
The Klamath Mountains are home to vast populations of bird species. This is due to diverse habitats including riparian corridors, coniferous forests, oak woodlands, chaparral, meadows, and rocky cliffs. Over 350 bird species call the Klamath Mountains home for some portion of their life. Many of the bird species found in the Klamath Mountains are also found in other locations across the western United States but it is rare to find as many species residing in such close proximity to each other.
The unique climate of the Klamath Mountains provides a rare opportunity for birds of different habitat types to cross paths. This is observed with Steller’s jays (Cyanocitta stelleria ontalis), a subspecies that prefers a humid coastal forest habitat, and the white-headed woodpecker (Leuconotopicus albolarvatus), a species that requires higher elevation and drier pine forests. They are both found in the Klamath Mountains.
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