Birds perched on a tree at Alta Ski Area

Winter Birding
field guide

By Alta Environmental Center 02-19-2025

become an expert birder on the slopes.

While skiing and birding may seem like an unlikely pair, Alta’s unique mountainous ecosystem—famous for harboring some of the best snow on earth—is also home to some of the hardiest birds in North America. From tiny Chickadees to powerful raptors, these high-altitude birds endure frigid temperatures, deep snow and harsh winds—thriving where few creatures can.

Since the 1970s, bird enthusiasts and researchers from around the world have flocked to Alta year-round to observe and study its avian inhabitants. Scientists have spent decades monitoring the hundreds of species that frequent Little Cottonwood Canyon, and their work continues today. These ongoing efforts provide valuable insights into the health of Alta’s ecosystem and support the implementation of bird-friendly practices within the ski area.

Meet Alta's 16 hardiest winter birds

While many species come and go with the changing seasons, these 16 birds call Alta home year-round. Whether it's a sunny summer day or one of Alta's infamous winter storm days, these birds thrive in this harsh mountain environment. If you look closely, you may spot them on the slopes, in the glades or perched on one of our feeders.

Mountain Chickadee

Mountain Chickadee, Adult | Photo: Tyler Struss

The Mountain Chickadee is a small, energetic songbird found in Alta's coniferous forest. Its black cap and bib have a distinctive white "angry bird" eyebrow stripe, which sets it apart from the black-capped chickadee. Its gray back and pale belly help it blend into snowy landscapes.

Call: A raspy, high-pitched “chick-a-dee-dee” and a whistled "fee-bee" call.
Habitat: Commonly found in Alta's high-elevation coniferous forests—foraging for insects in pine, fir and spruce trees or visiting feeders in winter.
Fun Fact: Despite its delicate size, the Mountain Chickadee is well-adapted to harsh winters. It relies on its sharp memory to retrieve food caches hidden throughout the forest.

Brown Creeper

Brown Creeper, Adult | Photo: Connie Misket

The Brown Creeper is a tiny, well-camouflaged songbird with streaked brown plumage, a white belly and a down-curved bill. It blends perfectly with tree bark as it spirals upward along trunks—using its stiff tail for support while searching for insects hidden in the bark.

Call: A high-pitched “seet” call and a musical warbling song.
Habitat: Commonly found in Alta's mature coniferous and mixed forests—favoring spruce, fir and pine trees.
Fun Fact: Unlike woodpeckers, Brown Creepers only climb upward on tree trunks. When they reach the top, they fly down to the base of another tree and start again!

Steller's Jay

Steller's Jay, Adult | Photo: Chloe Jimenez

The Steller’s Jay is easily recognized by its dark blue body, black head and tall head crest. Often mistaken for a Blue Jay, it has a sleeker look and prefers mountainous forests. These Jays are intelligent, noisy and curious birds that aren't shy about stealing food from campsites or feeders.

Call: A loud“shack-shack-shack." It can also mimic other birds, squirrels and even human sounds!
Habitat: Commonly found in Alta's high-elevation coniferous forest, favoring pine and fir trees. They can also be spotted near the feeders or buildings where people may drop a snack.
Fun Fact: Steller’s Jays are sneaky food thieves—they’ll watch other birds hide food and then steal it later!

Clark's Nutcracker

Clark's Nutcracker, Adult | Photo: Connie Misket

The Clark's Nutcracker is a medium-sized gray bird with black wings and a white tail. Its long, pointed bill is perfect for cracking open pine seeds. These intelligent and social birds are often seen flying between mountain peaks and perched in limber pine trees, calling loudly as they go.

Call: A harsh, raspy “kraaa-kraaa” call or a series of sharp "Kree" notes.
Habitat: Commonly found in Alta's high-elevation coniferous forests, favoring areas with limber pine trees.
Fun Fact: Clark's Nutcrackers play a key role in forest growth by stashing limber pine seeds on rocky ridgelines. Their forgotten seeds sprout into new limber pine trees.

Hairy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker, Adult Female | Photo: Iz La Motte

The Hairy Woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker with a black-and-white striped head, a white belly and a solid black back with white spots on its wings. Males have a small red patch on the back of the head. It looks similar to the Downy Woodpecker but is larger and has a longer bill.

Call: A sharp, high-pitched “peek!” and fast drumming on tree trucks to communicate.
Habitat: Commonly found in Alta's coniferous and mixed forests, favoring dead or decaying trees. Can be found hunting for insects in the forest or by feeders in the winter.
Fun Fact: Hairy Woodpeckers are nature’s pest control that feasts on tree-boring beetles—keeping the forest healthy.

