Great numbers of birds of many varieties have discovered that Crater
Lake National Park is a sanctuary for them. There are more than 110
varieties in the park.
The Eagle Crags have furnished nesting places for the golden eagle and
the southern bald eagle; Llao Rock is the home of falcons. Ospreys have
been seen, and the dusky horned owl forages nightly. California gulls
visit the park and Farallon cormorants are known to have nested and
raised their young on the lake. There are ravens and half a dozen
varieties of hawks. Canvasback and golden-eye ducks may be seen, and the
Sierra grouse inhabits the timber lands. Clark’s crow and crested jays
and gray jays make their presence known on the trails and around the
campgrounds.
Smaller birds frequently seen are the mountain bluebird, Townsend
solitaire, Sierra junco, pine siskin, Sierra creeper, red breasted
nuthatch, mountain chickadee, and western evening grosbeak. There are
golden and ruby-crowned kinglets, robins, wrens, wood and green-tailed
towhees, purple and rosy finches, chipping and other sparrows, two
varieties of thrushes, and five varieties of warblers. Occasionally a
humming bird is seen.
The most noticeable of the small birds of the park is the western
tanager, a brilliant streak of gold as he darts and flits in the dark
foliage, and equally remarkable in coloring when he rests on twig or
branch, where his red head, yellow body, and black wings with yellow
bars are unmistakable. The sweetest singer in the park is the Sierra
hermit thrush—shy, difficult to locate, but making his presence known by
his beautiful song.
During migratory seasons, thousands of geese, including the Canadian,
snow, and white-fronted varieties, fly over the park, taking advantage
of a low pass over the Cascade mountains near Annie Spring. These birds
make their flights in daylight hours, while numerous other varieties of
waterfowl fly over at night.