Summer Hummers at Lyons — free hummingbird watching near Boulder
Free guided hummingbird walk near Lyons, CO with Denver Audubon. Spot broad-tailed, rufous, and calliope hummingbirds at peak summer activity. Jul 14, 8–10:30 AM MDT.
Why we picked this
The Lyons area near the St. Vrain Creek drainage is one of the best spots in Colorado to see multiple hummingbird species together in July — broad-tailed hummingbirds breed here, and rufous and calliope hummingbirds pass through on their southbound migration.
Denver Audubon’s Summer Hummers series takes participants to Lyons, Colorado — a small town at the edge of the foothills north of Boulder where hummingbird diversity peaks in mid-July. Broad-tailed hummingbirds breed in the area, while rufous hummingbirds begin their southbound migration through the foothills in July, making mid-summer a window for seeing multiple species at once.
The distinctive trill of male broad-tailed hummingbird wings — produced by a notched outer primary feather — is audible before the bird is visible, and guides will help participants tune into the sounds as well as the sights. Calliope hummingbirds, the smallest birds in North America, are also possible on this route.
The walk runs 2.5 hours starting at 8 AM. Registration provides the specific meeting point near Lyons. Free to attend. This is part of Denver Audubon’s Summer Hummers series, which runs multiple sessions through July — check the calendar if this date doesn’t work.