Fine art photography of nature & the environment

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon

Malheur is an extensive high desert basin marshland encompassing 187,000 acres of sagebrush, and marsh wetlands combined with riparian corridors and rimrock. Just from the “desert” implication, you can infer that this wetland is really important. It is an oasis to all the wildlife in this southeast corner of Oregon. Two rivers feed the snow and spring runoff ( the Donner and Blitzen rivers) into the Malheur Lake and Harney Lake. Ridges of rimrock border at the edges of marsh where high densities of raptors live. Malheur is a major destination along the Pacific Flyway. Klamath to the west also serves as a major destination. If you visit both then you have it all covered.

Many bird species either reside here or use this place on their migratory routes. Raptor watchers will enjoy the plethora of golden and bald eagles, hawks ( rough-legged, red-tail, harriers), prairie falcons, kestrels, and an abundance of owls such as short-eared, great horned and barn owls. Song bird lovers will enjoy the diversity of species including neotropical songbirds. The refuge headquarters is a great location for the colorful songbirds. Malheur’s alkali playas and mudflats attract the shorebirds. In all, the counts are over 320 species of birds and 58 species of mammals and many rodent, reptile, amphibian and fish species.

Burrowing Owls

Burrowing Owl

Malheur landscape

Yellow Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Great Horned Owl

Cinnamon Teal

Malheur landscape

Swallow

Mink

Yellow Warbler

Great Horned Owl

Oriole

Mule Deer

Great Horned Owl ( immature)

Great Horned Owl (Immature)

Landscape

Muskrat

Yellow Warbler

Cinnamon Teal

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl

Yellow Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Burrowing Owl

Swallow

Short Eared Owl

Great Horned Owl (immature)

Swallow

Swallows

Yellow Warbler

Northern Shoveler

Swallow

Yellow Headed Blackbird

Swallow

Cinnamon Teals

Northern Shoveler (pair)

Northern Shoveler (pair)

Swallows

Swallows

Swallow

Burrowing Owls

Burrowing Owls

Burrowing Owl – Immature

Great Horned Owl

Yellow Warbler

Rabbit

Mule Deer

Great Horned Owl

Landscape

Quail

Egret

Turkey Vulture

Swallow

Malheur

Muskrat

Northern Shoveler

Swallow

Great Horned Owl (immature)

Yellow Warbler

Landscape

Turkey Vultures

Great Horned Owl

Northern Shoveler

Swallow

Northern Shoveler

Muskrat

Great Horned Owl (immature)

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl

Mule Deer

Cinnamon Teal

Malheur

Landscape

Landscape