BirdWeb: Birds Connect Seattle's Guide to the Birds of Washington State
Bird of the Week
Western Tanager
Piranga ludoviciana
These colorful birds can be found throughout Washington State in spring and summer. Western Tanagers breed the farthest north of the mostly tropical tanager family, and they winter in Central America. To ensure that Western Tanagers have valuable wintering habitat, consider purchasing certified shade-grown coffee at the grocery store and coffee shop.
Birding Site of the Week
Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge
Columbia Plateau
The habitat at Turnbull contains aspen- and alder-rich wetlands, higher-elevation steppe, and ponderosa pine forest. Of the nearly 300 species of birds, look for Black Tern, Redhead, Ruddy Duck, Cinnamon Teal, Eared Grebe, and Grasshopper and Lark Sparrow. Shorebird migration is ramping up in July, bringing twenty-five species of sandpipers and plovers to the diverse complex of ponds.