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Yuma myotis emerges when it is almost dark and forages for insects over streams and ponds. This bat is gray, tan or brown; it lives in a variety of habitats. Large numbers of female bats gather together in May or June to have their young. In autumn, they migrate. Yuma myotis is found throughout the state and is associated more closely with water than any other North American species of bat. Photo by ©Michael Durham
This bat is commonly found in attics and buildings during summer months in maternity colonies. It weighs about half an ounce and has a wingspan of nine to 11 inches. It prefers to live in forests near water. One baby is born in spring or summer. In winter, this bat hibernates in caves. The little brown myotis occurs throughout Oregon in a wide variety of habitats, but seems especially prone to establish residence near a lake, pond, or stream. Photo by ©Michael Durham
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
The golden-yellow face and breast of the male Wilson's warbler distinguish it as one of the brightest of Oregon's breeding warblers. Adult females are similar in plumage to males, and may even have a full black cap; however, the caps of females are smaller and duller than those of males, and are flecked with olive green. These lively warblers nest and forage for insects in tall, dense shrub growth, understory, or riparian thickets. It is an abundant breeder in woods and tall shrubs in the Coast Range, and is common in the Willamette Valley and west Cascades. Hear the song
The Hammond's flycatcher spends much of its time in tall conifer canopies, where its subdued plumage and quiet, monotonous chant let it be easily overlooked. A diligent observer may be able to locate this aerial insectivore on a dead limb just beneath the live crowns of mature conifers from which it sallies into a canopy gap to capture insect prey on the wing. It is a common summer resident of montane coniferous forests through the state, on both sides of the Cascades. Hear the song of the Hammond's flycatcher Photo by Keith Williams, Flickr
Coastal giant salamanders are the largest salamanders in Oregon. Terrestrial adults are marbled with tan and brown and are mostly tan on their undersides. Larvae are brown with a large head, frilled gills, and a tail fin. Adults can grow to a total length of 14 inches. This species lives in dense wet forests near cold and clear streams, lakes, and ponds. Terrestrial adults are rarely seen because they spend most of their time in burrows. Occasionally, during times of heavy rain, adults are active on the forest floor. Photo by Steve Krause, NPS
This small salamander is evenly speckled with dark flecks and has a brown head, back and tail with a bright yellow belly. Southern torrent salamanders spend their lives in and near permanent, cold and clear water bodies including mountain streams, springs and seeps in older coastal coniferous forests. For a salamander, they are able to tolerate relatively dry forest conditions. Southern torrent salamanders are Oregon Conservation Strategy Species in the Coast Range, Klamath Mountains and Willamette Valley ecoregions. Photo by John Clare, Flickr
The Western gray squirrel is the largest tree squirrel in the state. It occurs from central Wasco, Jefferson, Deschutes, and Klamath counties west, except for unforested portions of the Willamette Valley, to central Washington, Benton, Lane, Douglas, Coos, and Curry counties. It is commonly associated with mixed forest communities. These squirrels are wary and secretive, but curious; they examine new objects placed in their environment but, once captured, they often avoid live traps. Western gray squirrels are an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species in the Willamette Valley ecoregion. Photo from ODFW
The only sapsucker regularly found in western Oregon, the Red-breasted sapsucker, with its raspberry-red head and breast, is unmistakable. It is found in moist coniferous coastal forest and mixed deciduous-coniferous coastal forest west of the Cascade crest, and in aspen-ponderosa pine forests east of the Cascades. Nest cavities are typically in large snags or live trees with decayed interiors. It is a fairly common breeder in the northern part of the state from the coast to the Cascades and south to the southern Cascades. Hear the call of the Red-breasted sapsucker Photo by Darla Marie Prater
These large toads have bumps on their dry skin which contain poison glands to discourage predators. Color varies between individuals ranging from gray or yellow to dark brown. They have thin white stripes along their backs and yellow bellies with dark specks. Females are larger than males and grow to five inches in length. Woodhouse’s toads live in river valleys in sagebrush and grassland habitats. They rest in burrows throughout the daytime hours and use wetlands during the breeding season. During dry weather, they burrow underground. Photo by Cameron Sponseller
