BCR 5. 

Northern Pacific Rainforest

Marbled Murrelet. Photo: USFWS

The coastal rainforest stretches from the western Gulf of Alaska all the way south through British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest to northern California. Its maritime climate is characterized by heavy precipitation and mild temperatures. The region is dominated by forests of western hemlock and sitka spruce in the far north, with balsam fir, douglas fir, and coast redwood becoming more important farther south. Broadleaf forests are found along large mainland river drainages. High priority breeding forest birds include the Spotted Owl, Marbled Murrelet, Northern Goshawk, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Sapsucker, and Hermit Warbler. The coast of the Northern Pacific Rainforest is characterized by river deltas and pockets of estuarine and freshwater wetlands set within steep, rocky shorelines. These wetlands provide critical breeding, wintering, and migration habitat for internationally significant populations of waterfowl and other wetland-dependent species. The area includes major stopover sites for migrating shorebirds, especially Western Sandpipers and Dunlins. Black Oystercatchers, Rock Sandpipers, Black Turnstones, and Surfbirds are common wintering species. Nearshore marine areas support many breeding and wintering sea ducks. Many seabirds breed on offshore islands, including important populations of Ancient Murrelet, Rhinoceros Auklet, Tufted Puffin, Common Murre, Western and Glaucous-winged Gull, and Leach's Storm-Petrel. Pelagic waters provide habitat for large numbers of shearwaters, storm-petrels, alcids, and Black-footed Albatross.

Important Bird Areas in this BCR

Northern Goshawk. Photo: USFWS

Arcata Marsh

Bodega Bay

Coos Bay, including Coos Bay District BLM

Copalis National Wildlife Refuge (Washington Island National Wildlife Refuge)

Copper River Delta and North Montague Island (Chugach National Forest)

Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge

East Park Reservoir

East Sand and Rice Islands in the Columbia River Estuary

Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge

Flattery Rocks National Wildlife Refuge (Washington Island National Wildlife Refuge) 

Glacier Bay National Park

Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge

Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge 

Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex including Klamath Marsh and Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge

Klamath National Forest

Medford District of the Bureau of Land Management 

Misty Fjords National Monument (Tongass National Forest) 

Mount Hood National Forest

Olympic National Park and National Forest

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area 

Padilla Bay National Estaurine Research Reserve

Quillayute Needles National Wildlife Refuge (Washington Island National Wildlife Refuge)

Roseburg District of the Bureau of Land Management 

Shasta-Trinity National Forest

Siuslaw National Forest

Tillamook Bay, Umpqua National Forest 

Wenatchee National Forest

Willamette National Forest 

Willapa National Wildlife Refuge