U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Ridgefield

National Wildlife 

Refuge

Wildlife Checklist
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, 

located on the lower Columbia River 

floodplain adjacent to Ridgefield, 

Washington, provides 5,150 acres of 

vital migration and wintering habitat 

for birds migrating through the region 

west of the Cascade Mountains in the 

Pacific Flyway. The mild, rainy winter 

climate, combined with important 

remnant wetlands along the Columbia 

River, create ideal resting and 

feeding areas for a variety of species, 

including ducks, geese, swans, sandhill 

cranes and provides a key wintering 

area for the dusky subspecies of 

Canada goose. A variety of other 

wildlife also lives in the diversity of 

habitats found on the refuge.

The Pacific Flyway

“I slept but very little 

last night for the noise 

kept up during the 

whole of the night by 

the swans, geese...brant 

(and) ducks on a 

small sand island...

they were immensley 

numerous and their 

noise horrid.”

Capt. William Clark

Lewis and Clark Journal

Lower Columbia River

November 5, 1805

Cover photo cackling Canada geese © Jim Cruce

Welcome to 

Ridgefield 

National Wildlife 

Refuge
You will be most successful at viewing 

wild animals in their natural habitats 

if you use binoculars or a spotting 

scope. This equipment will help you 

observe wildlife from a distance and 

minimize disturbance. Wild animals, 

especially waterfowl are easily 

disturbed by humans and may be 

forced to use vital energy reserves 

trying to escape from their feeding 

and roosting areas. For this reason, 

be aware of special refuge seasonal 

regulations on public use activities 

during the fall and winter seasons. 

Wildlife watching is best shortly after 

sunrise and close to sunset. This will 

enhance your chances of seeing both 

nighttime and daytime active animals.

If you see any unusual sighting 

such as a species observed out of its 

normal season, in large numbers, 

or a new species not listed, please 

report your information to the refuge 

biologist at the address and phone 

number listed on the back cover 

of this leaflet. This information is 

greatly appreciated and will aid in 

future updates to this list. In addition 

it will provide the biologist with 

information about species occurances 

and populations on the refuge.

Wildlife 

Watching 

Tips

Unusual 

Sightings?

Pied-billed grebe

The grassland and wetland habitats of 

Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge 

are best known for the spectacular 

concentrations of migratory 

waterfowl they attract during the 

winter. Seven subspecies of Canada 

geese occur here. Both trumpeter and 

tundra swans return every winter 

accompanied by their gray colored 

immature offspring. In late winter, 

shorebirds flock together in search 

of food hiding in the mudflats. Early 

spring brings the passerines and 

songbirds. Bald eagles nest here 

and are often seen causing a ruckus 

among ducks and other potential 

prey. Other nesting birds include 

herons, owls, some species of ducks, 

songbirds and sparrows.

The Oaks to Wetlands Trail of the 

Carty Unit passes through Oregon 

white oak and Douglas fir forests, 

lush understory vegetation and by 

numerous wetlands and meadows. 

A Chinook Indian village originating 

in ancient times once existed here. 

The people hunted the elk, deer and 

birds that roamed the land. Lewis 

and Clark visited the village, camped 

here and described this place and its 

people. The Carty Unit exists today 

as it did then. It is not protected by 

flood dikes, thus water levels are 

dependent upon the rise and fall of 

the Columbia River. Expect more 

water during the spring snowmelt 

and during winter rains. 

Ridgefield is truly an amazing 

showcase of birds of the Pacific 

Flyway. Birding experiences vary 

upon the season of the year as you 

will see by the list that follows. 

We hope you will enjoy the birds and 

your visit! 

Birds of 

Ridgefield 

National Wildlife 

Refuge
Birds of Ridgefield NWR

Common Name N Sp S F W

Belted kingfisher

Sp - Spring (March through May)

S - Summer (June and July)

F - Fall (August through November)

W - Winter (December through

 February)

