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Shadow-colored skulkers in dense riparian growth, catbirds are among the often heard, less frequently seen denizens of northeast Oregon. They are all dark gray except for a black cap and russet undertail coverts. The sound has variable melodious warblings with occasional imitations of other birds and off-key noises. A distinct mewing call is often heard. The Gray catbird is a fairly common breeder in dense riparian zones of the northeast Blue Mountain ecoregion and is common in the Wallowa and Union counties and in east Umatilla County along the Umatilla River, Pine Creek and Meacham Creek. They breed locally in
![gray_catbird_tim_sackton_flickr.jpg Gray catbird](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/gray_catbird_tim_sackton_flickr_cx.jpg?itok=uYT7drI5)
This olive-green warbler is one of the drabbest of Oregon's Warblers., often showing obscure streaking on the underparts and indistinct dark eyeline. The species is named for its telltale orange crown spot but this feature is often hidden, reduced or absent in immature and female birds, and therefore rarely observed in the field. Orange-crowned warblers are one of the earliest and most abundant migrants in Oregon. They glean insects from the undersides of leaves and are often seen probing into dead leaf clusters and flower heads. Perhaps this is why they are able to winter farther north than most other
![orang-crowned_warbler_fyn_kynd.jpg Orange-crowned warbler](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/orang-crowned_warbler_fyn_kynd_cx.jpg?itok=UfU7wwKA)
One of Oregon's rarest and most local breeders, this vocal but somewhat secretive warbler can be heard and sometimes seen in summer in the south central Cascades. The patient observer may catch a glimpse of a chunky, dark-backed bird feeding low in dense willows, sometimes showing its pale underparts with dark streaks. It is otherwise a rare migrant or vagrant statewide, mostly in Spring. An isolated population of this species has summered and presumably bred in the south central Cascades. No nest has been found in Oregon, owing mainly to the impenetrable habitat. Reports suggest that a small population may
![northern_waterthrush_alan_harper_flickr.jpg Northern water thrush](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/northern_waterthrush_alan_harper_flickr_cx.jpg?itok=1BU91sOe)
The flight of Pacific loons by the thousands along the coast each spring and fall is one of Oregon's most dramatic bird migrations. Stunning plumage often clothes these fast-flying travelers. The straight bill, distinguishing Pacific from red-throated and yellow-billed, is less robust than that of common loons. The Pacific's head is larger and its neck thicker than those of the red-throated. In flight, Pacific's wing-beats are faster than those of common, loons the feet appear larger, the forecrown is rounder, and the hindcrown more sloped than those of red-throated loons. This is the most abundant loon off the Oregon coast
![pacific_loon_mick_thompson_flikr.jpg Pacific loon](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/pacific_loon_mick_thompson_flickr.jpg?itok=8CQASi9P)
In Oregon, fork-tailed storm-petrels breed in numbers that are only a tiny fraction of those of Leach's storm petrels. This is the larger of the two storm-petrels breeding in Oregon and is gray in color. These birds leave and return to breeding colonies only at night, when they are best detected by their distinct raspy call. At sea, they are distinguished by quick, buoyant flight with short glides interspersed with wing fluttering to maintain their position at a food source. Fewer than 20 nests have been found in Oregon, all located in the same habitat as colonies of Leach's storm
![fork-tailed_storm_petrel_ian_jones_flickr.jpg Fork-tailed storm petrel](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/fork-tailed_storm_petrel_ian_jones_flickr.jpg?itok=3uFuWMk6)
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
![Least bittern](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/least_bittern-%20matt_sullivan_flickr_cx.jpg?itok=NFZ3SJkk)
Cooper's hawks are smallish "bird hawks" (slightly smaller than American Crows) with rounded wings, a long rounded tail, and long yellow legs. This is the mid-sized accipiter nesting in Oregon and is larger than the Sharp-shinned hawk, but smaller than the Northern goshawk. The usual mode of flight consists of several rapid wing-beats alternating with brief periods of sailing. Juveniles are dark above with underparts streaked vertically while adults tend to have a bluish cast to their gray upperparts. The long tail is barred dark and light with narrow whitish band at the tip. It is an uncommon breeder in
![649_coopers_hawk_moore_odfw.jpg Coopers hawk.](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/coopers_hawk_ladd_marsh_nowak_odfw.jpg?itok=QurUMxMz)
