Updated: April 1, 2024
With more than 500 species of birds in the entire state, Oregon is a bird watcher’s paradise. The coast of Oregon in particular is a haven for a variety of interesting birds drawn to its beaches, bays, estuaries, and headlands.
Each year, seabirds flock to the ocean islands and sea stacks that dot Oregon’s rocky coastline. Millions of migrating shorebirds also stop to eat and enjoy Oregon’s beaches on their annual journeys.
Bird watching is a great way to connect with nature, explore the outdoors and learn about the local environment. Here’s a helpful list of some of the best places to go bird watching on the Oregon Coast, plus photos of common birds you may see and birding tips for beginners.
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When is the Best Time for Birding on the Oregon Coast?
Best Time of Year for Birding
Bird watching on the Oregon Coast is excellent year-round with resident species, overwintering species and spring through fall migratory birds. Spring and summer (April-August) is the nesting season for Oregon seabirds like the Tufted Puffin.
The weather at the coast also tends to be best from late spring through early fall, but winter bird watching can also be great if you’re prepared for cold and wet conditions.
Best Time of Day to See Coastal Birds
Birds are typically most active from dawn to mid-morning when they are hungry and searching for food. For spotting shorebirds, be aware of the tide schedule.
High tide floods the areas where many shorebirds feed and tells them it’s time to roost. At this time, you may see birds resting in tidal marsh areas and tucked into rocky areas of the shore.
While an incoming tide pushes birds up the beach, an outgoing tide tells them to move back out to feed. Low tide is the best time to see birds feeding along the sandy beaches and exposed tidal flats of the bays.
Where Are the Best Places to Watch Birds on the Oregon Coast?
There are many places along the 300-plus mile coast of Oregon to watch birds. Below are a few of the best spots to see birds along the coast including nature preserves, wildlife refuges and State Parks.
Northern Oregon Coast Bird Watching Spots
Near Astoria
- Fort Stevens State Park
- Lewis and Clark National Wildlife Refuge and Twilight Eagle Sanctuary
Near Seaside
- Necanicum Estuary Natural History Park
Near Cannon Beach
- Haystack Rock (Tufted Puffins April-August)
- Ecola State Park
Near Manzanita
- Nehalem Bay State Park
- Manzanita Beach
Near Tillamook
- Tillamook Bay
- Bayocean Spit
Near Oceanside
- Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint
- Oceanside Beach-Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge
- Cape Lookout State Park
Near Pacific City
- Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge
- Sitka Sedge State Natural Area
- Clay Myers State Natural Area at Whalen Island
- Cascade Head Nature Preserve
📄 For a comprehensive list including lesser-known birding spots, download the North Coast birding map (pdf) from Oregon Coast Birding Trail.
Plan an Oregon Coast Bird Watching Trip
🛌 Search for your travel dates to see the latest hotel deals and book now for spring bird watching. Oceanfront hotels do tend to fill up when the weather is nice, especially on weekends.
🔎 Search Oregon Coast hotel deals on Booking.com
👀 See member-only hotel deals on Hotels.com
🏡 Find Oregon Coast rentals on VRBO
Central Oregon Coast Bird Watching Spots
Near Lincoln City
- Salmon River Estuary
- Devil’s Lake State Park
- Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Near Depoe Bay
- Fogarty Creek State Park
- Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint
Near Newport
- Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area
- Oregon Coast Aquarium Seabird Aviary, Newport
Near Waldport
- Seal Rock State Park
- North Alsea Bay
Near Yachats
- Yachats State Recreation Area
- Cape Perpetua Scenic Area
Near Florence
- Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint
- Sea Lion Caves
- Honeyman State Park
📄 For more bird-watching spots, download the Central Coast birding map (pdf) from Oregon Coast Birding Trail.
