Redwood National Park – Wildlife: A Safari in Your Backyard

Biodiversity. Redwood has it in spades. The variation of animals in the park is shocking. You can see everything from Roosevelt elk to killer whales. Yes, you read the last part right. Killer whales. Redwood is a wildlife wonderland and is seriously overlooked in this regard. It’s remarkable that once can potentially view elk and gray whales at the same time.

The completely unique old-growth forest combined with wild rivers, rugged terrain, meadows, and the Pacific Ocean forms an ecosystem impossibly rich in life.

Threatened and Endangered Species of Redwood National Park: Western Snowy Plover (they closed the beaches to off-road use to protect this bird), Tidewater Goby, Stellar’s Sea Lion, Steelhead, Northern Spotted Owl, Marbled Murrelet(close to extinction due to road building, logging), Coho Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Brown Pelican, Bald Eagle.

Key Takeaways

  1. Redwood National Park offers a diverse array of wildlife, ranging from Roosevelt elk to killer whales.
  2. The park’s unique ecosystem includes old-growth forests, wild rivers, rugged terrain, and the Pacific Ocean.
  3. Conservation efforts are vital for endangered species like the Marbled Murrelet and Northern Spotted Owl.
  4. Wildlife sightings in the park vary seasonally, with different species more visible at various times of the year.
  5. Visitors should respect wildlife by maintaining a safe distance, staying on trails, and minimizing noise pollution.
  6. For wildlife photography, use appropriate equipment and techniques for different species and environments.

Where to Spot Wildlife

  • Roosevelt Elk – Elk Prairie, Gold Bluffs beach
  • Osprey – Beaches, rivers
  • Bald Eagles – Beaches, Rivers
  • Seals and Sea Lions – Ocean shore areas
  • Whales – Klamath Overlook, higher shoreline areas
  • Northern Spotted Owl – Coniferous forests.
  • Pacific Giant Salamander – Coniferous forests
  • Pacific Tree Frog – Coniferous forests
  • Black bear – Coniferous forests, meadows, rivers, creeks
  • Bobcat – Forests and meadow edges
  • Big Brown Bat – Coniferous forests
  • Purple Chore Crab: Tidepools
  • Shield Limpet – Tidepools
  • Willet – Beaches
  • Western Sandpiper – Beaches
  • Western Snowy Plover – Beaches
  • Brown Pelican – Seastacks
  • Double Crested Cormorant – Seastacks
  • Red Shouldered Hawk – Rivers, forests
  • Great Blue Heron – Rivers, Marshes
  • Mountain Lions – Shorelines, forest edges and forest
  • River Otter – Rivers and creeks
  • Beaver – Creeks, rivers, ponds
  • Salmon – Rivers
  • Steelhead – Rivers
  • Black-Tailed Deer – Meadows
  • Coyote – Meadows, forests, creeks

Photography

For landscape photography, you are going to want an ultra-wide angle lens. There’s no way around it. This kind of lens is essential for shooting inside the forest. A tripod is a must due to the dark nature of these environments. A minimum of 300mm is required for wildlife, although shorter lengths would be ok for some species. Taking pictures of animals in the forest is incredibly difficult due to the low light. Well-lit beach areas offer great chances to photograph osprey, bald eagles, gulls, and pelicans – not to mention the animals that may be swimming just offshore. An ultra-wide lens, a fast medium length prime, and a zoom or prime to 300mm would be the ideal Redwood lens kit. Be sure to use filters to protect your lens from wind-blown sand.

The meeting of the beach and forest environment is a spectacular wildlife viewing zone with almost constant action. You never know what the ocean is going to turn up – from seals to birds to whales. On our trip to Gold Bluffs, we encountered a marten, elk, a mink, bald eagles, osprey, gulls, numerous pelicans and a seal. This was all within 45 minutes!

