U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Steigerwald Lake

National Wildlife 

Refuge

Watchable Wildlife
In order to 

see birds it is 

necessary to 

become part

of the silence.

- Robert Lynd
Introduction Bird List Key

c - Common – likely to be seen or 

heard

u - Uncommon – usually present 

but may not be seen or heard

o - Occasional – seen or heard only 

a few times per season

r - Rare – unlikely to be seen or 

heard

a - Accidental - less than five 

records

Sp - Spring – March through May

S - Summer – June through July

F - Fall – August through November

W - Winter – December through 

February

Seasonal 

Abundance Codes

Seasons

Steigerwald Lake 

NWR

A wide variety of birds await the 

patient observer at Steigerwald 

Lake National Wildlife Refuge. 

Located in the Columbia River 

Gorge, at the crossroads of the 

Cascade Mountain Range and the 

Columbia River, birds from the east 

can be found among those of the 

west at this near sea-level passage.

Over 200 of the 300 bird species 

seen in Clark County, Washington 

have been observed on this relatively 

small refuge, making Steigerwald 

Lake an excellent birding destination.

A number of habitats support this 

diverse bird population, including 

riparian forest along Gibbons Creek, 

seasonal wetlands, grasslands and 

oak forested uplands.

The Gibbons Creek Wildlife Art Trail 

offers Refuge visitors the chance to 

experience and learn about wildlife 

and the places they call home. As a 

guest in their home, your visit will 

be most successful if you move 

slowly, talk softly, use binoculars 

and leave only footprints behind.

The trail is open year-round from dawn 

until dusk. A seasonal spur is closed 

from October 1 – April 30 to provide 

sanctuary for wintering waterfowl.

When looking at a bird, pay close 

attention to characteristics like color, 

size, shape, wing and head markings. 

Always observe first and then refer 

to your identification book, because 

the bird may move out of sight quickly. 

This is especially true of perching birds.

Also, be sure to listen for their calls 

and sounds. Take note of the type of 

habitat in which you see the bird, and 

where in the habitat they are likely 

to be found—canopy, tree trunk, brushy 

areas, open water or on the ground.

