Birding in Utah
Utah's Great Salt Lake is the most important shorebird staging area in the interior West, while its red rock canyons and mountain forests add species found in few other states.
Overview
Utah's birding centers on the Great Salt Lake, a globally significant wetland that supports millions of shorebirds, waterfowl, and colonial waterbirds during migration. Beyond the lake, the Wasatch Range provides mountain birding, and the Colorado Plateau's canyon country harbors desert specialties. Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is one of the premier birding sites in the western U.S. TrailBird is expanding to cover Utah's birding hotspots with live eBird data, trail maps, and seasonal guides.
Seasonal Birding Guide
Shorebird migration at the Great Salt Lake is one of the great spectacles of western birding.
Breeding California Gulls at the Great Salt Lake. Mountain species in the Wasatch. Flammulated Owls nest in aspen groves.
Wilson's Phalaropes and other shorebirds stage by the millions at the Great Salt Lake before heading south.
Bald Eagles at mountain reservoirs. Rosy-finches visit ski area feeders at high elevations.
Quick Facts
🚨 Recent Rare Bird Alerts in Utah
Notable sightings in the last 14 days
No rare alerts in the last 14 days.
🔥 Top Birding Hotspots in Utah
Ranked by total species recorded
🪶 What's Being Seen in Utah
Species spotted in the last 14 days
No recent species data available yet.
📍 Most Active Hotspots This Week
Where birders are reporting right now
🥾 Trails Near the Action
Hiking trails near recent rare sightings