Bird Alliance of Oregon

06/12/2026

For whoever you're celebrating this Father's Day... the nature enthusiast, the bird nerd, the backyard birdwatcher, or the avid hiker visit the Nature Store to find that perfect gift!

Find a range of options like:
■ Premium binoculars & spotting scopes
■ Bird seed & feeders
■ Books about nature & science
■ 100% tax deductible membership that supports local conservation, education, and wildlife rehabilitation work (and members get 10% off!)

Swing by the Nature Store any day of the week between 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. or visit our online store: https://shop.birdallianceoregon.org/

06/11/2026

Join us for a hands-on work party at the 82nd Ave Sanctuary! Volunteers will help with a variety of habitat restoration projects, including removing invasive plants, planting native species, cleaning up debris, and improving habitat for local wildlife.

The 82nd Ave Sanctuary will eventually be home to the new Wildlife Care Center, a nature park, an outdoor classroom, and thriving native habitat. Restoration efforts are supported by grants from the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) and the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD).

Youth and student (12+ years) volunteers are welcome! Visit here to RSVP and let us know you're coming: https://birdallianceoregon.org/event/weekend-work-party-at-ne-82nd-avenue-sanctuary-3/

06/09/2026

Looking for a unique way to welcome summer? Join us and celebrate the Summer Solstice with music and birdsong on June 20 at 7 p.m. at Meteor Lounge @ Youth Music Project in West Linn.

Experience an immersive one-hour concert where music and nature come together in unexpected ways. Pianist and bird enthusiast Kai Frueh explores how composers across three centuries have been inspired by birds, weaving together beautiful piano works with authentic bird recordings that transform the concert. 🎶

Whether you're a birder, a classical music lover, or simply looking for a memorable summer evening out, this concert is worth checking out.

👉To grab your tickets today, visit https://birdallianceoregon.org/event/birdconcert/

06/08/2026

Most Swainson's Hawk pairs spend the breeding season alone across open country in the western U.S. but, outside of nesting, they are remarkably social. In summer, they gather in foraging flocks of more than 100 birds, often perched on fence posts, utility poles, and isolated trees rising above grasslands and agricultural fields.

When autumn arrives, they begin one of the longest migrations of any American raptor, traveling all the way to their wintering grounds in Argentina. Along the journey, Swainson’s Hawks form massive “kettles” of soaring birds that can number in the tens of thousands. These hawks often mix with Turkey Vulture, Broad-winged Hawk, and Mississippi Kite, creating one of the great migration spectacles in the Americas. Each fall and spring, these daytime migrations attract birders at hotspots across the southern U.S., Mexico, and Central America just to witness the endless streams pass overhead.

📷:
1. Gary Yankech
2 & 3. Wendy Miller

06/05/2026

This lovely pink flower known as Sea Thrift thrives on Oregon's coastline. For gardeners, it's a low maintenance evergreen perennial that grows in patches, preferring sandy and rocky soils. And it's loved by hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and other insects.

The bright pink color makes it a stand out beauty, especially with contrasted with the backdrop of sand, stone, and grass, making it really pop.

06/04/2026

See a crow on the ground? Think it needs help? Read this first!

Many people are calling our Wildlife Care Center, concerned about crows they see on the ground. Have no fear! Fledgling crows are the same size as adult crows and look very similar. However, once they leave the nest, these young corvids spend a week to ten days on the ground under the care of their whole family. They look pretty clueless, and don’t have a big fear response, so people often think they are sick or injured.

So, if you see a crow on the ground during the late spring and early summer, unless it is obviously injured or you know for a fact it is orphaned, please leave it exactly where it is. It is going through the natural stages of growing up, and will be able to fly soon. And as a reminder, it’s especially important to keep cats inside and your dogs on leash while vulnerable baby birds are leaving the nest. If you have any questions, call our Wildlife Care Center at 503-292-0304.

Want to know how to tell a fledgling crow from an adult crow?

Eye Color
Fledgling Crows - blueish
Adult Crows: Black

Beak Color
Fledgling Crow: Pinkish at the corners
Adult Crow: All black

Tail Length
Fledgling Crow: Short tail
Adult Crow: Long tail

06/03/2026

Rare Bird Alert! A Connecticut Warbler was spotted at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge by participants on our ecotour! This is a first state record for Oregon, and the Connecticut Warbler is often considered the hardest eastern warbler to find. Our ecotour leaders were going through participant photos and came upon what was originally thought to be a MacGillivray's Warbler, but upon closer inspection, this individual was determined to be a Connecticut Warbler. What’s the difference? They are very similar but the Connecticut Warbler has full eyerings, compared to the eye arcs of the MacGillivray's. Our Malheur trip returned home on Sunday, May 31.

A big thank you to ecotour participant Laurie Frajola for sharing her photo of this individual!

06/01/2026

There are no words to describe the joy this brings. A wild Condor back in Oregon skies. Just a lot of gratitude for all the work from the Yurok Tribe, National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's on the Northern California Condor Restoration Program.

A 2-year-old female condor named B9 traveled 80 miles through southern Oregon during a four-day journey in May, marking a historic milestone for the critically endangered species managed by the Yurok Tribe.

06/01/2026

The Portland Metro Area has countless excellent birding spots to choose from. Here are a few of our favorites. What’s your favorite birding spot?