Those interested in the landscape will want to visit Gold Bluffs Beach and Enders Beach. I found the summer fog at Redwood to help create good light as opposed to the harsh midday light of drier inland California. But again, you have to have a tripod to photograph anything in the forest unless you are filming motionless people with a fast prime lens.

Which Animals Are Present And Which Not?

Redwood Whales:

  • North Pacific Bottlenose Whale – present
  • Sperm Whale – present
  • Sei Whale – present
  • Minke Whale – present
  • Killer Whale – present
  • Humpback Whale – present
  • Gray Whale – present
  • Grampus – present
  • Goosebeak Whale – present
  • Fin Whale – present
  • False Killer Whale – present

Redwood Dolphins and Porpoises:

  • Pacific White-Sided Dolphin – present
  • Harbor Porpoise – present
  • Dall Porpoise – present
  • Common Dolphin – present

Seals and Sea Lions:

  • Stellar Sea Lion – present
  • Harbor Seal – present
  • Elephant Seal – present
  • California Sea Lion – present

Land mammals:

  • Roosevelt Elk – present
  • Black-Tailed Deer – present
  • River Otter – present
  • Ringtail – present
  • Racoon – present
  • Striped Skunk – present
  • Spotted Skunk – present
  • Pine Martern – present
  • Mink – present
  • Longtail Weasel – present
  • Fisher – present
  • Ermine – present
  • Gray Fox – present
  • Coyote – present
  • Black Bear – present
  • Mountain Lion – present
  • Bobcat – present
  • Porcupine – present
  • Muskrat – present
  • Beaver – present
  • White-footed Vole – present
  • Townesend’s Vole – present
  • Western Red-Backed Vole – likely
  • Red Tree Vole – present
  • Long-Tailed Vole – likely
  • Creeping Vole – likely
  • California Vole – present
  • Norway Rate – present
  • Black Rat – likely
  • house Mouse -likely
  • Western Harvest Mouse – present
  • Pinyon Mouse – likely
  • Pacific Junping Mouse – present
  • Deer Mouse – present
  • Dusky-Footed Woodrat – present
  • Bushy-Tailed Woodrat – present
  • Botta’s Pocket Gopher – present
  • Western Gray Squirrel – present
  • Northern Flying Squirrel – present
  • Golden-MAntled Ground Squirrel – likely
  • Douglas’s Squirrel – present
  • California Ground Squirrel – present
  • Belding’s Ground Squirrel – Uknown
  • Sonoma Chipmunk – likely
  • Siskiyou Chipmunk – present
  • Allen’s Chimpunk – present
  • Mountain Beaver – present
  • Brush Rabbit – present
  • Black-Tailed Hare – present
  • Townsend Mole – present
  • Shrew-Mole – present
  • Coast Mole – present
  • Broad-Footed Mole – likely
  • Vagrant Shrew – present
  • Trowbridge Shrew – present
  • Pacific Shrew – likely
  • Marsh Shrew – Likely
  • Virginia Opposum – present

Redwood Bats

  • Mexican Free-Tailed Bat – likely
  • Pallid Bat – likely
  • Yuma Myotis – present
  • Townsend’s Big-Eared Bat – likely
  • Silver-Haired Bat -likely
  • Long-Legged Myotis – likely
  • Long-Eared Myotis – likely
  • Little Brown Myotis – present
  • Hoary Bat – present
  • Fringed Myotis – likely
  • California Myotis – present
  • Big Brown Bat – present

Turtles, Frogs, Newts, Skinks, Lizards, Snakes and Salamanders:

