Skagit River - Natural History

Natural History

The Skagit provides spawning habitat for salmon. It is the only large river system in Washington that contains healthy populations of all five native salmon species and two species of trout. Runs include Chinook, Coho, Chum, Pink, Sockeye, and Steelhead and Cutthroat trout.

The river supports the largest wintering Bald Eagle population in the continental United States. The eagles feed on Chum and Coho salmon that have returned to the Skagit and its tributaries to spawn. The eagles arrive in late October or early November and stay into February. The highest number of eagles is usually seen in January. These eagles come from inland Canada and come from as far away as Alaska and Montana. When the salmon run is plentiful, there can be as many as 600 to 800 eagles on the river.

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Thousands of snow geese winter in the Skagit River estuary. These geese feed on intertidal marsh plants such as bulrush and they are drawn to nearby farmlands where they find leftover potatoes in the fields. Trumpeter Swans are drawn to the estuary habitat as well. There can be several hundred Swans in the Skagit valley from October to February.

Historically, the Skagit tidal estuary had beaver dams in the myrtle zone. These were overtopped at high tide, but at low tide provided ponds which nurtured juvenile salmon.

The Skagit River basin provides habitat for a diverse set of animals. For more information about these animals, see List of Wildlife of the Skagit River Basin.