GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK — Summer in the Tetons means seasonal avian residents are returning.
Migratory birds swing through the valley, bringing cheerful songs and bright hues. It’s a treat to catch a glimpse of jewel tones flitting through the forest and the sagebrush. Some birds will stick around for the season and others will pass through on the way to their summer grounds.
Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) posted to social media on Thursday to give the scoop on a few of the valley’s summer inhabitants. Bring some binoculars and keep an eye and ear out for these little feathered friends.
Broad-tailed hummingbird
Migrating over 1,000 miles to reach the park every spring, these birds only weigh a few grams, per the park. Males sport magenta throat feathers and their wings make a distinctive “trilling” sound while in flight.
Black-headed grosbeak
These woodland birds spend their winter in Mexico. They are one of few types of birds that can eat toxic monarch butterflies without harm. They often are found in foothills and riverside woods, according to the National Audubon Society (NAS).
Western tanager
Typically making an appearance in the Tetons in spring and fall on its way to northwestern Canada, NAS says that the western tanager occurs farther north in summer than any other tanager. “Looking like tropical popsicles, males blaze with bright yellow plumage and fiery red heads,” writes GTNP. Females are a dull yellow that tends to blend in more easily with coniferous trees.
Northern yellow warbler
These birds are often spotted flitting through shrubs and riparian areas, near the banks of a river or stream. Males are recognized due to reddish streaks on their chests. The birds typically migrate at night, according to NAS, and fall migration begins early, usually in August.
Green-tailed towhees
A cat-like mew coming from the bushes might be a sign of a green-tailed towhee. GTNP said this bird will often run rather than fly when startled. Its gray body, white throat and little orange cap help it blend into sagebrush landscapes.
Mountain bluebirds
This type of bluebird will stand out against most backdrops with its eye-catching, sky-blue plumage. Per the park, mountain bluebirds are among the earliest songbirds to return each spring in order to claim nesting cavities. The females are gray with blue tinges.
Violet-green swallow
“Almost constantly in flight, these agile aerial insect hunters can be identified by flashes of emerald backs and violet rumps as they swoop overhead,” GTNP wrote. These swallows migrate in flocks, with a summer range all the way north to Alaska. NAS says that during migration, they typically hang out near water, along rivers and lakes.
Lazuli buntings
The Latin name for the lazuli bunting, Passerina amoena, translates to “beautiful sparrow,” though the songbird is actually a member of the cardinal family. In the summer, males will sing out in the open, but the brown females are elusive and stick to their nests in thick bushes.
