Colorado Grouse Expedition
Colorado Grouse Expedition Overview
Highlights: Rare Birds • Photography • Conservation • Thoughtfully Curated Experience
Each spring, Colorado’s varied landscapes come alive with one of North America’s most captivating wildlife spectacles: the courtship displays of its native grouse. This 9-day journey is designed to encounter six of the region’s seven grouse species while exploring alpine tundra, montane forests, expansive sagebrush basins, and the open shortgrass prairie—leaving out only the Gunnison Sage-Grouse and the Colorado Plateau.
With early-morning lek visits, carefully secured viewing access, and a thoughtfully designed route across multiple ecosystems, this expedition offers a rich blend of iconic species, sweeping landscapes, and meaningful interpretation—creating a deeply immersive and memorable wildlife experience.
Tour Features
Price per Guest:
$3,200 USD ($600 single supplement)
What to Expect on This Tour
The Colorado Grouse Expedition is an active, immersive adventure designed around the spring courtship rituals of wild grouse. On lek mornings, we rise before dawn to quietly position ourselves to observe spectacular behavior — booming, strutting, stamping, and sparring in golden light.
Between lek visits, we travel through dramatically different landscapes in search of additional target species. Expect early mornings, scenic drives, frequent birding stops, and time for photography. Dinners are relaxed and social; mornings are early and electric.
Participants should be prepared for variable mountain weather, cold wind on the high plains, and elevations ranging from 4,000 ft to high alpine passes surpassing 12,000 ft.
A Day-by-Day Look At the Journey
We begin before dawn with one of the West’s most iconic wildlife spectacles—a Greater Sage-Grouse lek, where males display across the open sagebrush in the soft light of sunrise. From here, we continue to a nearby wildlife refuge, scanning expansive wetlands and grasslands for waterfowl, raptors, and early-season migrants.
As the day unfolds, we travel westward, climbing into the mountains over a scenic high-elevation pass, with opportunities to encounter montane species along the way. By afternoon, we arrive in Steamboat Springs, where there’s time to relax, explore town, or recharge before the next day’s early start. We settle in for the evening at a comfortable lodge, reflecting on a day that bridges Colorado’s wide-open basins and rising mountain landscapes.
Overnight: Nordic Lodge (Steamboat Springs, CO)
Targets: Greater Sage-Grouse, Sage Thrasher, Mountain Bluebird, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Cinnamon Teal, Canvasback, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Canada Jay, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Pine Grosbeak, Brown Creeper
We start the day before sunrise at a Sharp-tailed Grouse lek, where males gather on open display grounds, dancing and sparring in one of spring’s most dynamic wildlife spectacles. After this unforgettable experience, we spend the morning birding the surrounding valleys and riparian corridors, searching for a variety of mountain and foothill species.
As we make our way south, we continue birding along scenic routes that transition from open country into higher elevations, with frequent stops to explore productive habitats. By afternoon, we arrive in the central mountains, where local feeders often attract a diversity of species, offering excellent viewing and photography opportunities. We settle in for the evening in Summit County, preparing for another exciting day ahead.
Overnight: Comfort Inn & Suites (Dillon, CO)
Targets: Sharp-tailed Grouse, Dusky Grouse, Sandhill Crane, Wilson’s Snipe, Brown-capped Rosy-Finch, Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, Black Rosy-Finch, Evening Grosbeak, Steller’s Jay, Canada Jay, Pine Siskin, Clark’s Nutcracker, Band-tailed Pigeon
Today we climb into the high country in search of one of Colorado’s most sought-after species, the White-tailed Ptarmigan, navigating windswept alpine terrain where winter still lingers. After time above treeline, we descend through scenic mountain passes, transitioning into open valleys and sagebrush landscapes.
Along the way, we visit productive wetlands and reservoirs that attract a diversity of shorebirds, waterfowl, and raptors, offering a different pace and excellent viewing opportunities. The afternoon brings time to explore dramatic canyon country, where cliffs and river corridors host a variety of western species. We end the day in a charming mountain town, settling in for a relaxing evening after a full day spanning Colorado’s highest elevations to its rich valley habitats.
Overnight: Best Western Vista Inn (Buena Vista, CO)
Targets: White-tailed Ptarmigan, American Three-toed Woodpecker, Red-naped Sapsucker, Williamson’s Sapsucker, Lewis’s Woodpecker, American Avocet
We begin the day exploring productive habitats around our mountain base, where riparian corridors, open woodlands, and nearby grasslands offer a diverse mix of western birdlife. As the morning unfolds, we travel south and east, gradually transitioning out of the mountains and into warmer, drier landscapes.
Along the way, we make strategic stops in foothill and plains habitats, scanning for a variety of species adapted to these environments—birds like Juniper Titmouse, Pinyon Jay, Bushtit, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Rock Wren, and Canyon Towhee are possible. By afternoon, we arrive in the open country of the southern plains, where expansive views and changing ecosystems set the stage for the next phase of the journey. We settle in for the evening, ready for another early start and new habitats to explore.
Overnight: Wingate by Wyndham (Pueblo, CO)
Targets: Pinyon Jay, Juniper Titmouse, Clark’s Nutcracker, Bushtit, Canyon Towhee, Spotted Towhee, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Today we move deeper into Colorado’s southeastern plains, where expansive reservoirs and open grasslands create ideal conditions for a wide diversity of birdlife. We begin the morning exploring productive shoreline and wetland habitats, scanning for waterbirds, shorebirds, and raptors before continuing east across increasingly open country.
