North America, The Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is another raptor that roosts in Idaho come wintertime. Red-tailed hawks are predatory birds who are keen and incisive hunters – the birds are able to spot prey from miles away.

Red-Tailed Hawks also have a very distinctive call. The sonorous grace of this call is famously powerful and can be heard in dozens of movies. Ironically, it often stands in for the call of a Bald Eagle, whose own call is much more subdued.

4. Mountain Chickadee

The Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli) is an adorable little bird that is commonly distributed throughout North America. This species of bird is so-called due to its distinctive warble, which sounds like chick-a-dee-dee-dee. This makes the bird’s name an onomatopoeia.

Chickadees are omnivorous, and consume many different species of insects. This latter characteristic has made them very popular with gardeners and farmers, as the birds act as natural pest control.

5. White Breasted Nuthatch

This bird is another common bird of North America that lives almost continent-wide. The White Breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) is a forest bird that prefers mixed-conifer woods. These small birds travel in groups in the winter, so if you’re on the lookout for one, you might be able to spot a few.

6. Great Horned Owl

The Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) is another iconic bird of North America that winters in Idaho. These enormous owls are actually quite common throughout North America. They can be found in almost every state in the country.

Great Horned Owls are named thus due to the distinctive protruding tufts that stand from the top of their heads – these are their so-called “horns”.

7. Red Breasted Nuthatch

The Red-Breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) is a common songbird that breeds in the alpine forest of boreal North America. Many of the environments of Idaho fit this songbird’s ideal habitat for this activity.

Nuthatches are quite agile and spritely when it comes to finding their food. These birds can seemingly “walk” on the underside of branches and trees in order to find insects in the hard-to-reach places of trees.

8. Northern Flicker

Flickers (Colaptes auratus) are one of the most common members of the woodpecker family. These handsome birds are quite commonly spread throughout North America, though Idaho is one of the states where these birds prefer to breed.

Flickers are distinct among woodpeckers in that they have learned how to hunt for prey outside of boring holes in trees – or “pecking wood”, if you will. Indeed, these birds are the only members of the woodpecker family that forage for food on the ground. Flickers are popular with agriculturalists due to their propensity to eat insects that are agricultural pests.

9. American Crow

The American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) likely needs no introduction, as this jet-black bird is one of the most commonly sighted birds in North America. This is no different than in Idaho, which hosts a healthy population of crows and ravens.

Like most places in North America, crows are seen in Idaho in most kinds of environments, ranging from backyards to mountain peaks.

10.  European Starling

A well-known invasive bird originally from Europe, European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are highly adaptable creatures that can be found all over Idaho in the winter. European Starlings are opportunists who have adapted themselves well to civilization and live in densely populated areas.

Not that things get too densely populated in Idaho. But if you live in Boise, keep an eye out for your local European Starlings.