After traveling miles of sun-baked highways through the drylands of Eastern Washington, the road dotted with factories flanking the Columbia river, the McNary Wildlife Refuge at first seems out of place. The green and blue of the marshlands surrounding the parking lot look like an oasis against a landscape scrubbed of its natural character. Hundreds of white birds float in the marsh’s waters, the sky above in constant motion as they circle and swoop towards its surface like snowflakes settling on a frozen lake. These animals, aptly named snow geese, are one of many species of migratory birds heading south to overwinter as summer wanes in the Northwest. 

The Northwest is part of the Pacific Flyway, a migratory route stretching from the Arctic Circle to South America. During peak migration season, generally considered to fall between late August to early November, billions of birds make the journey south towards milder climates with more abundant resources. Washington’s diverse eco regions, ranging from lush temperate rainforests to scabland high deserts and alpine peaks, make it an important stop for a range of migratory species. 

Despite its unassuming character, Eastern Washington is a hub of biodiversity, hosting numerous and varied landscapes that support many species. Since the beginning of migration season in early September, over 23 million birds have passed through the Walla Walla Valley alone. 

Mike Denny, a lifelong birder and local expert, has been birding in the region for over forty years. 

“Walla Walla has the highest diversity of birds in Eastern Washington. We’ve documented 342 species just in Walla Walla county,” said Mike Denny, a lifelong birder and local expert.

Denny answered my call from a perch overlooking the mouth of the Hood River. He went out hoping to see the Northern Wheatear, a passerine species that travels 8,700 miles from Alaska to its wintering grounds in East Africa – the longest distance recorded for a migratory songbird. To observe the species this far south is a rarity. He noted that observing this bird outside of its normal migratory pathway is part of a growing trend.

“We have quite a few species that have come and expanded their distribution over the last 10 or 15 years that we have never seen in Eastern Washington, and that’s directly attributable to weather patterns. It’s really unusual to see such a massive distribution change in your lifetime,” said Denny.

Denny also commented on changes in bird population density he has observed over the years. He speculated that shifts in weather patterns, human development and agriculture are likely causes. 

“We’re seeing fewer and fewer migrants, especially passerines (songbirds). Their numbers have been noticeably lower — when you start seeing three or four birds in an area where there used to be fifty of the same species, that’s concerning. Our weather patterns have changed drastically, and the human population around Walla Walla is increasing. Heavy use of insecticides and rodenticides are affecting birds, especially raptors. We are also having longer and longer dry, hot spells that cause surface water to evaporate. Where there used to be irrigation ditches, there are now underground pipes. That leaves very little surface water for birds. I’ll say this — humans have become incredibly difficult to live with,” said Denny.

Denny’s observations are more than anecdotal. Bird populations, especially of migratory birds, are on the decline in America. Over a third of American bird species are listed as high or moderate conservation concern since initial population counts were taken in the 1970s, including 112 species that have lost over half of their population and 42 species at risk without immediate intervention due to severely low populations. 

Habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation are among the greatest threats to migratory birds’ survival. In Eastern Washington, agricultural land use is one of the driving factors of this problem. Over half of the over 11 million acres of Washington’s farmland is found East of the Cascades. Mitigation sites like McNary help maintain areas for migratory birds to stopover in the face of increasingly limited opportunities, but conservationists argue that further protections are needed. 

Ben Vernasco, a research scientist and adjunct assistant professor at Whitman, pointed out local impacts that could be affecting bird populations. 

“Conversion of habitat into agricultural land is certainly an issue. There are species of sagebrush birds that once lived in the Walla Walla valley year-round. They’re now only intermittently present in the surrounding area,” said Vernasco.

Agriculture also poses risks to birds because of the frequent use of pesticides.

“We are also seeing impacts from insecticide and rodenticide applications, especially among aerial insectivores and raptors. The common nighthawk is an aerial insectivore that local people will tell you used to be common in Walla Walla — they’re rarely seen outside of the mountains anymore,” Vernasco said.

He shared his belief that birds are resilient, and that recovery is possible if conservation efforts begin soon. He mentioned success stories like the ban on DDT and the reintroduction of California condors as evidence.

The Blue Mountain Land Trust, a local nonprofit dedicated to protecting the lands and waters of the Blue Mountain region, recently conducted a bird count at a site purchased for conservation in 2020. An article recounting the findings shared the group’s goals for the observational study.

“Data collected during the bird count will inform ongoing habitat monitoring and restoration strategies at Phipps Meadow. Forest restoration can improve bird populations by enhancing habitat quality. Measures like selective thinning and controlled burns promote healthier forests with varied vegetation layers, benefiting birds that rely on specific habitats for nesting, foraging, and breeding. This holistic approach supports both resident species and migratory birds passing through the area,” said the article.

In urban areas, light pollution and collisions with infrastructure put migratory birds at risk. Most species migrate nocturnally, making them vulnerable to interference caused by artificial lighting – according to the USFWS, lighting can attract large groups of birds from as far as 5 kilometers away. These birds often become entrapped and fly in circles, causing them to waste critical energy reserves needed for migration. Under dense cloud cover or fog, the disruption is even worse as light reflects against water droplets dispersed in the air. The scene is familiar to many Whitman students walking across a campus on a cool autumn night.

Bird conservation isn’t just good for birds. Lands used by birds are also lands used by people, and protecting and restoring quality bird habitat means managing public lands for the good of all species. Further, over 100 million Americans enjoy birding as a hobby, driving an industry that generates an estimated $279 billion in annual economic output. Research also suggests that birding supports mental health, reducing stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms. The hobby brings local communities together over a shared interest and allows people to interact with the natural world. 

For Mike Denny, birding is a passion, and his enthusiasm is contagious. 

“Birding is like an Easter hunt. I enjoy migration very much because you never know what’s going to pop up. It’s a great hobby and it’s a stress reliever. I know when I was in college it always helped to go birding,” said Denny.

Ultimately, while scientific and hobby interest in birds may seem like an arbitrary interest, it can give us insight into the small but significant relationships that animals have with our chemical and physical world.

Walla Walla County, due to its large bird-species richness, gives ornithologists the special opportunity to observe a wide array of bird “characters.” Luckily, for a non-birder, entering into the local world of ornithology is accessible, as there are multiple bird-diversity viewing “hotspots” throughout the county, including the Whitman Mission National Historical Site, Coppei Creek, Pioneer Park Aviary and the McNary Wildlife Refuge.

As British biologist David Attenborough once said, “Everyone likes birds. What wild creature is more accessible to our eyes and ears, as close to us and everyone in the world, as universal as a bird?” 

The omnipresence of birds in our lives (as well as their origins as dinosaurs) explains our continual scientific and personal fascination with them. Fortunately, they aren’t just cool relics of the past — they may also be able to help us grow our understanding of responsible environmental practices, far into the future.