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State of Alaska

King Eider Somateria spectabilis ©Dubi Shapiro Website

Alaska is a non-contiguous US state on the northwest extremity of North America. It is in the Western United States region. The only other non-contiguous US state is Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the northernmost, westernmost, and easternmost (the Aleutian Islands cross the 180th meridian into the eastern hemisphere) state in the United States. It borders the Canadian territory of Yukon and the province of British Columbia to the east. It shares a western maritime border, in the Bering Strait, with Russia’s Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. The Chukchi and Beaufort Seas of the Arctic Ocean lie to the north, and the Pacific Ocean lies to the south. Technically, it is a semi-exclave of the US, and is the largest exclave in the world.

It is the largest US state by area, comprising c.1,718,000; more total area than the following three largest states of Texas, California, and Montana combined, and is the sixth-largest subnational division in the world. It is the third-least populous and most sparsely populated US state, but is, with a population of c. 735,000 people, the continent’s most populous territory located mostly north of the 60th parallel, with more than quadruple the combined populations of Northern Canada and Greenland. The state contains the four largest cities in the United States by area, including the state capital of Juneau. The state’s most populous city is Anchorage, and approximately half of Alaska’s residents live within its metropolitan area. One of the world’s largest tides occurs in Turnagain Arm, just south of Anchorage, where tidal differences can be more than 35 feet.

Turnagain Arm – ©Jennifer Jordan CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The capital city, Juneau, is situated on the mainland of the North American continent but is not connected by road to the rest of the North American highway system. The largest lake in Alaska is Lake Illiamna. Alaska has, with its myriad of islands, nearly 55,000 km of tidal shoreline; a longer coastline than all the other US states combined.

The state has more than 409,000 natural lakes at least one hectare or bigger. Marshlands and wetland permafrost cover c.487,700 km2, mostly in northern, western and southwest flatlands. Glacier ice covers about 75,000 km2. The Bering Glacier is the largest glacier in North America, covering 5,200 km2 alone.

Alaska is the coldest state in the United States. The climate in the south and southeastern Alaska is a mid-latitude oceanic climate and a subarctic oceanic climate in the northern parts, with cool summers and relatively mild winters. On an annual basis, the southeast is both the wettest and warmest part of Alaska with milder temperatures in the winter and high precipitation throughout the year. Juneau averages over 50 inches of precipitation a year, and Ketchikan averages over 150 inches. This is also the only region in Alaska in which the average daytime high temperature is above freezing during the winter months. The climate of Anchorage and south-central Alaska is mild by Alaskan standards due to the region’s proximity to the seacoast. While the area gets less rain than southeast Alaska, it gets more snow, and days tend to be clearer.

Abundant natural resources have enabled Alaska, with one of the smallest state economies, to have one of the highest per capita incomes, with commercial fishing, and the extraction of natural gas and oil, dominating Alaska’s economy. More than half of the state is federally-owned land containing national forests, national parks, and wildlife refuges.

Mount Hunter at Sunrise – ©Amine Abassir via Wikimedia Commons

The wildlife of Alaska is both diverse and abundant. The Alaskan Peninsula provides an important habitat for fish, mammals, reptiles, and birds. At the top of the food chain are the bears. Alaska contains about 70% of the total North American brown bear population and the majority of the grizzly bears, as well as black bears and Kodiak bears. In winter, polar bears can be found in the Kuskokwim Delta, St. Matthew Island, and at the southernmost portion of St. Lawrence Island. Other major mammal  include moose and caribou, bison, wolves and wolverines, foxes, otters and beavers. Fish species are extensive, including: salmon, graylings, char, rainbow and lake trout, northern pike, halibut, pollock, and burbot. The bird population consists of hundreds of species.

Birding Alaska

Alaska is a rugged, wild and spectacularly beautiful place that provides home at least part of the year to over 500 documented species of birds. A vast wilderness of snow-capped mountains and wide glacially carved valleys, tidal flats and forests, rivers and lakes, alpine tundra and glaciated peaks provide habitat for a diversity of birds. Birds travel to Alaska from all over the world to breed during the short arctic summer and to feast in the abundance of available food. Alaska’s vast coastline boasts fjords, estuaries, bays, rocky and sandy beaches, and extensive mudflats that provide fuel to migrating shorebirds and waterfowl.

