written by Dave Kwasnick
The Great Backyard Bird Count is quickly approaching. From February 13–16, you’re invited to log as many observations as possible about bird activity in your backyard, then report them to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. View information on how to participate.
The GBBC started 28 years ago as a cross collaboration between the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon. It was the first effort to harness the nascent power of online technology through “citizen science” to track global avian populations. (Fun fact: the Cornell Lab of Ornithology coined the term, “citizen science” back in the mid 1990s.) Since then, both the reporting technology and observations have exploded. In 2025 alone, more than 838,000 people from 200 countries logged observations about 8,087 bird species. That covers 77% of the globe’s avian species.
But what kind of birds can you expect to see in your Evergreen, CO backyard this time of year?
Evergreen is approximately 7,200 feet above sea level, making it one of only 100 U.S. municipalities at or above that lofty elevation. (Most are in Colorado. Go figure.) That’s good for skiers, hikers and snow lovers. However, it’s a different story this time of year for birds. You see, such high elevations in winter hold little food for transient birds. That’s why most of Evergreen’s migrants hit the sky highway come late summer and fall. Essentially, the larder offered by spring and summer is gone. However, there are hardy species that call Evergreen (and your backyard) home throughout the year. Here are just a few.
Dark-eyed Juncos
Back East, this endearing Sparrow species is called, “The Winter Bird.” That’s because, as short distant migrants, they mostly travel horizontally from northern climes to those a bit farther south. Yet in Colorado, Dark-eyed Juncos are largely altitudinal migrants. That means they breed at high elevations during summer and spring, then descend come winter to lower elevations to find more warmth and food. Some bypass Evergreen and make their way to Denver suburbs. Others will stick around gleaning seeds from your conifer trees, dormant flower beds and feeders. You just need to keep an eye out!
Mountain Chickadees
This ever-present cousin of the Black-capped Chickadee is both energetic and entertaining. But they’re also good for the surrounding forest. Research shows that when potentially tree-killing insects attack their food sources (largely coniferous trees providing seeds and nuts), Mountain Chickadees gorge themselves on the invaders. This bird will visit your backyard throughout the winter (and the entire year.) But in the cold months, it’s especially important to stock your feeders with fresh, fat-laden black-oil sunflower. (Ahem, the kind they carry at Littleton’s Front Range Birding & Optics.)
Pygmy Nuthatches
These frenetic fluff balls are another permanent denizen of Evergreen’s forests and backyards. And, as their name implies, they are indeed tiny. (Even smaller than the diminutive White-breasted and Red-breasted Nuthatches you’ll also see flittering about.) Pygmy Nuthatches are partial to Ponderosa Pine forests. So, they’re easy to entice into your backyard. All you need is a suet feeder and/ or feeder filled with black oil sunflower.
Red Crossbills
No, you probably won’t see this bird at your feeder. But you may see it visiting your property in pursuit of seeds from Engelmann Spruce, Douglas Fir, Lodgepole Pine and other conifers. In fact, the Red Crossbill is built for this food source – literally. Its seemingly misshapen bill is actually a brilliant natural adaptation, allowing the bird to pry open a gap between pinecone scales, exposing the nut meat within!
Cooper’s Hawks
This stunning raptor may swoop its way to your bird feeder…to feed on birds! Like all members of the Accipiter family (including Goshawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks) it has narrow wings and a long tail. The wings give it speed while the tail acts as a rudder as it zooms after avian prey through heavily forested woodlands. (After all, one wrong turn can mean slamming into a tree instead of catching dinner.) The one thing Cooper’s Hawks (and all Accipiters) can’t do well is soar. Leave that to the hawks of the Buteo family, such as Red-tailed Hawks, with their far-broader wings and far shorter tails. So your best chance of seeing a “Coop” is while it patiently awaits the right moment to pounce from a backyard tree…or as it’s plucking the feathers from a songbird below your feeder!
American Dippers
Have a stream running close to (or through) your backyard? Don’t discount an American Dipper sighting. As North America’s only aquatic songbird, it haunts the rivulets, lakes and ponds throughout Evergreen. You’ll see it dancing across rocks in the water or on its edge. Then – poof – the American Dipper is gone. That’s because it has gone underwater largely in search of aquatic insect larvae. (Yes, larvae still abundantly populate streams during winter.)
Of course, this is just a tiny selection of birds you may see during the GBBC. And that’s part of the fun – you just never know what may show up!
Dave Kwasnick is an avid birder, writer, nature photographer and, along with his wife Lori, owner of Front Range Birding & Optics in Littleton and Boulder, CO.