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Wildlife at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Washington. Published by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS).
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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Ridgefield
National Wildlife
Refuge
Wildlife Checklist
“I slept but very little
last night for the noise
kept up during the
whole of the night by
the swans, geese...brant
(and) ducks on a
small sand island...
they were immensley
numerous and their
noise horrid.”
Capt. William Clark
Lewis and Clark Journal
Lower Columbia River
November 5, 1805
The Pacific Flyway
Welcome to
Ridgefield
National Wildlife
Refuge
Cover photo cackling Canada geese © Jim Cruce
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge,
located on the lower Columbia River
floodplain adjacent to Ridgefield,
Washington, provides 5,150 acres of
vital migration and wintering habitat
for birds migrating through the region
west of the Cascade Mountains in the
Pacific Flyway. The mild, rainy winter
climate, combined with important
remnant wetlands along the Columbia
River, create ideal resting and
feeding areas for a variety of species,
including ducks, geese, swans, sandhill
cranes and provides a key wintering
area for the dusky subspecies of
Canada goose. A variety of other
wildlife also lives in the diversity of
habitats found on the refuge.
Birds of
Ridgefield
National Wildlife
Refuge
The grassland and wetland habitats of
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
are best known for the spectacular
concentrations of migratory
waterfowl they attract during the
winter. Seven subspecies of Canada
geese occur here. Both trumpeter and
tundra swans return every winter
accompanied by their gray colored
immature offspring. In late winter,
shorebirds flock together in search
of food hiding in the mudflats. Early
spring brings the passerines and
songbirds. Bald eagles nest here
and are often seen causing a ruckus
among ducks and other potential
prey. Other nesting birds include
herons, owls, some species of ducks,
songbirds and sparrows.
The Oaks to Wetlands Trail of the
Carty Unit passes through Oregon
white oak and Douglas fir forests,
lush understory vegetation and by
numerous wetlands and meadows.
A Chinook Indian village originating
in ancient times once existed here.
The people hunted the elk, deer and
birds that roamed the land. Lewis
and Clark visited the village, camped
here and described this place and its
people. The Carty Unit exists today
as it did then. It is not protected by
flood dikes, thus water levels are
dependent upon the rise and fall of
the Columbia River. Expect more
water during the spring snowmelt
and during winter rains.
Wildlife
Watching
Tips
You will be most successful at viewing
wild animals in their natural habitats
if you use binoculars or a spotting
scope. This equipment will help you
observe wildlife from a distance and
minimize disturbance. Wild animals,
especially waterfowl are easily
disturbed by humans and may be
forced to use vital energy reserves
trying to escape from their feeding
and roosting areas. For this reason,
be aware of special refuge seasonal
regulations on public use activities
during the fall and winter seasons.
Wildlife watching is best shortly after
sunrise and close to sunset. This will
enhance your chances of seeing both
nighttime and daytime active animals.
Unusual
Sightings?
If you see any unusual sighting
such as a species observed out of its
normal season, in large numbers,
or a new species not listed, please
report your information to the refuge
biologist at the address and phone
number listed on the back cover
of this leaflet. This information is
greatly appreciated and will aid in
future updates to this list. In addition
it will provide the biologist with
information about species occurances
and populations on the refuge.
Ridgefield is truly an amazing
showcase of birds of the Pacific
Flyway. Birding experiences vary
upon the season of the year as you
will see by the list that follows.
We hope you will enjoy the birds and
your visit!
