48

SpSu F W Species Habitat

$ - $ - Greater White-fronted Goose e,f,p

$ $ - Snow Goose a,f N

!!!! Canada Goose* e,f,p

% $% Cackling Goose s Aleutian subspecies occurs in migration and winter.

% - # % Brant e N,C Black Brant flocks winter mainly in Netarts, Yaquina, and Tillamook bays.

% %% Tundra Swan f,p

%%%$ Wood Duck* f,p

# - # % Gadwall* e,f,p

$ # % Eurasian Wigeon e,f,p

% - %! American Wigeon e,f,p

!!!! Mallard* e,f,p

$ # - Blue-winged Teal f,p

%%% # Cinnamon Teal* f,p

% - %! Northern Shoveler f,p

% - %! Northern Pintail* e,f,p

% - %! Green-winged Teal f,p

% $% Canvasback e

- - - Redhead e

% # %% Ring-necked Duck* e,f,p

% - %! Greater Scaup e

% - $! Lesser Scaup e

%$$% Harlequin Duck r Rocky inlets.

%$%! Surf Scoter s,e

%$%% White-winged Scoter s,e

$ # $$ Black Scoter s,e

$ - # $ Long-tailed Duck s,e

% %! Bufflehead e,f,p

% # % Common Goldeneye e

%$%% Hooded Merganser* f,p

$%%% Common Merganser* e,p

% - $% Red-breasted Merganser e

% %! Ruddy Duck e

# # # # Ring-necked Pheasant* a,g

$ # # # Ruffed Grouse* m,d

$ # # # Sooty Grouse* m,c Formerly considered to be coastal subspecies 

 of Blue Grouse.

$ # # # Mountain Quail* m Brushy slopes, clearcuts.

# # # # California Quail* a,g,u

$ - $% Red-throated Loon e,s

% # %% Pacific Loon e,s

%$%% Common Loon e,s

$$%% Pied-billed Grebe* p,f

% %! Horned Grebe e

$ - # $ Red-necked Grebe e,s

# # $ Eared Grebe e

%$%! Western Grebe e,s

# - # $ Clark’s Grebe e,s S A few winter regularly in Coos Bay.

Oregon Coast Birding Trail Checklist

Over 450 species of birds have occurred in the 

region covered by the Oregon Coast Birding Trail. 

The following list of 250 species includes those 

most likely to be detected by visitors. The following 

symbols are used to indicate the relative ease of 

detecting (seeing or hearing) these birds during a 

given season:

- Very rarely detected

# Rarely detected

$ Occasionally detected

% Regularly detected

! Very regularly detected

These symbols are not intended to indicate relative 

abundance. Some birds such as owls may be 

difficult to detect even if fairly common. Others such 

as osprey are conspicuous and hence easy to detect, 

even if they are present only in small numbers.

Species that breed in the region are indicated by 

an asterisk(*).The following letter codes are used 

to indicate the most likely area to encounter bird 

species:

N Northern part of trail region (Astoria to Lincoln City)

C Central part of trail region (Lincoln City to Florence)

S Southern part of trail region (Reedsport to Crescent 

City, California)

a Agricultural fields, pastures

b Sandy beaches

c Coniferous forest

d Deciduous or mixed deciduous-coniferous forest

e Estuaries, bays

f Freshwater wetlands/marshes

g Grassland

m Mountains (Coast Range or Siskiyou Mtns)

p Ponds, lakes, sewage treatment ponds

o Open ocean (pelagic zone), accessible via boat trips

r Rocky shores, jetties

s Sea watch from coastal headlands; coastal rocks & 

islands

t Tidal flats, mud flats, deflation plains

u Urbanized areas, towns

w Woodlands

More detailed information on breeding bird status for 

the Oregon coast is available in the Oregon Breeding 

Bird Atlas, published by Oregon Field Ornithologists, 

P.O. Box 10373, Eugene, OR 97440. Information on 

the likelihood of encountering pelagic species on 

offshore tours can be found at: 

www.thebirdguide.com/pelagics/bar_chart.htm

Sp Su F W Species Habitat

- - - $ Laysan Albatross o Albatrosses are seen almost exclusively on 

 pelagic boat trips.

