Eastern Oregon stretches across immense basins, sagebrush plains, and forested mountains where isolation and scale define the experience. From the wetlands of the Harney Basin to the volcanic ridges of Steens Mountain and the high conifers of the Blue Mountains and Wallowa Mountains, the region offers striking contrasts. Spring and fall migrations bring spectacular waterfowl and shorebird concentrations to playa lakes, while summer fills pine slopes and alpine meadows with breeding birds. Sage-steppe habitats support some of the West’s most sought-after species, and higher elevations add montane specialties found nowhere else in the state. Long distances and limited services make planning essential, but the rewards are immense, both for bird diversity and for the sense of wild solitude. Eastern Oregon delivers big-sky birding at its most elemental, shaped by season, light, and water.