Pied-billed grebe
Season Symbols
Season
Abundance
Symbols
Sp - Spring (March through May)
S - Summer (June and July)
F - Fall (August through November)
W - Winter (December through
February)
N - Notes
* - Birds known to nest on
the refuge
✔ - Endangered or Threatened
c
u
o r
ac -
Common, certain to be seen in
suitable habitat
Uncommon, present but not
certain to be seen
Occasionally seen
Rare, known to be present,
but not every year
Accidental
Birds of Ridgefield NWR
Common Name
N Sp S
F
W
Loons
Red-throated loon r r o
Pacific loon r r
Common loon r r r
Grebes
Pied-billed grebe
* c c c
Horned grebe o o
Red-necked grebe r
Eared grebe r
Western grebe o o
c
r
r
o
Pelicans
American white pelican r r
Cormorants
Double-crested cormorant
c
o
u
u
Bitterns, Herons, Egrets and Ibis
American bittern
* c u u o
Great blue heron
* c c c c
Great egret
* u u u u
Cattle egret r r
Green heron o o o r
Black-crowned night-heron o o r r
White-faced ibis ac ac
American Vultures
Turkey vulture u
u
u
r
Greater white-fronted goose u r u
Emperor goose r
Snow goose o o
Ross goose r
Canada goose
* c u c
Brant o o
Trumpeter swan o o
Tundra swan u r u
Wood duck
* c c u
Gadwall
* c u c
Eurasian wigeon u u
American wigeon
* c r c
Mallard
* c c c
Blue-winged teal
* u u r
o
r
u
r
c
o
o
c
o
c
u
c
c
r
Swans, Geese and Ducks
Belted kingfisher
Swans, Geese and Ducks, continued next page
Common Name
N Sp S
F
W
Swans, Geese and Ducks, continued
Cinnamon teal
* c c u o
Northern shoveler
* c o c c
Northern pintail
* u u c c
Green-winged teal c o c c
Canvasback o o
Redhead o o
Ring-necked duck c o c
Tufted duck ac
Greater scaup o o o
Lesser scaup c o c c
Harlequin duck ac
Surf scoter ac
White-winged scoter ac
Bufflehead u o c
Common goldeneye u o u
Barrow’s goldeneye r
Hooded merganser
* u o o o
Common merganser
* c o c
Red-breasted merganser r
Ruddy duck
* u o o u
Ospreys, Kites, Hawks and Eagles
Osprey u u r r
White-tailed kite ac ac
Bald eagle
*✔ u u u c
Northern harrier
* c u c c
Sharp-shinned hawk o o o o
Cooper’s hawk o o o o
Northern goshawk r
Red-shouldered hawk r o o
Red-tailed hawk
* c c c c
Rough-legged hawk o o u
Golden eagle r r r
Falcons
American kestrel
* c c c
Merlin o o
Peregrine falcon r r o
Prairie falcon r
c
o
o
r
Gallinaceous Birds
Ring-necked pheasant
Ruffed grouse
California quail
*
*
*
u
o
r
o
o
r
u
o
r
u
o
r
Common Name
N Sp S
F
W
o
u
c
r
u
r
c
c
u
r
c
o
Black-bellied plover
Semipalmated plover o
Killdeer
* c
o
o
c
o
Stilts and Avocets
Black-necked stilt
* ac
American avocet
ac
Rails, Coots and Cranes
Virginia rail
*
Sora
*
American coot
*
Sandhill crane
o
u
c
c
Plovers
c
Sandpipers and Phalaropes
Greater yellowlegs o u o
Lesser yellowlegs o u r
Solitary sandpiper r r
Spotted sandpiper
* o o u
Long-billed curlew ac
Sanderling ac ac
Semipalmated sandpiper o
Western sandpiper u u u r
Least sandpiper u u u o
Baird’s sandpiper r
Pectoral sandpiper o
Sharp-tailed sandpiper ac
Dunlin c u
Short-billed dowitcher r
Long-billed dowitcher u o u o
Common snipe
* u o u c
Wilson’s phalarope
* o r o
Red-necked phalarope r r r
Red phalarope ac ac
Gulls and Terns
Bonaparte’s gull o r o
Mew gull u r o
Ring-billed gull c o o
California gull c o u
Herring gull u o
Thayer’s gull c o u
Glaucous-winged gull c o u
Glaucous gull r
Gulls and Terns, continued next page
r
c
c
c
u
c
c
r
Common Name
N Sp S
F
W
r
r
o
r
o
r
c
o
u
c
o
c
o
u
Pigeons and Doves
Rock dove
*
Band-tailed dove
Mourning dove
*
Owls
Barn owl
* u u
Western screech-owl
* o o
Great horned owl
* u u
Snowy owl
Northern pygmy-owl o o
Short-eared owl o
u
o
u
r
o
o
Nightjars
Common nighthawk
o
Swifts
Vaux’s swift
o
u
u
o
Hummingbirds
Anna’s hummingbird r
Rufous hummingbird
* u
r
u
r
o
Kingfishers
Belted kingfisher
N Sp S
F
W
Say’s phoebe r
Vermilion flycatcher ac
Ash-throated flycatcher ac
Western kingbird r r
Eastern kingbird r
Gulls and Terns, continued
Caspian tern
Black tern
*
Common Name
o
o
u
o
u
o
o