Enjoying Wildlife

Observation Tips

Marsh wren
Common Name Sp S F W

 Northern Shoveler u o u c

 Northern Pintail o r o c

 Green-winged Teal c r u c

 Canvasback r r r o

 Redhead o a

 Ring-necked Duck c o o c

 Tufted Duck a

 Greater Scaup o o u

 Lesser Scaup c o u c

 Surf Scoter a

 Long-tailed Duck a

 Bufflehead c r o c

 Common Goldeneye r r o

 Barrow’s Goldeneye a a

 Hooded Merganser u o o u

 Common Merganser o r r o

 Red-breasted Merganser a

 Ruddy Duck r r r r

Osprey, Kites, Hawks and Eagles

 Osprey c c r 

 White-tailed Kite a a

 Bald Eagle u u u c

 Northern Harrier c c c u

 Sharp-shinned Hawk o o r

 Cooper’s Hawk a r 

 Red-shouldered Hawk o o

 Swainson’s Hawk a 

 Red-tailed Hawk c c c c

 Ferruginous Hawk a a

 Rough-legged Hawk r o

 Golden Eagle a

 Birds of Steigerwald Lake NWR

Common Name Sp S F W

Loons

 Common Loon r u

Grebes

 Pied-billed Grebe c c c u

 Horned Grebe o o o

 Red-necked Grebe a

 Eared Grebe a

 Western Grebe o o o

Cormorants

 Double-crested Cormorant u r u u

Bitterns, Herons and Egrets

 American Bittern u u u r

 Great Blue Heron c c c u

 Great Egret r o u r

 Cattle Egret a 

 Green Heron o r r 

 Black-crowned Night-Heron a

Ibises and Spoonbills

 White-faced Ibis a a

New World Vultures

 Turkey Vulture c c c 

Swans, Geese and Ducks

 Greater White-fronted Goose o u r

 Snow Goose o r r

 Ross’s Goose a 

 Brant a

 Cackling Goose c u c

 Canada Goose c u c c

 Mute Swan o o o u 

 Trumpeter Swan a

 Tundra Swan r r r

 Wood Duck c c u r

 Gadwall c u c c

 Eurasian Wigeon r r r

 American Wigeon c o c c

 Mallard c c c u

 Blue-winged Teal u u

 Cinnamon Teal c c o r

Red-tailed hawk © Ken Morris
 Solitary Sandpiper r a r

 Spotted Sandpiper r u o 

 Long-billed Curlew a 

 Sanderling r r 

 Semipalmated Sandpiper r r 

 Western Sandpiper u r o 

 Least Sandpiper o r o

 Baird’s Sandpiper u

 Pectoral Sandpiper o 

 Dunlin o r

 Short-billed Dowitcher a a 

 Long-billed Dowitcher u r u o

 Wilson’s Snipe c r u o

 Wilson’s Phalarope r r

 Red-necked Phalarope a

 Red Phalarope a

Skuas, Jaegers, Gulls and Terns

 Bonaparte’s Gull r r r 

 Mew Gull o o u

 Ring-billed Gull u o u u

 California Gull u o o o

 Herring Gull o o u

 Thayer’s Gull r r r

 Glaucous-winged Gull c u o c

 Glaucous Gull a

 Caspian Tern o o o 

Pigeons and Doves

 Rock Pigeon o o u o 

 Band-tailed Pigeon a a

 Eurasian Collared-Dove u u u u

 Mourning Dove u c o 

Barn Owls

 Barn Owl r r o o

Typical Owls

 Western Screech-Owl r

 Great Horned Owl o c o o

 Snowy Owl a

 Burrowing Owl a

 Short-eared Owl o o

Common Name Sp S F W

Falcons and Caracaras

 American Kestrel o o u u

 Merlin u a

 Gyrfalcon a

Peregrine Falcon r o o

 Prairie Falcon a

Gallinaceous Birds

 Ring-necked Pheasant r r r r 

 California Quail r r r r

Rails

 Virginia Rail o o u r

 Sora o u r 

 American Coot c u u c

Cranes

 Sandhill Crane a

Plovers

 Semipalmated Plover u 

 Killdeer u u u o

Stilts and Avocets

 Black-necked Stilt a

 American Avocet a 

Sandpipers and Phalaropes

 Greater Yellowlegs u u o

 Lesser Yellowlegs o r u 

Common Name Sp S F W

Greater

yellowlegs
Common Name Sp S F W

Vireos

 Cassin’s Vireo o o

 Warbling Vireo o o o

 Red-eyed Vireo r

Crows, Jays and Magpies

 Steller’s Jay r o u r

 Western Scrub-Jay c c c o

 American Crow c c u u

 Common Raven o o u r

Larks

 Horned Lark a

Swallows

 Purple Martin c c u

 Tree Swallow c c u r

 Violet-green Swallow c c u

 Northern Rough-winged Swallow u u u 

 Bank Swallow a a

 Cliff Swallow o u u

 Barn Swallow c c c 

Titmice and Chickadees

 Black-capped Chickadee o u c o

 Chestnut-backed Chickadee a

Bushtits

 Bushtit r o o r

Nuthatches

 Red-breasted Nuthatch a

 White-breasted Nuthatch u o c r

Creepers

 Brown Creeper r r 

Wrens

 Bewick’s Wren u c u o

 House Wren c c u 

 Winter Wren a

 Marsh Wren u u o r

Kinglets

 Golden-crowned Kinglet r r r

 Ruby-crowned Kinglet u o o

Common Name Sp S F W

Swifts

 Black Swift r o 

 Vaux’s Swift o c o 

Hummingbirds

 Anna’s Hummingbird o o 

 Calliope Hummingbird r r 

 Rufous Hummingbird o o o 

Kingfishers

 Belted Kingfisher u u c o

Woodpeckers

 Lewis’s Woodpecker a 

 Red-breasted Sapsucker r r

 Downy Woodpecker u c c o

 Hairy Woodpecker u o o o

 Northern Flicker c o c o

 Pileated Woodpecker u o u r

Tyrant Flycatchers

 Western Wood-Pewee o c o 

 Willow Flycatcher o u u

 Least Flycatcher a

 Gray Flycatcher a

 Dusky Flycatcher a a

 Pacific-slope Flycatcher u o o

 Black Phoebe a a

 Say’s Phoebe r r

 Ash-throated Flycatcher a

 Western Kingbird o r

 Eastern Kingbird a a 

Shrikes

 Loggerhead Shrike a a

 Northern Shrike r r

White-breasted nuthatch

© Matt Macgillivray
Common Name Sp S F W

 Lincoln’s Sparrow r u r

 Swamp Sparrow a

 White-throated Sparrow a r r

 Harris’s Sparrow a a a

 White-crowned Sparrow u u u o

