Colorado Grouse Expedition 2026: Dancing Grouse, Mountain Sunrises, and Prairie Ghosts

Our adventure began in northern Colorado, where we made our way through the foothills and high mountain forests toward Walden. A highlight of the first day came when we discovered a male Northern Pygmy-Owl showing off a meadow vole in its talons. Later that evening, two young moose crossed the road in front of us as the setting sun painted the surrounding mountains in warm shades of gold and pink.

It was a fitting introduction to the wild landscapes we would explore throughout the week.

The first lek morning is always special.

Long before dawn, we arrived at the Coalmont lek and quietly settled into position. As the darkness faded, the silhouettes scattered across the sagebrush slowly transformed into displaying Greater Sage-Grouse. Inflating their brilliant yellow air sacs and fanning their tails, the males performed one of the most unusual courtship displays in the bird world.

Watching dozens of birds display against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains and a glowing sunrise is an experience that photographs never quite capture.

Later that day, we explored the wetlands and reservoirs of North Park, where thousands of waterbirds gathered on migration. American White Pelicans, American Avocets, Willets, Eared Grebes, and countless ducks provided a dramatic contrast to the sagebrush landscapes of the morning.

If one moment defined the trip, it may have been our encounter with Sharp-tailed Grouse in the Yampa Valley.

Before sunrise, our group quietly settled into blinds on a private ranch. As the light slowly increased, the grouse began displaying only a few yards away. Males squared off against one another, rattling their tails and stamping their feet so rapidly that we could actually feel vibrations through the ground beneath us.

The sounds of displaying grouse mixed with the distant calls of Sandhill Cranes and singing Mountain Bluebirds created a truly unforgettable atmosphere.

One participant later described it as the most memorable wildlife experience of her life.

From Steamboat Springs, we continued into Colorado’s high country in search of mountain birds and our next grouse targets.

At a private feeder station, we enjoyed excellent views of Evening Grosbeaks, Cassin’s Finches, and Brown-capped Rosy-Finches. Nearby, a remarkably cooperative Dusky Grouse perched quietly in a tree long enough for everyone to enjoy exceptional views and photographs.

Later, along the Blue River in Silverthorne, we found one of Colorado’s most beloved birds: the American Dipper. Watching this unique songbird walk underwater in a rushing mountain stream is always a crowd favorite.

The following morning brought one of the trip’s biggest challenges: finding White-tailed Ptarmigan above treeline.

After searching the alpine tundra, we eventually located a ptarmigan resting near Pass Lake. Unlike many birds, ptarmigan often rely on camouflage rather than flight, and this bird allowed us to observe it peacefully from close range. Surrounded by snowfields and sweeping views of the Continental Divide, it was one of those perfect Colorado moments that reminds us why we love exploring the mountains.

As we worked our way south through the state, Colorado continued to showcase its incredible diversity.

Lewis’s Woodpeckers flashed through cottonwood groves near Buena Vista. Williamson’s Sapsuckers brightened mountain forests near Monarch Pass. Pinyon Jays and Juniper Titmice appeared among the pinyon-juniper woodlands around Salida.

By the time we reached Pueblo, spring migration was in full swing. Wetlands and reservoirs were filled with shorebirds and waterbirds, including White-faced Ibis, Wilson’s Phalaropes, Snowy Plovers, Clark’s Grebes, Franklin’s Gulls, and dozens of other species.

One of the highlights was watching Western Grebes perform their spectacular courtship dance, running across the surface of the water side-by-side in one of nature’s most elegant displays.

The eastern plains offered an entirely different birding experience.

Burrowing Owls peered from prairie dog colonies. Loggerhead Shrikes hunted from fence posts. Lark Buntings, Colorado’s state bird, decorated the grasslands with flashes of black and white. Cassin’s, Vesper, Grasshopper, Brewer’s, and Lark Sparrows adorned barbed wire fences.

At Lamar Community College, we encountered a remarkable wave of migrant songbirds. Warblers seemed to appear around every bend in the trail, while Brown Thrashers, Northern Cardinals, Northern Parula and Cassin’s Vireo added to the excitement.

For many participants, these lesser-known prairie landscapes became an unexpected favorite part of the tour.

Our final grouse targets awaited us farther east.

Near Oakley, Kansas, we climbed into a converted viewing blind before dawn and watched Lesser Prairie-Chickens displaying on their lek. Although we were arriving toward the end of the breeding season, the birds still provided excellent views and lively interactions.

The following morning, we visited a Greater Prairie-Chicken lek in northeastern Colorado. More than thirty birds were present, and we were fortunate enough to witness a successful mating event as the morning display unfolded.

With that, we had completed the our tour: 6 of Colorado’s 7 grouse species in a single trip.

As we made our way back toward Denver, there was still one final challenge ahead.

Near Pawnee National Grassland, we searched freshly plowed fields for Mountain Plovers, one of the most distinctive and rapidly declining birds of the Great Plains. After careful scanning, we located two birds blending almost perfectly into the surrounding landscape.

Often called the “prairie ghost,” the Mountain Plover proved to be a fitting final highlight for a trip dedicated to some of North America’s most specialized grassland birds.

Over nine days, our group traveled from alpine tundra to shortgrass prairie, experiencing some of the most spectacular wildlife Colorado has to offer.

We watched Greater Sage-Grouse inflate their air sacs at sunrise, felt the ground tremble beneath displaying Sharp-tailed Grouse, stood face-to-face with a White-tailed Ptarmigan above treeline, and completed the sweep of all five grouse species with both Lesser and Greater Prairie-Chickens.

The birds were extraordinary, but as always, it was the shared experience that made the trip special. Great wildlife, beautiful landscapes, and a wonderful group of travelers combined to create memories that will last a lifetime.

We’re already looking forward to next year’s Colorado Grouse Expedition.

To read more about our grouse adventures, check out this fantastic article written by our guide Bart Deferme, who guided our group of 6 Chinese professional photographers.