This fragile-looking bird with bold black-and-white plumage and exaggerated, long, reddish legs is often associated with American avocets at shallow inland ponds and lakes. Very noisy and aggressive in protection of its nest and young, using a variety of distraction displays, including an impressive broken-leg act to lure away interlopers. The Black-necked stilt is a locally uncommon to fairly common summer resident of Klamath, Lake, Harney and Malheur counties. The largest Oregon breeding colony is at summer Lake. It has become a regular spring and fall migrant through eastern Oregon and irregular spring and casual fall migrant through western Oregon
![black-necked_stilt_budeau.jpg Black-necked stilt](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/black-necked_stilt_budeau_cx.jpg?itok=EylY1VT2)
The Least flycatcher closely resembles the Hammond's flycatcher, but its distinctive voice and choice of habitat help to identify calling birds. It was formerly an unexpected vagrant west of the Rocky Mountains, but since 1981 it has become recognized as a regular migrant and local summer resident in the state. It is found in deciduous groves along streams and in wet lowlands. It desires a deciduous overstory with at least some low brushy undergrowth. It is regular migrant and local summer resident in the state of Oregon with the spring migration from May to mid-June. The majority of sightings are
![least_flycatcher_jeff_bryant_flickr.jpg Least flycatcher](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/least_flycatcher_jeff_bryant_flickr_cx.jpg?itok=axbPQF8f)
Dashing and darting about, flashing its bright white underparts, the Violet-green Swallow is one of the characteristic birds of summer. Unlike the Tree Swallow it commonly nests in niches and cavities on urban buildings and readily uses nesting boxes in residential areas. Its soft twittery call notes are a familiar pre-dawn sound as they fly about overhead. The Violet-green swallow is a very early spring migrant concentrating about streams and wetlands where emerging insects can be found until warmer weather allows them to move into more upland areas. It is a common to abundant summer resident and breeding species throughout
![1690_violet-green_swallow_leer_odfw_0.jpg Violet green swallow](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/1690_violet-green_swallow_leer_odfw.jpg?itok=pMExMjIy)
This chunky swallow is readily recognized by its square tail and orangish rump patch. It nests colonially and has taken to human-made structures so well that it has greatly expanded its range into many areas otherwise not suitable for it. It does not do well in urban settings, however, and quickly disappears when areas become densely settled. The unique gourd-shaped mud nest is often usurped by other species for nesting and is often used for protective roosting sites by rosy-finches and other wintering species. It is a locally common to abundant breeding bird near water throughout most of Oregon. Its
![0078_cliff_swallow_mother_munsel.jpg Cliff swallow](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/0078_cliff_swallow_mother_munsel_cx.jpg?itok=FlOUCO-w)
Wigeon drakes are beautifully marked with white pate, green eye stripe, purplish breast and flanks, white belly and wing covert patch, and iridescent black/green speculum. The grayish hen shows white on the wing covert patch. Drakes give a three-note whistle and get progressively noisier as spring approaches and courting flights begin. Medium sized flocks are common in fall and winter, and like geese, will be found grazing pastures, park lawns, and golf courses. It is a rare to locally common breeder in eastern Oregon and rare in summer in western Oregon. It is a common to abundant migrant and wintering
![1151_american_wigeon_pair_munsel_odfw.jpg American wigeon pair](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-04/1151_american_wigeon_pair_munsel_odfw.jpg?itok=leAGXp43)
Bobolinks summer in Oregon's eastern grasslands and meadows, singing what has been described as a bubbling delirium of ecstatic music that flows from the throat of the bird like sparkling champagne. The yellow-brown female, juvenile or non-breeding male may at first appear to be a sparrow, but the breeding male has an astonishing and diagnostic backwards tuxedo pattern of buff on the nape and white rump and scapulars on an otherwise black body. The Bobolink is a regular, locally common breeder at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and a few scattered pairs occur in northeast Oregon. West of the Cascades
![bobolink_male_scott_heron_flickr.jpg Male bobolink](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/bobolink_male_scott_heron_flickr.jpg?itok=C1MYyg6V)
Help Greenbelt Land Trust monitor non-native turkeys at the Bald Hill Farm Conservation Area near Corvallis.
