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Lincoln City Visitor & Convention Bureau 801 SW Highway 101, Suite 401

541-996-1274 • 800-452-2151 www.oregoncoast.org

Lincoln City Chamber of Commerce 4039 NW Logan Road 541-994-3070 • www.lcchamber.com

Visitor Information Center 540 NE Highway 101 541-994-3302 • 800-452-2151

Tanger Outlet Center 1500 SE East Devils Lake Rd 541-996-5000 • www.tangeroutlet.com

Driftwood Public Library 801 SW Highway 101 541-996-2277 • www.driftwoodlib.org

Chinook Winds Casino Resort 1777 NW 44th 888-CHINOOK • www.chinookwindscasino.com

Lincoln City Parks and Recreation 2150 NE Oar Place

541-994-2131 • www.lincolncity.org

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WILDLIFE

Western Sandpiper

The Western Sandpiper is the most common migrating shorebird on the Oregon Coast. They have dark legs and a thin dark bill and can be found along mudflats, beaches, shores or lakes, where they feed on insects and crustaceans. In Lincoln City they may be found on the beach and in Siletz Bay. It is considered a species of high concern.

(Calidris mauri) Osprey

Osprey are hawks that eat exclusively fish and live in forested areas near lakes, rivers, and the ocean. They nest in trees or man-made structures like utility poles. They hunt by diving feet first to catch a fish near the water’s surface. Ospreys are frequently seen in the Siletz Bay, the Siletz River areas of south Lincoln City and on Devils Lake.

(Pandion haliaetus)

Western Snowy Plover

This shorebird nests on open sandy beaches and dry mudflats on the South and Central Oregon Coasts. They were listed as threatened in 1993, declining primarily from habitat loss. When nests are located, public use of the areas is restricted.

(Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) Bufflehead

Bufflehead are black and white diving ducks that feed on fish and plants, traveling a long way under water in search of prey. Their populations have declined significantly from habitat loss. They can be found on Devils Lake and in Siletz Bay.

(Bucephala albeola)

Bald Eagle

Removed from the endangered species list in 2007, Bald Eagles live in a variety of locations on the Oregon Coast, including stands of trees near Siletz Bay and on the east side of Devils Lake. Their nests can weigh as much as a ton. Their white heads and 8-foot wing spans make them easy to spot.

(Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Dusky Canada Goose

The Dusky Canada Goose winters on the Oregon Coast, including at the Salishan Spa & Golf Resort golf links. They feed on plant life.

(Branta canadensis occidentalis)

Photo Credit: Brian Gaunt

Photo Credit: Brian Gaunt

Photo Credit: Jack Doyle Photo Credit: Jack Doyle

WILDLIFE

Wood Duck

The Wood Duck is striking because of its colorful sculptured appearance. Wood Ducks are cavity nesters, often using nest boxes provided by humans or even old Woodpecker holes. They can occasionally be found on Devils Lake where humans have provided boxes.

(Aix sponsa) Western Gull

Western Gull has the largest population on the Oregon Coast year-round. They are aggressive scavengers, including focusing on the sandwich you just brought outdoors. They are also ever-present voyeurs at oceanfront restaurant windows.

(Larus occidentalis)

Pelagic Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant are found year-round along the entire Oregon Coast. Pelagic means “living in open seas or oceans.” They nest in colonies on cliffs and ledges. The colony at Cape Foulweather, about 10 miles south of Lincoln City, is one of the largest on the Pacific Coast.

(Phalacrocorax pelagicus) Brown Pelican

Of the seven species of pelicans, the endangered Brown Pelican is the only dark one and the only one that plunges from the air into the water to catch its food. They fly in rag-tag formations often just inches above the water. Brown Pelicans can be seen spring through fall on the ocean and in Siletz Bay.

(Pelecanus occidentalis)

Tufted Puffin

Tufted Puffins nest on coastal rocks where soil-topped islands exist. They also nest in colonies. Tufted Puffins winter at sea and thus are often hard to see. The best view in the area is the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport.

(Fratercula cirrhata) Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron are large, long-legged stately birds that inhabit salt water areas, like Siletz Bay. They appear blue/gray, with a black stripe over the eye. They move slowly but strike quickly when they spy prey. Their long, slow wing beat and s-shaped neck in flight make them easy to identify.

(Ardea herodias)

Photo Credit: Brian Gaunt Photo Credit: Jack Doyle

Photo Credit: Brian Gaunt Photo Credit: Brian Gaunt

WILDLIFE

WILDLIFE

Great White Egret

Great White Egret is a large heron with an orange bill and black legs. It also inhabits the salt waters of Siletz Bay, occasionally perches in trees, and flies with its neck in an s-curve.

