Birds
Utah Big Game Hunt Application Period
General-season Turkey Permits available now
Utah Big Game Hunt Application Period
General-season turkey permits
previous arrow
next arrow
Fishing information
Fish

Licensing, rules and
year-round hotspots.

Hunting information
Hunt

Learn about Utah's
great hunting opportunities.

Licenses & permits
Discover

Find out more about Utah's amazing wildlife.

Fishing information
Fish

Have
you been fishing yet?

Hunting information
Hunt

Learn about Utah's
great hunting opportunities.

Licenses & permits
Discover

Find out more about Utah's amazing wildlife.

Fishing information
Fish

It's time
to go fishing.

Hunting information
Hunt

Learn more about
Utah hunting.

Licenses & permits
Discover

Find out more about Utah's amazing wildlife.

Variety of birds perching on the rocks on Egg Island

Birds

An avian oasis

Variety of birds perching on the rocks on Egg Island

The Great Salt Lake is recognized nationally and around the world for its extensive wetlands and tremendous, often unparalleled value to migratory birds.

The lake's unique physical features, including its immense size, dynamic water levels, diversity of aquatic environments, extensive wetlands and geographic position within avian migration corridors, create a mosaic of habitat types that are attractive to literally millions of migratory birds that use the lake extensively for breeding, staging and in some cases, a wintering destination.

Quick facts

Over 10 million birds, represented by 338 species, utilize the Great Salt Lake and its associated wetlands and uplands:

  • As many as 5 million eared grebes, at times half to 90% of the North American population
  • Up to 20,000 breeding American white pelicans on Gunnison Island
  • Over 600,000 Wilson's phalaropes, the largest staging concentration in the world, representing over a third of the world population
  • 21% of the continental population of snowy plovers
  • Annual waterbird survey since 1997
Birds slideshow

Click or tap the image below to view a slideshow of birds from the Great Salt Lake.

Inside
Wildlife Blog: Views from DWR employees
» Wildlife Blog
Report poachers — 1-800-662-3337
» Report poachers
Wildlife dates
» Important dates
Hunter, angler mobile app