Tillamook Bay and Tributaries – Oregon Conservation Strategy

Photo Credit: Herman Biederbeck, ODFW

A large bay some 6 miles long with five rivers flowing in to it. Extensive sand/mudflats provide habitat for migratory and breeding waterfowl and shorebirds. The bay is protected from the open ocean by a the Bayocean Spit, formerly used by nesting Western Snowy Plovers.

COA ID: 011

Recommended Conservation Actions

Improve water quality: maintain and enhance in-channel watershed function and connection to riparian habitat
Maintain undeveloped character of Bayocean Spit, ensure disturbance free area for migrating or nesting, and manage public use to minimize disturbance for shorebirds shorebirds and marine mammals
Opportunities to continuing wildlife conservation on the 364,000 acres of publicly owned working forest landscape
Opportunities to link lowland conservation efforts with upland forest management
Reconnect cutoff sloughs in wetlands around the Tillamook Bay, and restore tidal wetlands in river delta at the southern end of the bay

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Potential Partners

Special Features

General

Important migration stopover for migratory shorebirds
Very important site for wintering waterfowl, including Brant

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID CR-08 (Tillamook Bay and tributaries)

Ecoregions

Coast Range Ecoregion

Coast Range

Oregon’s Coast Range, known for its dramatic scenery, is extremely diverse, with habitats ranging from open sandy dunes to lush forests and from tidepools to headwater streams. It follows the coastline and extends east through coastal forest to the border of the Willamette Valley and Klamath Mountains ecoregions

Strategy Habitats

Oregon Coastal Dunes

Coastal Dunes

Occurring along the Oregon coastline, coastal dunes provide habitat for species that prefer open, sandy habitats with a high degree of disturbance from winds and tides.

Estuary Strategy Habitat, Siletz Bay

Estuaries

Estuaries occur where freshwater rivers meet the oceanic salty waters, are influenced by tidal flooding, and experience frequent periodic changes in salinity, water levels, sunlight, and oxygen.

Grassland Strategy Habitat

Grasslands

Grasslands include a variety of upland grass-dominated habitats, such as upland prairies, coastal bluffs, and montane grasslands.

Coast Range Ecoregion

Late Successional Mixed Conifer Forests

Late successional mixed conifer forests provide a multi-layered tree canopy, including large-diameter trees, shade-tolerant tree species in the understory, and a high volume of dead wood, such as snags and logs.

Example of Oak Woodlands, which is a Strategy Habitat within the Oregon Conservation Strategy

Oak Woodlands

Oak woodlands are characterized by an open canopy dominated by Oregon white oak.

Flowing Water and Riparian Habitats

Flowing Water and Riparian Habitats include all naturally occurring flowing freshwater streams and rivers throughout Oregon as well as the adjacent riparian habitat.

Ducks on a wetland in Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area, Oregon

Wetlands

Wetlands are covered with water during all or part of the year. Permanently wet habitats include backwater sloughs, oxbow lakes, and marshes, while seasonally wet habitats include seasonal ponds, vernal pools, and wet prairies.

Specialized Local Habitats

Sand bar

Strategy Species

Black Oystercatcher (Observed)

Haematopus bachmani

California Myotis on tree

California Myotis (Observed)

Myotis californicus

Caspian Tern

Caspian Tern (Observed)

Hydroprogne caspia

Chinook Salmon - Spring/Summer Run

Chinook Salmon (Documented)

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

Chum Salmon

Chum Salmon (Documented)

Oncorhynchus keta

Clouded Salamander

Clouded Salamander (Modeled Habitat)

Aneides ferreus

Coast Range Fawn Lily (Observed)

Erythronium elegans

Coastal Cutthroat Trout (Documented)

Oncorhynchus clarki clarki

Coastal Tailed Frog (Observed)

Ascaphus truei

Coho Salmon (Documented)

Oncorhynchus kisutch

Columbia Torrent Salamander (Observed)

Rhyacotriton kezeri

Cope’s Giant Salamander (Modeled Habitat)

Dicamptodon copei

Fisher (Observed)

Pekania pennanti

Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel (Observed)

Oceanodroma furcata

Fringed Myotis (Modeled Habitat)

Myotis thysanodes

Harlequin Duck (Observed)

Histrionicus histrionicus

Hoary Bat (Observed)

Lasiurus cinereus

Leach's Storm-Petrel

Leach’s Storm-Petrel (Modeled Habitat)

Oceanodroma leucorhoa leucorhoa

Long-legged Myotis (Modeled Habitat)

Myotis volans

Marbled Murrelet (Observed)

Brachyramphus marmoratus

Northern Red-legged Frog (Observed)

Rana aurora

Northern Spotted Owl (Observed)

Strix occidentalis caurina

Olive-sided Flycatcher (Observed)

Contopus cooperi

Peregrine Falcon (Observed)

Falco peregrinus anatum

Purple Martin (Observed)

Progne subis arboricola

Red Tree Vole (Modeled Habitat)

Arborimus longicaudus

Silver-haired Bat (Observed)

Lasionycteris noctivagans

Steelhead / Rainbow / Redband Trout (Documented)

Oncorhynchus mykiss ssp

Townsend's Big-eared Bat

Townsend’s Big-eared Bat (Observed)

Corynorhinus townsendii

Tufted Puffin (Observed)

Fratercula cirrhata

Northwestern Pond Turtle (Modeled Habitat)

Actinemys marmorata

Western Snowy Plover (Observed)

Charadrius nivosus nivosus

Western Toad (Observed)

Anaxyrus boreas

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