Downy Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker, Adult Male (L) and Adult Female (R)

The Downy Woodpecker is the smallest woodpecker in North America, with a black-and-white striped head, white belly and black wings with white spots. Males have a tiny red patch on the back of their head. It looks almost identical to the Hairy Woodpecker but is smaller and has a shorter bill.

Call: A soft, high-pitched "pik" call and drumming on trees like the Hairy Woodpecker, but with shorter, lighter bursts.
Habitat: Commonly found in woodlands, favoring aspen, willow and pine trees. Commonly found at Alta's bird feeders in winter.
Fun Fact: Downy Woodpeckers use their stiff tail feathers for balance while climbing trees.

Pine Siskin

Pine Siskin, Adult | Photo: John Shafer

The Pine Siskin is a small, streaky brown finch with subtle yellow edges on its wings and tail. Its slender, pointed bill is perfect for extracting seeds from cones. These social birds often form flocks, fluttering between tree branches or visiting feeders.

Call: A buzzy “zzzzreee” call that sounds like static. Their song is a mix of trills, chatters and high-pitched notes.
Habitat: Commonly found in Alta’s coniferous forests, favoring pine and spruce trees. In the winter, they also frequently visit feeders.
Fun Fact: Pine Siskins have an incredibly fast metabolism and sometimes eat up to three times their body weight in seeds per day to increase their body temperature to survive freezing nights.

Pine Grosbeak

Pine Grosbeak, Adult Male (L) and Adult Female (R) | Photo: Connie Misket

The Pine Grosbeak is a large, plump finch with a thick, stubby bill. Males are a rosy-red color with gray wings and tails, while females and juveniles are yellowish-orange with gray bodies. These gentle birds move slowly and are often seen in small flocks.

Call: A soft warbling song and a whistled “tew” call.
Habitat: Commonly found in Alta’s coniferous forests, favoring fir and spruce trees—foraging for seeds and berries or visiting feeders in the winter.
Fun Fact: Pine Grosbeaks are the largest finch species in the world.

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Red-breasted Nuthatch, Adult | Photo: Friends of Alta

The Red-breasted Nuthatch is a small, compact songbird with a blue-gray back, rusty-orange belly and a bold black-and-white striped head. It has a sharp, pointed bill and is often seen creeping headfirst down tree trunks searching for food.

Call: A nasal, high-pitched “yank-yank” call that sounds like a tiny toy horn.
Habitat: Commonly found in Alta’s coniferous forests, favoring pine, fir and spruce trees. They can also be spotted by feeders along the Summer Road in the winter.
Fun Fact: Red-breasted Nuthatches coat their nest entrances with sticky tree resin to keep out predators and competitors.

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch

Hepburn's Rosy-Finch, Adult (L) Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, Adult (R) | Photo: Iz La Motte

The Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch is a tough, high-altitude finch with a dark brown body, pinkish-red wings and a distinctive gray cap on its head. These birds are well-adapted to cold, snowy environments and are often seen in flocks. Alta is home to two subspecies: the Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, which has a gray crown that follows the eyeliner and the Hepburn's Rosy-Finch, which has a gray crown that covers the full cheek.

Call: A soft, warbling “chew-wee” and a series of musical tweets—similar to the call of the Black Rosy-Finch.
Habitat: Commonly found along Alta's high, rocky mountain slopes—moving to lower elevations by feeders in the winter.
Fun Fact: Due to the remote nature of its habitat, the Rosy-Finch is one of the least studied birds in North America.

Learn more about the Rosy-Finches of Alta >

Black Rosy-Finch

Black Rosy-Finch | Photo: National Audubon Society

The Black Rosy-Finch is a rare, high-altitude finch with a dark brown-black body, pink highlights on its belly and wings and a gray crown on its head. It thrives in harsh, snowy mountain environments, often seen in flocks foraging on windswept slopes. Due to the remote nature of its habitat, it remains one of North America's least studied birds.

Call: A soft, buzzy “chew-wee” call and a series of high-pitched, tinkling notes.
Habitat: Thrives in extremely high-altitude, rugged terrain but descends to lower elevations in winter, sometimes visiting feeders in Alta. As part of theRosy-Finch Study, a feeder was installed to monitor the species at the top of the Collins lift on the Patrol Shack—kept full thanks to the Alta Ski Patrol.
Fun Fact: Alta is one of the best places in the world to see the Black Rosy-Finch.

Learn more about the rare Black Rosy-Finches of Alta >

Red Crossbill

L: Red Crossbill, Adult Male – R: Red Crossbill, Adult Female | Photo: Connie Misket

The Red Crossbill is a stocky finch with a unique crossed bill designed for prying open pine cones. Males are brick-red or orange, while females are olive-yellow with grayish wings. These birds are often seen in flocks, chattering as they forage in the treetops.

