The snowy peaks, the mountain meadows, the forests, the lakes and
streams, and the salt-water shores of the Olympic Peninsula constitute a
variety of habitats for birds. The kinds of birds you can expect to see
depend on where you are.
In summer, there are approximately 140 species on the Olympic Peninsula.
The following list includes birds most easily identified and most likely
to be seen, and those of special interest. Many common birds are not
included.
_Birds of the Mountain Peaks_
GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCH—a rose-colored, sparrowlike bird, tame and
easily observed. It feeds characteristically on or near open, rocky
slopes and snowbanks.
_Birds of the Mountain Meadows and Timberline_
HORNED LARK—a brownish ground bird, whitish beneath, a little larger
than a sparrow. Usually in pairs on bare field and open ground; they
utter a plaintive _tee_ when startled into flight. At close range, the
forehead and throat show a pale yellow, bordered and striped with black.
The male has two black, hornlike feather tufts on the head.
SPARROW HAWK—a small, slender hawk with pointed wings and a rusty-red
tail and back. It commonly hovers in the air above fields and meadows
and is numerous on the ridges during grasshopper season.
BLUE GROUSE—a dark, hen-shaped bird commonly seen feeding on the ground
in meadows and woodland.
GRAY JAY—a usually silent, gray bird with a whitish area on top of the
head and a black patch behind the white. It is a little larger than a
robin. This jay appears at your camp or picnic expecting food and
sometimes helping himself to it.
COMMON RAVEN—distinguished from the crow by its greater size and coarse,
guttural croaks. It is seen on the meadows when grasshoppers are
abundant.
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD—“... a flash of azure blue—a crumb from the blue sky
above!” (E. A. Kitchin in _Birds of the Olympic Peninsula_.)
OREGON JUNCO is the size of a sparrow, with black head, rusty-brown
upperparts and white underparts. The blackish tail has white outer tail
feathers.
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD—the smallest bird in the park. It can be identified
by the rapid, darting, humming flight.
COOPER’S HAWK—a medium-sized hawk with short, blunt wings and a long
tail. Its flapping, darting, twisting flight, with comparatively little
soaring, is characteristic.
RED-TAILED HAWK—a large, soaring hawk with broad, blunt wings. In adults
the tail is red on top.
_Birds of the Forest_
Few birds live in the deep forest, but many prefer its edges near
streams and openings.
OREGON JUNCO—described in _Birds of the Mountain Meadows and
Timberline_.
WINTER WREN—a tiny, dark-brown, short-tailed wren of the deep quiet
woods. It sings a trill song from atop a snag or small tree during
nesting season and scolds passers-by with staccato, rasping notes.
RUFFED GROUSE—similar to the blue grouse, but reddish-brown, with broad,
blackish band toward tip of the tail.
PILIATED WOODPECKER—a big, black, crow-sized woodpecker with a white
streak down each side of head and neck. The male has a scarlet tuft on
top of head. This bird is found in the deep forest, particularly where
there are many dead trees and snags.
GRAY JAY—described in _Birds of the Mountain Meadows and Timberline_.
STELLER’S JAY—a harsh-voiced blue bird with black head and conspicuous
black crest.
VARIED THRUSH—somewhat resembles a robin, but has a black bib across the
breast. It is a bird of the deep forests, where it is more often heard
than seen. “... out of the silence comes a long-drawn quavering note
with something of the quality of escaping steam; after a short interval
the note is repeated in a higher pitch, again in a lower.” (Ralph
Hoffman in _Birds of the Pacific States_.)
RED-SHAFTED FLICKER—a stoutly built woodpecker with a black bib across
the breast and a white rump. Orange underwings can be seen when bird is
in flight, which is markedly undulating.
HAIRY WOODPECKER—a medium-sized, black and white woodpecker. It is
distinguished from a downy woodpecker by its slightly larger size and
the lack of black bars on the white outer tail feathers.
DOWNY WOODPECKER—a smaller edition of the hairy woodpecker; the white
outer tail feathers are barred with black.
SWAINSON’S THRUSH—distinguished by its russet back and brown-spotted,
buff breast; it is smaller than a robin but larger than a sparrow. It
sings in the late afternoon and evening; prefers a moist, shady
streamside habitat.
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD—described in _Birds of the Mountain Meadows and
Timberline_; it is abundant in the spruce forests along the coast during
nesting time.
_Birds Along the Streams_
DIPPER—a chunky, dark slate-colored bird, with a short, wren-like tail,
seen among boulders along swift-running streams. It bobs up and down as
it stands near the water and then plunges into the streams to feed on
the bottom.
BELTED KINGFISHER—a grayish-blue bird with white underparts and a blue
band across the breast; the female has a reddish sash. This bird is
distinguished by its large head, stout bill, and loud rattling call. It
dives from a tree into the water for fish.
HARLEQUIN DUCK—a rather small, dark-colored duck seen on the rivers in
spring and summer. The male is bluish above, has reddish-brown flanks, a
crescent of white in front of the eye, and various other striking spots
and streaks on head and neck—hence its name. The female, though duller,
also has white spots on the head.
GREAT BLUE HERON—a tall, lanky, slate-blue bird usually seen walking
knee deep in water. In flight, the neck is drawn back in an S-shape.
BALD EAGLE—a large, powerful hawk with slow wing beats. Mature birds,
but not the younger ones, have white head and tail. Seen along streams
when fish are spawning.
_Birds of the Ocean Shore_
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL—common along the shores even in summer.
GREAT BLUE HERON—described in _Birds Along the Streams_.
BALD EAGLE—described in _Birds Along the Streams_; it is common along
roadless stretches of the Pacific Coast area, where it nests in trees
near the shore.
BLACK OYSTERCATCHER—a large, black, sandpiperlike bird with a long red
bill and pink legs and feet, about the size of a half-grown chicken.
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT—a large, slender, black bird with a slender,
hooked bill; it is often seen with body nearly erect on a rock in the
water.
COMMON CROW—occurs in flocks; it caws, while ravens croak.
COMMON RAVEN—described in _Birds of the Mountain Meadows and
Timberline_; it is much larger than a crow and occurs chiefly in pairs,
singly, or in small groups; not in flocks.
[Illustration: YOUNG RACCOONS SEARCHING FOR A MEAL DURING LOW TIDE.]