Southern Oregon Coast Bird Watching Spots
Near Reedsport
- Tahkenitch Dunes – Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area
👉 See our complete guide to visiting the Oregon Dunes
Near Coos Bay
- Sunset Bay State Park
- Shore Acres State Park
- Cape Arago State Park
Near Bandon
- Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
- Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge
- Bullards Beach State Park
- Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint
Near Port Orford
- Floras Lake-Boice Cope Park
- Cape Blanco State Park
- Port Orford Heads State Park
- Battle Rock Beach
Near Gold Beach
- Rogue River Estuary
- Indian Creek
- Cape Sebastian State Park
Near Brookings
- Harris Beach State Park
- Lone Ranch Beach
- Chetco Point
📄 For more birding locations, download the South Coast birding map (pdf) from Oregon Coast Birding Trail.
What Species of Birds Can Be Seen on the Oregon Coast?
Seabirds of the Oregon Coast
Seabirds are abundant on the coast of Oregon and spend most of their lives feeding in the open ocean waters. In spring and summer, they return to the rocky islands of Oregon’s coastline to nest.
These rocks provide the ideal nesting habitat for up to 15 different species of birds, offering protection from predators and humans while they lay their eggs. Once their chicks are old enough, they return to the open ocean to live out at sea.
According to Bird Alliance of Oregon, the Oregon Coast supports nearly 1.3 million seabirds, with roughly 400 nesting colonies along the coastline. Many of these bird populations are in decline due to environmental factors such as overfishing, human disturbances, getting caught in commercial fishing gear, ocean pollution and climate change.
Some Oregon seabirds include:
- Common Murre
- Tufted Puffin
- Brandt’s Cormorant
- Pelagic Cormorant
- Double-crested Cormorant
- Marbled Murrelet
- Brown Pelican
- Caspian Tern
- Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel
- Leach’s Storm-Petrel
- Pigeon Guillemot
- Rhinoceros Auklet
- Cassin’s Auklet
- Western Gull
📄 For more information, the Seabirds of the Pacific Northwest brochure (pdf) is a beautifully illustrated downloadable resource from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Shorebirds of the Oregon Coast
Migratory shore birds are also commonly seen on the Oregon Coast. Shorebirds live near water and Oregon has many different species from the ocean to the desert.
As part of the Pacific Flyway, Oregon is also on a major north-south route for migratory birds that spans from Alaska to Patagonia. Migrating birds can be seen every spring and fall on the shores of the Oregon Coast as they head to and from breeding grounds or winter homes.
Some Oregon Coast shorebirds include:
- Black Oystercatcher
- Western Snowy Plover and other plovers
- Black Turnstone
- Killdeer
- Surfbird
- Wilson’s Snipe
- Red Knot
- Sanderling
- Red Phalarope
- Western Sandpiper and other sandpipers
- Wandering Tattler
- Greater Yellowlegs
- Whimbrel
- Ruddy Turnstone
- Short-billed Dowitcher
To see more shorebirds, visit the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife.
🐣 Snowy Plover nesting season is March 15 – September 15. During this time, it’s important to protect these threatened birds by following nesting season restrictions to help ensure plover chicks survive.
Raptors, Herons, Owls and Other Oregon Birds
In addition to these ocean-dwelling birds, there are several other resident birds you may encounter in the forests, parks and backyards near the coast.
Some other birds you may recognize near the Oregon Coast include:
- Bald Eagle
- Osprey
- Red-tailed Hawk and other hawks
- Peregrine Falcon
- Great Blue Heron
- Great Egret
- Owls
- Kingfishers
- Woodpeckers
- Ducks
- Loons
- Hummingbirds
- Sparrows
- Swallows
- Grosbeaks
- Stellar’s Jay
- Red-winged Blackbird
…and many, many more! To see more photos of common Oregon birds, visit:
Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife – Birds
Oregon Bird Identification
❓ Need help figuring out what kind of bird you spotted on the Oregon Coast? Our all-time favorite bird website is The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s All About Birds, a detailed online guide to birds and birdwatching, including an outstanding free app called Merlin that can help you with Oregon bird identification including photos, sounds, maps and more.
We hope you enjoy getting to know our feathered friends and this guide to Oregon Coast birds helps you find the best bird-watching spots for your next big birding adventure.
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