  • Common Garter Snake – present
  • Western Terrestrial Garter Snake – present
  • Aquatic Garter Snake – present
  • Pacific Gopher Snake – present
  • California Kingsnake – present
  • Ring-neckSnake – present
  • Northern Pacific Rattlesnake – present
  • Sharp-Tailed Snake – present
  • Western Yellow-Bellied Racer – present
  • Pacific Rubber Boa – present
  • Northwestern Fence Lizard – present
  • Sagebrush Lizard – present
  • Western Skink – present
  • Southern Alligator Lizard – present
  • Alligator Lizard – present
  • Rough-skinned Newt – present
  • Southern Torrent Salamander – present
  • Dunn’s Salamander – present
  • Del Norte Salamanders – present
  • Ensatina – present
  • Pacific Giant Salamander – present
  • California Slender Salamanders – present
  • Wandering Salamanders – present
  • Arboreal Salamander – likely
  • Black Salamanaders- present
  • Northwestern Salamander – present
  • Bullfrog – present
  • Foothill Yellow-legged frog – present
  • Northern Red-legged Frog – present
  • Pacific Treefrog – present
  • Western Toad – present
  • Tailed Frog – present
  • Western Pond Turtle – present

Fish and Other Water Creatures

  • Chinook Salmon – present
  • Steelhead – present
  • Coho salmon – present
  • Coastal Cutthroat Trout – present
  • Pink Salmon – present
  • Sockeye Salmon – present
  • Eastern Brook Trout – present
  • Brown Trout – PresentPacific Lamprey – present
  • Western Brook Lamprey – present
  • Prickly Sculpin – present
  • Black Rokfish – present
  • Cabezon – present
  • Fluffy Sculpin – present
  • Tidepool Sculpin -present
  • Tidepool Snailfish – present
  • Mosshead Sculpin – present
  • Sharpnoe Sculpin – present
  • Penpoint Gunnel – present
  • Largemouth Bass – present
  • Sacremento Sucker- present
  • Golden Shiner – present
  • Klamath Small Mouth Sucker – present
  • Brown Bullhead – present
  • Green Sunfish – present
  • Pea Mouth – present
  • English Soe – present
  • Northern Anchovy – present
  • American Shad – present
  • White Sturgeon – present
  • Green Sturgeon – present
  • Japanese Pond Smelt – present
  • Threespine Stickleback – present
  • Eulachon- present
  • Tidewater Goby – present
  • Starry Flounder – present
  • Saddleback Gunnel – present
  • Pile Perch – present
  • Rubberlip Surfperch – present
  • Redtail Surfperch – present
  • Shiner Surfperch – present
  • Night Smelt – present
  • Longfin Smelt – present
  • Surf Smely – present
  • Pacific Herring – present
  • Coastrange Sculpin – present
  • Staghorn Sculpin – present
  • Prickly Sculpin – present

Redwood Birds:

