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This is a large and power falcon. The majority of Gyrfalcons seen in Oregon are immatures or adults of the "gray" type, but there are several reports of "white" birds. The Gyrfalcon is a regular winter visitant to Oregon. The majority of sightings come from coastal and Willamette Valley lowlands near waterfowl concentrations. Individuals have been seen chasing and feeding on geese, ducks and gulls. Gyrfalcons forage by flying low over the ground and flushing prey, then often giving spectacular tail chases. If a bird refuses to flush the hunt is usually unsuccessful. East of the Cascades it occurs around…

This foreign visitor is regularly found in Oregon among wintering flocks of American widgeon. Drakes are easily distinguished from American wigeon drakes by reddish brown head, gray flank, and lack of green eye stripe. Hens are similar to American Wigeon hens and difficult to distinguish. The call of the male is a shrill whistling, whe'e you; the female's voice a low purr or croak. It is a rare to uncommon visitant east of the Cascades. Hear the call of the eurasian wigeon Photo by ©Greg Gilson

The Dunlin undergoes one of the most dramatic changes in appearance of all shorebirds when it molts from winter to breeding plumage. In winter, these medium sized sandpipers are brownish gray above with white underparts, but in breeding plumage they have a striking rufous-brown back and cap and black belly. Females are larger than males but otherwise similar in appearance. The Dunlin is an abundant transient and winter visitant in estuaries and occasionally on beaches along the coast of Oregon, but significant numbers winter in the Willamette Valley, especially the southern part. Hear the call of the Dunlin Photo by…

In winter plumage, the crisp black head, white neck patch, and gray back are striking, and when combined with a pale bill this species is readily distinguished from small alcids in Oregon. Wing-propelled divers, they are nonbreeding visitors to Oregon's offshore waters. They are the only seabirds whose young are reared entirely at sea. The Ancient murrelet is an uncommon to common fall migrant and winter visitant in shelf waters near shore; rare to uncommon in spring; absent to rare in summer. Hear the call of the Ancient murrelet Photo by Patty Mcgann, Flickr

The Swamp sparrow uses wet areas that have thick vegetation for cover. Several glimpses of this reclusive bird may be required before it can safely be separated from Lincoln's sparrow or the more common Song sparrow, though its distinctive call will give it away to observers familiar with it. Chestnut coloration on the wing coverts helps separate this species from other wintering sparrows. The Swamp swallow is a rare to uncommon spring and fall transient and winter visitant in western Oregon, especially along the coast. Hear the song of the Swamp sparrow Photo from USFWS

The Eurasian collared-dove is quite similar to the Ringed turtle-dove but is somewhat larger with grayer underparts and darker primaries. It is a bird of agricultural areas and readily visits bird feeding stations in urban and rural neighborhoods. During the 1600s this Indian species began to expand its range until today it occurs in all of Europe and most of Asia. After introductions in the Bahamas in 1974 and Guadeloupe in 1976 it soon expanded throughout the Caribbean and reached Florida by 1980. It is now expanding into other parts of North America, reaching Oregon in 1988. It is expected…

These tiny finches brighten the winter landscape of northeastern Oregon in some years. Their tan and ivory streaked with brown is plain enough, but the red forehead, black chin, and breast suffused in pink add a spot of color to snow-covered trees and shrubs. The Common redpoll is an uncommon to rare, irregular winter visitor, mainly in lowlands of the eastern Blue Mountain ecoregion. In peak years, this species can be locally common in Union, Wallowa, and Baker counties but in other years, it is essentially absent. It is an irregular visitant to Umatilla and Grant counties and in all…

A big, well-mannered bird of friendly, even playful disposition, with an abundant curiosity as to human presence and activities within the realm of open ocean over which he presides. Long-winged, to seven feet, and dark sooty-brown; adults have a white rump and feathering, which juveniles lack, around the base of a large bill. Every sighting of these gentle giants gliding up to the boat evokes delight. The black-footed albatross is a regular visitant spring through fall offshore, but is irregular in winter. They glean squid, fish and fish eggs from the ocean surface and also eat galley scraps. Hear the…

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…

Insects swept up in a rising air mass are favorite prey of this species nicknamed the "cloud swift." It prefers to nest near or even behind the curtain of a waterfall. This dark swift glides for long distances, often very high in the sky, with its wings held somewhat downward. It is larger and darker than the more common Vaux's swift, and has a slightly forked tail. The Black swift is a rare to uncommon spring and fall transient and summer visitant throughout the state. It's an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species in the West Cascades ecoregion. Hear the call of…