N - Notes

 * - Birds known to nest on 

 the refuge

 ✔ - Endangered or Threatened

c - Common, certain to be seen in

 suitable habitat

u - Uncommon, present but not

 certain to be seen

o - Occasionally seen

r - Rare, known to be present,

 but not every year

ac - Accidental

Loons

 Red-throated loon r r o

Pacific loon r r

Common loon r r r

Grebes

Pied-billed grebe * c c c c

Horned grebe o o r

Red-necked grebe r

Eared grebe r r

Western grebe o o o

Pelicans

American white pelican r r

Cormorants

Double-crested cormorant c o u u

Bitterns, Herons, Egrets and Ibis

 American bittern * c u u o

Great blue heron * c c c c

Great egret * u u u u

Cattle egret r r

Green heron o o o r

Black-crowned night-heron o o r r

 White-faced ibis ac ac

American Vultures

Turkey vulture u u u r

Swans, Geese and Ducks

 Greater white-fronted goose u r u o

 Emperor goose r r

 Snow goose o o u

Ross goose r r

Canada goose * c u c c

Brant o o o

 Trumpeter swan o o o

Tundra swan u r u c

 Wood duck * c c u o

 Gadwall * c u c c

Eurasian wigeon u u u

American wigeon * c r c c

 Mallard * c c c c

 Blue-winged teal * u u r r

Swans, Geese and Ducks, continued next page

Season Symbols

Season

Abundance

Symbols
Rails, Coots and Cranes

 Virginia rail*oouu

Sora *uurr

American coot*cccc

 Sandhill cranecrco

Plovers

 Black-bellied plover oo

 Semipalmated plovero o

 Killdeer* ccc

Stilts and Avocets

 Black-necked stilt * ac

 American avocet ac

Sandpipers and Phalaropes

 Greater yellowlegso uo

Lesser yellowlegso ur

Solitary sandpiper rr

Spotted sandpiper* oou

 Long-billed curlew ac

 Sanderling ac ac

 Semipalmated sandpiper o

 Western sandpiperuuur

Least sandpiperuuuo

Baird’s sandpiper r

Pectoral sandpiper o

Sharp-tailed sandpiper ac

 Dunlin c u

Short-billed dowitcher r

 Long-billed dowitcheruouo

 Common snipe*uouc

 Wilson’s phalarope * oro

 Red-necked phalaroperrr

 Red phalarope ac ac

Gulls and Terns

 Bonaparte’s gulloror

 Mew gulluroc

Ring-billed gullcooc

 California gullcouc

Herring gullu ou

 Thayer’s gullcouc

 Glaucous-winged gullcouc

 Glaucous gullr r

Gulls and Terns, continued next page

Common NameN SpSFW Common NameN SpSFW

Swans, Geese and Ducks, continued

 Cinnamon teal*ccu o 

 Northern shoveler*cocc

Northern pintail*uucc

 Green-winged tealcocc

Canvasback oo

 Redheado o

Ring-necked duckc o c 

Tufted duck ac

Greater scaupo oo

 Lesser scaupcocc

 Harlequin duck ac

 Surf scoter ac

 White-winged scoter ac

 Buffleheadu oc

Common goldeneyeu ou

Barrow’s goldeneye r

 Hooded merganser*uooo

Common merganser*c oc

Red-breasted merganser r

Ruddy duck*uoou

Ospreys, Kites, Hawks and Eagles

Ospreyuurr

 White-tailed kite ac ac

Bald eagle*✔uuuc

Northern harrier*cucc

Sharp-shinned hawkoooo

Cooper’s hawkoooo

Northern goshawkr

Red-shouldered hawkr oo

 Red-tailed hawk*cccc

Rough-legged hawko ou

Golden eaglerr r

Falcons

American kestrel*cccc

Merlino oo

 Peregrine falconrroo

 Prairie falcon rr

Gallinaceous Birds

 Ring-necked pheasant*uouu

Ruffed grouse*oooo

California quail*rrrr
Common Name

N SpSFW Common NameN SpSFW

Gulls and Terns, continued

Caspian ternroo

 Black tern*rrr

Pigeons and Doves

 Rock dove*cc

 Band-tailed doveooo o 

Mourning dove*ucuo

Owls

Barn owl*uuuu

Western screech-owl*oooo

 Great horned owl*uuuu

 Snowy owl r

 Northern pygmy-owloooo

 Short-eared owlo oo

Nightjars

Common nighthawk oo

Swifts

Vaux’s swiftuuo

Hummingbirds

Anna’s hummingbirdrrrr

Rufous hummingbird*uuo

Kingfishers

Belted kingfisher*cucu

Woodpeckers

Lewis’ woodpeckerr rr

 Red-naped sapsucker ac