 Golden-crowned Sparrow u u u

 Dark-eyed Junco o r o u

 Lapland Longspur a a

Cardinals, Grosbeaks and Allies

 Black-headed Grosbeak o c o

 Lazuli Bunting u o u

Blackbirds and Orioles

 Red-winged Blackbird c c c u

 Western Meadowlark u r o u

 Yellow-headed Blackbird r r

 Brewer’s Blackbird o o u u

 Brown-headed Cowbird c c r

 Bullock’s Oriole o c u

Finches

 Purple Finch r r 

 House Finch c c c o

 Pine Siskin r r r

 Lesser Goldfinch a

 American Goldfinch c c c r

Old World Sparrows

 House Sparrow o c o o

Common Name Sp S F W

Thrushes

 Mountain Bluebird a

 Townsend’s Solitaire a

 Swainson’s Thrush o c u 

 Hermit Thrush a a

 American Robin c c c o

 Varied Thrush a r

Mimic Thrushes

 Sage Thrasher a 

Starlings

 European Starling c c c c

Wagtails and Pipits

 American Pipit r r r

Waxwings

 Cedar Waxwing o c c 

Wood Warblers

 Orange-crowned Warbler u u 

 Nashville Warbler r a r

 Yellow Warbler o o r

 Yellow-rumped Warbler o u r

 Black-throated Gray Warbler o o

 Townsend’s Warbler a r

 Palm Warbler a

 MacGillivray’s Warbler r u

 Common Yellowthroat c c c r

 Wilson’s Warbler u a u

 Yellow-breasted Chat o o

Tanagers

 Western Tanager o r r

Sparrows and Towhees

 Spotted Towhee u u o o

 Chipping Sparrow r r

 Clay-colored Sparrow a

 Brewer’s Sparrow a

 Vesper Sparrow a a

 Savannah Sparrow c c u

 Fox Sparrow u u u

 Song Sparrow c c c u

American robin

© Ken Morris
Mammals of the Gorge Refuges

Common Name V

Pouched Mammals

 Common opossum •

Shrews and Moles

 Shrew-mole 

 Coast mole •

 Townsend mole •

 Dusky shrew 

 Water shrew •

 Vagrant shrew •

Bats

 Big brown bat •

 Silver-haired bat

 Western red bat

 Hoary bat

 California myotis

 Western long-eared bat

 Little brown myotis •

 Long-legged bat

 Yuma bat

 Big-eared bat 

Pikas, Rabbits and Hares

 Brush rabbit 

 Eastern cottontail •

Rodents

 Beaver •

 Gray-tailed vole

 Creeping (Oregon) vole

 Townsend vole •

 Nutria •

 Muskrat •

 Deer mouse •

 Eastern gray squirrel •

 Western gray squirrel

 Beechey ground squirrel •

 Townsends chipmunk •

 Douglas squirrel •

 Mazama pocket gopher

 Brush prairie gopher

 Northern pocket gopher •

 Pacific jumping mouse •

Carnivores

 Coyote •

 Mountain lion •

 Bobcat •

 River otter •

 Striped skunk •

 Long-tailed weasel •

 Mink •

 Racoon •

 Black bear •

 Red fox •

Hoofed Mammals

 Roosevelt elk •

 Black-tailed deer •

Common Name V

Little

brown myotis © Ken Morris

The following lists of mammals, 

amphibians, reptiles, and fish 

include species that have been 

verified through biological surveys 

to occur within the Columbia River 

Gorge National Wildlife Refuges 

(Steigerwald Lake NWR, Franz 

Lake NWR, Pierce NWR). The 

remaining are potential species 

obtained from various publications.

V - (•) Verified Species

Species

Presence
Amphibians & Reptiles of the Gorge Refuges Fish of the Gorge Refuges

Common Name V

Salamanders

 Northwestern salamander •

 Long-toed salamander •

 Ensatina •

 Larch Mountain salamader •

 Western red-back salamander

 Cascade torrent salamander •

 Rough-skinned newt •

Frogs and Toads

 Western toad •

 Pacific chorus frog •

 Northern red-legged frog •

 Bullfrog •

Turtles

 Western painted turtle •

 Western pond turtle •

Lizards

 Northern alligator lizard 

Snakes

 Rubber boa 

 Northwestern garter snake •

 Red-spotted (common) garter snake •

Common Name V

 Green sturgeon 

 White sturgeon

 Chiselmouth •

 American shad

 Yellow bullhead •

 Brown bullhead •

 Goldfish •

 Longnose sucker

 Bridgelip sucker

 Largescale sucker •

 Riffle sculpin •

 Torrent sculpin •

 Carp •

 Threespine stickleback •

 Channel catfish

 River lamprey •

 Pumpkinseed •

 Bluegill •

 Smallmouth bass •

 Largemouth bass •

 Sea-run cutthroat trout •

 Chum salmon •

 Coho salmon •

 Sockeye salmon

 Rainbow trout •

 Steelhead •

 Chinook salmon •

 Yellow perch •

 Sandroller

 Starry flounder

 White crappie •

 Black crappie

 Mountain whitefish

 Northern pike-minnow

 Longnosed dace •

 Redside shiner •

 Brown trout

 Bull trout

 Walleye

 Eulachon (smelt)

Rough-skinned newt

© Andy Purviance
Field Notes

Have you seen

me lately?

If you find a rare, accidental or 

unlisted species, please share your 

observations with us. And remember, 

a picture is worth a thousand words.

Date & time

Observer

Weather

Species

Behavior

Comments

Date & time

Observer

Weather

Species

Behavior

Comments

Northern harrier

© Roger Windemuth
Steigerwald Lake

National Wildlife Refuge

35501 SE Evergreen Hwy

Washougal, WA 98671

Telephone: 360/835-8767

Fax: 360/835-9780

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov

Refuge Information

1 800/344 WILD

October 2010

Cover photo

Purple martin/Photograph by Dori

Inside front cover photo

Great blue heron/© Dave Olson