Birding

Scan the tree line, horizon or the skies in Lincoln City and you may just find the bird you’ve been searching for—majestic Bald Eagles, clever, fleet-footed Sandpipers and Snowy Plovers, or the balletic Great Blue Heron. From Siletz Bay to Devils Lake to places in between, you’ll find birds of every feather.

Essential Birding Gear

• Sturdy boots
• Binoculars
• A rain jacket
• Gloves
• Sunscreen

Local Birds

Many birds such as the western snowy plover are protected species, and mindfulness should be practiced when out birding. Avoid habitat alteration and be observant of signs indicating nesting areas. Your efforts help save birds that are struggling in Oregon. Get in touch with the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife for more information.

Western Sandpiper

The most common migrating shorebird on the Oregon Coast. With dark legs and a thin dark bill, they can be found on the mudflats, beaches, shores or lakes, where they feed on insects and crustaceans.

Western Snowy Plover

This white and tan shorebird nests on open sandy beaches and dry mudflats on the southern and central Oregon Coast. They were listed as threatened in 1993, declining primarily from habitat loss.

Bald Eagle

Removed from the endangered list in 2007, these birds live in a variety of locations on the Oregon Coast, including stands of trees near Siletz Bay and on Devils Lake. Their white heads and eight-foot wingspan make them easy to spot.

Osprey

These birds are hawks with white bellies and dark brown wings live in forested areas near lakes, rivers and the ocean and eat fish exclusively. Ospreys are frequently seen in Siletz Bay, the Siletz River, Devils Lake and areas of south Lincoln City.

Bufflehead

Black and white with purplish-green throated diving ducks that feed on fish and plants, they travel a long way underwater in search of prey. Their populations have declined significantly from habitat loss. They can be found on Devils Lake and Siletz Bay.

Dusky Canada Goose

These brown-bodied geese with long black necks and caps, winter on the Oregon Coast, including at Salishan Spa & Golf Resort, feeding on plant life.

Wood Duck

Wood ducks are striking because of their colorful sculpted appearance. They are cavity nesters, often using nest boxes provided by humans. They can occasionally be found on Devils Lake.

Pelagic Cormorant

These birds are found year-round along the Oregon Coast. They nest in colonies off cliffs and ledges. The colony at Cape Foulweather, about 10 miles south of Lincoln City, is one of the largest on the Pacific Coast.

Tufted Puffin

Nesting on coastal rocks in colonies where soil-topped inland exists, these puffins winter at sea and thus are often hard to see. The best view in the area is at the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport.

Western Gull

The largest population on the Oregon Coast year-round. They are aggressive scavengers, including for the sandwich you just brought outdoors, so keep a close eye on them. They are also ever-present voyeurs at oceanfront restaurant windows.

Brown Pelican

Of the seven species of pelicans, the endangered brown pelican is the only dark one and the only one that plunges from the air into the water to catch its food. Brown pelicans can be seen spring through fall on the ocean and in Siletz Bay.

Great Blue Heron

These are large, long-legged stately blue-grey birds that inhabit saltwater areas, such as Siletz Bay. They move slowly but strike quickly when they spy prey.

Great White Egret

A large heron with an orange bill and black legs, the great white egret inhabits the salt waters of Siletz Bay.