Often called the "Everglades of the West," the Klamath Basin is home to one of the largest wetland ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest.
The Bird Alliance of Oregon is highlighting that landscape through Klamath Wetlands Week, a series of events designed to connect residents and visitors with the region's wetlands and the wildlife that depend on them.
Teresa Wicks, the organization's Eastern Oregon field coordinator and the event's lead organizer, said she was inspired to create the event after returning to the basin in 2025. While the area is well known for its winter bird migrations, she wanted to highlight the abundance of wildlife present during the breeding season.
“One of the things that I really love about the basin is the amount of life that you see in the wetlands during the breeding season,” Wicks said.
Historically, the Klamath Basin watershed supported about 300,000 acres of wetlands across Southern Oregon and Northern California.
Participants have already experienced some of that wildlife during events such as a white-faced ibis flyout, where more than 7,500 birds were counted.
“At one point, we had about 500 white-faced ibis in different-sized groups flying out toward the alfalfa fields," Wicks said. "It was a pretty cool thing to see.”
The week also highlights ongoing restoration efforts, including the Barnes and Agency Lakes reconnection project, one of the largest freshwater wetland restoration projects in the western United States.
Wicks said the event aims to help people better understand the variety of wetland habitats in the basin and the role those habitats play in supporting wildlife.
"My biggest goal is to connect people to the wetlands in the basin and to the fact that birds rely on a diversity of wetland types," she said.
Guest
- Teresa Wicks, Eastern Oregon field coordinator, Bird Alliance of Oregon
