What do you get as part of the Kootenay Lifestyle that you couldn’t possibly get in a large city? The opportunity to live amidst a plethora of wildlife. From little ones to big ones – we have wildlife in the East Kootenay region in all shapes and sizes. Though a complete list is not possible, here’s some of what you might see:
The Big Ones
- Bears – (Brown, Black, and Grizzly)
- Big Horn Sheep
- Mountain Goat
- Moose
- Elk (or Wapiti)
- Deer (Mule, White-tailed)
The Somewhat Smaller Ones
- Coyote
- Mountain Lion
- Red Fox
- Grey Wolf
- Canada Lynx
The Smaller Ones
- Squirrels and Chipmunks
- Painted Turtles
- Toads and Frogs
Beaver - Snowshoe Hare
- American Pika
- American Beaver
- Marmot and Muskrat
- American Badger
- Striped Skunk
- North American River Otter
The Feathered Ones
There are definitely far too many bird species in our region to name, but here are a few to keep your eyes open for:
- Eagles (Bald, Golden)
- Hawks (Red-tailed, Cooper’s, Rough-legged, Short-tailed, Common, Northern Goshawk, Broad-winged, Sharp-shinned, Swainson’s, Ferruginous)
Golden Eagle - Falcons (Peregrine, American Kestrel, Merlin, Prairie)
- Osprey
- Great Blue Heron
- Trumpeter Swan
- Geese (Canada, Snow, Greater White Fronted, Cackling, Ross’s)
- Loons (Common, Pacific)
- Woodpeckers (Hairy, Pileated, Lewis’s, Downy, American Three-toed, Black-backed, White-headed, Red-headed)
- Sapsuckers (Red-naped, Red-breasted, Williamson’s)
- Ducks (Mallard, Lesser Scaup, Ruddy, Ring-necked, Wood, Redhead, Harlequin, Long-tailed, Tufted)
- Doves (Eurasian Collared, Mourning)
- Owls (Barred, Great Horned, Flammulated, Long-eared, Northern Pygmy, Short-eared, Boreal, Western Screech, Snowy)
- Common Ravens and Crows
- Wild Turkey
- Robins
- Grouse (Spruce, Dusky, Ruffed, White-tailed Ptarmigan)
- Bluebirds (Western, Mountain)
- Blue Jays/Steller’s Jay/Canada Jays
- Northern Cardinal
- Blackbirds (Red-winged, Yellow Headed, Brewers, Rusty)
- House Finches
- Chickadees (Chestnut-backed, Mountain, Boreal)
- Juncos
- Hummingbirds (Rufous, Black-chinned, Calliope, Anna’s, Ruby-throated, Costa’s, Broad-tailed)
Though that’s a pretty extensive list, it only scratches the surface of the critters – big and small – that you can find in the Kootenays. Living in symbiosis with them is a big part of the Kootenay Lifestyle. Click here for information on where and when to head out for optimal wildlife viewing, along with some safety tips for you and the wildlife.