As animals go, birds are among the most mobile.

Many species make seasonal migrations, and sometimes they are blown off course by storms. Some species may explore new places as a result of changes in food availability and habitat driven by climate change. Perhaps some birds, like humans, just have wanderlust.

Whatever the reason, birds that were once rare can gain a foothold, including these examples of species that have increased in abundance in north central Idaho and southeastern Washington over the past several years:

White pelicans have been increasing in numbers in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley for about a decade. The large birds are now regular visitors, showing up in spring and some staying through the summer. They can be seen in many spots, but two common places to find them are at the mouth of Alpowa Creek and the lagoon at Swallow’s Park. The nearest breeding colony is on an island in the Columbia River near the Tri-Cities.

The long-necked birds with funky orange bills and impressive 6-foot wingspans are not known as one of the top avian predators of juvenile salmon and steelhead. Species like Caspian terns and double-crested cormorants consume many more.

“They eat lots of carp in places there are carp,” said Dan Roby, a professor of wildlife ecology at Oregon State University. “They are the only thing that can eat adult carp. I think in many cases the pelicans are doing the aquatic ecosystem more of a favor than they are harming fish of conservation concern.”

But pelicans can take a toll on fish that are also targeted by anglers. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game completed a management plan for pelicans in 2016 that called for reducing abundance of the birds in some areas of the state because of their impact on native cutthroat trout. Areas of concern include Blackfoot Reservoir and the Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Idaho. The plan did not identify conflict between white pelicans and fisheries within the state’s Clearwater region.

Studies at Badger Island on the Columbia River near the Tri-Cities, where the white pelican nesting colony is located, have not identified salmon and steelhead as a large part of the birds’ diet.

Other native birds have been pegged as a problem or potential problem contributing to the region’s declining salmon and steelhead populations. Wild fish that return to Idaho, eastern Washington and northeastern Oregon are protected by the Endangered Species Act.

Birds like Caspian terns, gulls and double-crested cormorants have been blamed for feasting on juvenile salmon and steelhead during their seaward migration.

Cormorants have increased in abundance along the lower Snake and Clearwater rivers in the past decade or so. They commonly sit on a cable strung across the Clearwater River near Spalding.

A 2012 study by the Army Corps of Engineers found cormorants are not a significant source of mortality for Snake River fall chinook and their consumption of fish that prey on juvenile salmon and steelhead may be a benefit. During the study, researchers killed 130 cormorants between Lower Monumental and Lower Granite dams and examined the contents of their stomachs. They found salmonids made up 11.7 percent of the birds’ diets, of which fall chinook, both juveniles and immature adults known as jacks, accounted for 3.4 percent. Bass and sunfish accounted for 34.3 percent of their diet; juvenile shad made up 15 percent; minnows and carp equaled 11.7 percent; catfish, 6.3 percent; and perch accounted for 3.4 percent of the cormorant diet.

Eurasian collared doves quickly moved from newcomer to an established species in the Pacific Northwest. They look like mourning doves on steroids and have a thin black horizontal stripe around the back of their necks. The birds were introduced to North America in the 1980s and are now common in many areas. Both Idaho and Washington opened year-round hunting seasons on the birds.

Blue jays are typically found east of the Rocky Mountains but are increasingly being observed further west, including in north central Idaho and eastern Washington.

“I don’t think anybody knows why,” said Keith Carlson, an avid birder from Lewiston.

Sightings are happening more often in the winter months. Carlson said they appear to be staying later.

“It’s not impossible we may have some breeding,” he said.

Other species that were once uncommon but are now observed with some regularity include lesser goldfinches, crows and Anna’s hummingbird, Carlson said.

The lesser goldfinches started increasing in abundance about 15 years ago.

“Now they are probably at least as numerous as the more common American goldfinch,” he said.

About 15 to 20 years ago, Carlson said if you saw a black bird in this area, you could bet it was a raven. Not anymore.

“Now they (crows) are everywhere,” he said.

Anna’s hummingbirds are frequently seen, and some are even overwintering. They are more common on the West Coast of North America.

“For the first time I put my feeder out all winter and I had a couple — two, three, visit all winter,” Carlson said.

There have even been winter observations of the birds at Moscow and Pullman.

Barker may be contacted at ebarker@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2273. Follow him on Twitter @ezebarker.