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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 Western whiptail is found in eastern Oregon deserts and semi-arid shrublands. It is most common in flat, sandy areas and along dry washes. These lizards are primarily insectivorous. In a food habits study in southeastern Oregon, they ate caterpillars, crickets, grasshoppers, and beetles. They also eat spiders, scorpions, and other lizards. Photo by Keith Kohl, ODFW

The plateau striped whiptail is a medium-sized, all-female species. Reproduction is by parthenogenesis - unfertilized eggs hatch into clones of the mother. In Oregon, this lizard only lives in Cove Palisades State Park. Photo by J. N. Stuart, Flickr

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

The sharptail snake is found in moist areas in coniferous forest, deciduous woodlands, chaparral, and grasslands. It frequents open grassy areas at forest edges and usually occurs under the cover of logs, rocks, fallen branches, or talus. Sharptail snakes appears to specialize in feeding on slugs. Photo by Calypso Orchid, Flickr

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

In the Pacific Northwest, the night snake frequents arid desert scrub habitats near rocky outcrops or rimrock. It takes refuge in talus slopes or rocky crevices during the day. Night snakes tend to feed on cold-blooded prey, especially lizards and their eggs, frogs, toads, salamanders, large insects, and small snakes. These snakes are primarily nocturnal, and are more active on relatively cool nights of early summer. Photo by Ken-ichi Ueda, Flickr

This snake is most common in thick vegetation along water bodies, but ranges into farmland, chaparral, and deciduous and mixed coniferous woodlands in the Rogue and Umpqua river valleys of southwestern Oregon. Common kingsnakes usually feed on other snakes, but have been known to take small turtles, birds and their eggs, frogs, lizards, reptile eggs, and some small mammals. Photo by Alan Schmierer, Flickr

This species is found in pine forests, oak woodlands, and in chaparral of southwestern Oregon valleys. It is usually found in, under, or near rotting logs in open wooded areas near streams. The California mountain kingsnake preys upon snakes, lizards, birds and their eggs, and some small mammals. It is an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species in these ecoregions: Coast Range, Columbia Plateau, East Cascades, Klamath Mountains, and West Cascades. Photo by William Grenfell, Flickr

In the Northwest, this snake is found in grasslands, sagebrush flats, rocky stream courses, and canyon bottoms. Elsewhere it also frequents juniper and pine-oak woodlands. In southwestern Oregon, it is found in dry bushy areas close to rocks. Young striped whipsnakes feed primarily on lizards and insects. Adults also take snakes, small mammals, young birds, and insects. Photo by Bryn Hamilton, Flickr

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

This moderately small wren maintains the frenetic energy that is so obviously typical of this family of birds. It is a summer inhabitant in many parts of Oregon, generally in open woodlands, thickets, and occasionally in residential gardens. The House wren occurs over the widest latitudinal range of any New World passerine. The House wren nests in a wide variety of native and human-influenced habitats. Nest sites are primarily located within preformed cavities in snags. It is a very uncommon to common transient and summer resident in semi-open woodland habitats throughout the state. In southwest Oregon, it is most common

Few birds are as astonishing as the American dipper. This nondescript, dark brown to gray bird is seldom seen more than a few feet from the water's edge. Its elaborate song, which can come forth even on cold winter days, is readily heard above the noise of rushing streams. This bird's ability to dive into a rushing stream to forage on aquatic invertebrates and reappear in the same location has elicited wonder and excitement from ornithologists, naturalists, and birders as well as envy and adoration from fly-fishers. It is an uncommon year-round resident in montane streams and rivers throughout Oregon

The smallest and hardiest of our resident bird species, Golden-crowned kinglets are remarkable for their ability to survive through severe northern winters when most other small insectivores have migrated to warmer climates. Spending winter nights in a squirrel's nest or huddled together in a sheltered spat are strategies this species uses for winter survival. Their high-pitched calls ring like tiny bells from the canopy as they flutter among the branch tips in small flocks, searching for insects wintering in conifer foliage and dead leaves. The Golden-crowned kinglet is very abundant year-round in coniferous forests from the Cascades and west throughout

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

Southern Oregon is the northwest limit of the breeding range of Blue-gray gnatcatcher, which, as its name implies, is an active, diminutive bluish-gray. This is an energetic bird, commonly jerking its tail sharply to one side, wings held below, occasionally spreading its tail. It breeds in numerous disjunct localities and may be expanding its range in Oregon. It is an uncommon to common summer resident in the interior Rogue Valley. Hear the song of the Blue-gray gnatcatcher Photo by John Sutton, Flickr

Species in this group are diverse and are not closely related at all.

This cavity-nesting thrush is one of three bluebird species found only in North America. Previously abundant in western Oregon, the Western bluebird suffered a precipitous decline through degradation of habitat and avian competition. The male has a cobalt blue head and throat, blue wings and tail edged with dusky brown, russet breast and flanks, gray-blue belly and undertail coverts. Female colorations are subdued: head and throat gray, back gray-brown, wings and tail pale blue, breast and flanks pale russet. The amount and brightness of blue and russet are brighter on older birds. The Western bluebird breeds in open habitats with