Tall trees, crisp air, snow-capped mountains—few places in the Lower 48 States conjure such images of wilderness as the Northwest. Here you can find birds more common in Canada and Alaska, such as gray jay and chestnut-backed chickadee. A pelagic trip out of Washington or Oregon could turn up fork-tailed storm-petrel, common murre, pigeon guillemot, murrelets, and auklets. The Northwest is your best bet for goshawks and great grey owls—even in summer. Birds that breed here also include rufous and Calliope hummingbirds, red-breasted sapsucker, merlin, American dipper, and McGillivray’s and Townsend’s warblers. This region is your best bet for several woodpecker species, too, including white-headed, American three-toed, and black-backed. If you want to see gray-crowned or black rosy finches, head northwest.
