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Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center


Bird Checklists of the United States


Checklist of Alaska Birds, compiled by Dan Gibson, University of Alaska - Fairbanks. Viewing index and breeding status added by Brad Andres.

Alaska's bird checklist includes 445 documented species and an additional 35 unsubstantiated species. Below are presented the common name, a viewing index and the breeding status for all 480 species. The viewing index is defined as the chance of encountering the species while birding in Alaska (in the right habitats during the proper season) and decreases, from highest to lowest, in the following way: almost certainly, possibly, with work, with much luck, not likely, minute chance. The ratings incorporate regional abundance of the species and the accesibility to them. Spring and early summer are the most productive times for birding in Alaska. Consult R. H. Armstrong's "Guide to the Birds of Alaska" for information on seasonal and regional abundances and N. Lethaby's "A Bird Finding Guide to Alaska" for information on birding sites.

LOONS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Red-throated Loon almost certainly yes ___ Arctic Loon with work yes ___ Pacific Loon almost certainly yes ___ Common Loon almost certainly yes ___ Yellow-billed Loon possibly yes
GREBES CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Pied-billed Grebe with work no ___ Horned Grebe almost certainly yes ___ Red-necked Grebe almost certainly yes ___ Western Grebe with work no ___ Clark's Grebe minute chance no
TUBENOSES CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Short-tailed Albatross with work no ___ Black-footed Albatross almost certainly no ___ Laysan Albatross possibly no ___ Northern Fulmar almost certainly yes ___ Mottled Petrel possibly no ___ Cook's Petrel not likely no ___ Pink-footed Shearwater minute chance no ___ Flesh-footed Shearwater minute chance no ___ Buller's Shearwater minute chance no ___ Sooty Shearwater almost certainly no ___ Short-tailed Shearwater almost certainly no ___ Manx Shearwater minute chance no ___ Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel almost certainly yes ___ Leach's Storm-Petrel almost certainly yes
PELICANS, CORMORANTS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ American White Pelican not likely no ___ Double-crested Cormorant almost certainly yes ___ Brandt's Cormorant with work yes ___ Pelagic Cormorant almost certainly yes ___ Red-faced Cormorant possibly yes
FRIGATEBIRDS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Magnificent Frigatebird not likely no
BITTERNS, HERONS, EGRETS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ American Bittern with work yes ___ Yellow Bittern not likely no ___ Great Blue Heron possibly yes ___ Great Egret with much luck no ___ Chinese Egret not likely no ___ Snowy Egret minute chance no ___ Cattle Egret with work no ___ Green Heron not likely no ___ Black-crowned Night-Heron with much luck no
WATERFOWL CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Tundra Swan almost certainly yes ___ Whooper Swan with work no ___ Trumpeter Swan almost certainly yes ___ Bean Goose with work no ___ Greater White-fronted Goose almost certainly yes ___ Lesser White-fronted Goose not likely no ___ Snow Goose almost certainly yes ___ Ross' Goose with much luck yes ___ Emperor Goose possibly yes ___ Brant almost certainly yes ___ Barnacle Goose minute chance no ___ Canada Goose almost certainly yes ___ Wood Duck with much luck no ___ Green-winged Teal almost certainly yes ___ Baikal Teal not likely no ___ Falcated Teal with much luck no ___ American Black Duck not likely no ___ Mallard almost certainly yes ___ Spot-billed Duck not likely no ___ Northern Pintail almost certainly yes ___ Garganey with work no ___ Blue-winged Teal with work yes ___ Cinnamon Teal with work no ___ Northern Shoveler almost certainly yes ___ Gadwall almost certainly yes ___ Eurasian Wigeon possibly no ___ American Wigeon almost certainly yes ___ Common Pochard with work no ___ Canvasback possibly yes ___ Redhead possibly yes ___ Ring-necked Duck possibly yes ___ Tufted Duck with work no ___ Greater Scaup almost certainly yes ___ Lesser Scaup almost certainly yes ___ Common Eider almost certainly yes ___ King Eider possibly yes ___ Spectacled Eider possibly yes ___ Steller's Eider possibly yes ___ Harlequin Duck almost certainly yes ___ Oldsquaw almost certainly yes ___ Black Scoter almost certainly yes ___ Surf Scoter almost certainly yes ___ White-winged Scoter almost certainly yes ___ Common Goldeneye almost certainly yes ___ Barrow's Goldeneye almost certainly yes ___ Bufflehead almost certainly yes ___ Smew with work no ___ Hooded Merganser possibly yes ___ Common Merganser almost certainly yes ___ Red-breasted Merganser almost certainly yes ___ Ruddy Duck with work yes
