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These lizards are found in open desert shrublands, particularly where islands of sand have accumulated around shrubs and are absent where a dense grass understory would inhibit their ability to run. The Long-nosed leopard lizard eats large insects, such as grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles, and also takes small vertebrates, including pocket mice, side-blotched lizards, whiptails, and Western fence lizards. Some plant material (flowers, berries) is eaten when available. Photo by Charlotte Ganskopp

This small tan-and-gray sparrow with a delicately streaked upper breast is found in summer in wet mountain meadows where its bubbly song can be heard from low shrubs. It winters in brushy lowland areas where it skulks in tall grass and weeds and is usually seen for only a moment. It breeds locally above 3,000 feet in the west Cascades and winters in the valleys west of the cascades. Hear the song of the Lincoln's sparrow Photo by Kelly Colgan-Azar, Flickr

This drab, greenish, diminutive species is similar in appearance to the Hutton's vireo, and sometimes confused with that species in western Oregon. Slighter-billed and smaller than the vireo, this little bundle of energy seems always to be moving as it flicks its wings and hops from twig to twig. The male Ruby-crowned kinglet sports a bright red crown spot, typically visible only when the bird is agitated, and in spring pours fourth a delightful melody, surprising for such a small, drab bird. This species breeds in high elevation forests, primarily east of the Cascade crest, where it is common in…

The Red-breasted nuthatch is a happy, jolly little bird, quick and agile in its motions and seemingly always in a hurry to scramble over the branches. It is distinguished from other nuthatches by white eyebrows, black eyelines and cap, reddish breast, and nasal yank yank song. Although males have a blacker cap and redder breast than females, distinguishing sexes in the field is difficult. During winter, is can be observed foraging in mixed-species flocks with Chickadees, Brown creepers, Kinglets, Townsend's carblers, and Dark-eyed junkos. The Red-breasted nuthatch breeds and winters throughout Oregon where conifer or mixed conifer-hardwood forests are present…

This small, rich-brown wren is only slightly larger than a quarter, and has a tail quite short for a wren. A quiet observer in the forest will see these birds hop in and out and all over logs, snags, shrubs, twigs, and limbs on the forest floor. It has been said that the song of this bird is larger than the bird itself. The Winter wren breed from Coos County southward and in eastern Oregon in the Blue and Steens mountains. It retreats from high altitudes in winter where snow pack is heavy. Migration probably occurs throughout the state, but…

Features: Brook trout are easily identified by the worm-like pale yellow markings on their backs and red dots with blue halos and white borders on their lower fins. In small streams brook trout are often 5- to 7-inches long but can reach 25 inches or more in large rivers or lakes. Habitat: Brook trout are an introduced species, first stocked in the early 1900s. They are widely distributed from high mountain lakes to headwater tributaries, and thrive in cold, mountainous streams and lakes where other species are unable to do well. Many barren lakes have been stocked with brook trout…

Features: These fish have dark blue backs, silver sides and bellies, and very long pectoral (side) fins. Albacore caught off the Pacific Coast are generally 21 to 30 inches long with the largest fish running about 35 pounds. Habitat: Tuna are pelagic species, meaning they spend their lives in the open ocean. Albacore generally show up 15-200 miles or more off the Pacific Coast in mid-July and stick around through September. Albacore are usually found where surface water temperatures are at least 59 degrees Fahrenheit and the water has a distinct clear blue color (this is where chlorophyll levels are…

Although quite common in the U.S., the Black-crowned night-heron's nocturnal and crepuscular feeding habits can make it difficult to locate. Its habitat consists of marshes, lakes, rivers, and other wetlands, where it feeds mostly on fish. It is a thick-billed, medium-sized, stocky heron with relatively short neck and legs. Adults have a black back and cap which contrast with the pale gray or whitish underparts. Immatures have brown backs with large pale spots and heavily streaked underparts. A distinctive choking squawk call is often heard at dusk. It is a fairly common summer resident east of the Cascades where it…