National Wildlife Refuges National Parks Acreage of Important Bird Areas 19 8 10,209,619 Montana spans a vast area of the Northwest, encompassing both arid grasslands and Rocky Mountain peaks. Most of the eastern two-thirds of the state is rolling prairie, while the western third features mountains and rivers much loved for terrific hiking, angling, and birding. Glacier National Park, Montana’s most famous destination, may be the best place to see Harlequin Ducks in the lower 48. It’s also home to more than 260 other species, including White-tailed Ptarmigan, Gray Jay, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, and Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch. Most of Montana’s top birding sites are national wildlife refuges, which provide habitat for waterfowl, most especially, but also shorebirds, grassland songbirds, and year-round raptors. Bowdoin, for example, is an Important Bird Area in the northeastern plains where you can see both Eared Grebes...