Kootenai

National Wildlife 

Refuge

Watchable Wildlife

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
The Refuge

Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge 

is located in Idaho’s Panhandle 

approximately 20 miles south of the 

Canadian border. The refuge was 

established in June 24, 1964, by the 

MBCC, primarily to create a resting 

area for migrating waterfowl.

The small 2,774 acre refuge 

encompasses a wide variety of habitat 

types. Wetlands, meadows, riparian 

forests and cultivated agricultural 

fields (for producing wildlife food 

crops) are interspersed in the valley 

bottom adjacent to the Kootenai 

River. Wetlands include open-water 

ponds, seasonal cattail-bulrush 

marshes, tree-lined ponds and 

rushing creeks. The western portion 

of the refuge ascends the foothills of 

the Selkirk Mountains which consists 

of dense coniferous forest.

Wildlife species in this leaflet are 

grouped into five categories: birds, 

fish, amphibians, reptiles and 

mammals. Approximately 300 species 

of vertebrate animals normally occur 

on the refuge, indicating the richness 

and diversity of this environment.

Early morning and in the evening 

are generally the best times for 

observing wildlife, although there is 

always something exciting to see at 

other times of the day too. Many field 

guides are available at most book 

stores which describe an animal’s 

habitat to help you learn where to 

look for particular species. This leaflet 

shows the seasons a bird is likely to 

be present, as well as other wildlife 

you may encounter during your visit. 

A good pair of binoculars or a spotting 

scope will help you observe wildlife 

from a distance without disturbing 

them. There are many wonderful 

opportunities for wildlife photography 

at the refuge as well. 

A copy of the refuge regulations 

can be found in the main refuge 

and hunting and fishing brochures 

(available at refuge headquarters 

and brochure boxes).

Wildland 

Diversity

Attracts Many

Animals

Tips to Help

You Enjoy

Wildlife

Introduction
Good Luck! Whether you are a 

seasoned observer or just beginning, 

we wish you many pleasant and 

memorable experiences from your 

visit.

Seasons on the Refuge

Mid-March most ponds are ice free, 

the mallard and pintail migration is 

at its peak, and Canada geese are 

beginning to nest. In late March, 

trillium begins blooming as the 

snow recedes; coinciding with the 

mountain bluebird migration. 

Early April - osprey arrive and the 

bald eagles initiate their nesting. 

Mid-April - sounds of spring are 

in the air, with ruffed grouse 

“drumming” and snipe “winnowing.” 

Late April - geese are hatching and 

hummingbirds have arrived. May 

through June - numerous wildflowers 

including paintbrush, lupine, tiger lily, 

subalpine mariposa lily, bear grass, 

orange honeysuckle, chokecherry, 

elderberry, thimbleberry, mountain 

ash and Oregon grape are in full 

bloom. Ducklings begin to hatch 

and moose may be seen on occasion.

June - duck broods are prominent and 

painted turtles are venturing from the 

water’s edge to find favorable nesting 

sites nearby. Mid-June through midJuly are generally the best times to 

observe moose on the refuge. In July, 

eagle nestlings are stretching their 

wings and goslings are starting to 

take first flight. Syringa (the Idaho 

State Flower) and pearly everlasting 

are blooming and fireweed, a favorite 

of the hummingbirds, is also on full 

display. August begins the migration 

of waterfowl and shorebirds.

September - osprey and shorebirds 

depart early, while late in the month 

goose migration reaches its peak. 

October - signals a change as kestrels 

leave for warmer climates and roughlegged hawks and more bald eagles 

arrive for the winter. At mid-month 

tundra swans stop briefly to restore 

their energy. November - ducks, 

comprised mostly of mallards, peak 

at 25,000-35,000 early in the month.

Spring 

Summer 

Fall

Kootenai NWR Bird List Key
By late November most ponds freeze 

over and bald eagles concentrate 

their foraging efforts on dense flocks 

of waterfowl congregated on the last 

of the open water.

In December, waterfowl move to the 

ice-free Kootenai River but still feed 

in refuge grain fields. Elk and deer 

move down from the snow covered 

Selkirk mountains and also feed on 

refuge crops to survive the next few 

stressful months. Late in February, 

tundra swans arrive while goldeneyes 

and mergansers begin courtship 

displays.

