Birds In Washington State: A Picture Guide to Common Birds In Washington

Identification
The Anna’s Hummingbird is a gray/green bird and the males have a range of bright pink around the head. The female is duller with a dark patch on the throat. It is one of the more common hummingbirds in the States.

Range

The Anna’s Hummingbird is resident in the state and can be seen mainly in the western side where it is a common backyard feeder.

Call

Facts
The Anna’s Hummingbird has expanded its range from California into Washington due to the popularity of exotic plants that provide nectar for them.

Hummingbirds can only be found in the Americas. Imagine being an early explorer and seeing them for the first time!

Identification
The Spotted Towhee is a large sparrow with a bright red eye and black head and breast. The back is black with distinctive white spots and the belly is buff bordered with a dark tan.

Range
The Spotted Towhee is a resident of the state and a commonly reported bird. More prevalent in the western side where it is one of the more frequent backyard birds.

Call

Facts
Despite its beautiful plumage, the male Spotted Towhee attracts a mate by singing. During the early part of the breeding season, he will sing for up to 90% of the morning. This drops dramatically when a female has chosen him.

The Spotted Towhee looks for food on the ground by scratching using both feet in a hopping action.

Identification
This is a large and dark swallow with a brown throat and buff belly. Easy to identify by the long, forked tail.

Range
The Barn Swallow is a regular summer visitor and can be widely seen across Washington’s open country.

Call

Facts
Hundreds of years ago, Barn Swallows built their nests in caves but with human expansion, they have adapted to nest exclusively in manmade structures.

When nesting, Barn Swallows are sometimes helped in feeding the chicks by juveniles from previous clutches. This in itself is not that unusual in the bird world. However, the Barn Swallow may also get help from unrelated juveniles.

Identification
The American Crow is a common corvid of the U.S. It is similar in appearance to other crows and needs to be distinguished by the call, so learn it and listen out for it.

Range
The American Crow is a resident of Washington and while it is seen more in the west, it can be found throughout the state.

Call

Facts
In the winter, American Crows will roost in large groups to keep warm. These groups can number several millions of birds.

It is a real family affair in the crow world. Juveniles and young adult birds may stay with the parents for several years to help raise siblings. They may not leave and breed until they are 4 years old.

Identification
This is a small owl (only 7 inches tall), often seen in daylight hours. It is a classic mix of browns and buff colors with large, yellow eyes. It is one of the most interesting birds in Washington.

Range
The Northern Pygmy-Owl is found in the western parts of Washington during the winter months.

Call

Facts
The name of this bird is very apt. It is barely larger than a sparrow!

The Northern Pygmy-Owl has a couple of interesting defense mechanisms – and it needs them as it is a target for a wide range of predators. Firstly, it has 2 dark spots on its neck that give the appearance of eyes. It can also raise tufts on each side of the head. They might not seem like much but may be enough to alarm a predator long enough for it to get away.

Identification
This is an unusual and stunning woodpecker with a dark gray back and paler gray collar. The face and belly are a deep blush color.

Range
The Lewis’s Woodpecker is a summer visitor to the eastern parts of Washington. It can be found in open woodlands and parks.

Call

Facts
This woodpecker behaves more like a flycatcher. It sits on a perch and waits for insects to fly past. Then, it darts out and catches them on the wing.

The Lewis’s Woodpecker comes to the eastern side of Washington in the summer months to breed. It is probably one of the most beautiful birds in Washington.

Identification
The Warbling Vireo is a rather plain buff and gray bird with a yellow wash along the sides. It has a pale eyebrow.

Range
The Warbling Vireo is a summer visitor, coming to Washington to breed. It can be found more in the western parts of the state.

Call

Facts
As their name suggest, the Warbling Vireo likes to sing. It has a range of variable songs that are beautiful to hear.

The Warbling Vireo is a target for the brood parasite cowbird. However, the female vireo has learned and will often be able to tell there is an alien egg in the nest and punctures it.

Identification
This large plover is similar to other species. To identify, look for the prominent eye with red ring and double black breast bands.

Range
The Killdeer is not restricted to the coast and can be found in lowland areas across Washington state, throughout the year.

Call

Facts
The Killdeer is given its unusual name, rather than the traditional ‘plover’ because of its wailing call that sounds like kill-deer.

The Killdeer is not your average shorebird and is often seen in dry areas. This is why it can be seen far inland on the range map above. In fact it can be found across the entire United States.

Identification
A distinctive and unusual sandpiper, the Spotted is rather large and bobs like other species. However, despite its plain coloring, the obvious spots on the breast and belly make it an easy spot.

Range
The Spotted Sandpiper can be found somewhat irregularly across the state in any suitable environment and at any time of the year.

Call

Facts
Unlike other migratory shorebirds, it is the female birds that arrive at the breeding range early and establish the nesting territory.

It is all turnabout when the eggs are laid. The male will incubate them and take primary care of them once hatched.

Identification
The Common Guillemot is also known as the Common Murre and is a penguin like seabird. It has a long bill and brown head and neck. The front is clean white and the back ranges from solid brown to mottled.

Range
The Common Guillemot can be seen along the coast of Washington where it breeds on cliffs. Otherwise it is out in the ocean.

Call

Facts
The Common Murre is a skilled fishing birds and has barbs on the top of its mouth. It uses them to pin fish it has caught until it is ready to swallow it.

The color of this extraordinary seabird’s eggs varies dramatically. It is thought that this helps them find their own nests when returning from fishing.

Identification
A distinctive duck seen in coastal waters. It has a dark body and bright yellow/orange knob above the bill. The female is a duller brown that may be difficult to discern from other ducks.

Range
The Black Scoter is a winter visitor to Washington and can be found mostly in the waters off the coast and Puget Sound, through to Seattle.

Call

Facts
The winter is a great time to see this lovely duck as it forms large flocks off the Washington’s coast.

The Black Scoter visits Washington in winter to dive and feed on mussels.