Millions of nesting seabirds can be found along the rugged coastline of southeast Alaska and the Aleutian Archipelago. These rookeries are a delight to birder’s who come to watch the thousands of murres (Guillemots), kittiwakes, gulls, and puffins. In addition, Alaska’s expansive tundra provides nesting habitat for millions of migratory species such as Tundra and Trumpeter Swans, Emperor Geese, Brants, ducks and terns. Just as spectacular to view are the Bald Eagles which gather in the thousands every year in Haines to feed on salmon.

Mating Ross’s Gulls – ©Dubi Shapiro

In addition to the millions of migratory birds that make Alaska their home for part of the year, Alaska hosts many specialty birds. These special birds include all five species of loons (divers), four species of eiders, three species of Ptarmigan, Pacific and American Golden Plovers, Hudsonian and Bar-tailed Godwits, three types of jaegers (Skua), Aleutian Terns, Arctic Warbler, Bluethroat, Northern Wheatear, Yellow and White Wagtails, Snow Bunting, and Gray-cheeked Thrush. Asian vagrants such as Brambling, Eurasian Wigeon, Terek Sandpiper, Siberian Rubythroat, and Hawfinch are rare visitors to places such as the Pribolof Islands on the western outskirts of Alaska.

Snow Bunting – ©Dubi Shapiro

Whether you are coming to search out the elusive Whiskered Auklet near Dutch Harbor or to witness one of the largest gatherings of spring-migrating shorebirds in Cordova you will want to take your time and plan well in advance for your birding adventure in Alaska. Alaska’s size and diversity of habitats can be a challenge to visiting birders who do not know exactly when and where they want to go. Alaska has many recognised birding-tour companies offering high quality birdwatching trips with experienced local birders who can arrange trips and make sure you get the most out of your birding adventure in Alaska. Even if your trip to Alaska doesn’t take you out into the wilderness, you can do some of the finest birding in the country in Anchorage. Anchorage is the only city of its size that still has breeding loons (divers). Breeding Red-throated, Common (Great Northern), and Pacific Loons (divers) can be found on many of the city lakes and are easily accessible to birders.

The best time to visit Alaska depends on the type of birding you want to focus on. In general, the beginning of May through the end of September is the best birding season. Some of the most impressive shorebird migrations begin at the end of April through the middle of May when snow is still on the ground and temperatures can still be chilly. Breeding songbirds begin arriving in early May through the first week of June. Winter months can be the best time to observe wintering eiders, Long-tailed Ducks, Whiskered Auklets, and Harlequin Ducks along the coast.

Top Sites

  • Barrow Area

    Satellite View
    Barrow is the northern most town in the US being situated on the arctic coast of Alaska. The population is about 4500, of which a majority are indigenous Inupiat. Although many modern conveniences are available in Barrow, the subsistence life style is still much in evidence, and fishing, hunting, and whaling are a way of life and central to the culture. Barrow has been continuously occupied for 5,000 years by people who have learned how to live in the harsh arctic climate. The Heritage Centre should be on the list of sites for every visitor. Barrow is one of the top 100 birding spots in America. Although the diversity of birds is not huge, the annual visitors are spectacular. All four species of Eider migrate along the coast and nest in the tundra around Barrow. Numerous other ducks and waterfowl also nest in the millions of small puddles and lakes across the tundra. Barrow is also prime habitat for many shorebirds. Perhaps the most spectacular summer visitor and breeder is the snowy owl, from which comes the Inupiat name for Barrow, Ukpeagvik, which translates to place to hunt snowy owls. These days the owls are observed and studied. Barrow is the only spot in America one can reliably expect to see the elusive Ross's gull, which shows up, sometimes in great numbers during the last week of September through the first couple of weeks of October.
Contributors

  • Brian & Leslie Watson

    King Eider Inn, Barrow, Alaska | eider@barrow.com

    https://www.kingeider.net

  • Sirena Brownlee

    Anchorage, Alaska | guides@alaska.com

Number of Species

  • Number of bird species: 558

    (As at November 2024)

    State Bird: Willow Ptarmigan Lagopus lagopus

Endemics

  • Number of endemics: 1

    McKay's Bunting Plectrophenax hyperboreus

    2 Breeding Endemics: Btistle-thighed Curlew Numenius tahitiensis Black Turnstone Arenaria melanocephala

Checklist

  • Alaska Fish & Game

    Checklists
    Alaska Bird Checklists

  • Avibase

    PDF Checklist
    This checklist includes all bird species found in Alaska , based on the best information available at this time. It is based on a wide variety of sources that I collated over many years. I am pleased to offer these checklists as a service to birdwatchers. If you find any error, please do not hesitate to report them.