Red-breasted sapsucker*oooo

Downy woodpecker*cccc

Hairy woodpecker*oooo

Northern flicker*cccc

Pileated woodpecker*oooo

Tyrant Flycatchers

 Olive-sided flycatcherooo

Western wood-pewee*ucu

 Willow flycatcher*uuu

 Least flycatcher ac ac

Hammond’s flycatcheroor

Dusky flycatcher ac ac

 Pacific-slope flycatcher*ucr

Say’s phoeber

Vermilion flycatcher ac

Ash-throated flycatcher ac

Western kingbirdrr

Eastern kingbirdr

Shrikes

 Loggerhead shriker

Northern shrikeo oo

Larks

 Horned lark r

Vireos

 Cassin’s vireoro

Hutton’s vireorrrr

 Warbling vireo*uu

Red-eyed vireo*ooo

Crows, Jays and Magpies

 Gray jayr r

Steller’s jay*cuuc

Western scrub-jay*cccc

Black-billed magpie ac ac

American crow*cccc

Swallows

 Purple martin*uuu

 Tree swallow*ccur

 Violet-green swallow*ccor

 Northern rough-winged swallow * ouu

Bank swallow*rru

Cliff swallow*uuu

Barn swallow*cccr

Chickadees

 Black-capped chickadee*cccc

Chestnut-backed chickadee*oooo

Nuthatches

 Red-breasted nuthatch*oooo

White-breasted nuthatch*uuuu

Bushtits

 Common bushtit*cccc
Common Name

N SpSFW

Towhees and Sparrows

 Spotted towhee*cccc

American tree sparrow ac

 Chipping sparrowooor

Vesper sparrowr r

 Fox sparrowo ou

 Song sparrow*cccc

 Lincoln’s sparrowo uu

 Swamp sparrow oo

 Savannah sparrow*ccuo

 White-throated sparrowr oo

 Harris’ sparrow ac

 White-crowned sparrow*uuuu

 Golden-crowned sparrowu uu

 Dark-eyed juncococc

 Lapland longspur ac

Grosbeaks and Buntings

 Black-headed grosbeak*oco

Lazuli bunting r

Blackbirds, Meadowlarks and Orioles

 Red-winged blackbird*ccuc

 Western meadowlark*uouu

 Yellow-headed blackbird*uu

 Brewer’s blackbird*cccc

 Brown-headed cowbird*ccuo

 Bullock’s oriole*ruo

Finches

 Purple finch*uuuu

 House finch*ccuc

 Red crossbillorrr

 Common redpoll ac

 Pine siskin*oooo

 American goldfinch*ccuu

 Evening grosbeako

Weaver Finches

 House sparrow*uuuu

Common NameN SpSFW

Creepers

Brown creeper*oooo

Wrens

 Bewick’s wren*cccc

House wren*rco

Winter wren*uuoc

Marsh wren*ccuu

Kinglets

 Golden-crowned kingletcocc

Ruby-crowned kingletuouu

Thrushes

 Western bluebirdr

Swainson’s thrush*ucu

Hermit thrushu oo

American robin*cccc

Varied thrusho ou

Mynas

European starling*cccc

Pipits

 American pipitu cu

Waxwings

 Cedar waxwing*ucuo

Warblers

 Orange-crowned warbler*cuoo

Nashville warbleroo

 Yellow warbler*ou

Chestnut-sided warbler ac

 Yellow-rumped warblercouu

Black-throated gray warbler uru

 Townsend’s warblero oo

 Palm warbler ac

 Black-and-white warbler ac

 Northern waterthrush ac

 MacGillivray’s warbler* ur

 Common yellowthroat*ccu

 Wilson’s warblercoo

 Yellow-breasted chatrr

Tanagers

 Western tanager*uur
Mammals of Ridgefield NWR

Common Name V

Opossums

Moles

Shrews

Bats

Rabbits

Rodents

Carnivores

Common opossum u

Dusky shrew

Vagrant shrew u

Townsend mole u

Shrew-mole

Little brown myotis

California myotis

Big brown bat

Hoary bat

Western red bat

Yuma bat

Silver-haired bat

Long-legged bat

Western long-eared bat

Eastern cottontail u

Brush rabbit

Beechey ground squirrel u

Eastern gray squirrel u

Douglas squirrel

Townsend’s chipmunk u

Mazama pocket gopher

Beaver u

Deer mouse u

Creeping (Oregon) vole

Townsend vole u

Muskrat u

Pacific jumping mouse u

Nutria u

Coyote u

Red fox u

Racoon u

Mink u

Long-tailed weasel u

Striped skunk u

River otter u

Mountain lion u

Bobcat

Mammals of 

Ridgefield

National Wildlife

Refuge

This list includes 23 species of 

mammals which have been verified 

through biological surveys to occur 

within Ridgefield National Wildlife 