Bald Hill Farm Conservation Area, Corvallis
![1806_wild_tom_turkey_ranslam_odfw.jpg Wild tom turkey](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/1806_wild_tom_turkey_ranslam_odfw_0.jpg?itok=jnGpzp9g)
With a widespread distribution and affinity for open habitats, the Killdeer is one of the most common and recognized birds through much of North America. Killdeer are large for a plover and easily distinguished from other North American plovers by their characteristic two black or brownish-black breast bands. Killdeer are well known for their loud and persistent call of "kill-dee, kill-dee," heard at all times of day or night on both the breeding and wintering grounds. Killdeer often nest close to human activities. Adults perform an elaborate and exaggerated broken-wing display to lure humans and potential predators away from their
![killdeer_ganskopp.jpg Killdeer](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/killdeer_ganskopp_cx.jpg?itok=44X1pYcl)
On his historic expedition with Meriwether Lewis, Captain William Clark, the bird's namesake, first mistook this species for a woodpecker undoubtedly because of its long, sharp beak. However, this most specialized member of the North American Crow family uses this apparatus to pry loose its favored seeds from unrelenting cones of several pines with which the nutcracker has a symbiotic relationship. The whitebark pine, in particular, is totally reliant on Clark's nutcrackers for seed dispersal and germination. In Oregon the Clark's nutcracker is a resident along the crest of the Cascades, usually above 4,000 feet, lower on the east slope
![clarks_nutcraker_crater_lake_myatt.jpg Clarks nutcraker](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/Clarks%20Nutcraker_Crater%20Lake_Nick%20Myatt%2008.jpg?itok=e7H9UQCD)
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
![3322_red-breasted_nuthatch_male_munsel_odfw.jpg Red-breasted nuthatch male](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/3322_red-breasted_nuthatch_male_munsel_odfw.jpg?itok=IN2oOaKN)
This small, boldly-patterned duck can be found in Oregon throughout the year, either around rocky headlands on the coast or inland on mountain streams. No other breeding duck in Oregon feeds almost exclusively on benthic invertebrates, often swimming underwater and upstream against swift current in search of prey. Though males are striking in appearance, these and the drab brown females can be difficult to see when at rest on a mid-stream rock or dodging behind rocks as they evade observers. Broods have been observed or nests located on tributaries in the river basins of the west Cascades. They are found
![48476_harlequin_ducks_kohl.jpg Harlequin ducks](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-04/48476_harlequin_ducks_kohl.jpg?itok=pvGWKVF6)
The skies near favored stopover locations are filled twice annually with the sights and sounds of these geese as they migrate between Arctic breeding grounds and wintering areas farther south. Snow geese share very similar all-white plumage and black wing tips with the less common Ross's goose. These are Oregon's only wild white geese. It is predominantly a spring and fall migrant, especially abundant in large wetland and agricultural complexes such as Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Silvies River floodplain in Harney County, Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge and Klamath Wildlife Area. Wintering snow geese in Oregon are found primarily along
![0159_snow_goose_budeau.jpg Snow goose](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-04/0159_snow_goose_budeau.jpg?itok=auZLh2uJ)
All of Oregon's blue-colored birds are appreciated for their dazzling appearance, but the striking plumage of this summer visitor is accompanied by a song described as vivacious, varied, well-articulated and sweet. Males are unmistakable when singing from a prominent perch, flashing deep azure upper parts with rich orange-brown breast and flanks, a white belly, and white wing bars. Females are warm brown and relatively plain, though they share with males the habit of twitching the tail to one side when excited. The Lazuli bunting is fairly common in low-elevation dry valleys in Curry County but are becoming uncommon north through
![lazuli_bunting_ganskopp.jpg Lazuli bunting](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/lazuli_bunting_ganskopp_cx.jpg?itok=XjvoFWnG)