SP- Spring, March through May

S - Summer, June through August

F - Fall, September through 

 November

W - Winter, December through

 February

a = abundant - large numbers, 

 easily seen

c = common - easily seen, but not in

 large numbers

u = uncommon - small numbers, not

 always seen

o = occasional - seen only a few 

 times during a season

r = rare - only a few records

= birds known to nest within Boundary County

= endangered species

= threatened species

The following list contains 223 bird 

species you can expect to see and the 

most likely time of year they occur 

on the refuge. In addition, another 

nine accidentals are of extremely rare 

occurrence.

These additional nine species are 

out of their normal range, but have 

been recorded locally by one or a few 

sightings.

Great Egret

Cattle Egret

Long-tailed Duck

White-faced Ibis

Black-necked Stilt

Surf Scoter

Seasonal 

Abundance 

Codes

Accidentals

Winter

Seasons 

White-winged 

 Scoter

Upland Sandpiper

Band-tailed 

 Pigeon

*

	 •

+
Birds of Kootenai NWR

Common Name Sp S F W

Loons

Common Loon o u

Grebes

*Pied-billed Grebe c c u

Horned Grebe u r u

Red-necked Grebe o o o

Eared Grebe u o u

Western Grebe u r u

Pelicans

American White Pelican o o 

Cormorants

*Double-crested Cormorant o o o

Bitterns, Herons and Egrets

*American Bittern u u o

*Great Blue Heron c c c u

New World Vultures

Turkey Vulture u u o

Swans, Geese and Ducks

Greater White-fronted Goose u u

Snow Goose o o

Ross’ Goose r r

*Canada Goose a c a c

Tundra Swan c u

Trumpeter Swan u u

*Wood Duck c c u

*Mallard a a a a

*Gadwall c c c o

*Northern Pintail a u a o

*American Wigeon a c a o

Eurasian Wigeon o

*Blue-winged Teal c c o

*Cinnamon Teal c c o

*Northern Shoveler c u u

*Green-winged Teal c u a o

Canvasback o o

*Redhead c c u

*Ring-necked Duck c c c

Greater Scaup r r

Lesser Scaup o o o

Swans, Geese and Ducks continued next page
Common Name Sp S F W

Swans, Geese and Ducks continued

*Harlequin Duck r r r

*Common Goldeneye c c c u

Barrow’s Goldeneye u o u

*Bufflehead c u c o

*Hooded Merganser c c c o

*Common Merganser u u

Red-breasted Merganser r r

*Ruddy Duck c c u

Osprey, Kites, Hawks and Eagles

*Osprey u c o

*Bald Eagle c c c c

*Northern Harrier c c u u

*Sharp-shinned Hawk o u o o

*Cooper’s Hawk o u o o

*Northern Goshawk r r r o

Ferruginous Hawk u

Swainson’s Hawk r o r

*Red-tailed Hawk c c u u

Rough-legged Hawk c c c

*Golden Eagle o o o o

Falcons and Caracaras

*American Kestrel c c c u

*Merlin r o r

*Peregrine Falcon r r r

Prairie Falcon r r r

Gallinaceous Birds

*Ring-necked Pheasant u u u u 

*Ruffed Grouse c c c c

*Spruce Grouse r

*Dusky Grouse o o o

*Wild Turkey o o o o

California Quail r r r r

Rails

*Virginia Rail o o

*Sora u u o

*American Coot a a a o

Cranes

Sandhill Crane o o

+
Plovers

Black-bellied Plover o

Semipalmated Plover r o

*Killdeer c c c

Stilts and Avocets

American Avocet r r

Sandpipers , Phalaropes and Snipe

Greater Yellowlegs u o u

Lesser Yellowlegs u o u

Solitary Sandpiper o o u

*Spotted Sandpiper u c u

Long-billed Curlew r

Marbled Godwit r

Sanderling o r

Semipalmated Sandpiper o u

Western Sandpiper o u

Least Sandpiper u o u

Baird’s Sandpiper o u

Pectoral Sandpiper o u

Stilt Sandpiper r

Short-billed Dowitcher r r

Long-billed Dowitcher u u c

*Wilson’s Snipe c c c

Wilson’s Phalarope u r o

Red-necked Phalarope o u

Skuas, Jaegers, Gulls and Terns

