Pacific Northwest Paradise: Birding Washington's Puget Sound and Olympic Peninsula

Washington State's Puget Sound and Olympic Peninsula region ranks among North America's premier birding destinations, featuring over 346 annually recorded species across incredibly diverse habitats from ancient rainforests to rocky Pacific shores.

Olympic Peninsula: Ancient Forests and Coastal Treasures

Olympic National Park's old-growth temperate rainforests echo with the haunting calls of Varied Thrush, while Marbled Murrelets—seabirds that nest in these ancient trees—patrol the coastal waters. The park hosts an amazing diversity including Sooty Grouse in high elevation forests and Black Oystercatchers along rocky shores. The annual Olympic BirdFest in April perfectly times the overlap of wintering species with spring migrants.

Puget Sound and San Juan Islands

The San Juan Islands offer world-class seabird watching with Tufted Puffins, Rhinoceros Auklets, and diverse alcids. Bald Eagles are abundant year-round, while winter brings massive concentrations of waterfowl. The shallow marine waters and protected bays create ideal habitat for diving ducks, loons, and grebes.

Migration Hotspots

The Skagit and Samish Flats north of Seattle are legendary for winter raptors, including rare but regular Gyrfalcons alongside Rough-legged Hawks, Peregrines, and Merlins. Thousands of Snow Geese and Trumpeter Swans winter in these agricultural valleys. Grays Harbor on the coast hosts one of North America's largest shorebird concentrations during spring migration.

Best Birding Times

April is peak season when wintering birds overlap with arriving migrants. Fall migration (September-October) brings diverse songbirds and raptors. Winter (November-February) offers exceptional waterfowl and raptor viewing. The region rewards year-round birding with each season bringing different specialties.