  • Cooper’s Hawk – present
  • Northern Goshawk – present
  • Sharp-shinned Hawk – present
  • Spotted Sandpiper – resent
  • Clark’s Grebe – present
  • Western Grebe – present
  • Northern Saw-whet Owl – present
  • Red-winged Blackbird – present
  • Wood Duck Present
  • Grasshopper Sparrow – present
  • Sage Sparrow – present
  • Black-throated Sparrow – present
  • Northern Pintail – present
  • American Wigeon – present
  • Northern Shoveler – present
  • Green-winged Teal – present
  • Cinnamon Teal – present
  • Blue-winged Teal – present
  • Eurasian Wigeon – present
  • Mallard – present
  • Gadwall – present
  • White-fronted Goose – present
  • American Pipit – present
  • Scrub Jay – present
  • Surfbird – present
  • Golden Eagle – present
  • Great Egret – present
  • Great Blue Heron – present
  • Ruddy Turnstone – present
  • Black Turnstone – present
  • Short-eared Owl – present
  • Burrowing Owl – present
  • Lesser Scaup – presentRedhead – present
  • Ring-necked Duck – present
  • Greater Scaup – present
  • Canvasback – present
  • Cedar Waxwing – present
  • Bohemian Waxwing – present
  • Ruffed Grouse – present
  • American Bittern – present
  • Marbled Murrelet – present
  • Brant – present
  • Canada Goose – present
  • Great Horned Owl – present
  • Cattle Egret – present
  • Bufflehead – present
  • Common Goldeneye – present
  • Barrow’s Goldeneye – present
  • Red-tailed Hawk – present
  • Rough-legged Hawk – present
  • Red-shouldered Hawk – present
  • Green-backed Heron – no
  • Green Heron – present
  • Lark Bunting – present
  • Sanderling – present
  • Dunlin – present
  • Baird’s Sandpiper – likely
  • Red Knot Probably – present
  • Stilt Sandpiper Probably – present
  • Western Sandpiper – present
  • Pectoral Sandpiper – likely
  • Least Sandpiper – present
  • Rock Sandpiper – likely
  • California Quail – present
  • Anna’s Hummingbird – present
  • Lawrence’s Goldfinch – present
  • Pine Siskin – present
  • Lesser Goldfinch – present
  • American Goldfinch – present
  • Cassin’s Finch – unconfirmed
  • House Finch – present
  • Purple Finch – present
  • Great Egret – no
  • Turkey Vulture – present
  • Hermit Thrush – present
  • Swainson’s Thrush – present
  • Canyon Wren – present
  • Willet – present
  • Pigeon Guillemot – present
  • Rhinoceros Auklet – present
  • Brown Creeper – present
  • Belted Kingfisher – present
  • Vaux’s Swift – present
  • Wrentit – present
  • Snowy Plover – present
  • Semipalmated Plover – present
  • Killdeer – present
  • Snow Goose – unconfirmed
  • Emporer Goose – unconfirmed
  • Ross’ Goose – unconfirmed
  • Black Tern – present
  • Common Nighthawk – present
  • American Dipper – present
  • Northern Harrier – present
  • Marsh Wren – present
  • Oldsquaw – likely
  • Evening Grosbeak – present
  • Yellow-billed Cuckoo – present
  • Northern Flicker – present
  • Band-tailed Pigeon – present
  • Rock Dove – present
  • Olive-sided Flycatcher – no
  • Olive-sided Flycatcher – present
  • Western Wood-pewee – present
  • American Crow – present
  • Common Raven – present
  • Blue Jay – present
  • Steller’s Jay – present
  • Tundra Swan -present
  • Mute Swan – present
  • Black Swift – present
  • Blue Grouse – present
  • Yellow-rumped Warbler – present
  • Black-throated Gray Warbler – present
  • Hermit Warbler – present
  • Palm Warbler – present
  • Yellow Warbler – present
  • Townsend’s Warbler – present
  • Black-footed Albatross – present
  • Bobolink – present
  • Pileated Woodpecker -present
  • Gray Catbird – present
  • Snowy Egret – present
  • White-tailed Kite – present
  • Pacific-slope Flycatcher – present
  • Hammond’s Flycatcher – present
  • Dusky Flycatcher – unknown
  • Willow Flycatcher – present
  • Horned Lark – unconfirmed
  • Rusty Blackbird – present
  • Brewer’s Blackbird – present
  • Merlin – present
  • Prairie Falcon – unconfirmed
  • Peregrine Falcon – present
  • American Kestrel – present
  • Tufted Puffin – present
  • Magnificent Frigatebird – present
  • American Coot – present
  • Northern Fulmar – present
  • Common Snipe – present
  • Common Moorhen – unconfirmed
  • Arctic Loon – unconfirmed
  • Common Loon – present
  • Pacific Loon – present
  • Red-throated Loon – present
  • Common Yellowthroat – present
  • Northern Pygmy Owl – present
  • Blue Grosbeak – present
  • Black Oystercatcher – present
  • Bald Eagle – present
  • Wandering Tattler – present
  • Black-necked Stilt – unconfirmed
  • Cliff Swallow – present
  • Barn Swallow – present
  • Harlequin Duck – present
  • Yellow-breasted Chat – present
  • Bullock’s Oriole – present
  • Hooded Oriole – unconfirmed
  • Northern oriole – present
  • Varied Thrush – present
  • Dark-eyed Junco – present
  • Northern Shrike – present
  • Loggerhead Shrike – unconfirmed
  • Herring Gull – present
  • California Gull – likely
  • Mew Gull – present