# $$ - Black-footed Albatross o

# $%$ Northern Fulmar o,s Fulmars, shearwaters, and storm-petrels can sometimes be identified from coastal headlands with a spotting scope, but are most easily seen on pelagic boat trips.

# $$ Pink-footed Shearwater o,s

- $ Buller’s Shearwater o,s

$%% Sooty Shearwater o,s

# # $ Short-tailed Shearwater o,s

# $$ - Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel* o,s

# # # - Leach’s Storm-Petrel* o,s

$%% - Brown Pelican s,b,e

!!!! Brandt’s Cormorant* e,r,s

%%%% Double-crested Cormorant* e,r,s

!!!! Pelagic Cormorant* e,r,s

$ # # # American Bittern* f Most easily detected by ear when calling.

!!!! Great Blue Heron* e,f

$%!! Great Egret* e,f S Breeds locally at Coos Bay, winters more widely

 # # $ Snowy Egret e,f S Winters at Coos Bay.

$$ # - Green Heron* e,f

!!% - Turkey Vulture* a,b,e,g

$%$ - Osprey* e,p

$ # # $ White-tailed Kite* a,g S,C Uncultivated open areas

%$$% Bald Eagle* e,b Increasingly around seabird nesting colonies

$ # $$ Northern Harrier* f,g

$ # $$ Sharp-shinned Hawk* c

$ # $$ Cooper’s Hawk* d,w

- $$ Red-shouldered Hawk* d,w S,C Local in moist woodlands

%%!! Red-tailed Hawk* a,g “Harlan’s” form occurs rarely in winter.

# # $ Rough-legged Hawk a,g N

$ # $$ American Kestrel* a,g

$ - $$ Merlin t,a Often around shorebird flocks.

$$%% Peregrine Falcon* r,t Coastal cliffs and around shorebird flocks.

$ # $$ Virginia Rail* f

$ # $ - Sora* f

% # !! American Coot* e,f Rare local breeder in south; widespread in winter.

%$%% Black-bellied Plover t,b

- - # American Golden-Plover t

- - $ - Pacific Golden-Plover t

# # # # Snowy Plover* b Coastal population of Western Snowy Plover is threatened due to habitat loss.

%%% - Semipalmated Plover t

%%%% Killdeer* t,a,g
49

Sp Su F W Species Habitat

% %%% Black Oystercatcher* r

%$%% Greater Yellowlegs e,f,a

$ # $ - Lesser Yellowlegs e,f,a

# # Solitary Sandpiper f,p

$ $ - Willet t,f

$ - $ Wandering Tattler r

$$$$ Spotted Sandpiper* e,p

%%% Whimbrel t,b

$ # $ # Long-billed Curlew t,b S

% $% - Marbled Godwit t,b

$ # $ # Ruddy Turnstone r,t

% # %% Black Turnstone r

% # %% Surfbird r

$ - # - Red Knot t

! %!! Sanderling b,t

! %!% Western Sandpiper t

! %!! Least Sandpiper t,a

- # $ Baird’s Sandpiper t,f Dry mud margins of wetlands.

- # $ Pectoral Sandpiper t Wet grassy areas.

- - # Rock Sandpiper r

! - !! Dunlin t

% $% Short-billed Dowitcher t,f

% $!$ Long-billed Dowitcher t,f

% - %% Wilson’s Snipe* f,a Rare local breeder in Coast Range bogs; common in wetlands in winter.

% - % Red-necked Phalarope s,e Often abundant offshore in spring migration.

# - $ # Red Phalarope o,s Offshore migrants, sometimes blown onshore 

 in winter storms.

- # # South Polar Skua o Skuas and jaegers are most easily seen on offshore 

 pelagic trips. Parasitic Jaeger is the most likely 

 species to be seen from shore, especially around the 

 mouth of the Columbia River where they harass 

 Caspian Terns from nearby colonies.

- - $ Pomarine Jaeger o,s

$ # $ - Parasitic Jaeger o,s

- - $ Long-tailed Jaeger o,s N

% # $ - Bonaparte’s Gull s,e

- %% - Heermann’s Gull e,s,b

% - %! Mew Gull e,s

% $%% Ring-billed Gull* e N Nests locally in the upper Columbia River estuary.

% %!% California Gull e

$ - $$ Herring Gull s,e

$ $$ Thayer’s Gull e

! !!! Western Gull* e,b Nests mainly on cliffs and offshore islands.