  • University of Alaska

    PDF Checklist
    As of January 2024 the list of avian taxa known in Alaska included 545 naturally occurring species in 67 families and 21 orders.

  • Wikipedia

    Annotated List
    The list of birds of Alaska includes every wild bird species recorded in the U.S. state of Alaska, based on the list published by the Alaska Checklist Committee. As of January 2022, there were 534 species on the official list.

  • eBird

    PDF Checklist
    This checklist is generated with data from eBird (ebird.org), a global database of bird sightings from birders like you. If you enjoy this checklist, please consider contributing your sightings to eBird. It is 100% free to take part, and your observations will help support birders, researchers, and conservationists worldwide.
Useful Reading

  • A Birder's Guide to Alaska

    | By George C West | ABA | 2008 | Paperback | 662 Pages, B/w illustrations, tabs, maps | Out of Print | ISBN: 9781878788481 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Alaska Birds: An Introduction to Familiar Species

    | By James R Kavanagh | Waterford Press | 2001 | Unbound | Colour Illustrations | ISBN: 9781583551226 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Alaska's Birds

    | (A Guide to Selected Species) | by RH Armstrong | Alaska Northwest Books | 1994 | | Paperback | 128 pages, 65 col photos, 20 b/w illustrations, 1 map | Out of Print | ISBN: 9780882404554 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Attending Alaska's Birds

    | (A Wildlife Pilot's Story) | by James Gore King & Jim Rearden | Trafford Publishing (USA) | 2008 | Paperback | ISBN: 9781425142438 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Birds of Alaska

    | By Todd Telander | 2013 | Falcon Guides | Paperback | 96 Pages | ISBN: 9780762779314 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Birds of Alaska Field Guide

    | By Stan Tekiela | Adventure Publications | Edition 2 | 2023 | Paperback | 416 pages, colour photos, colour distribution maps | ISBN: 9781647553661 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Birds of the Aleutian Islands, Alaska

    | By Daniel D Gibson & G Vernon Byrd | Nuttall Ornithological Club | 2007 | Hardback | 351 pages, colour photos | ISBN: 9780943610733 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Field Guide to Bird Nests and Eggs of Alaska's Coastal Tundra

    | By Tim D Bowman | Alaska Sea Grant College Program | 2008 | Spiralbound | 81 Pages, 600 Photos | ISBN: 9781566121293 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Guide to Birdwatching in Alaska

    | By Paul Doherty | All Region DVD | 2002 | Bird Images Video Guides | 90 Minutes | ISBN: 5065000721046 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Guide to the Birds of Alaska

    | By Robert H Armstrong | Alaska Northwest Books | 2015 | Paperback | 368 Pages, 900 Colour Photos | ISBN: 9781941821428 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • The Birds of the Seward Peninsula, Alaska

    | By B Kessel | University of Alaska Press | 1989 | Hardback | 33 Pages, 19 b/w Plates, maps, line drawings | ISBN: 9780912006291 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Festivals & Bird Fairs

  • Alaska Bald Eagle Festival - Haines, AK

    Webpage
    Takshanuk Film Festival and Eagle Release Auction TBA

  • Alaska Bird Festivals

    Webpage
    Annotated & interactive list

  • Alaska Hummingbird Festival

    Webpage
    The petite but mighty Rufous Hummingbird is the mascot of the festival. Join us in welcoming this pennyweight flyer and other migratory birds back to Ketchikan, Alaska.

  • Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival

    Website
    Witness the shimmering flocks of millions of shorebirds as they take a short break on the Copper River Delta while passing from their wintering areas across the globe to their breeding grounds in the north.

  • Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival

    Website
    On behalf of the Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, and the Festival Planning Committee, I’d like to welcome you to attend the 26th Annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival. Alaska’s largest wildlife viewing festival honors the return of spring and it’s breathtaking bird migration. Homer’s seaside setting is perfect for spotting over 130 migratory bird species, as well as numerous other resident species. Thursday, May 10th- Sunday, May 13th, 2018.

  • Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival

    Webpage
    Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival August 23, 24 & 25, 2019

  • Yakutat Tern Festival

    Website
    Every Alaska community has a claim to fame regarding its natural resources. Yakutat is no exception. One of the largest and southernmost known breeding colonies of Aleutian Terns exists here. The earliest record of breeding Aleutian Terns in Yakutat – on the Situk River Flats – is 1922; the colonies in the Yakutat area appear to be a stronghold for a suspected declining worldwide population. The Aleutian Tern has a limited range throughout Alaska and eastern Siberia and Russia, and very little is known about this species, including its migration patterns. The Yakutat area is currently at the forefront of Aleutian Tern research, including studies on population trends, nesting ecology, and migration patterns. The 2018 festival will be May 31-June 3
Museums & Universities

  • Alaska University Museum Bird Collection

    Website
    With emphasis on the birds of northwesternmost North America, including taxa endemic to Beringia and the circumpolar North, the Bird Collection is the best in existence of avian material from Alaska. Almost all bird species and subspecies known in Alaska are represented and are preserved primarily as skins, skeletons, and tissues. The collection consists of over 14,000 birds. Most recent preparations include skin, skeleton, tissue, and stomach samples for each individual.
Organisations

  • American Bald Eagle Foundation

    Facebook Page
    The Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is managed by the State of Alaska Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation with the assistance of the 13 member Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve Advisory Council. Interpretive Wildlife Display and Education Center Located in Haines, Alaska; featuring a unique diorama of wildlife found in the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.

  • Anchorage Audubon Society

    Facebook Page
    The mission of Anchorage Audubon Society is to provide opportunities for learning about and enjoying wildlife and the natural environment, and to promote conservation of wildlife and protection of the natural environment through research, education, and action. We have about 1,500 members. The Anchorage Audubon Society serves the birding needs of Southcentral Alaska and the Kenai Peninsula. We offer informational resources as well as organized events like field trips and outings. Please browse through our site and come back often for the latest calendars and schedules.

  • Arctic Audubon Society

    Website
    Arctic Audubon has worked to protect Alaskan ecosystems by encouraging research, education, and management. We have consistently kept up-to-date on the conservation issues that face Alaska. Currently, we are most concerned with the Tanana Valley State Forest Management Plan, proposed oil and gas development in the Minto Flats southwest of Fairbanks, protection of critical habitat areas in the NPR-A, and responsible conservation of Alaska's wildlife refuges.

  • Audubon Alaska

    Website
    From the icy, bountiful waters of the Arctic Ocean to the misty, salmon-rich rainforests of the Tongass National Forest, Audubon Alaska works to conserve the spectacular birds and wildlife—and their habitats—of the Great Land to ensure their place for future generations. We employ science and cutting-edge mapping technology to drive our conservation priorities, with an emphasis on public lands and waters. Millions of birds flock to Alaska each spring from around the globe, making this a crucial place for birds worldwide.

  • Fish & Wildlife Service

    Website
    Visitors and Educators will find environmental education and natural and cultural history interpretation is provided at refuges in the form of visitor centers, displays, handouts, informative staffs, and websites. Come visit an Alaska National Wildlife Refuge for a once in a lifetime experience that is meant to be experienced throughout a lifetime.

  • Juneau Audubon Society

    Website
    Juneau is one of Alaska's nicest places to go birding. The combination of mountains, forest, wetlands, inter-tidal, and marine habitats, all accessible from the Juneau road and trail system, provides for extensive and diverse birding opportunities.

  • Kachemak Bay Birders

    Website
    Kachemak Bay Birders, established in 2008, is an informal organization of individuals interested in birds, birding, and the conservation of birds. We have no membership fees; our meetings and trips are free and open to the public.

  • Kodiak Audubon

    Website
    The mission of Audubon Alaska is to conserve Alaska's natural ecosystems focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit and enjoyment of current and future generations

  • Mat-Su Birders

    Website
    A club in Alaska's beautiful Matanuska-Susitna Valley devoted to watching wild birds.