Refuge. The remaining 16 are 

potential species obtained from 

various publications. The numerous 

fresh water ponds and marshes of the 

refuge produce a variety of emergent 

aquatic vegetation and are usually 

bordered by riparian areas. These 

habitats attract all species of wildlife 

and are especially critical to the 

survival of many of these mammalian 

species. Although their preferred 

habitat is present, viewing mammals 

is not always easy to do. Mammals 

have very keen senses and are usually 

aware of visitors long before they 

are seen. This gives them warning to 

hide or use their camoflauging. Some 

are only active at night. Although 

they may not be seen, it is not hard to 

spot evidence of their presence such 

as fresh coyote tracks in the mud or 

a burrow hole leading to a rabbit’s 

warm nest underground. Look for the 

signs and have patience.

V - (u) Verified Species

Coyote
Northwestern salamander

Long-toed salamander

Ensatina

Western redback salamander

Rough-skinned newt

Pacific treefrog

Northern red-legged frog

Bullfrog (introduced)

Western painted turtle

Northern alligator lizard

Rubber boa

Northwestern garter snake

Red-spotted (common) garter snake

Common Name

Thirteen species of amphibians and 

reptiles have been verified within 

Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.

Western painted turtles

Black-tailed deer u

Roosevelt elk u

Ungulates

Mammals, continued

Common Name V Amphibians & Reptiles of Ridgefield NWR

Red-spotted 

garter snake
Speckled dace u G

Longnose dace G,R

Longnose sucker u C,L

Bridgelip sucker u C

Largescale sucker u G,C,R

Channel catfish (introduced) C,L

Brown bullhead (introduced) u G,C,R

Black bullhead (introduced) u G

Mosquitofish (introduced) u G,R

Three-spine stickleback u G,R

Sandroller C,L

Largemouth bass (introduced) u G,R 

Smallmouth bass (introduced) u C 

Black crappie (introduced) u G,C,R

White crappie (introduced) u G,R

Bluegill (introduced) u G,R 

Pumpkinseed (introduced) u G,C

Warmouth u G 

Walleye (introduced) u G,C 

Yellow perch (introduced) u G,C,R

Prickly sculpin u G

Riffle sculpin u G

Reticulate sculpin u G

Starry flounder u C

Common Name V Water

The Columbia River supplies water 

to all parts of Ridgefield National 

Wildlife Refuge whether it is pumped 

or occurs on the refuge through 

natural floods. In addition, there are 

several sloughs, creeks and Lake 

River that flow in and around the 

refuge. This list of fish includes those 

fish that have been verified or are 

known to exist in those bodies of 

water.

 G - Gee Creek

 R - Refuge

 C - Columbia River

 L - Lake River

Western brook lamprey u G,C

Pacific lamprey C,L

White sturgeon u G,C

Green sturgeon u C 

American shad (introduced) u C

Mountain whitefish C,L

Brown trout (introduced) C,L

Sea-run cutthroat trout u G,C

Steelhead (rainbow trout) u G,C

Coho salmon u G,C

Chinook salmon u G,C

Sockeye salmon u C 

Chum salmon u C 

Eulachon (smelt) u G,C

Carp (introduced) u G,C,R

Goldfish (introduced) u G,R 

Chiselmouth C,L

Redside shiner u G 

Northern pike-minnow u G,C 

Peamouth u G 

Common Name V Water

Chinook salmon

Water

Symbols

Fish of Ridgefield NWR

Yellow perch
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

P.O. Box 457

28908 N.W. Main Avenue

Ridgefield, WA 98642

360/887 4106

http://www.fws.gov/ridgefieldrefuges

Washington Relay Service

Voice 1 800/833 6384

TTY 1 800/833 6388

Telebraille 1 800/833 6385

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov

For refuge information

1 800/344 WILD

August 2010