! %!! Glaucous-winged Gull* e Often hybridizes with Western Gull.

# - # Glaucous Gull e,b

$ - $ - Sabine’s Gull o,s Migrants predominantly offshore.

$ - # $ Black-legged Kittiwake o,s

! !% Caspian Tern* e,b Breeds in large colonies on islands in the Columbia River estuary.

 # $ Elegant Tern s,e Late summer visitor, coincides with peak anchovy numbers.

Sp Su F W Species Habitat

$ # $ Common Tern p,s

$ - # Arctic Tern p,s

! !%$ Common Murre* s,e

 Nests in large colonies on offshore rocks and islands; sometimes mistaken for penguins by beachgoers.

% %$ # Pigeon Guillemot* s,r,e Nests in cliff crevices or burrows in headlands and on offshore islands.

$ $$ # Marbled Murrelet* s,o,m,c Nests in old-growth forest up to 30 mi inland; otherwise mainly seen offshore.

- - - $ Ancient Murrelet s,o

# - $ # Cassin’s Auklet* s,o Nests on offshore rocks; nocturnal during nesting 

 season but large numbers sometimes seen offshore in 

 summer-fall. 

$ $$ # Rhinoceros Auklet* s,o Nests mainly on offshore islands. Can be seen 

 breeding in Sea Lion Caves.

$ # - - Tufted Puffin* s,o Nests on islands and headlands with steep grassy slopes.

! !!! Rock Pigeon* u

% %% # Band-tailed Pigeon* m,c,d

# # # - Eurasian Collared-Dove u S Expanding range northward along coast.

$ # $ - Mourning Dove* u,a

# # # # Barn Owl* a,g

# # # # Western Screech-Owl* w Forest edges, riparian woodlands.

$ $$$ Great Horned Owl* w

$ $$ # Northern Pygmy-Owl* m,c

# # # # Spotted Owl* m,c Northern Spotted Owl is Threatened; uses old-growth forests in Coast Range.

# # # # Barred Owl* m,c,d Rapidly expanding in Oregon; occasionally hybridizes with Spotted Owl.

 # # Short-eared Owl f,g

# # # # Northern Saw-whet Owl* m,c

 $ - Common Nighthawk* m,b Coast range clearcuts, coastal dunes.

$ $$ Vaux’s Swift* m,c,u Uses hollow snags and chimneys for nesting 

 and migration roosts.

$ $$$ Anna’s Hummingbird* u Parks, gardens.

% %$ # Rufous Hummingbird* w,u

$ $$$ Allen’s Hummingbird* S Coastal scrub, thickets south of Bandon.

$ %%% Belted Kingfisher* p Nests along rivers, beaches with steep banks.

$ $ # # Red-breasted Sapsucker* m,c,d

% %%% Downy Woodpecker* d,w

% %%% Hairy Woodpecker* m,c

! !!! Northern Flicker* c,d,w Red-shafted form resident; Yellow-shafted and 

 intergrades occur in winter.

$ $$$ Pileated Woodpecker* m,c Large-diameter snags.

$ $ # Olive-sided Flycatcher* m,c Perches in scattered tall trees above canopy.

$ %$ Western Wood-Pewee* w

$ % # Willow Flycatcher* m,d S Riparian thickets and shrubby, regenerating forests.

Sp Su F W Species Habitat

$ $ # Hammond’s Flycatcher* m,c Uses high perches in mature forests.

% %$ Pacific-slope Flycatcher* d,c

$ $$$ Black Phoebe* S,C Near water in open habitats or riparian edges.

 - # - Tropical Kingbird a,g Postbreeding dispersal north to open habitats.

$ # - Western Kingbird* a,g S

 Open habitats with scattered perches.

# # $ Northern Shrike a,g

$ $ # Cassin’s Vireo* m,d,c Breeds inland; migrants widespread.

% $$$ Hutton’s Vireo* w

% %$ Warbling Vireo* d Breeds inland; migrants widespread.

$ $$$ Gray Jay* m,c N,C Resident subspecies known as “Oregon Jay.”

! !!! Steller’s Jay* c

$ $$$ Western Scrub-Jay* w S,N Locally resident in Brookings, Gold Beach, and Astoria.

