Volunteer Opportunities to Help Oregon Birds

Portland's city bird, the Great Blue Heron, is one of the Northwest’s most iconic species.  Herons nest in large colonies (known as rookeries) at places such as Ross Island, Vancouver Lake, Smith and Bybee Lakes, and Heron Lakes Golf Course.  However, these rookeries are highly vulnerable to habitat alterations, human disturbance, and natural changes to the environment.  The presence of herons on our urban landscape helps to indicate whether we are doing enough to protect local wildlife habitat. 

You can help with two parts of this project:

Portland Audubon continues to assemble information about location of heron rookeries in the Portland-Vancouver metro area.  We are reliant on citizens to provide information on rookery locations in Clackamas, Multnomah, Washington, Columbia, or Clark County.  We need the following information:

• Location of rookery
• Number of nests
• Years in existence (if known)

We are also looking for Rookery Site Stewards to track changes at specific heron rookeries over the course of the year.  We will pair monitors with rookeries near where they work or live.

If you know of a rookery in the Portland-Vancouver metro region or would like to be a Heron Rookery Site Steward, please contact Mary Coolidge, Audubon Conservation Assistant Director, at mcoolidge@audubonportland.org.