While people often think of Yellowstone or Glacier National Park when they think of Montana (and rightly so!), Missoula and its environs are equally beautiful--without the crowds and traffic jams. Situated amid towering peaks, rushing rivers, and sweeping plains, with a vibrant downtown and eclectic food and cultural scene, Missoula will be our jumping off point for this five-day tour, offering a tantalizing diversity of birds and other wildlife set against a backdrop of vibrant wildflowers and spectacular landscapes.

A highlight of our three days exploring the Missoula area will be a visit to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Bison Range, located on the Flathead Reservation. These tribal lands encompassing prairie, forest, and riparian wetlands host a free-ranging herd of approximately 350 bison and are rich in birdlife. In addition to bison, pronghorn, elk, and perhaps a bear or two, we expect to encounter a wide variety of bird species including Lewis’s Woodpecker, Mountain Bluebird, Western Meadowlark, Bullock’s Oriole, and even Golden Eagle. During visits to Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge and Lee Metcalfe National Wildlife Refuge, we will encounter White Pelicans and dozens of species of waterfowl, including Trumpeter Swans, Common and Barrow’s Goldeneye, Cinnamon Teal, Western Grebe, and so many more, nesting and tending new young in their finest breeding plumage. We also expect to encounter a number of grassland species, including Bobolink, Lazuli Bunting, and Vesper, Clay-colored, and Savannah Sparrows. Driving up to Lolo Pass, we’ll dip into Idaho, looking for boreal species like Chestnut-sided Chickadee and Canada Jay. Of course, no trip to Montana would be complete without a search for an American Dipper, and we’ll have plenty of chances to look for dippers while exploring the Blackfoot River corridor, while also looking for Red Crossbills, Clark’s Nutcrackers, and Olive-sided Flycatchers.

Our rambles will also take us to the Rocky Mountain Front for two days, where will visit Freezeout Lake Wildlife Management Area and Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge, both globally-designated Important Bird Areas situated on the high plains, where walls of stone rise into the clouds. These two sites, combining more than 20,000 acres of prairie, marsh, and lake, are important stopover and breeding areas for waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, raptors, and more. We expect to encounter Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Franklin’s Gulls, and White-faced Ibis, and we’ll be looking out for breeding shorebirds like American Avocet, Wilson’s Phalarope, and even Long-billed Curlew. With luck, we may even spot a Burrowing or Short-eared Owl!

Join Feathers with Furr for this off-the-beaten-path adventure, enjoying incredible birds and other wildlife against spectacular backdrops.