As the landscape transitions, we enter classic shortgrass prairie, where specialty species begin to emerge. Around the southern plains, we search for regional highlights such as Scaled Quail and Curve-billed Thrasher, along with a variety of grassland birds uniquely adapted to this arid environment. By afternoon, we continue through a network of reservoirs and prairie habitats, arriving in the heart of the plains where vast horizons and quiet landscapes define the experience. We settle in for the evening, well-positioned for the next day’s early start.
Overnight: Cobblestone Hotel & Suites (Lamar, CO)
Targets: Western Grebe, Clark’s Grebe, Common Loon, Scaled Quail, Curve-billed Thrasher, Bewick’s Wren, Ferruginous Hawk, Swainson’s Hawk, American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Snowy Plover, Mountain Plover, Baird’s Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Wilson’s Phalarope
We begin the day birding the rich mix of riparian corridors, agricultural edges, and open grasslands surrounding the southern plains, where spring migration is well underway. These productive habitats can host an exciting diversity of species, including Western Kingbird, Bullock’s Oriole, Lark Bunting and Lark Sparrow to name a few.
As we continue east, the landscape opens into expansive prairie and unique dune systems, where we search for true Great Plains specialties. By afternoon, we cross into the heart of the High Plains, where wide horizons and intact grasslands define the experience. We settle in for the evening, positioned for one of the most anticipated mornings of the trip.
Overnight: El Quartelejo Inn & Suites (Scott City, KS)
Targets: Cassin’s Sparrow, Lark Bunting, Lark Sparrow, Loggerhead Shrike, Swainson’s Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Bullock’s Oriole, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Northern Bobwhite, Ash-throated Flycatcher
Before dawn, we head out onto the open prairie for one of the most sought-after wildlife experiences in North America—a Lesser Prairie-Chicken lek. As the first light breaks over the grasslands, males gather to perform their bubbling, foot-stomping displays in a spectacle that is both intimate and unforgettable.
After the morning’s excitement, we continue exploring the surrounding High Plains, where a network of wetlands, reservoirs, and grasslands supports a rich diversity of birdlife. These habitats can host waterfowl, shorebirds, and raptors, along with grassland specialties. The afternoon offers a more relaxed pace as we bird our way through this mosaic of habitats, eventually arriving in a quiet plains community where we reflect on a truly remarkable day in one of North America’s most iconic ecosystems.
Overnight: Cobblestone Inn & Suites (Wray, CO)
Targets: Lesser Prairie-Chicken, Ferruginous Hawk, Vesper Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Burrowing Owl, Chestnut-collared Longspur, Thick-billed Longspur
We begin our final morning before dawn with one last unforgettable spectacle—a Greater Prairie-Chicken lek, where males gather on the open prairie to boom, display, and compete in a timeless ritual of the grasslands. As the sun rises, we take in the sights and sounds of this iconic ecosystem, bringing the journey full circle.
After the lek, we spend the remainder of the day birding the Pawnee National Grasslands, where expansive prairies support a rich diversity of species, from longspurs and larks to raptors riding the morning thermals. As we make our way back toward the Front Range, we reflect on the remarkable range of habitats and wildlife experienced over the course of the expedition—from alpine tundra to the open plains.
We conclude the journey with a celebratory early dinner, sharing stories and highlights from the trip before departures, bringing to a close an unforgettable exploration of Colorado’s wild spring landscapes.
Overnight: None
Targets: Greater Prairie-Chicken, Upland Sandpiper, Burrowing Owl, Chestnut-collared and Thick-billed Longspurs, Mountain Plover
Traveling Responsibly: Climate & Conservation Impact
A portion of every grouse tour directly supports the conservation of the species and habitats we explore. We donate 5% of each tour to leading organizations including the North American Grouse Partnership, Pheasants Forever, and The Nature Conservancy – groups working on the ground to protect sagebrush ecosystems, native grasslands, and critical breeding habitat across North America. By joining us in the field, you’re not only witnessing one of wildlife’s most remarkable spectacles—you’re helping ensure it endures for generations to come.
With rancher Bob Bledsoe, a key partner in protecting Greater Prairie-Chicken lek sites in eastern Colorado.
Past Trips & Proven Experiences
Real experiences from recent Birding Man grouse tours
Our April 2025 trip through Colorado consisted of gorgeous views, exciting wildlife encounters, and amazing group comradery. W tallied 105 species, including all five species of mountain grouse. All three species of rosy-finch, Pinyon Jay, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Northern Saw-whet and Boreal Owls, Golden Eagle, Evening Grosbeak, and American Three-toed Woodpecker were other trip highlights.
What Our Guests Are Saying
“Birding Man proved themselves to be a well organized company with a very knowledgeable guide, which resulted in a very successful and enjoyable trip. The bird species and their locations were well scouted, and the trip was nicely orchestrated. My only concern is that I took so many photos it will take me forever to go through and do any post-processing on them”
-Bill B., Mountain Chicken Chase 2025
“This was an energetic trip from the start. There are several early morning starts in pursuit of fantastic birds. The scenery is outstanding. We saw all of the major species we set out to observe and, ultimately, over 100 species. Ryan is a genial, energetic, and considerate guide. All the accommodations were good and reliable. Participants need to be able to pop in and out of the van and to manage both rocky and snowy trails. It was a fantastic trip and we recommend it highly!”
-Peter J., Mountain Chicken Chase 2025
This is just one of many five-star experiences.
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