Shrikes
Loggerhead shrike r
Northern shrike o o
o
Larks
Horned lark
r
Vireos
Cassin’s vireo r
Hutton’s vireo r
Warbling vireo
* u
Red-eyed vireo
* o
o
r
u
o
r
r
o
Crows, Jays and Magpies
r
Gray jay r
Steller’s jay
* c u u
Western scrub-jay
* c c c
Black-billed magpie ac ac
American crow
* c c c
r
c
c
c
Swallows
*
c
u
c
Woodpeckers
Lewis’ woodpecker r r
Red-naped sapsucker ac
Red-breasted sapsucker
* o o o
Downy woodpecker
* c c c
Hairy woodpecker
* o o o
Northern flicker
* c c c
Pileated woodpecker
* o o o
Tyrant Flycatchers
Olive-sided flycatcher o o o
Western wood-pewee
* u c u
Willow flycatcher
* u u u
Least flycatcher ac ac
Hammond’s flycatcher o o r
Dusky flycatcher ac ac
Pacific-slope flycatcher
* u c r
u
r
o
c
o
c
o
Purple martin
Tree swallow
Violet-green swallow
Northern rough-winged swallow
Bank swallow
Cliff swallow
Barn swallow
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
u
c
c
o
r
u
c
u
c
c
u
r
u
c
u
u
o
u
u
u
c
r
Chickadees
Black-capped chickadee
Chestnut-backed chickadee
*
*
c
o
c
o
c
o
c
o
*
*
o
u
o
u
o
u
o
u
*
c
c
c
c
r
r
Nuthatches
Red-breasted nuthatch
White-breasted nuthatch
Bushtits
Common bushtit
Common Name
N Sp S
F
W
Common Name
Creepers
Brown creeper
*
o
o
o
o
*
*
*
*
c
r
u
c
c
c
u
c
c
o
o
u
c
c
u
Golden-crowned kinglet c
Ruby-crowned kinglet u
o
o
c
u
c
u
Western bluebird r
Swainson’s thrush
* u c u
Hermit thrush u o
American robin
* c c c
Varied thrush o o
o
c
u
Spotted towhee
* c c c c
American tree sparrow ac
Chipping sparrow o o o r
Vesper sparrow r r
Fox sparrow o o u
Song sparrow
* c c c c
Lincoln’s sparrow o u u
Swamp sparrow o o
Savannah sparrow
* c c u o
White-throated sparrow r o o
Harris’ sparrow ac
White-crowned sparrow
* u u u u
Golden-crowned sparrow u u u
Dark-eyed junco c o c c
Lapland longspur ac
Mynas
European starling
c
Kinglets
Thrushes
*
Pipits
American pipit
c
c
c
u
c
u
u
u
o
Waxwings
Cedar waxwing
*
c
Warblers
Orange-crowned warbler
* c u o o
Nashville warbler o o
Yellow warbler
* o u
Chestnut-sided warbler ac
Yellow-rumped warbler c o u u
Black-throated gray warbler u r u
Townsend’s warbler o o o
Palm warbler ac
Black-and-white warbler ac
Northern waterthrush ac
MacGillivray’s warbler
* u r
Common yellowthroat
* c c u
Wilson’s warbler c o o
Yellow-breasted chat r r
Tanagers
Western tanager
F
W
Towhees and Sparrows
Wrens
Bewick’s wren
House wren
Winter wren
Marsh wren
N Sp S
*
u
u
r
Grosbeaks and Buntings
Black-headed grosbeak
* o
Lazuli bunting
c
r
o
c
o
u
c
c
u
u
u
c
u
c
u
o
c
o
Purple finch
* u u u
House finch
* c c u
Red crossbill o r r
Common redpoll
Pine siskin
* o o o
American goldfinch
* c c u
Evening grosbeak o
u
c
r
ac
o
u
Blackbirds, Meadowlarks and Orioles
Red-winged blackbird
Western meadowlark
Yellow-headed blackbird
Brewer’s blackbird
Brown-headed cowbird
Bullock’s oriole
*
*
*
*
*
*
c
u
u
c
c
r
Finches
Weaver Finches
House sparrow
*
u
u
u
u
Mammals of
Ridgefield
National Wildlife
Refuge
This list includes 23 species of
mammals which have been verified
through biological surveys to occur
within Ridgefield National Wildlife
Refuge. The remaining 16 are
potential species obtained from
various publications. The numerous
fresh water ponds and marshes of the
refuge produce a variety of emergent
aquatic vegetation and are usually
bordered by riparian areas. These
habitats attract all species of wildlife
and are especially critical to the
survival of many of these mammalian
species. Although their preferred
habitat is present, viewing mammals
is not always easy to do. Mammals
have very keen senses and are usually
aware of visitors long before they
are seen. This gives them warning to
hide or use their camoflauging. Some
are only active at night. Although
they may not be seen, it is not hard to
spot evidence of their presence such
as fresh coyote tracks in the mud or
a burrow hole leading to a rabbit’s
warm nest underground. Look for the
signs and have patience.
