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The pygmy short-horned lizard occurs in sagebrush deserts, juniper woodlands, and open coniferous forests. It prefers open areas with sandy soils, but is also found on rocky soil. Ants make up a large part of the diet, but beetles, caterpillars, spiders, and sowbugs are also eaten. This lizard burrows into the soil when inactive. Photo by Dave Budeau, ODFW

The gopher snake occurs in a wide variety of habitats, from deserts and grasslands to woodlands and open forests. It frequents agricultural regions, especially where there is brushy cover such as fence rows. Diet varies according to size, with young eating insects, lizards, rodents, and birds and their eggs. Adults can take larger prey, occasionally as large as rabbits. Photo by Simon Wray, ODFW

The Western skink is found in moist places such as under rocks or logs in a variety of habitats from grassland and chaparral to desert scrub, juniper woodlands, and coniferous woodlands and forests. Rocky areas with some moisture, such as riparian zones, are favored. This skink feeds on a wide variety of invertebrates, including beetles, grasshoppers, moths, flies, spiders, and earthworms. Photo by Simon Wray, ODFW

The ringneck snake requires moist micro-habitats such as downed logs, rocks, or stumps. It is found in a variety of vegetation types, but is most closely associated with pine-oak woodlands and moist canyon bottoms. It also can be abundant in Willamette Valley grasslands. These snakes feed mainly on small lizards, snakes and salamanders and also slugs, earthworms, frogs, and insects. Photo by Simon Wray, ODFW

These delicate and truly golden plovers that pass through Oregon in fall are always a delight to find on an open beach or grassy coastal plain. The Pacific golden-plover feeds mainly in the open. A rare to uncommon migrant; most birds occur in fall on the outer coast. They are very rare to rare in winter on the coast and in the Willamette Valley. Hear the call of the Pacific golden-plover Photo by Dave Budeau, ODFW

The mountain cottontail is intermediate in size and light grayish-brown in color. Its tail is white and ears relatively broad and rounded. It is usually associated with rocky outcrops with nearby dominant vegetation consisting of big sagebrush, bitter-brush, rabbit-brush, western juniper and mountain-mahogany. In Oregon, it occurs throughout the state east of the Cascade Range with a western extension into Josephine County. Photo by ©Keith Kohl, ODFW

The Western fence lizard occupies a wide range of habitats, from desert canyons and grasslands to coniferous forests. It requires vertical structure in its habitat, such as rock piles or logs. It is absent from dense, humid forests and flat desert valleys. This lizard is insectivorous, and feeds on crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, ants , wasps, leafhoppers, and aphids. Some spiders are taken as well. Photo from ODFW

Oregon has 15 native snake species, from the beautifully colored California Mountain kingsnake to the rubber boa, a constrictor. Interestingly, the sharptail snake appears to specialize in feeding on slugs. And did you know that of our native snakes, only the Western rattlesnake has poisonous venom that's dangerous to humans? ODFW has a fun fact sheet for kids of any age, and a more in-depth brochure, Living with Snakes.

The rubber boa occurs in a variety of habitats, from desert scrub, foothill woodlands, and grasslands through deciduous and coniferous forests. In the Coast Range, it is found commonly in forest clearings that contain rotting stumps and logs. It is absent from the immediate vicinity of the coast north of Coos Bay. Rubber boas are constrictors and eat small mammals, especially young mice and shrews. Photo by Simon Wray, ODFW

The racer is found in a variety of open habitats, including sagebrush flats, juniper woodlands, chaparral, and meadows. It avoids dense forests, high mountains, and very dry areas, and seeks cover under rocks, logs, or dense shrubs This species feeds on lizards, smaller snakes, frogs, toads, small mammals, birds and their eggs, and some insects. Young racers eat crickets, grasshoppers, and other insects. Photo by Simon Wray, ODFW

This northern grouse reaches Oregon only in the forests of the Wallowa Mountains in the northeastern part of the state. It is dusky and slightly smaller than the ruffed grouse. Sexes are different in coloration; males have a black breast with white spotting on the sides, white spots at the base of a black tail, and a red comb above the eye. Females are heavily barred with dark brown and white and have a dark tail. Hear the call of the spruce grouse Photo by Dave Budeau, ODFW

An Oregon native, sooty grouse occupy the coniferous forests of western Oregon, the eastern slopes of the Cascades, the Blue Mountains of northeastern Oregon, and the Klamath Basin and South Warner Mountains. Preferred habitat includes timber edges, open timbered slopes and mountain meadows, often adjacent to springs or other sources of water. They are often associated with berry producing areas such as chokecherry thickets. Hear the call of the sooty grouse Photo by ©Keith Kohl, ODFW

Along coastal shores and islands, the chatter and flight calls of Black turnstones invite an observer to look more closely at the rocky substrates to find these birds busily picking about in their search for food. They primarily use rocky shores, jetties, and offshore islands, but may also be found on shorebird flats and sandy beaches. The Black turnstone is a common transient and winter visitant on the coast. Hear the call of the Black turnstone Phogo by ©Keith Kohl, ODFW

About the size of the domestic pigeon, this swift-flying species is popular among sport hunters. An arboreal bird, it is often observed perched alone on top of a tall tree or in flocks when flying about feeding areas and mineral sites. This is a common summer resident in forested areas west of the Cascade crest. It typically nests in forested mountain areas in the west Cascades. Hear the call of the Band-tailed pigeon Photo by Dave Budeau, ODFW