The crocuses and daffodils are popping, and the sun is setting after six. Spring is coming. For Oregon nature enthusiasts, one of the highlights of the season is the arrival of dozens of species of migrating birds.
Warblers, birds of prey and more are already starting to filter in – about 400 each night over Benton County – all feeding and breeding, and adding brilliant color and vibrant songs to our lives. The big rush of spring migration is in April and May, but several species are already here, or will be soon.
Here are a few that you can see in Corvallis, starting in March.
Rufous Hummingbird
If you have a hummingbird feeder or trees outside of your window, you may see hummingbirds every day already. The ones that stick around all winter are Anna’s Hummingbirds, but in early spring each year, they are joined by the slightly smaller Rufous Hummingbird, brilliantly colored in orange and white. A few of these tiny jewels have already arrived, with the first sighting in Benton County coming in mid-February, but the bulk will arrive this and next month. If you have a feeder, keep your sugar water stocked (and clean it often, especially with bird flu spreading). If not, places like MLK Park and McDonald-Dunn Forest are regular sighting hotspots.
Orange-crowned Warbler
Warblers are some of the most colorful spring migrants in Oregon, with some of the most beautiful songs. But the first one to arrive, many years, is a little less showy. Despite its name, the Orange-crowned Warbler is mostly olive green and yellow. There is a patch of orange feathers on their heads (visible in rare expert photos like this one), but nine times out of ten, you won’t see it. What you will notice is their song, adding to the morning chorus at places like Jackson-Frazier Wetland, Bald Hill and Willamette Park.
Common Yellowthroat
The orange-crowned warbler might not always live up to its name, but this spring arrival certainly does. The Common Yellowthroat is one of the most brilliantly patterned birds of the Corvallis springtime. Males display a yellow neck, black mask and white forehead stripe. Females lack the black and white face, but still have that distinctive yellow throat. These songbirds prefer damp fields and marshes, and are regular visitors at Jackson-Frazier Wetland and Finley National Wildlife Refuge.
Osprey
Not all March arrivals are little songbirds, flitting between bushes and trees. Some of our largest birds also migrate here each spring, including the fish-eating osprey. At first glance or from a distance, they can be mistaken for bald eagles, but instead of the bright white head of the adult baldie, they have a black and white striped face, and when they fly, their bodies and wings show as mostly white. Osprey stick mostly close to water, and in Corvallis, they are most visible along the Willamette River. Willamette Park is always a good bet to see them, and you can sometimes get an especially good look at one that perches near the water treatment station. They are also often spotted soaring, perching or fishing near the Van Buren Bridge.
Turkey Vulture
This past week has seen the first regular sightings of one of our largest Oregon birds, the Turkey Vulture. They may have a less than savory reputation, but these soaring giants are some of the most helpful species to humans, cleaning up dead animals before they can spread disease. Most species of vultures around the world are declining, and many are endangered, so we should appreciate the healthy population of vultures we have. This is one species where sighting them depends as much on the day as the place. If it’s warm outside, go somewhere with a good open view of the sky, like Bald Hill or the roadside field at MLK Park, and watch them soar on the thermals, barely ever flapping their wings as they survey for food. They fly differently from eagles, with their wings forming a V rather than stretched out flat. If you have binoculars or get a close look, the bald red head is a dead giveaway.
Photo credits: Rufous Hummingbird by Bryan Hanson. Orange-crowned Warbler by Dawn Beattie. Common Yellowthroat by Patrice Bouchard. Osprey by Mathew Schwartz. Turkey Vulture by Shlomo Shalev.
By Ian Rose
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