VULTURES, HAWKS, FALCONS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Turkey Vulture not likely no ___ Osprey possibly yes ___ Bald Eagle almost certainly yes ___ White-tailed Eagle with much luck yes ___ Steller's Sea-Eagle with much luck no ___ Northern Harrier possibly yes ___ Sharp-shinned Hawk possibly yes ___ Cooper's Hawk minute chance no ___ Northern Goshawk possibly yes ___ Swainson's Hawk with work yes ___ Red-tailed Hawk possibly yes ___ Common Buzzard minute chance no ___ Rough-legged Hawk possibly yes ___ Golden Eagle possibly yes ___ Eurasian Kestrel with much luck no ___ American Kestrel possibly yes ___ Merlin possibly yes ___ Northern Hobby with much luck no ___ Peregrine Falcon possibly yes ___ Gyrfalcon possibly yes
GALLINACEOUS BIRDS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Spruce Grouse possibly yes ___ Blue Grouse almost certainly yes ___ Willow Ptarmigan almost certainly yes ___ Rock Ptarmigan almost certainly yes ___ White-tailed Ptarmigan possibly yes ___ Ruffed Grouse possibly yes ___ Sharp-tailed Grouse possibly yes
RAILS, COOTS, CRANES CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Yellow Rail minute chance no ___ Virginia Rail not likely no ___ Sora with much luck yes ___ Eurasian Coot not likely no ___ American Coot with much luck yes ___ Sandhill Crane almost certainly yes ___ Common Crane not likely no
PLOVERS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Northern Lapwing minute chance no ___ Black-bellied Plover almost certainly yes ___ Greater Golden-Plover minute chance no ___ American Golden-Plover almost certainly yes ___ Pacific Golden-Plover possibly yes ___ Mongolian Plover with much luck yes ___ Snowy Plover not likely no ___ Common Ringed Plover with work yes ___ Semipalmated Plover almost certainly yes ___ Little Ringed Plover with much luck no ___ Killdeer possibly yes ___ Eurasian Dotterel with work yes
OYSTERCATCHERS, STILTS, AVOCETS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Black Oystercatcher almost certainly yes ___ Black-winged Stilt not likely no ___ American Avocet not likely no ___ Oriental Pratincole not likely no
SANDPIPERS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Common Greenshank with work no ___ Greater Yellowlegs almost certainly yes ___ Lesser Yellowlegs almost certainly yes ___ Marsh Sandpiper not likely no ___ Spotted Redshank with much luck no ___ Wood Sandpiper with work yes ___ Green Sandpiper with much luck no ___ Solitary Sandpiper possibly yes ___ Willet minute chance no ___ Wandering Tattler almost certainly yes ___ Gray-tailed Tattler with work no ___ Common Sandpiper with work yes ___ Spotted Sandpiper almost certainly yes ___ Terek Sandpiper with much luck no ___ Upland Sandpiper possibly yes ___ Little Curlew not likely no ___ Eskimo Curlew not likely no ___ Whimbrel almost certainly yes ___ Bristle-thighed Curlew possibly yes ___ Far Eastern Curlew with much luck no ___ Long-billed Curlew minute chance no ___ Black-tailed Godwit with much luck no ___ Hudsonian Godwit almost certainly yes ___ Bar-tailed Godwit possibly yes ___ Marbled Godwit with work yes ___ Ruddy Turnstone almost certainly yes ___ Black Turnstone almost certainly yes ___ Surfbird possibly yes ___ Great Knot with much luck no ___ Red Knot possibly yes ___ Sanderling possibly yes ___ Semipalmated Sandpiper almost certainly yes ___ Western Sandpiper almost certainly yes ___ Rufous-necked Stint with work yes ___ Little Stint with much luck no ___ Temminck's Stint with much luck no ___ Long-toed Stint with work no ___ Least Sandpiper almost certainly yes ___ White-rumped Sandpiper with work yes ___ Baird's Sandpiper possibly yes ___ Pectoral Sandpiper almost certainly yes ___ Sharp-tailed Sandpiper possibly no ___ Purple Sandpiper not likely no ___ Rock Sandpiper almost certainly yes ___ Dunlin almost certainly yes ___ Curlew Sandpiper with much luck no ___ Stilt Sandpiper possibly yes ___ Spoonbill Sandpiper not likely no ___ Broad-billed Sandpiper with much luck no ___ Buff-breasted Sandpiper with much luck yes ___ Ruff with work yes ___ Short-billed Dowitcher almost certainly yes ___ Long-billed Dowitcher almost certainly yes ___ Jack Snipe not likely no ___ Common Snipe almost certainly yes ___ Pin-tailed Snipe not likely no ___ Wilson's Phalarope with much luck no ___ Red-necked Phalarope almost certainly yes ___ Red Phalarope possibly yes