  • Nature Conservancy in Alaska

    Webpage
    The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. We’ve been working in Alaska to do just that.

  • Prince William Sound Audubon Society

    Information
    PO Box 2396 99574Cordova - AK - US
Reserves

Abbreviations Key

  • * Protected areas of Alaska

    InformationSatellite View
    This category includes articles on protected areas within the U.S. state of Alaska. This includes federal, state, local and privately controlled/owned areas.

  • Alaska National Wildlife Refuges

    WebsiteSatellite View
    Clickable list of refuges

  • Alaska State Parks

    WebsiteSatellite View
    The state division responsible for parks. Links lead to parklands, state parks, and wildlife refuges in Alaska.

  • MWR Creamer's Field

    WebsiteSatellite View
    At Creamer's Refuge wildlife and people share the forest, wetlands, ponds, and open fields. Creamer's Refuge protects and enhances quality habitat for a diversity of wildlife, especially waterfowl and other migratory birds, while also providing for compatible public uses, such as wildlife viewing, research, and nature education…

  • NF Chugach

    WebpageSatellite View
    This stunning landscape stretches across south-central Alaska, from the salty waters and snowy peaks of Prince William Sound to the fabulous salmon and trout streams of the Kenai Peninsula, covering an area the size of New Hampshire. It is one of the few places left in the world where glaciers still grind valleys into the hard rock of the earth…

  • NP Denali

    WebpageSatellite View
    Denali is six million acres of wild land, bisected by one ribbon of road. Travelers along it see the relatively low-elevation taiga forest give way to high alpine tundra and snowy mountains, culminating in North America's tallest peak, 20,310' Denali. Wild animals large and small roam un-fenced lands, living as they have for ages. Solitude, tranquility and wilderness await.

  • NWR Arctic

    WebpageSatellite View
    During the brief arctic summer, the North Slope is home to millions of birds. Many come to nest and raise their young. Others come to molt or simply to pass through on migration. A few species are present year-round. Rock and Willow Ptarmigan are the most abundant birds during winter and are found in patches of willows where they feed mainly on the buds. Ravens are the most conspicuous winter birds. A few Gyrfalcons and Snowy Owls may also be present, depending on the abundance of prey.

  • NWR Kenai

    WebpageSatellite View
    The Kenai Refuge consists of the western slopes of the Kenai Mountains and forested lowlands bordering Cook Inlet. The lowlands are composed of spruce and birch forests intermingled with hundreds of lakes. The Kenai Mountains with their glaciers rise to more than 6,000 feet presenting a barrier on the southeastern boundary of the refuge. The refuge is a miniature Alaska with some of all habitat types of Alaska -- tundra, mountains, wetlands, and forests. Kenai Refuge was established by President Roosevelt to preserve and maintain the large population of moose on the Kenai Peninsula. In addition, the refuge is host to Dall sheep, mountain goat, caribou, coyote, wolf, grizzly bear, black bear, lynx, wolverine, beaver, small mammals, and birds.

  • NWR Tetlin

    WebpageSatellite View
    Nestled within the Tanana River Valley, the abundant wetlands and forests of the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge welcome thousands of birds and people crossing the border into Alaska each year.

  • NWR Yukon Flats

    WebpageSatellite View
    The Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge is one of more than 540 refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System, the only national network of lands in the world set aside principally for the management of fish and wildlife resources. Whether visiting its wild lands or exploring this website, you’re sure to find something that stirs your imagination. Don’t be surprised. Generations have felt the same wonder when confronted by a landscape that does not reflect the passage of time. It is common for visitors to sense they have stepped back into a different century.

  • SP Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve

    WebpageSatellite View
    The Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve was created by the State of Alaska in June 1982. The Preserve was established to protect and perpetuate the world's largest concentration of Bald Eagles and their critical habitat. It also sustains and protects the natural salmon runs…
Sightings, News & Forums

  • Alaska Rare Bird Alert

    Sightings
    A way for Alaskan birders, or birders in Alaska to pass on information about rare and unusual wild bird sightings occuring within the state. This group is only for posting rare birds found in Alaska

  • eBird

    Sightings
    eBirding This Month
Guides & Tour Operators

  • Alaska Seabird Charters

    Local Tour Operator
    Birding and Scientific Charters Along the Alaskan Coast

  • Alaska Tours

    Local Tour Operator
    Alaska bird watching is a birders dream. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports 500 bird species populate or pass through Alaska seeking breeding, overwintering, resting, and refueling sites and some of the best Alaska bird watching is on St Paul Island in the Pribilof Islands home to 300 different species.