  • Ring-billed Gull – present
  • Glaucous-winged Gull – present
  • Heermann’s Gull – present
  • Glaucous Gull – present
  • Western Gull – present
  • Bonaparte’s Gull – present
  • Franklin’s Gull Probably – present
  • Thayer’s Gull Present
  • Short-billed Dowitcher – likely
  • Long-billed Dowitcher – likely
  • Marbled Godwit – present
  • Hudsonian Godwit – present
  • Bar-tailed Godwit – present
  • Hooded Merganser – present
  • Red Crossbill – present
  • Red-headed Woodpecker – unconfirmed
  • Acorn Woodpecker – present
  • Lewis’ Woodpecker – present
  • White-winged Scoter – present
  • Black Scoter Probably – present
  • Surf Scoter – present
  • Swamp Sparrow – present
  • Lincoln’s Sparrow – present
  • Song Sparrow – present
  • Common Merganser – present
  • Red-breasted Merganser – present
  • Northern Mockingbird – present
  • Black-and-white Warbler – likely
  • Brown-headed Cowbird – present
  • Townsend’s Solitaire – unconfirmed
  • Ash-throated Flycatcher – present
  • Clark’s Nutcracker – present
  • Long-billed Curlew – present
  • Whimbrel – present
  • Snowy Owl – present
  • Black-crowned Night-Heron – present
  • Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel – present
  • Leach’s Storm-Petrel – present
  • MacGillivray’s Warbler – present
  • Mountain Quail – present
  • Flammulated Owl – unconfirmed
  • Western Screech Owl – present
  • Ruddy Duck – present
  • Osprey – present
  • Northern Parula Warbler – present
  • Black-capped Chickadee – present
  • Mountain Chickadee – unconfirmed
  • Chestnut-backed Chickadee – present
  • House Sparrow – present
  • Savannah Sparrow – present
  • Fox Sparrow – present
  • Lazuli Bunting – present
  • American White Pelican – present
  • Brown Pelican – present
  • Gray Jay – present
  • Double-crested Cormorant – present
  • Pelagic Cormorant – present
  • Brandt’s Cormorant – present
  • Common Poorwill – likely
  • Red Phalarope – present
  • Red-necked Phalarope – present
  • Wilson’s Phalarope – unconfirmed
  • Ring-necked Pheasant – present
  • Black-headed Grosbeak – present
  • Ruff – no
  • Downy Woodpecker – present
  • Hairy Woodpecker – present
  • Pine Grosbeak – unconfirmed
  • green-tailed towhee – likely
  • California Towhee – present
  • Rufous-sided Towhee – no
  • Brown Towhee – no
  • Spotted Towhee – present
  • Western Tanager – present
  • Snow Bunting – likely
  • American Golden-Plover – likely
  • Pacific Golden-Plover – likely
  • Black-bellied Plover – present
  • Horned Grebe – present
  • Red-necked Grebe – present
  • Eared Grebe – present
  • Pied-billed Grebe – present
  • Vesper Sparrow – present
  • Sora – present
  • Purple Martin – unconfirmed
  • Prothonotary Warbler – present
  • Bushtit – present
  • Cassin’s Auklet – present
  • Sooty Shearwater – present
  • Short-tailed Shearwater – present
  • Virginia Rail – present
  • American Avocet – present
  • Ruby-crowned Kinglet – present
  • Golden-crowned Kinglet – present
  • Bank Swallow – present
  • Black-legged Kittiwake – present
  • Rock Wren – unconfirmed
  • Black Phoebe – present
  • Say’s Phoebe – unconfirmed
  • Ovenbird – present
  • Rufous Hummingbird – present
  • Allen’s Hummingbird – present
  • American Redstart – present
  • Mountain Bluebird – present
  • Western Bluebird – – present
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch – present
  • White-breasted Nuthatch – present
  • Red-breasted Sapsucker – present
  • Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – present
  • American Tree Sparrow – present
  • Brewer’s Sparrow – present
  • Chipping Sparrow – present
  • Northern Rough-winged Swallow – present
  • Calliope Hummingbird – unconfirmed
  • Parasitic Jaeger Probably – present
  • Pomarine Jaeger – present
  • Caspian Tern – present
  • Elegant Tern – present
  • Forster’s Tern – likely
  • Common Tern – present
  • Arctic Tern – present
  • Great Gray Owl – present
  • Spotted Owl – present
  • Barred Owl – present
  • Western Meadowlark – present
  • European Starling – present
  • Ancient Murrelet – present
  • Tree Swallow – present
  • Violet-green Swallow – present
  • Bewick’s Wren – present
  • Lesser Yellowlegs – present
  • Greater Yellowlegs – present
  • Solitairy Sandpiper – present
  • House Wren – present
  • Winter Wren -present
  • American Robin – present
  • Tropical Kingbird -present
  • Eastern Kingbird -present
  • Western Kingbird -present
  • Barn Owl -present
  • Common Murre -present
  • Orange-crowned Warbler – present
  • Nashville Warbler -present
  • Cassin’s Vireo – present
  • Warbling Vireo – present
  • Hutton’s Vireo – present
  • Wilson’s Warbler – present
  • Yellow-headed Blackbird – present
  • Sabine’s Gull – present
  • Mourning Dove – present
  • White-throated Sparrow – present
  • Golden-crowned Sparrow – present
  • White-crowned Sparrow – present
  • Harris’ Sparrow – present

