Bird-watching a growing activity in Colorado

Dan Daru
·2 min read

BRIGHTON, Colo. (KDVR) — Bird-watching took flight in the 18th century when people started watching birds for their aesthetic rather than their utilitarian value.

Today, more people in Colorado are looking up and getting hooked on the hobby.

Garden guide: When to plant flowers, fruits and vegetables in Colorado

Spend five minutes with members of the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies and you will see, they geek out over anything with a beak out. This week, the group was at Barr Lake State Park in Brighton.

“Oh man, Barr Lake has been a hotspot for years, and it’s because it has such great habitat for birds,” Bird Conservancy of the Rockies board director Sherry Nickolaus said.

The Bird Conservancy of the Rockies began in 1988 with one simple mission: to conserve birds in their habitat while connecting people to nature.

It is easy to connect with nature, all you need are comfortable shoes, a sunblocking hat and some binoculars.

“Binoculars are key to really see close up. Yes, to identify, they really make a difference,” Nickolaus said.

Nickolaus said the binoculars especially make a difference for kids.

“We get kids that come out here and, you know, high school trips, and even elementary kids, and they don’t want to be out here. They don’t want to be outside and then we do this and they don’t want to go back,” Nickolaus said.

When are columbines at peak bloom in Colorado?

More than 350 species of birds have been spotted at Barr Lake, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The most popular bird to watch there is the bald eagle. For a lot of folks that’s a big deal — in the 1980s they were nearly gone. Bald eagles were endangered then but are not anymore.

There will be a free guided bird walk at Barr Lake State Park on Saturday morning and again on June 15. Participants will be introduced to the birds and wildlife that live there. Anyone is invited and participants are encouraged to register online in advance.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.