JAEGERS, GULLS, TERNS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Pomarine Jaeger possibly yes ___ Parasitic Jaeger almost certainly yes ___ Long-tailed Jaeger almost certainly yes ___ South Polar Skua with much luck no ___ Laughing Gull minute chance no ___ Franklin's Gull with much luck no ___ Little Gull minute chance no ___ Common Black-headed Gull with work no ___ Bonaparte's Gull almost certainly yes ___ Heerman's Gull not likely no ___ Black-tailed Gull with much luck no ___ Mew Gull almost certainly yes ___ Ring-billed Gull with work no ___ California Gull with work no ___ Herring Gull almost certainly yes ___ Thayer's Gull possibly no ___ Lesser Black-backed Gull with much luck no ___ Slaty-backed Gull possibly no ___ Western Gull with much luck no ___ Glaucous-winged Gull almost certainly yes ___ Glaucous Gull possibly yes ___ Great Black-backed Gull not likely no ___ Black-legged Kittiwake almost certainly yes ___ Red-legged Kittiwake with work yes ___ Ross' Gull with work no ___ Sabine's Gull possibly yes ___ Ivory Gull with work no ___ Caspian Tern with work yes ___ Common Tern with much luck no ___ Arctic Tern almost certainly yes ___ Forster's Tern minute chance no ___ Aleutian Tern possibly yes ___ White-winged Tern not likely no ___ Black Tern with much luck no
AUKS, PUFFINS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Dovekie with work yes ___ Common Murre almost certainly yes ___ Thick-billed Murre possibly yes ___ Black Guillemot with work yes ___ Pigeon Guillemot almost certainly yes ___ Marbled Murrelet almost certainly yes ___ Kittlitz's Murrelet possibly yes ___ Ancient Murrelet possibly yes ___ Cassin's Auklet possibly yes ___ Parakeet Auklet possibly yes ___ Least Auklet possibly yes ___ Whiskered Auklet possibly yes ___ Crested Auklet possibly yes ___ Rhinoceros Auklet with work yes ___ Tufted Puffin almost certainly yes ___ Horned Puffin almost certainly yes
DOVES, CUCKOOS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Rock Dove almost certainly yes ___ Band-tailed Pigeon with work yes ___ Oriental Turtle-Dove with much luck no ___ White-winged Dove not likely no ___ Mourning Dove with much luck no ___ Common Cuckoo with much luck no ___ Oriental Cuckoo with much luck no ___ Yellow-billed Cuckoo not likely no
OWLS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Oriental Scops-Owl not likely no ___ Western Screech-Owl with work yes ___ Great Horned Owl possibly yes ___ Snowy Owl possibly yes ___ Northern Hawk-Owl possibly yes ___ Northern Pygmy-Owl with work yes ___ Barred Owl with work yes ___ Great Gray Owl possibly yes ___ Long-eared Owl with much luck no ___ Short-eared Owl almost certainly yes ___ Boreal Owl possibly yes ___ Northern Saw-whet Owl possibly yes
NIGHTJARS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Lesser Nighthawk not likely no ___ Common Nighthawk with much luck no ___ Whip-poor-will not likely no ___ Jungle Nightjar not likely no
SWIFTS, HUMMINGBIRDS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Black Swift with work yes ___ Chimney Swift not likely no ___ Vaux's Swift possibly yes ___ White-throated Needletail with much luck no ___ Common Swift not likely no ___ Fork-tailed Swift with much luck no ___ Ruby-throated Hummingbird not likely no ___ Anna's Hummingbird with work no ___ Costa's Hummingbird not likely no ___ Calliope Hummingbird minute chance no ___ Rufous Hummingbird almost certainly yes
HOOPOES, KINGFISHERS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Hoopoe not likely no ___ Belted Kingfisher almost certainly yes
WOODPECKERS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Eurasian Wryneck not likely no ___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker with much luck yes ___ Red-breasted Sapsucker possibly yes ___ Great Spotted Woodpecker not likely no ___ Downy Woodpecker almost certainly yes ___ Hairy Woodpecker almost certainly yes ___ Three-toed Woodpecker possibly yes ___ Black-backed Woodpecker with work yes ___ Northern Flicker possibly yes ___ Pileated Woodpecker minute chance no
