A wide variety of wildlife and birds live in or migrate through the magnificent San Juans. Frequently seen are deer, which often wander throughout town, and elk herds that graze just north of Lake City in the winter. Rabbits and coyotes are known to live in and around the town limits and are often seen on the Silver Thread Scenic Byway. After an introduction to the area by the Colorado Division of Wildlife in the early 1990s, moose are now thriving occupants of the San Juans and Hinsdale County. These solitary creatures are known to take cover in willows and the brushy area on the south side of Lake San Cristobal and up at Deer Lakes. The lynx, a member of the cat family, was reintroduced to the area and is not often spotted around Lake City because they prefer dense spruce and fir forests. Other animals in the area include pikas, black bears, marmots, chipmunks and squirrels. For those who prefer to watch the winged species of our area, know that there are plenty of birds to observe. The most common birds in the Lake City area include stellar jays and chickadees that are seen year round. Seasonal residents include western tanagers, Cassin’s finch, American goldfinch, evening grosbeaks, black headed grosbeaks, and two common types of hummingbirds: broad tailed and rufous hummers. A wonderful spot in town for bird watching is Pete’s Lake, which has a walking trail. Warblers, other songbirds, and numerous waterfowl are known to spend time at Lake San Cristobal.    

Species of Area Birds

Great Mountain Chickadee:  Both the Mountain and the Black-capped Chickadee inhabit this area.  Mountain chickadees have a black line through the face like a little bandit whereas the black-capped does not.  Chickadees are fearless and are willing to take sunflower seeds out of your hand if you have a little patience and are quiet and still.  Chickadees are "name-sayers" since one of their calls is “chick-a-dee-dee-dee” or “Fee-bee-bee”.  Listen for them in the forest. 

Stellar Jay:  The large, brilliant blue bird, with the topknot, or crest, common in the Lake City area is the noisy stellar jay.  They are not Blue Jays, which are not found in the west. The Stellar is a close cousin to the camp robber or gray jay, but is a little more reserved.

Western Tanager:  The bright yellow and red bird with the black wings is the male western tanager.  Looking almost out of place, it is the only neo-tropical bird that migrates to this area.  The females are a dull yellow – likely Nature's way of protecting the nest.  The females spend a significant amount of time incubating and their drabber color is less obvious to predators.

Black-headed Grosbeak:  Both black-headed and evening grosbeaks spend time around Lake City in the summer.  An occasional red-breasted grosbeak will also show up.  Grosbeaks are so named because of their heavy beak.  The beak is a clue as to the diet of birds.  Heavy beaks are typically used to crush seeds.

American Goldfinch:  The small, lemon yellow male goldfinch is one of the few birds that molts, or changes feathers, twice a year.  Often incorrectly called wild canaries, American goldfinch travel in small flocks and their unique call sounds a lot like po-ta-to chip.  They are distinguished from other “wild canaries” (small yellow birds) by their black wings.

Rosy Finch:  Rosy finches are only found in the Rocky Mountains. This uniquely-adapted bird nests above timberline on the ground or in rocks.  In winter, the large flocks will sometimes come to area bird feeders in the hundreds or even thousands. One rosy finch photographed in Lake City had been "banded" as an adult the winter before in Crested Butte.  

Junco:  Often called “snowbirds” by locals, juncos generally show up when autumn snows begin. They prefer eating on the ground to perching on a feeder. Unfortunately, this makes them very susceptible to domestic cats.

Dusky Grouse:  Called blue grouse up until the last few years, this local grouse inhabits the spruce-fir forests in the west. The solitary male struts in the spring to attract females on traditional leks or breeding grounds. They are not the Gunnison Sage grouse – a threatened species that inhabits sagebrush areas closer to Gunnison.   

American Kestrel:  Kestrels are the smallest falcon and also the most common.  Often seen perched on an electric wire, they are constantly watching for large insects, such as dragonflies, crickets and grasshoppers.  They will also feed on small birds and some amphibians.    

Osprey:  Know also as the fish eagle, osprey are almost always located near water.  They make spectacular dives, feet first, for fish, sometimes going completely under the water. 

Mountain Bluebird:  Have you noticed the many bird boxes that are on the fences along the highways in this area?  Bluebirds had almost disappeared from the area years earlier because of the lack of suitable nesting sites.  Cavity nesters need trees with holes and firewood cutters had taken down most of the old dead trees.  Because of the blue bird boxes, the mountain bluebird has returned to its habitat.

Broad-tailed Hummingbird: This tiny bird migrates from Guatemala to this area annually.  It is the common nesting hummer that spends the summer here.  A female, banded in Colorado, was the oldest known hummingbird at 12 years of age.  Easterners will often mistake this species for the ruby-throated that inhabits the eastern areas of the United States.    

Rufous Hummingbird:  This feisty, rust colored hummer often stops in Lake City on its return migration to south central Mexico and the gulf coast.  This tiny bird goes to the Pacific Northwest (southern Alaska) to nest and raise its young.  They migrate up the Pacific flyway, mostly through the California area.  Rufous usually arrive in the Lake City area around the Fourth of July and move on by the first part of August.  Males fiercely defend feeders from other hummers, including the broad-tails.     

Wildlife Viewing Tips from the Colorado Division of Wildlife

Wildflower Identification Guide from Colorado State University

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