NatureMapping Habitat - Open Water: Ocean

Definition of "Open Water" - General Code 400: Large open water space. Excludes wetlands.

Open Water: Ocean (420)


Descriptive Habitat Code: This ocean habitat is classified as open water (4) with salt water (20).

California gull
Larus californius
Code: LACAL
Photo: Natures Pics

Distribution and Habitat:
It is found throughout parts of the western North Pacific Ocean. It breeds on gravel beds along the Columbia River and large lakes in the Columbia Basin.

Diet:
It is an opportunistic scavenger feeding on fish, crustaceans, bivalves and other invertebrates, as well as carrion and scavenging items from dumps and other areas of human habitation.

Interesting fact:
This gull is often found nesting together with the Ring- billed gull. It is Utah's state bird because it saved settlers from starvation when flocks of California gulls ate the locusts ruining their crops.

Glaucous-winged gull
Larus hyperboreus
Photo: Natures Pics

Distribution and Habitat:
They are found across North America.

Diet:
These gulls will eat fish, carrion, small mammals such as mice. They are commonly found in garbage dumps (land fills), where they scavenge for food.

Interesting fact:
They will breed with the Western gull, making their offspring very hard to identify.

Killer whale (Orca)
Orcinus orca
Photo: Robert Pittman

Distribution and Habitat:
Killer whales are found along the Pacific Northwest coastline and sometimes visit Puget Sound. They live in family groups.

Diet:
Killer whales eat anything they can catch. Salmon and harbor seals are a favorite food.

Interesting fact:
Individuals can be identified by their dorsal fin and markings. The males have larger fins than the females.

Orca Fact Sheet »

Sea otter
Enhydra lutris
Photo: GV

Distribution and Habitat:
Sea otters are found along the Pacific Ocean coastline from northern California to Russia.

Diet:
Sea otters must eat constantly to maintain their body heat. They eat crabs, fish, sea urchins.

Interesting fact:
Adults have the white chest, easily seen when they float on their backs. There have only been 2 documented sightings of females sea otters giving birth. One was in the ocean and the other on shore. Each time the female would roll over very quickly and the baby was born.

Sea pen
Ptilosarcus gurneyi

Photo: TFK

Distribution and Habitat:
The sea pen is almost completely subtidal, but in Puget Sound it is sometimes see at the shore when the tide is very low.

Diet:
The sea pen feeds on small sea animals.

Interesting fact:
The upper half is elaborated into as series of leaflike branches, each bearing numerous little feeding polyps which capture small animals.

Sea star
Pisaster ochraceus
Photo: TFK

Distribution and Habitat:
It is found throughout parts of the western North Pacific Ocean.

Diet:
The star fish usually hunt for shelled animals such as oysters and clams.

Interesting fact:
Sea stars have two stomachs. One stomach is used for digestion, and the other stomach can be extended outward to engulf and digest their prey.

Seaweed
Photo: JM

Distribution and Habitat:
There are many different types of seaweed. They are found along the shallow areas along shorelines around the world.

Interesting fact:
Some seaweed can grow nearly a foot per day. They are also called brown algae.