The number, variety, color, character and behavior of bird species worldwide is incredible.  Add the intriguing possibility of a dinosaurian lineage and the class of animals we call Aves are a dazzling study.  There are 8700 living species estimated throughout the world today.  Aves consists of 2 Subclasses,  the True Birds and the Ancestral (extinct) Birds.  True Birds comprise 27 living orders worldwide, just nine of which do not have at least one wildlife representative in the Northwest.  We are without Penguins, Ostriches, Rheas, Cassowaries and Emus, Kiwis, Tinamous, Mousebirds, Parrots, and the Trogons.  These species are either inhabitants of tropical, sub-tropical, or arctic regions.

      So what does that leave us with?  A lot.  For the purpose of NWWOL the avian wildlife referenced here includes any species, migratory, transient, or permanent.  If there is a chance that you can see it, it is listed here.  I estimate that the Northwest is home to at least 18 Orders of birds that represent over 152 species.  From the Great Grey Owl with its five foot wingspan to the tiny Rufous Hummingbird our Northwest fields and forests abound with avian wildlife.  Expansive sea coasts, deep forests, and deserts add a touch of variety to our bird life unlike any other region in the United States.  Here's a sample.

Our Most Mysterious - the Owls.  The well known, but seldom seen, Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) on the left.  25 inches from beak to tail feather with a 60 inch wingspan.  Listen for that mysterious booming hoot around October.  Normally nocturnal like most owls, but I have seen them out during the day.  Next up is the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) noted for its ability to snatch mice, it is strictly nocturnal.  The Snowy Owl (Nictea scandiaca) on the left is a beautiful bird.  I have seen several of these guys out and about in bright sunshine in Alaska.  Normally an owl of more northern latitudes, fluctuations in the lemming populations sometimes make this beautiful bird very common in Washington.  Finally we have the little, and appropriately named, Screech Owl (Strix occidentalis) looking just adorable in the gloved hand of a keeper from Northwest Trek.

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Familiar Feathers:  A Rock Dove, Columba livia, more commonly recognized as the ever present city pigeon.  This is a common bird with some uncommon attributes.  Originally an inhabitant of steep cliffs this species was domesticated in Europe and introduced in America.  Note the beautiful refractive rainbow surrounding this male's neck.   Should he mate successfully he and his partner will form a lifelong bond.  Pigeons produce a type of "pigeon milk" for the first food of their young.  Our ever present Canada Geese.  Actually named for the fellow who described it, not for our friends up north.  Robins are a year round sight in the Northwest, often in great numbers, too.  I defy any animal to find a worm as quickly as a robin.  Finally the tough, resilient, and ubiquitous sparrow.  A gift to us originally from England, sparrows were not native to North America.  There are a number of different sub species of this hardy little bird that is found throughout the world in amazing numbers.

Along the Shoreline:  The well Known Mallard; a beautifully marked Wood Duck;  a Common Goldeneye sports his trademark orbit.  Sometimes called "whistlers" for the sound produced by their wings.  And to give the ladies equal billing a pair of female Mergansers out for a swim.

Pelicans are not a feathered friend you expect to see in  in the dry hills of Yakima, WA.  Yet I found this flock quite contentedly wading in the Yakima River in spring.  California Gulls are a common sight as is the smaller Ring Billed Gull.  Three different species of cormorants grace our shores.  In this case a Double Crested Cormorant swims by.

Even in these regretfully poor photos the differences between crow and raven are apparent.  Note the larger, bent beak and distinctive head of the raven on the left.  Ravens are also considerably larger birds than crows and have a correspondingly deeper "CAAAWW" call.  If you've ever heard them side by side the difference is unmistakable.

The Common Raven (Corvus corax) is a large, clever bird who has formed an established relationship with wolves; find wolves and you'll find ravens.  The Common Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) forms close knit families; youngsters often stay to help raise their younger brothers and sisters.  They are fiercely territorial.  As you can see from the photos above they are pretty good snake catchers, too. 

     Another wonderful sound of the wild.  A sampling of our woodpecker type birds.  From left to right:  The biggest and most recognizable woodpecker of them all, the Pileated Woodpecker; next in line is a Downy Woodpecker; followed by a Red Breasted Sapsucker, and finally the beautiful Flicker.   

Flashes of color in the backyard.  The striking Cedar Waxwing displaying the "dipped in wax" wing tips that give the bird its name; a beautiful little Tanager,  a Gosbeak, and the lovely American Goldfinch.

       A caution before proceeding further!  Bird watching is contagious; a hobby that has been known to overwhelm some folks.  No other other group of terrestrial animals is so full of life, movement, color, and complexity as the birds.  Crows attempting to steal robin eggs or catching snakes, king fishers spearing prey in the ocean, little lighting movements of nuthatches and finches; mysterious unseen booms in the night from great horned owls, a woodpecker's machine gun echo in the forest, metallic red throat flashes as hummingbirds fight for territory - this is mesmerizing stuff.  So be careful.  You might not be able to get enough.