Adult Northern leopard frogs have smooth skin that is green or brown and covered with dark brown spots outlined with white rings. Females grow to just over four inches in length; males are slightly smaller at just over three inches. They live in and near various water sources with abundant vegetation such as wet meadows, marshes, riparian areas and moist, open woodlands. These frogs use the vegetation, such as grasses, sedge, weeds or brush, as cover from predators. During the winter, they need ponds or slow-running streams for hibernation. Photo from ODFW
Spirited vocalizations make this handsome clown-faced woodpecker one of the more conspicuous residents of much of Oregon's oak woodland. It is unique among Oregon woodpeckers with its habits of communal living and acorn storage. It is fairly common in the Rogue Valley and adjacent hills and locally common in the Klamath River Canyon in southwest Klamath county and the southern part of the Willamette Valley. Acorn woodpeckers are Oregon Conservation Strategy Species in both the Klamath Mountains and Willamette Valley ecoregions. Loss of oak woodlands poses a major threat to this bird. Hear the call of the Acorn woodpecker Photo
The Little pocket mouse is one of the smallest rodents in North America and certainly the smallest in Oregon. The dorsal pelage is pinkish buff to ocherous buff with overlying blackish hairs; the venter is buff. The tail is bicolored. In Oregon, this mouse occurs in Harney and Malheur counties. They exhibit their greatest activity from spring through autumn and spend a large portion of their lives in burrows below the surface of the ground. In winter, they remain underground continuously, relying on stored seeds for energy. When active on the surface, a large portion of their time is spent
The White-headed woodpecker is the only woodpecker that relies heavily on the seeds of ponderosa pine for food. It occurs mainly in open ponderosa pine or mixed conifer forests dominated by ponderosa pine. They usually excavate nest cavities in snags but may use stumps, leaning logs and dead tops of live trees. It is an uncommon permanent resident in forests of the Ochoco, Blue, and Wallowa mountains and the east side of the Cascades, but suitable habitat is restricted. The White-headed woodpecker is an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species in the Blue Mountains, East Cascades, and Klamath Mountains ecoregions. Hear the
Adult tiger salamanders are relatively large with olive-colored blotches outlined in black. They have gray undersides and can grow to 13 inches in total length. As adults, tiger salamanders live almost entirely on land, returning to the water to breed. Terrestrial adults spend a lot of time in burrows that they or other animals have dug. Tiger salamanders are found in grassland and shrub-steppe habitats. It is unknown whether tiger salamanders occurs naturally in Oregon, or whether they were introduced by people after larval salamanders used for bait colonized fishing lakes and ponds. Photo by Matt Reinbold, Flickr
These small salamanders have solid green- brown- or gray-colored sides and backs with bright yellow or orange undersides. Adults can grow to four inches in total length. Columbia torrent salamanders spend their lives in and near cold and clear water bodies including mountain streams, springheads, waterfalls and seeps in older forests. They need loose gravel stream beds for hiding and foraging. They are highly connected to their water sources, but in times of heavy rainfall, they may venture into a nearby forest. The Columbia torrent salamander is an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species in the Coast Range and Willamette Valley ecoregions
The Great Basin pocket mouse is the largest member of the genus in Oregon. The dorsal pelage of this mouse is pinkish buff or ocherous buff overlain with black hairs; the venter is white to buffy. A lateral line, usually somewhat olive colored, separates the dorsal and ventral pelages. The tail is distinctly bicolored. In Oregon, it occurs thought east of the Cascade Range, except it does not occur in the Wallowa and Blue mountains. The Great Basin pocket mouse constructs burrows below the surface that contain granaries for storage of food, a nest cavity, and several entrances. They spend
Western painted turtles need marshy ponds, small lakes, slow-moving streams and quiet, off-channel portions of rivers. They prefer waters with muddy bottoms with aquatic vegetation. Open ground for nesting and logs for basking help keep this species healthy. These painted turtles occur in the Blue Mountains and Willamette Valley ecoregions. In the Columbia Plateau, East Cascades and West Cascades ecoregions, they live only along the Columbia River. Western painted turtles are an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species in these: Blue Mountains, Coast Range, Columbia Plateau, East Cascades, West Cascades, Willamette Valley. Photo by Robert Bryce Ott