Colorado stands as one of North America’s top birding destinations, where the spine of the continent creates dramatic landscapes and extraordinary avian diversity. From the windswept shortgrass prairie of the eastern plains to alpine tundra above 14,000 feet, the Centennial State offers birding experiences found nowhere else. With over 500 documented bird species and habitats ranging across nearly 8,000 feet of elevation change, Colorado delivers year-round opportunities for birders of all levels.
 

Spring in Colorado is defined by an extraordinary wildlife event: the dawn lek displays of the state’s native grouse. As winter loosens its grip on the Rockies and the first hints of green return to the basins and foothills, the leks come alive with sound, movement, and ritual. For birders, these early‑season gatherings offer a rare window into ancient behaviors that have shaped the ecology and culture of the West for generations. Before sunrise, males gather on traditional display grounds—open patches of sagebrush flats, grassy ridges, or prairie clearings that have been used for decades, sometimes centuries – each species bringing its own choreography.

Late March through mid‑April is the peak of lekking activity. Snow still lingers in the high country, but the basins and prairies are waking up. Males are at their most energetic, females are visiting leks to choose mates, and the crisp morning air carries every sound—booms, pops, coos, and wingbeats—with remarkable clarity. This timing also aligns with the broader pulse of spring migration. Waterfowl crowd reservoirs, early songbirds return to riparian corridors, and raptors move along the Front Range. The combination of lek displays and seasonal movement makes spring one of the most rewarding times to bird Colorado.​