  • Bird Treks

    Tour Operator
    We’ll visit Adak Island in the central Aleutians, 1200 miles southwest of Anchorage, the westernmost portion of North America that is accessible by commercial airline. The more time that you spend on Adak, the more potential for great birds!

  • BirdFinders

    Tour Operator
    Amid stunning scenery we will look for many speciality birds including Bristle-thighed Curlew, Kittlitz’s and Ancient Murrelets, Horned and Tufted Puffins, Slaty-backed Gull, Aleutian Tern, Varied Thrush and Golden-crowned Sparrow, plus Grizzly Bear. The pre-tour extension will concentrate on finding Spectacled Eider and Snowy Owl; the post-tour extension will focus on Rock Sandpiper and a whole suite of Bering Sea seabirds.

  • BirdQuest

    Tour Operator
    ALASKA – Nome, Kenai, Denali Highway, Barrow and the Pribilof and Aleutian Islands

  • Birding Ecotours

    Tour Operator
    Birding Tour USA: Alaska – Vast Beauty, Nome, Denali, Seward

  • Eagle Eye Tours

    Tour Operator
    Alaska is famed for its stunning scenery, amazing megafauna, breathtaking birds, and long summer days!

  • FieldGuides

    Tour Operator
    Our fabulous survey of the best of Alaska birding: the Pribilofs, Kenai Fjords, Nome, and Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow).

  • High Lonesome Ecotours

    Tour Operator
    Why choose High Lonesome Ecotours for your birding trips in Alaska? First, we offer a small group experience where economically feasible with typically 6 to 12 participants. Second, we visit the most popular birding hot spots in Alaska, and we schedule it so that you can do one trip, or string together as many as five trips to different desitnations…

  • Nahanni River Tours

    Tour Operator
    For nearly two decades Neil Hartling and Barry Beales of Nahanni River Adventures and Whitewolf Expeditions have fine tuned the most extensive offerings of the best of the north. In 1997 the two companies joined together to capitalise on the strengths of each outfit. The resulting selection has been referred to as the life list of northern rivers - all must do`s.

  • Naturalist Journeys

    Tour Operator
    Experience the unmatched thrill of the final frontier on our birding, nature & wildlife tours to Alaska & Canada.

  • Rockjumper

    Tour Operator
    Alaska - Denali & Kenai: Vistas, Mammals & Seabirds(9 days)

  • St Paul Island Tours

    Local Tour Operator
    We offer a variety of tours available May through mid-October, from quick visits of 3 days/2 nights to 8 days/7 nights for in-depth exploration of the island and birding spots. Each includes round-trip airfare from Anchorage to St. Paul, shared accommodations and guide services.

  • WINGS

    Tour Operator
    Alaska: Majesty of the North

  • Wilderness Birding Adventures

    Tour Operator
    We lead small groups throughout Alaska in search of birds, wildlife, and wild places. Specializing in remote destinations, unique experiences, and wilderness travel, Wilderness Birding Adventures is THE choice for those seeking to bird Alaska with Alaskans. With the most complete selection of birding trips offered in Alaska, we welcome novice and expert birders alike, and are happy to assist you in finding the perfect fit.
Trip Reports

  • 2017 [06 June] - Chris Benesh & Tom Johnson - Pribilofs & Denali

    Report
    Part One of the Field Guides Alaska tour got off to a great start with a visit to Saint Paul Island, part of the Pribilof Islands group. In addition to the wonderful suite of regulars, we had the additional treat of seeing several exciting Asian visitors to the island. These included a couple of sizable flocks of Hawfinches, an attending Brambling, and the first Spring record of Marsh Sandpiper in North America!

  • 2017 [10 October] - Tom Johnson

    Report
    The call of the far north led us back to Alaska for this adventurous fall tour. For the first time, we combined our tried-and-true Barrow Ross's Gull tour with a fall migration trip to St. Paul Island in the Bering Sea.

