Birding the Georgetown Lake and Silver Lakes Area
Directions: Georgetown and Silver Lakes are located 12 miles west of Anaconda on MT Highway 1.
General information: The Pintlar Mountains to the south and Flint Creek range to the north surround these lakes. Much of the land around the lakes is private. There are however, numerous public boat ramps and campgrounds with good paved or gravel roads surrounding the lake. Georgetown Lake is 3,000-acres, with an average depth of 20 feet. Silver Lake is 600-acres, and quite deep at 90 to 100 feet. East Fork Reservoir, six miles west of Georgetown Lake and Lost Creek State Park 6 miles north of Anaconda are other good birding locations with similar habitats. Another good location for birding in high elevation meadows and mountains is, the Mount Haggin Wildlife Management Area located south of Anaconda on Highway 274.
Habitats: Mountain lake wetlands, meadow, and stream riparian areas with alder and willow. Extensive coniferous forest of spruce, fir, and lodgepole pine mixed with scattered stands of aspen and numerous open parks of tall grasses.
Species of note: Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter (fall migration- Silver Lake) Spruce Grouse, Common Loon, Red-necked Grebe, Bald Eagle, Northern Goshawk, Golden Eagle, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Great Gray Owl, Williamson’s Sapsucker, American Three-toed Woodpecker, Black-backed Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Hammond’s Flycatcher, Dusky Flycatcher, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Gray Jay, Steller’s Jay, Blue Jay, Clark’s Nutcracker, Mountain Chickadee, Brown Creeper, American Dipper, Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Townsend’s Solitaire, Hermit Thrush, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Lincoln’s Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Pine Grosbeak, Red Crossbill, Pine Siskin, and Evening Grosbeak.
Best viewing season: May - September; October - November for scoters and loons; December - March for owls, jays and grosbeaks. Winter access can be limited.
Download the Southwest Montana Birding Brochure
Contacts:
Pintlar Ranger District (Philipsburg Office)
88 Business Loop
Philipsburg, MT 59858
(406) 859-3211
Anaconda Chamber/VIC
(406) 563-2400
Georgetown Lake