Franklin’s Gull o r o

Bonaparte’s Gull o o

Ring-billed Gull u u u o

California Gull u u u o

Herring Gull r r

Caspian Tern r r r

Common Tern r

Forster’s Tern o o

*Black Tern u c

Pigeons and Doves

*Rock Dove o o o o

*Mourning Dove u c u o

*Eurasian Collared Dove r r r r

Common Name Sp S F W
Typical Owls Western Screech-Owl 

rrrr

*Great Horned Owl cccc

Snowy Owl r

Northern Hawk Owl rr

*Northern Pygmy-Owl oooo

*Barred Owl rr

Long-eared Owlr r

Short-eared Owlo or

*Northern Saw-whet Owl oooo

Nightjars

*Common Nighthawkco

Swifts

*Black Swiftuu

*Vaux’s Swiftccu

Hummingbirds

*Black-chinned Hummingbird cc

*Calliope Hummingbird cc

*Rufous Hummingbird aa

Kingfishers

*Belted Kingfisheruuuo

Woodpeckers

Lewis’ Woodpecker rrr

*Red-naped Sapsucker uco

*Downy Woodpecker uuuu

*Hairy Woodpecker uuuu

*Three-toed Woodpecker rrrr

*Black-backed Woodpecker rrrr

*Northern Flickeraacc

*Pileated Woodpecker uuuu

Tyrant Flycatchers

Olive-sided Flycatcher orr

*Western Wood-Pewee ccr

*Willow Flycatcheroc

*Least Flycatcheruuu

*Hammond’s Flycatcher uou

*Dusky Flycatchercu

Western Flycatcher sp. ro

Say’s Phoeberr

Common Name SpSFW
Common Name Sp S F W

Western Kingbird o o

*Eastern Kingbird c a o

Shrikes

Loggerhead Shrike r r

Northern Shrike u o u

Vireos

*Cassin’s Vireo o u r

*Warbling Vireo o u r

*Red-eyed Vireo u c o

Crows, Jays and Magpies

*Gray Jay r o o

*Steller’s Jay c u c c

*Clark’s Nutcracker c r u c

*Black-billed Magpie u u u u

*American Crow a c c a

*Common Raven c c c a

Larks

Horned Lark r r r

Swallows

*Tree Swallow c a o

*Violet-green Swallow c c o

*Northern Rough-winged Swallow c c r

*Bank Swallow u c r

*Cliff Swallow c a o

*Barn Swallow c a u

Titmice and Chickadees

*Black-capped Chickadee a a a a

*Mountain Chickadee o r o o

*Chestnut-backed Chickadee u u u u

*Boreal Chickadee r r

Nuthatches

*Red-breasted Nuthatch c o u u

Creepers

*Brown Creeper o o o o

Wrens

*House Wren o

*Pacific Wren u o o

*Marsh Wren c c o
Common Name Sp

SFW

Dippers

*American Dipperuuuo

Kinglets

*Golden-crowned Kinglet cuco

Ruby-crowned Kinglet uruo

Thrushes

*Western Bluebirdr

*Mountain Bluebirduoo

*Townsend’s Solitaireuuo

*Veeryuc

*Swainson’s Thrush ucu

*Hermit Thrushoro

*American Robincaau

*Varied Thrushcrur

Mimic Thrushes

*Gray Catbirdoco

Starlings

*European Starling aaa u 

Wagtails and Pipits

*American Pipituru

Waxwings

Bohemian Waxwing u uo

*Cedar Waxwingocu

Wood Warblers

Orange-crowned Warbler oru

Nashville Warblercuo

*Yellow Warblerccu

*Yellow-rumped Warbler cuc

*Townsend’s Warbleroor

*American Redstartuco

*Northern Waterthrush oor

*MacGillivray’s Warbler ucu

*Common Yellowthroat cac

Wilson’s Warbler oo

Yellow-breasted Chat r

Tanagers

*Western Tanageruuo
Common Name Sp S F W

Sparrows and Towhees

*Spotted Towhee c u o o

American Tree Sparrow u u u

*Chipping Sparrow c c u

Brewer’s Sparrow r r

*Vesper Sparrow o o o

*Savannah Sparrow a c a

Grasshopper Sparrow r r r

*Fox Sparrow r r

*Song Sparrow a a c u

Lincoln’s Sparrow o r u

*White-crowned Sparrow u r c

Golden-crowned Sparrow r r

*Dark-eyed Junco c u c o

Lapland Longspur r

Snow Bunting u

Cardinals, Grosbeaks and Allies

*Black-headed Grosbeak o c r

*Lazuli Bunting o u o

Blackbirds and Orioles

Bobolink r o

*Red-winged Blackbird a a a u

*Western Meadowlark c c u r

*Yellow-headed Blackbird c a u r

*Brewer’s Blackbird r o r

*Brown-headed Cowbird o u o

*Bullock’s Oriole u u