(Ardea Alba) California Sea Lions

Found from Vancouver Island, British Columbia to Baja Mexico, males may often reach 850 pounds, and seven feet in length. Females can grow to 220 pounds and up to six feet in length. Most pups are born in June or July. California sea lions are very social animals and rest together in tightly packed groups on haul-out sites, like docks.

(Zalophus californianus)

Sea Stars

 Sea Stars, commonly called starfish, are not fish at all, but rather spiny-skinned invertebrates. They are carnivores that eat clams, oysters, fish, and other animals through the mouth on the underside. Sea Stars may have five legs or legs in the double digits.

(Asteroidea) Harbor Seals

Harbor Seals have no external ear flaps and small flippers. On land they move awkwardly by flopping on their bellies, though they are quite graceful in the water and sometimes sleep there. They are about 6 feet long and weigh 300 pounds. A large colony rests on the Spit in Siletz Bay and can be seen from SW 51st Street.

(Pusa vitulina)

Whales

Every spring and winter thousands of people flock to the Oregon Coast to watch the Pacific Gray Whales migrating 12,000 miles (19311km) to and from Baja. The best place to see the migration is from any elevated location in early morning, before the wind begins to blow, obscuring glimpses of the shooting vapor whales release after a dive.

Lucky viewers sometimes see them spy hopping (when they stick their heads out of the sea) or breaching (when the whale jumps out of the water and falls back in with a great splash.)

(Eschrichtius robustus) Otters

Sea Otters are an extremely rare sight on the Oregon Coast. River Otters, however, inhabit the tributaries flowing into the Ocean. They can be seen near the Siletz River and Schooner Creek in south Lincoln City, the Salmon River at the north end, and Devils Lake.

(Lontra canadensis)

Photo Credit: Brian Gaunt Photo Credit: Brian Gaunt

Photo Credit: Philip Burnett

Photo Credit: Brian Gaunt

WILDLIFE

Roosevelt Elk

Weighing up to 1000 pounds, the Roosevelt Elk is the largest of all elk species. They can often be spotted in the pasture and Cascade Head areas just north of Lincoln City or near Devils Lake. In the spring, crashes of young male racks can be heard as they vie for territory and the females of their choice.

(Cervus canadensis roosevelt) Special Information

DON’T TOUCH! The Marine Mammal Protection Act helps protect Sea Lions and Harbor Seals. Although many good hearted people try to assist these creatures when they appear stranded, it is more likely they are just resting.

The pups are often left to rest while Mom is fishing. Don’t touch them or the mother will abandon them. Disturbing Sea Lions and Harbor Seals is illegal. If you find a marine mammal you think is stranded, call the Oregon State Police 503-375-3555 or the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, www.dfw.state.or.us | 800-720-6339

SILETZ BAY: US Fish and Wildlife: www.fws.gov. For information about Siletz Bay wildlife visit the Refuge’s Web Site: www.fws.gov/oregoncoast/siletzbay | 541-867-4550

DEVILS LAKE: 685 acres (277 hectares); freshwater which discharges into the Ocean via the D River; the shortest river in the world. It is managed by the Devils Lake Water Improvement District. www.dlwid.org | 541-994-5330

SALMON RIVER HATCHERY: 575 North Bank Rd, Otis, OR - The fish raised there are chinook and coho salmon, and steelhead. At the hatchery there is an inside display area describing hatchery operations. Adult fish are present during fall and early winter (Best time to visit - October to December). The facility is located in one of the most scenic areas of the Oregon Coast. Nearby is the Salmon River and its estuary, offering fishing and viewing. Hiking is popular at nearby Cascade Head. www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/hatchery | 541-994-8606

WHALE WATCHING: Whalespoken - This organization will assist you with whale identification. Twice a year, between Christmas and New Years and during the last week in March, volunteers position themselves in various places along the Coast to help you. The Inn at Spanish Head in Lincoln City is a popular location. www.whalespoken.org | 541-765-3407

For info about wildlife preservation in Oregon visit www.oregonwild.org.

Oregon Silverspot Butterfly

The Endangered Oregon Silverspot Butterfly is a small, darkly marked orange subspecies located on the Nature Conservancy’s Cascade Head at the north end of Lincoln City. A captive-rearing program designed to increase the likelihood of its recovery was initiated in 1999 by The Nature Conservancy.

(Speyeria zerene hyppolyta)

Black-Tailed Mule Deer

It is one of nine subspecies of the mule deer and lives in the temperate the Pacific Coast.  Black-tailed deer do not migrate and live in the yards and neighborhoods of Lincoln City, frequently being at risk on Highway 101. Some even swim the waters of Devils Lake. In the early morning a group is often spotted at the Connie Hansen Garden on NW 33rd.

(Odocoileus hemonus)

Photo Credit: Jack Doyle

Photo Credit: Dave Imper, USFWS