Real Bird was raised by his grandparents ranching on the Crow Reservation in Montana, and entered first grade speaking only the Crow Indian Language, which as his primary language gives form to his poetry. He competed as a saddle bronc rider during college,[2] where in 1969, he dislocated his hip after being thrown and dragged by his foot. The injury began his, "transition out of the physical world of bronc riding into the spiritual world of writing," he said. During this time, he read works from Longfellow, Tennyson, Thoreau, and Edgar Allan Poe, which inspired much of his writing .[3] Real Bird remained on the pro rodeo circuit until 1980 when he finally hung up the saddle after years of continued pain. He eventually received his bachelor's in elementary education from Montana State University-Bozeman and went on to receive a master's from MSU-Billings.[4]
Real Bird has written six anthologies, four poetry collections, and twelve children's books which he also illustrated. He is actively involved as a cowboy poet and recites work annually at the Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada. The National Cowboy Hall of Fame granted him the Western Heritage Award for his poetry that reflects his fusion of cowboy, horsemanship, and Crow culture. In 2009, Gov. Schweitzer of Montana appointed Real Bird as the third poet laureate of Montana.[4] In the summer of 2010, as the poet laureate, Real Bird traveled by horseback 415 miles to distribute books of poetry.[5]