  • 2018 [06 June] - Greg Smith

    PDF Report
    A wonderful day to arrive in Anchorage, the mountains were flowing with glaciers, most all peaks were capped with eons-old ice and the city sparkled in a sea of green. We dined at our hotel’s onsite restaurant, discussed tomorrow’s plans for Nome and headed off to get a little sleep while the sun perched above the horizon…

  • 2018 [06 June] - Ivan Phillipsen

    Report
    This tour focused on birds and wildlife, from the rainforests of southeast Alaska to the snowy Alaska Range. We visited two national parks-- Glacier Bay and Denali-- and drove the entire Denali Highway.

  • 2018 [08 August] - Dodie Logue

    PDF Report
    Some folks had arrived a few days early and some came in this day, which was calm and overcast. At 4:00 pm most of us met for a birding walk along the coastal trail, which is right behind our hotel, and never gets old! There are birds and bikes and other strange peddling contraptions, dogs, runners, walkers, hand-holders.

  • 2019 [06 June] - Greg Smith

    PDF Report
    Alaska Birding & Nature trip report by guide Greg Smith

  • 2019 [06 June] - Mike Hunter

    PDF Report
    The team had two objectives, firstly to see the key birds Alaska had to offer, and secondly, to sweep up as many ABA (American Birding Area) ticks (following previous trips to most of the rest of North America).

  • 2019 [08 August] - Karen Worcester

    PDF Report
    For those that arrived prior to 3:30 pm, we took a walk along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail to Westchester Lagoon. And along the way two Sandhill Cranes were foraging in the mudflats as a pair of Green-winged Teal did a little trailside dabbling!

  • 2019 [09 September] - Birding Ecotours - Jacob Roalef

    PDF Report
    Alaska is the perfect combination of amazing birds, large mammals, quiet wilderness, and breathtaking landscapes and scenery. On this scouting trip, Jacob and his four brilliant clients (Mike, Barry, Bob, and Grace) covered sections of mainland Alaska and Kodiak Island to learn as much as possible about the area for our future tours. This trip was faster-paced than a standard tour and covered a tremendous amount of ground in a short time, scouting out places such as Anchorage, Denali National Park, Seward, Homer, and Kodiak Island.

  • 2021 [06 June] - Peg Abbott

    PDF Report
    ...We listened to robust calls of Northern Waterthrush which sang from exposed perches, so much sound from such a tiny soul. Yellow and Wilson’s Warblers were present and singing, and a real treat was seeing Wilson’s Snipe on the wing and calling. Under the bridge was a resident pair of American Dipper, nice to see this active again as several years ago a long winter freeze up affected them and the beavers...

  • 2022 [06 June] - Jacob Roalef

    Report
    Avian highlights included Horned and Tufted Puffins, Red-faced Cormorant, Emperor Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, Northern Goshawk, Golden Eagle, Willow Ptarmigan, Arctic and Aleutian Terns, Long-tailed Jaeger, Arctic Warbler, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Bohemian Waxwing, Boreal Chickadee, American Three-toed Woodpecker, Gyrfalcon and many more.

  • 2022 [08 August] - David Krueper

    PDF Report
    The Alaska Sampler Tour was designed to give participants an intimate look at the wonders of much of southcentral Alaska, and to experience the representative wildlife and scenery of the vast jewel that is Alaska. We visited in early to mid-August when most of the frenetic avian breeding activity had concluded. While we did not experience the “sound and fury” of spring song, the tour was designed to capture a representative sampling of remaining summer breeders and migrants, and to take advantage of several opportunities for seabird viewing at known colonial nesting sites. Additionally, a huge attraction was the opportunity to visit a coastal brown bear foraging area within Katmai National Park that was not to be missed!

  • 2023 [06 June] - Dave Krueper

    PDF Report
    A wonderful introduction to the major biomes of Alaska, we birded representative habitats of southcentral, western and northern Alaska on this tour. A total of 121 avian species were recorded as well as 17 species of mammals for the tour. Our observation totals are described below:

  • 2023 [07 July] - Peg Abbott

    PDF Report
    s. Puffins of two species topped most of the list for highlights, along with Kittlitz’ Murrelet, a fairly local species we encounter in Glacier Bay annually.