FLYCATCHERS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Olive-sided Flycatcher possibly yes ___ Western Wood-Pewee possibly yes ___ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher with much luck yes ___ Alder Flycatcher almost certainly yes ___ Willow Flycatcher with much luck no ___ Least Flycatcher with work yes ___ Hammond's Flycatcher almost certainly yes ___ Dusky Flycatcher not likely no ___ Pacific-slope Flycatcher almost certainly yes ___ Eastern Phoebe not likely no ___ Say's Phoebe possibly yes ___ Great Crested Flycatcher not likely no ___ Tropical Kingbird not likely no ___ Western Kingbird with much luck no ___ Eastern Kingbird with much luck no ___ Scissor-tailed Flycatcher minute chance no
LARKS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Eurasian Skylark with work yes ___ Horned Lark possibly yes
SWALLOWS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Purple Martin with much luck no ___ Tree Swallow almost certainly yes ___ Violet-green Swallow almost certainly yes ___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow with work yes ___ Bank Swallow almost certainly yes ___ Cliff Swallow almost certainly yes ___ Barn Swallow almost certainly yes ___ Common House-Martin not likely no
JAYS, CROWS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Gray Jay almost certainly yes ___ Steller's Jay almost certainly yes ___ Clark's Nutcracker with much luck no ___ Black-billed Magpie almost certainly yes ___ American Crow with work yes ___ Northwestern Crow almost certainly yes ___ Common Raven almost certainly yes
TITMICE CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Black-capped Chickadee almost certainly yes ___ Mountain Chickadee with much luck no ___ Siberian Tit with work yes ___ Boreal Chickadee almost certainly yes ___ Chestnut-backed Chickadee almost certainly yes ___ Great Tit minute chance no
NUTHATCHES, CREEPERS, WRENS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Red-breasted Nuthatch possibly yes ___ Brown Creeper possibly yes ___ Winter Wren almost certainly yes ___ American Dipper almost certainly yes
MUSCICAPIDS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Middendorff's Grasshopper-Warbler not likely no ___ Lanceolated Warbler not likely no ___ Wood Warbler not likely no ___ Dusky Warbler with much luck no ___ Arctic Warbler almost certainly yes ___ Golden-crowned Kinglet almost certainly yes ___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet almost certainly yes ___ Narcissus Flycatcher not likely no ___ Red-breasted Flycatcher with much luck no ___ Mugimaki Flycatcher minute chance no ___ Siberian Flycatcher not likely no ___ Gray-spotted Flycatcher with much luck no ___ Gray-breasted Flycatcher not likely no ___ Siberian Rubythroat with work no ___ Bluethroat possibly yes ___ Siberian Blue Robin not likely no ___ Red-flanked Bluetail with much luck no ___ Northern Wheatear possibly yes ___ Stonechat with much luck no ___ Mountain Bluebird with work yes ___ Townsend's Solitaire possibly yes ___ Veery with much luck no ___ Gray-cheeked Thrush almost certainly yes ___ Swainson's Thrush almost certainly yes ___ Hermit Thrush almost certainly yes ___ Eye-browed Thrush with much luck no ___ Dusky Thrush with much luck no ___ Fieldfare with much luck no ___ American Robin almost certainly yes ___ Varied Thrush almost certainly yes ___ Northern Mockingbird with much luck no ___ Brown Thrasher not likely no
ACCENTORS, WAGTAILS, PIPITS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Siberian Accentor with much luck no ___ Yellow Wagtail almost certainly yes ___ Gray Wagtail with much luck no ___ White Wagtail with work yes ___ Black-backed Wagtail with work yes ___ Brown Tree-Pipit not likely no ___ Olive Tree-Pipit with much luck no ___ Pechora Pipit with much luck no ___ Red-throated Pipit with work yes ___ American Pipit almost certainly yes
WAXWINGS, SHRIKES, STARLINGS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Bohemian Waxwing almost certainly yes ___ Cedar Waxwing with work yes ___ Brown Shrike not likely no ___ Northern Shrike possibly yes ___ European Starling possibly yes
