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The Wolverine is the largest terrestrial mustelid in Oregon that, to some degree, resembles a small bear. It is powerfully built with a broad, dog-like head; short round ears; small eyes; a slightly humped back; relatively short legs and a bushy, somewhat drooping tale. The pelage consists of a dense, wooly, crimped under fur overlain by course, stiff and somewhat shaggy guard hairs. Fur on the tail is about twice as long as on the body. The base color is blackish brown with a pale brown stripe extending along the sides from the head or shoulders to the base of…

The mountain goat is a stockily built bovid with black scimitar-shaped horns, large black hooves and prominent dew claws, and an entirely white, wooly pelage. Sometimes the pelage contains scattered brown hairs on the dorsum and rump. A long beard, pointed ears, and a squarish muzzle are also characteristic. Males are larger, and have longer, larger-diameter, and more evenly curved horns that females. Mountain goats are denizens of high altitudes, remote, and barren montane regions where they are capable of moving through exceedingly rugged and precipitous terrain with speed and agility. Nevertheless, mountain goats are known to fall occasionally, whereupon…

Features: Green sunfish have more of a bass-shaped body and a larger mouth than the other sunfishes, other than the warmouth. Also, unlike other sunfish except the warmouth, the pectoral fin is rounded, rather than pointed. Green sunfish are olive green on the back and sides with a yellowish-copper or brassy hue on the lower sides of the belly. Dusky, vertical bars are often present. Turquoise mottling, often in the form of bars, radiates backward from the snout and eye. They have a dark spot at the base of the rear lobe of the dorsal fin. Habitat: Green sunfish are…

The tail is brown dorsally with a white fringe, and white ventrally. In males, antlers with tines typically arise from a single main beam. In winter, the pelage is a dark buffy-gray and consists of relatively long, thick, and somewhat brittle hairs; in summer, the pelage is lighter with more tawny tones and is shorter and thinner. The midline of the dorsum is darker and the fade lighter; in males, the patch between the antlers is darker. Pelage markings include white on the venter, throat, muzzle and lower lip, and around the openings of the metatarsal and interdigital glands; a…

Terns are generally associated with marine environments and salt marshes, but the Forster's tern inhabits freshwater areas. During the breeding season this graceful bird is eastern Oregon's resident small white tern. Typical of terns, the Forster's employs a dramatic hunting method of plunge-diving into shallow waters to capture small fish, the bird sometimes submerging completely. This is an uncommon but highly visible colonial breeder east of the Cascades. Hear the call of the Forster's tern Photo by Dave Budeau, ODFW

Oregon's owls are mostly nocturnal, hunting for insects, fish, frogs, birds, mice and other small mammals in the night. Their hoots, screeches and calls can be heard after dark or early in the morning. Owls don't build nests, but instead use tree cavities, nests created by other species, naturally occurring structures or human-made nest platforms. The Western burrowing owl nests underground in abandoned dens dug by squirrels, prairie dogs and badgers. Learn more about Oregon's owls.

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…

The long-legged myotis lives in forests and comes out early in the evening to hunt. It is a fast flier and will chase insects for a long distance. One baby is born in the summer, and the species hibernates in winter. In general, the long-legged myotis is a species associated with montane coniferous forests, but it also occurs in some desert and riparian habitats. The long-legged myotis is an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species in these ecoregions: Blue Mountains, Coast Range, East and West Cascades, Klamath Mountains, and Northern Basin and Range. Photo by ©Michael Durham

Characteristic of open country and cold weather, the Rough-legged hawk can be found soaring over exposed terrain or perched on utility poles across much of the state in winter. The rough appearance of its legs comes from the feathers covering their length, an adaptation that provides extra warmth in frigid weather. In flight, dark wrist patches and belly help identify this large buteo, though like other hawks it is subject to much variation in plumage. From a distance it frequently appears to have a frosty upper half. It often hovers over fields while hunting, a behavior that is rare among…