White-tailed Deer

White-tailed Deer named from the white underside of its bushy tail, 

which it flashes to warn of danger.

The Columbia River Wetlands with its patchwork landscape of dense thickets, open grass glades and water, provides excellent habitat for White-tailed Deer.  In winter whitetails eat mostly twigs of woody plants and cured herbs. So the cottonwood and willow groves along the valley bottom gives them rich feeding areas as well as good hiding places. With this kind of home there is no need to migrate, allowing White-tailed Deer to live out their entire lives within a 5 square km home range.

Wintering Bald Eagles

Bald Eagles feeding on a deer carcass. The deer may have broken through ice when crossing the river.

Bald Eagles feed mainly on fish, either self-caught or taken from Osperys. But when fish are scarce they prey on smaller mammals like hares, muskrats and beavers. They will also take waterfowl and can be seen forcing ducks and coots to dive again and again until the exhausted bird is easily captured. However in winter when the waters freeze the Bald Eagles that remain in the Columbia Valley rely largely on carrion.