Mammals of Ridgefield NWR
Common Name
Opossums
Common opossum
u
Shrews
Dusky shrew
Vagrant shrew
u
Moles
Townsend mole
Shrew-mole
Bats
Little brown myotis
California myotis
Big brown bat
Hoary bat
Western red bat
Yuma bat
Silver-haired bat
Long-legged bat
Western long-eared bat
Rabbits
Eastern cottontail
Brush rabbit
u
Rodents
Beechey ground squirrel
Eastern gray squirrel
Douglas squirrel
Townsend’s chipmunk
Mazama pocket gopher
Beaver
Deer mouse
Creeping (Oregon) vole
Townsend vole
Muskrat
Pacific jumping mouse
Nutria
u
u
Coyote
Red fox
Racoon
Mink
Long-tailed weasel
Striped skunk
River otter
Mountain lion
Bobcat
u
u
u
u
u
u
u
u
V - (u) Verified Species
Carnivores
Coyote
V
u
u
u
u
u
u
u
u
Common Name V
Amphibians & Reptiles of Ridgefield NWR
Mammals, continued
Ungulates
Black-tailed deer
Roosevelt elk
Thirteen species of amphibians and
reptiles have been verified within
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.
u
u
Western painted turtles
Common Name
Northwestern salamander
Long-toed salamander
Ensatina
Western redback salamander
Rough-skinned newt
Pacific treefrog
Northern red-legged frog
Bullfrog (introduced)
Western painted turtle
Northern alligator lizard
Rubber boa
Northwestern garter snake
Red-spotted (common) garter snake
Red-spotted
garter snake
Fish of Ridgefield NWR
Common Name
The Columbia River supplies water
to all parts of Ridgefield National
Wildlife Refuge whether it is pumped
or occurs on the refuge through
natural floods. In addition, there are
several sloughs, creeks and Lake
River that flow in and around the
refuge. This list of fish includes those
fish that have been verified or are
known to exist in those bodies of
water.
Water
Symbols
G
R
C
L
-
Gee Creek
Refuge
Columbia River
Lake River
Common Name
V
Water
Western brook lamprey
u
G,C
Pacific lamprey
C,L
White sturgeon
u
G,C
Green sturgeon
u
C
American shad (introduced)
u
C
Mountain whitefish
C,L
Brown trout (introduced)
C,L
Sea-run cutthroat trout
u
G,C
Steelhead (rainbow trout)
u
G,C
Coho salmon
u
G,C
Chinook salmon
u
G,C
Sockeye salmon
u
C
Chum salmon
u
C
Eulachon (smelt)
u
G,C
Carp (introduced)
u G,C,R
Goldfish (introduced)
u
G,R
Chiselmouth C,L
Redside shiner
u
G
Northern pike-minnow
u
G,C
Peamouth
u
G
V
Water
Speckled dace
u
G
Longnose dace
G,R
Longnose sucker
u
C,L
Bridgelip sucker
u
C
Largescale sucker
u G,C,R
Channel catfish (introduced)
C,L
Brown bullhead (introduced)
u G,C,R
Black bullhead (introduced)
u
G
Mosquitofish (introduced)
u
G,R
Three-spine stickleback
u
G,R
Sandroller C,L
Largemouth bass (introduced)
u
G,R
Smallmouth bass (introduced)
u
C
Black crappie (introduced)
u G,C,R
White crappie (introduced)
u
G,R
Bluegill (introduced)
u
G,R
Pumpkinseed (introduced)
u
G,C
Warmouth
u
G
Walleye (introduced)
u
G,C
Yellow perch (introduced)
u G,C,R
Prickly sculpin
u
G
Riffle sculpin
u
G
Reticulate sculpin
u
G
Starry flounder
u
C
Yellow perch
Chinook salmon
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
P.O. Box 457
28908 N.W. Main Avenue
Ridgefield, WA 98642
360/887 4106
http://www.fws.gov/ridgefieldrefuges
Washington Relay Service
Voice 1 800/833 6384
TTY 1 800/833 6388
Telebraille 1 800/833 6385
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
http://www.fws.gov
For refuge information
1 800/344 WILD
August 2010