! !!! American Crow* b,e,a

% %%% Common Raven* c,b

# # $ # Horned Lark* m,b Coast range peaks in migration; dunes and beaches 

 in winter; breeds locally on dredge spoil islands and 

 south jetty of Columbia River.

% %% Purple Martin* e,m Open water near snags or artificial nest boxes. 

! %$ # Tree Swallow* c,d

! !% - Violet-green Swallow* u,w

$ % - Northern Rough-winged Swallow* Nests in stream banks and sand cliffs above beaches.

% %$ Cliff Swallow* Open areas near cliffs or bridges.

! !! - Barn Swallow* a,u

! !!! Black-capped Chickadee* d

! !!! Chestnut-backed Chickadee* c

$ $$$ Bushtit* w Brushy habitats.

$ $%$ Red-breasted Nuthatch* c

$ $$$ Brown Creeper* c

% %%% Bewick’s Wren* d,w Brush, forest edges.

$ $ # House Wren* m Coast Range clearcuts with snags.

! !!% Winter Wren* m,c,d

% %%% Marsh Wren* f,e

$ $$$ American Dipper* N,C Fast-flowing streams and rivers.

! !!! Golden-crowned Kinglet* c

% - !! Ruby-crowned Kinglet d Shrubby growth in winter.

$ $$$ Western Bluebird* w,m Open areas adjoining woods, clearcuts with snags in Coast Range.

# # # # Townsend’s Solitaire* m Coast Range forest openings including burns, clearcuts.

% !! Swainson’s Thrush* d,c

$ $%% Hermit Thrush* c,d Breeds sparsely in S. Coast Range, can be abundant 

 in dense growth in winter.

! !!! American Robin* a,g,u,w

% %%% Varied Thrush* c
50

Sp Su F W Species Habitat

% %%% Wrentit* Coastal scrub, thickets.

! !!! European Starling* u

$ %$ American Pipit a,t,r,m Pastures, mudflats, and coastal rocks in winter; 

 Coast Range peaks in migration.

% !!$ Cedar Waxwing* w Fruit trees in late summer.

! %$ # Orange-crowned Warbler* d,w Brushy deciduous growth.

# # # - Nashville Warbler* S Shrubby habitats.

% %% - Yellow Warbler* d,w Riparian woods, willow thickets.

! $!! Yellow-rumped Warbler* c,d Audubon’s form breeds sparsely in Coast Range; common along with Myrtle form in winter.

% %% Black-throated Gray Warbler* d,w

% # %% Townsend’s Warbler c,d N,C

% %% - Hermit Warbler* m,c

- # # Palm Warbler Open habitats with some brush.

$ $ # MacGillivray’s Warbler* m,c,d Dense brush, regenerating clearcuts in Coast Range.

% !% # Common Yellowthroat* f

! !% - Wilson’s Warbler* c,d Needs well-developed understory.

# $ # Yellow-breasted Chat* S Dense riparian thickets in Rogue and Chetco

 River valleys inland.

% %% Western Tanager* c,d

% %%% Spotted Towhee* Dense shrub cover, forest edges.

$ $ # - Chipping Sparrow* w,g Grassy inland meadows; rare migrant on 

 immediate coast.

# # # Vesper Sparrow* g,w S

% %% # Savannah Sparrow* a,g Nests in open fields; migrants use diverse open 

 habitats, including beaches, estuary shores, and 

 Coast Range peaks.

% # !! Fox Sparrow* Wintering birds are mainly “Sooty” form; a few of 

 “Thick-billed” form breed high in the Siskiyou Mtns.

! !!! Song Sparrow* Widespread.

$ %% Lincoln’s Sparrow Moist weedy sites in winter.

# # $ Swamp Sparrow Grassy, boggy pockets with sparse saplings or blackberries.

$ $$ White-throated Sparrow d,w Brushy/wooded edges.

! !!% White-crowned Sparrow* g,a Open habitats with some bushes.

! - !! Golden-crowned Sparrow d,w Brushy/wooded edges.

! %!! Dark-eyed Junco* c,d,w,u Resident “Oregon” form nests in forest 

 openings and edges; winter flocks may include a few of 

 “Slate-colored” form. 

# - $ # Lapland Longspur Tidal salt marshes, dune edges.

- # # Snow Bunting Dune edges, Coast Range peaks in migration.