Conservation Efforts in Redwood National Park

Redwood National Park is not just a sanctuary for human visitors; it’s a critical haven for numerous endangered species. The park’s conservation programs are a testament to its commitment to preserving biodiversity. A notable example is the protection of the Marbled Murrelet, a bird whose nesting habits in old-growth forests have been severely impacted by logging.

Conservation efforts include habitat preservation and monitoring programs to track population trends. Similarly, for the Northern Spotted Owl, the park has implemented measures like habitat conservation and research into the effects of invasive species. These efforts showcase a proactive approach to preserving the delicate balance of this diverse ecosystem.

Seasonal Variations in Wildlife Sightings

The flora and fauna in Redwood National Park dramatically change with the seasons, offering a unique experience throughout the year. Spring brings a flurry of bird activity, with migratory species passing through the park.

This season is ideal for birdwatchers hoping to catch a glimpse of rare migrants. Summer provides opportunities to see mammals like Roosevelt Elk in the meadows, while fall is the perfect time to observe the salmon run in the park’s rivers.

Winter, although quieter, can be an excellent time for spotting resident species in a more serene setting. Understanding these seasonal patterns can greatly enhance the wildlife viewing experience.

Visitor Guidelines for Responsible Wildlife Enjoyment

Responsible enjoyment of wildlife is a cornerstone of preserving Redwood National Park’s natural beauty. Visitors are encouraged to observe animals from a safe and respectful distance – this not only protects the wildlife but also ensures visitor safety.

Staying on designated trails is crucial to prevent habitat destruction and to respect the home of the creatures residing in the park.

Noise pollution is another concern; maintaining a quiet demeanor helps in not startling the wildlife. Littering is strictly prohibited as it can harm the animals and their habitat. Adhering to these guidelines ensures that the park remains a pristine sanctuary for all its inhabitants.

Final Words

Redwood National Park is a true testament to nature’s splendor, offering an unforgettable experience for wildlife enthusiasts and photographers alike. Its remarkable biodiversity and dedicated conservation efforts make it a crucial sanctuary for both endangered species and nature lovers. As we immerse ourselves in this wonderland, it’s essential to remember our responsibility to protect and respect this irreplaceable natural heritage.