Birds

In winter, majestic bald eagles are perched on cottonwood trees or soar over the water. The reservoir ecosystem attracts raptor species including golden eagle, red-tailed hawk, northern harrier, and ferruginous hawk, as well as waterfowl and shorebirds.

The Cherry Creek Bird Checklist provides information about the many species of migratory and resident birds observed here. It is available at the park office or entrance stations.

Visitors might see plains species of lark bunting, horned lark, and meadowlark. A nesting colony of black-crowned night herons uses wooded wetlands on the western side of the reservoir. Colonies of prairie dogs provide habitat for nesting and brood-rearing by burrowing owls, a threatened species in Colorado.