Sp Su F W Species Habitat

% %$ Black-headed Grosbeak* d,w

# $ - Lazuli Bunting* S Brushy fields and hillsides.

! %!! Red-winged Blackbird* f,a

# # $$ Western Meadowlark* g Breeds locally in Coos Co.; winters more widely.

% %!! Brewer’s Blackbird* a,g,u

% !$ # Brown-headed Cowbird* a,w Woodland edges, pastures, dairies.

# $ # - Bullock’s Oriole* d,w S

% !%$ Purple Finch* c,d

% %!! House Finch* a,u

$ $$$ Red Crossbill* m,c Several types may occur, distinguished by calls.

$ $$$ Pine Siskin* m,c,d Flocks visit lowland feeders in winter.

$ $$$ Lesser Goldfinch* S Inland chaparral.

! !!$ American Goldfinch* Weedy open habitats, feeders.

% $$$ Evening Grosbeak* m,c,d Flocks to bigleaf maples, feeders in spring.

! !!! House Sparrow* u,a

Rare Coastal Specialties

The following 20 species, though very rare and often difficult to identify, are difficult to find elsewhere in the 

“Lower 48” (contiguous United States), so they are sometimes sought by birders visiting the Oregon coast. 

Care should be taken to distinguish from other species more common to the region.

Sp Su F W Species Habitat More common species to compare

- - Emperor Goose e Greater White-fronted Goose, Snow Goose (dark morph)

# # Trumpeter Swan p,f N Tundra Swan

- - # Common Teal p,f (American) Green-winged Teal

- - - Tufted Duck p,e Ring-necked Duck, scaup

- - King Eider s scoters

- - - # Yellow-billed Loon e,s C Common Loon, other loons, cormorants

 - - Short-tailed Albatross o Other albatrosses, large gulls

- - - - Mottled Petrel o Shearwaters, Bonaparte’s Gull, kittiwakes

- # Flesh-footed Shearwater o Northern Fulmar, other shearwaters

- Bristle-thighed Curlew t,b Whimbrel

 - - - Bar-tailed Godwit t,b Marbled Godwit

- # Sharp-tailed Sandpiper e,t Pectoral Sandpiper

 - Thick-billed Murre o,s Common Murre

 - - Xantus’s Murrelet o Other murrelets, Common Murre chicks

 - - Long-billed Murrelet o,s Marbled Murrelet, Common Murre chicks

 - - Parakeet Auklet o Other auklets, murrelets

- - - Horned Puffin o Tufted Puffin, auklets

- - # Gyrfalcon a,g N Peregrine Falcon

- - # Snowy Owl b,g N,C Barn Owl

- - - Black Swift Vaux’s Swift, Purple Martin

More than 180 additional bird species have occurred, including many that occur annually along the coast 

but are much easier to find in other parts of Oregon, and many that are rare to Oregon but occur regularly in 

other parts of North America. For reports on locally rare birds being seen on the Oregon coast at the time of 

your visit, browse the Oregon Birders On-Line list via web links found at www.orbirds.org.

Snowy Owl

PHOTO BY: Wayne Hoffman
51

The Important Bird Area (IBA) Program is a joint effort between the 

National Audubon Society and BirdLife International to identify 

a network of sites that provide critical habitat for birds. The 

IBA Program recognizes that habitat loss and fragmentation are the most 

serious threats facing populations of birds around the world and through 

partnerships they are identifying places that are critical to birds during 

parts of their life cycle (breeding, wintering, feeding, and migrating). 

Through the designation of sites as IBA’s they hope to minimize the effects 

that habitat loss, and degradation have on bird populations. IBA’s can 

be a few acres or thousands of acres, they can be private or public land, 

and they may be protected or unprotected. The Audubon Society of 

Portland’s IBA program identifies places in Oregon that are outstanding 

in their importance for birds, and encourages the continued health of bird 

habitat through the efforts of volunteers who raise awareness and carry out 

conservation and monitoring. There are more than 80 IBA’s in Oregon, 

many of which are on the Oregon coast. When you see the bird icon 

below a site description, that denotes the site is an Oregon IBA.

51

Greater 

 yellowlegs

 PHOTO BY: 

 Richard Cronberg

Lesser yellowlegs 

PHOTO BY: Richard Cronberg