VIREOS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Solitary Vireo not likely no ___ Warbling Vireo possibly yes ___ Philadelphia Vireo not likely no ___ Red-eyed Vireo with work yes
WOOD WARBLERS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Tennessee Warbler with work yes ___ Orange-crowned Warbler almost certainly yes ___ Nashville Warbler minute chance no ___ Northern Parula minute chance no ___ Yellow Warbler almost certainly yes ___ Chestnut-sided Warbler minute chance no ___ Magnolia Warbler with work yes ___ Cape May Warbler not likely no ___ Yellow-rumped Warbler almost certainly yes ___ Black-throated Gray Warbler minute chance no ___ Townsend's Warbler almost certainly yes ___ Hermit Warbler minute chance no ___ Black-throated Green Warbler not likely no ___ Prairie Warbler not likely no ___ Bay-breasted Warbler minute chance no ___ Palm Warbler with much luck no ___ Blackpoll Warbler possibly yes ___ Black-and-white Warbler not likely no ___ American Redstart possibly yes ___ Ovenbird not likely no ___ Northern Waterthrush almost certainly yes ___ Kentucky Warbler minute chance no ___ Mourning Warbler not likely no ___ MacGillivray's Warbler possibly yes ___ Common Yellowthroat possibly yes ___ Wilson's Warbler almost certainly yes ___ Canada Warbler not likely no
TANAGERS, GROSBEAKS, BUNTINGS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Scarlet Tanager not likely no ___ Western Tanager possibly yes ___ Rose-breasted Grosbeak minute chance no ___ Black-headed Grosbeak minute chance no ___ Blue Grosbeak not likely no ___ Lazuli Bunting minute chance no ___ Indigo Bunting not likely no
SPARROWS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Rufous-sided Towhee not likely no ___ American Tree Sparrow almost certainly yes ___ Chipping Sparrow possibly yes ___ Clay-colored Sparrow not likely no ___ Brewer's Sparrow with much luck yes ___ Lark Sparrow not likely no ___ Savannah Sparrow almost certainly yes ___ Fox Sparrow almost certainly yes ___ Song Sparrow almost certainly yes ___ Lincoln's Sparrow almost certainly yes ___ Swamp Sparrow with much luck no ___ White-throated Sparrow with much luck no ___ Golden-crowned Sparrow almost certainly yes ___ White-crowned Sparrow almost certainly yes ___ Harris's Sparrow with much luck no ___ Dark-eyed Junco almost certainly yes ___ Lapland Longspur almost certainly yes ___ Smith's Longspur possibly yes ___ Chestnut-collared Longspur minute chance no ___ Pine Bunting not likely no ___ Little Bunting not likely no ___ Rustic Bunting with work no ___ Yellow-breasted Bunting not likely no ___ Gray Bunting not likely no ___ Pallas's Reed-Bunting not likely no ___ Common Reed-Bunting with much luck no ___ Snow Bunting possibly yes ___ McKay's Bunting with work yes
BLACKBIRDS CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Bobolink not likely no ___ Red-winged Blackbird possibly yes ___ Western Meadowlark with much luck no ___ Yellow-headed Blackbird not likely no ___ Rusty Blackbird almost certainly yes ___ Brewer's Blackbird with much luck no ___ Common Grackle not likely no ___ Brown-headed Cowbird with work yes ___ Northern Oriole minute chance no ___ Brambling with much luck no
FINCHES CHANCE OF VIEWING BREEDS? ___ Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch almost certainly yes ___ Pine Grosbeak almost certainly yes ___ Common Rosefinch with much luck no ___ Purple Finch with much luck no ___ Cassin's Finch not likely no ___ House Finch minute chance no ___ Red Crossbill possibly yes ___ White-winged Crossbill possibly yes ___ Common Redpoll almost certainly yes ___ Hoary Redpoll almost certainly yes ___ Eurasian Siskin not likely no ___ Pine Siskin almost certainly yes ___ American Goldfinch not likely no ___ Oriental Greenfinch with much luck no ___ Eurasian Bullfinch with much luck no ___ Evening Grosbeak with much luck no ___ Hawfinch with much luck no

For more information, please contact:
                        Brad Andres
                        U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
                        1011 East Tudor Road
                        Anchorage, Alaska 99503
                        Telephone: 907/786-3378
This resource should be cited as:
Gibson, Dan, and Brad Andres.  No Date.  Checklist of Alaska Birds.  
     Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online.  
     (Version 30DEC2002).

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