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Features: While in the ocean, Chinook salmon often have a purple hue to their backs with silvery sides and bellies, large oblong black spots on the back, and round black spots on both lobes of the tail (note that tail spotting may be obscured in ocean fish by “silver” in the tail). Upon returning to freshwater to spawn, Chinook darken in color and develop red on their bellies and fins. A key identifier is the black gum line on the lower jaw with dark colors both inside and outside of the gum line. Spawning generally occurs from August to early…

Features: Color varies, but walleye are generally dark olive-brown on top grading to almost white below. Walleye have two well-separated dorsal fins; the first fin has a large black spot at its rear base. The opaque eyes, giving the fish its common name, and canine teeth are other prominent features. Habitat: Walleye are found in the Columbia, Willamette and Snake rivers. In the Willamette River, the walleye fishery is generally limited to the section downstream from Willamette Falls at Oregon City, although a few have been documented as far upstream as Dexter Dam. Walleye prefer large, clean and cold or…

The Greater sandhill crane is Oregon's tallest bird. This large majestic crane has a guttural gurgling or bugling call, and is easily noticed in flight by its profile, with long neck and head extending straight ahead and long legs trailing behind. The Greater sandhill crane is distinguished by its red crown and white cheek patches, contrasting with with a light gray body. Fledged young resemble adults, but have a feathered forehead, a lighter tawny plumage, and lack the red crown and white cheek patches during their first fall. Fledged young have a squeaky cheap call often heard in flight during…

Sea turtles are federally protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. NOAA Fisheries is responsible for conservation and recovery of sea turtles in the marine environment, while the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is lead on conservation and recovery of sea turtles on nesting beaches.

Invasive species are animals and plants that are not native to an ecosystem and that cause economic or environmental harm. Not all non-native species are invasive, however many become a serious problem. They can aggressively compete with Oregon's native wildlife for food and habitat.

The Eastern gray squirrel is the smallest member of the genus in Oregon. This squirrel was introduced into Oregon and can now be found in Salem, Portland, Milwaukie, and Vale. All populations in Oregon have been found in urban areas. This squirrel is active throughout the year, activity restricted to daylight hours. Photo from Washington Fish and Wildlife

The rock scallop ( Crassadoma gigantea) lives in the swift current shallows of Oregon's nearshore rocky reefs. Due to the coloration at its hinge, it is also known as the purple hinged scallop. These highly specialized scallops cement themselves to rocks, primarily at depths from 10 to 150 feet. They feed on microscopic plankton they filter from the water and reproduce via broadcast spawning. In order for spawning to be successful, they need to be close to one another. For this reason, it is best to harvest solitary rock scallops and minimize harvest pressure on dense aggregations which are more…

These elegant shorebirds are found as often in dry or damp upland areas as they are on mudflats or beaches. The plain brown immature birds of autumn become spangled with black and gold as breeding approaches. It is an occasional to uncommon migrant in western Oregon (mainly coastal) and locally rare, irregular migrant in eastern Oregon, with most reports at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, in the Klamath Basin (summer) and in Umatilla County. Hear the call of the American golden-plover Photo by Mark Peck, Flickr

The Townsend's pocket gopher is a large pocket gopher. The pelage is dark buffy-gray to sooty gray on the dorsum and a rich buff on the venter; the face, nose and auricular patch are black; the feet are dirty gray; and the chin is white. This gopher occurs along the Malheur and Owyhee river valleys in Malheur County and in southern Harney County. Townsend's pocket gophers have been found in alkaline soils along the south shore of Harney Lake and in deep fertile soils near Sod House School near the headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and in Stergen…

This is a bird of riparian thickets, farmlands, and towns. Since 1980, it has been observed almost annually in Harney County, usually in numbers less than five. A pair successfully fledged young near the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters in 1994. Most Harney County records occur from early April to late October. Away from Harney county individuals have also been seen in the various eastern and southeastern counties of Oregon. Hear the song of the Great-tailed grackle Photo by Kathy Munsel, ODFW

The pelage of this mouse is grayish or brownish dorsally, the venter hairs are white with lead-colored bases, and the tail is light colored. In Oregon, it occurs within the area circumscribed by a line connecting Denio Nevada; Fort Rock, Lake County; Powell Butte, Crook County; Malheur National Wildlife headquarters, Harney County; and Burns Junction, Malheur County. On a daily basis, activity begins with an intense burst during the first light to hours after sunset, and declines to almost nil six hours after sunset, then, especially in summer, increases again before sunrise. The Dark Kangaroo Mouse constructs elaborate nests with…

Western Oregon observers enjoy these large, elegant plovers almost year-round, and as a consequence they are one of the most familiar larger shorebirds. Almost all migrants and winterers visiting Oregon inhabit mudflats and open wet dirt fields. A few can be found on sand beaches and even occasionally on rocks, but the great majority are found feeding and resting on open mud. In Oregon, it is a fairly common to common transient in western interior valleys. East of the Cascades, the Black-bellied plover is an uncommon transient in the Klamath Basin and at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. In winter it…

A large, long-legged wader distinguished from similar species in a flight by flashing rufous underwings and dark brown primaries. Its feet extend beyond tail tip in flight. Flocks generally consist of fewer than 50 birds on the coast. Juveniles migrate south several weeks later than most adults. After mid-November, a few stragglers are seen until late December. The Marbled godwit is a regular spring and fall migrant on the Oregon coast. Spring migration commences in early April and extends through early June on the coast. Its average arrival at the Malheur National Wildlife Reserve is April 27. Hear the call…

In alternate plumage this striking bird's lower neck, chest, and sides are bright chestnut. Three groups of yellow plumes adorn the sides of the head. Its head and throat are black. This grebe favors areas with much open water surrounded with emergent vegetation. The horned grebe is a rare breeder east of the Cascades. Malheur National Wildlife Reserve averages four to five pairs per summer. It is also rare along the coast in summer and is an uncommon spring and fall transient on lakes, reservoirs, and large rivers west of the Cascades and uncommon to common east of the Cascades…

Inconspicuous and master of stealth, the Least bittern inhabits densely vegetated deep-water marshes, making observations rare and difficult; its call is often the only way to detect this secretive species. The smallest of herons, its long neck and legs make it appear larger. The crown, back and tail of male birds is greenish black; purple-chestnut on female. Neck, flanks, and underparts are brown and white and the wings buff. It is a rare spring and summer resident in larger freshwater marshes of eastern Oregon and a very rare spring through fall visitor in the Rogue and Willamette valleys. At Upper…