Finches

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch o o

*Pine Grosbeak r r o

*Cassin’s Finch u u o o

*House Finch u u u u

*Red Crossbill c u u u

*White-winged Crossbill r r r r

Common Redpoll o o

*Pine Siskin a u c u

*American Goldfinch u c u u

*Evening Grosbeak u r u u

Old World Sparrows

*House Sparrow o o o o
The remaining vertebrate species 

are animals which also utilize the 

refuge but are perhaps a little more 

challenging to observe due to their 

general preferences in habitat types 

and behavior. The list includes 

22 species of fishes, 7 species of 

amphibians, 6 species of reptiles and 

51 species of mammals. These animals 

are always a welcome addition to any 

field trip and certainly add to the 

excitement and experience of visiting 

Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge.

Sturgeons

White Sturgeon

Trout, Char and Whitefish

Kokanee

Mountain Whitefish

Cutthroat Trout

Rainbow Trout

Brook Trout

Bull Trout

Minnows and Suckers

Lake Chub

Peamouth

Northern Pikeminnow

Longnose Dace

Redside Shiner

Longnose Sucker

Largescale Sucker

Catfishes and Cods

Brown Bullhead

Ling (Burbot)

Live-Bearing Fishes

Mosquitofish

Sunfishes and Perches

Pumpkinseed

Largemouth Bass

Yellow Perch

Sculpins

Slimy Sculpin

Torrent Sculpin

Fishes 

Other Wildlife

	•

+
Amphibians Salamanders

Tiger-Salamander

(Blotched subspecies)

Long-toed Salamander

(Northern subspecies)

Toads and Frogs

Western Toad (Boreal subspecies)

Pacific Treefrog

Wood Frog

Columbia Spotted Frog

Northern Leopard Frog

Turtles

Northern Painted Turtle

Skinks and Lizards

Western Skink

Northern Alligator Lizard

Snakes

Rubber Boa 

(Rocky Mountain subspecies)

Common Garter Snake 

(Valley Garter Snake subspecies)

Western Terrestrial Garter Snake

(Wandering Garter Snake subspecies)

Shrews

Masked Shrew

Vagrant Shrew

Water Shrew

Bats

Little Brown Bat

Yuma Bat

Western Long-eared Bat

Western Small-footed Bat

Fringed Bat

Long-legged Bat

Canyon Bat

California Bat

Silver-haired Bat

Big Brown Bat

Hoary Bat

Townsend’s Big-eared Bat

Hares and Rabbits

Snowshoe Hare

Chipmunks and Squirrels

Yellow Pine Chipmunk

Red-tailed Chipmunk

Yellow-bellied Marmot

Columbian Ground Squirrel

Mammals

Reptiles

Chipmunks and Squirrels continued next page
Red Squirrel

Northern Flying Squirrel

Pocket Gophers

Northern Pocket Gopher

Beavers

Beaver

New World Rats and Mice

Common Deer Mouse

Bushy-tailed Wood Rat

Gapper’s Red-backed Mouse

Common Meadow Mouse

Richardson’s Water Vole

Muskrat

Old World Rats and Mice

House Mouse

Jumping Mice

Western Jumping Mouse

New World Porcupines

Porcupine

Canines

Coyote Wolf

Bears

Black Bear Grizzly Bear

Raccoons

Raccoon

Weasels

Marten

Short-tailed Weasel

Long-tailed Weasel

Mink

Badger

Striped Skunk

River Otter

Cats

Mountain Lion Bobcat

Hoofed Mammals

Elk

Mule Deer

White-tailed Deer

Moose

Mammals

continued

Chipmunks and Squirrels continued
Notes

Date

Number of Species 

Time Afield

Observers

Weather

Remarks

Please report any unusual sightings to the refuge manager.
Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

287 Westside Road

Bonners Ferry, Idaho 83805

Telephone: 208/267 3888

FAX: 208/267 5570

http://www.fws.gov/refuge/kootenai/

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov

Refuge Information

1 800/344 WILD

February 2015

Cow moose with twin calves.

©Stan Bousson