Call: A sharp, metallic “jip-jip” and a mix of warbling, musical notes.
Habitat: Commonly found in Alta’s coniferous forests, favoring pine, fir and spruce trees. At Alta, they roam widely, searching for trees with good cone crops.
Fun Fact: Red Crossbills can breed any time of year if there’s enough food, even in the middle of winter!

Cassin's Finch

L: Cassin's Finch, Adult Male – R: Cassin's Finch, Adult Female

The Cassin’s Finch is a medium-sized finch with a streaky brown back, a pale belly and a slightly peaked head. Males have a rosy-red head, throat and chest, while females and juveniles are brown with heavy streaks. They are often mistaken for House finches but have a more defined red cap and longer bill.

Call: A rich, warbling song often mixed with mimicry of other birds. Their calls include a soft, rising “cheet” sound.
Habitat: Commonly found in Alta’s coniferous forests, favoring pine and fir trees. They are often seen amongst the treetops or at feeders in winter.
Fun Fact: Males' vibrant colors come from carotenoid pigments, which are obtained from colorful foods like orange berries.

Dusky Grouse

Dusky Grouse | Photo: Rocko Menzyk

The Dusky Grouse (aka Mountain Chicken) is a large, ground-dwelling bird with dark gray-brown plumage, a long tail and feathered legs for warmth. Males have bare yellow eye combs and reveal violet throat patches during courtship. These well-camouflaged birds often blend into the forest floor and are known for their "sneak attacks" on unsuspecting passersby.

Call: During mating season, males produce a deep, low “hoop-hoop-hoop” sound that can be hard to hear from a distance.
Habitat: Commonly found in Alta’s coniferous forests, favoring pine, fir and spruce trees. They are often seen foraging on the ground for evergreen needles or roosting in trees during winter.
Fun Fact: Unlike many birds, the Dusky Grouse migrates uphill for winter—moving into dense coniferous forests where they rely on evergreen needles for food.

Northern Pygmy Owl

Northern Pygmy Owl | Photo: Bryant Olsen

The Northern Pygmy Owl is a tiny but fierce predator, only about the size of a sparrow. It has brown plumage with white speckles, bright yellow eyes and two dark “false eyes” on the back of its head to confuse predators. Unlike most owls, it is active during the day.

Call: A series of high-pitched, hollow “toot-toot-toot” notes.
Habitat: It is commonly found in Alta's coniferous and mixed forests, favoring pine, fir and aspen trees. While hunting, it can be seen perched on tree branches.
Fun Fact: Despite its tiny size, the Northern Pygmy Owl hunts birds three times larger than itself, including woodpeckers and jays!

Golden Eagle

L: Golden Eagle, Immature – R: Golden Eagle, Mature

The Golden Eagle is one of North America's largest birds of prey, with dark brown plumage and golden streaks on the back of its head and neck. Juveniles have white patches on their wings and tail. It has broad wings and a slightly smaller head than a bald eagle and it soars with slightly upturned wings in a shallow "V" shape. Look for its golden feathers in good lighting.

Call: A high, weak “klee-klee-klee”, though they are mostly silent.
Habitat: This species prefers mountainous terrain, open woodlands and cliffs. It can be seen at Alta soaring over ridges or perching on rocky ridgelines.
Fun Fact: Golden Eagles can dive at speeds over 150 mph, making them one of the fastest birds of prey.

Birding at Alta 101: resources

Learn more about the birds that call Alta home and how to get involved.

Alta's Infamous Bird Feeders

Bird feeders around the mountain offer a unique way to experience Alta’s excellent birdwatching firsthand. But remember, they are also the homes of our feathered friends. We encourage you to explore the mountain in search of these magical spots while respecting their habitat.

These feeders are part of a community effort to support native wildlife and are intentionally placed in quiet, undisturbed areas. To minimize traffic and protect these sanctuaries, we don’t share exact locations. However, many of them are nestled among the trees in the Sunnyside, Sugarloaf and Collins areas—so keep an eye out!

Feeder Access & Etiquette:

During winter, all feeders within the ski area are only accessible by skiing. Uphill travel of any kind is prohibited within Alta Ski Area during the operating season.
Looking for an alternative spot? Some homes along Summer Road have personal feeders that are occasionally filled, and uphill travel is permitted in this area, making it a great birdwatching destination for backcountry skiers or those on foot or snowshoes.
Not a skier? Feeders become more accessible in the off-season, allowing for easier exploration when skiing isn’t required.

Wherever you go, enjoy the adventure, respect the wildlife and take in the beauty of Alta’s birds in their natural habitat.

For more information, please contact environment@alta.com.

Stay up to date with the AEC by subscribing to our newsletter and following us on Instagram or Facebook.

Winter Birding field guide