  • 2024 [05 May] - Luis Gonzalez

    PDF Report
    Alaska is considered by many as the final frontier, whether this is an American bias, the fact that anyone wishing to reach the state needs to spend a lot of time traveling or simply that this is one of the great wilderness regions left on earth, it's up to each person to decide...

  • 2024 [06 June] - Dan Donaldson

    PDF Report
    This tour visited three classic locations in the central region of Alaska – Anchorage, Nome, and Seward. In Anchorage we hiked the Coastal Trail along Cooks Inlet to the famous Westchester lagoons where Loons, Arctic Terns, and Red-necked Grebes nest in plain view and made several trips to Potter Marsh. In nearby Eagle River, we experienced the amazingly beautiful Eagle River Valley where we explored the temperate rain forest for birds (crossbills, woodpeckers, and more), megafauna such as moose, Dall sheep and scanned the mountain sides for Grizzly.

  • 2024 [06 June] - Jacob Roalef

    PDF Report
    Visiting diverse habitats yielded a high-quality list over our 13 days in this arctic state. Avian highlights included Horned and Tufted Puffin, Red-faced Cormorant, Spruce Grouse, Bristle-thighed Curlew, Parakeet Auklet, Kittlitz’s Murrelet, Willow, Rock,and White-tailed Ptarmigan, Arctic and Aleutian Terns, Long-tailed Jaeger, Arctic Warbler, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Bohemian Waxwing, Boreal Chickadee, Northern Hawk Owl, Gyrfalcon, Varied Thrush, and many more.

  • 2024 [06 June] - Jacob Roalef - Utqiagvik (Barrow) Extension

    PDF Report
    Our list on this short extension included Spectacled, Steller’s, and King Eiders, Black Guillemot, Yellow-billed, Pacific, and Red-throated Loons, Pomarine, Long-tailed, and Parasitic Jaegers, Baird’s and White-rumped Sandpipers, Red-necked Stint, Red Phalarope, Snowy Owl, Sabine’s Gull, Snow Bunting and more.

  • 2024 [07 July] - Stephen Grace

    PDF Report
    ...The Common Murre, wearing a black and white tuxedo and known affectionately as the “penguin of the north,” looked striking on the water and created a spectacle in its crowded breeding colonies atop sea cliffs. The Marbled Murrelet, dressed in drab camouflage to conceal it in forests, captured our imagination with its astonishing life story—this seabird nests up to 50 miles inland on the branches of old-growth trees...

  • 2024 [08 August] - Kelly Vandenheuvel

    PDF Report
    ...A bush plane took us to Katmai National Park where we landed on a beach and walked amongst the massive coastal brown bears and picked out some uncommon shorebirds like Pacific Golden-Plover. We walked through the spruce-fir forests of Homer where we found a family of American Goshawks and Boreal Chickadees. Black bears popped out of the bushes along the road, and early morning outings scored moose, Common, Pacific, and Red-throated Loons, Varied Thrush, and so many more highlights. But perhaps one thing you wouldn’t expect on a trip here is the quality of the food and lodging! Fresh caught halibut and salmon were to die for, and having world-class nature-viewing out our doors at all times was pretty unbeatable!
Places to Stay

  • Clearwater Mountain Lodge

    Accommodation
    Centrally located on the most scenic route to Denali National Park (less than an hour and a half away.) The Denali Highway connects the Richardson and George Parks Highways, and offers a beautiful drive through the heart of the ‘real’ Alaska. Located 82 miles from the entrance to Denali National Park.

  • King Eider Inn

    Accommodation
    Opened in April of 1998, King Eider Inn is the premier of Barrow hotels located north of the Arctic Circle in Utqiaġvik; the most northern town in Alaska and all of North America.

  • Tangle River Inn

    Accommodation
    Jack and his wife Naidine built the Tangle River Inn 45 years ago, and have been constantly improving and expanding it since that time. Jack handles the mechanical end, and Naidine and her staff keep visitors coming back for more of their unique brand of Alaskan hospitality.
Other Links

  • Attu

    Information
    For many years, knowledge of bird migration in the Near Islands was only fragmentary, since they had been visited only sporadically by scientists. Then in the late 1970s, Dan Gibson of the University of Alaska Museum did the first intensive studies of spring and fall migration in the Near Islands, on Shemya Island. And beginning in the late 1970s, we began annual spring visits to Attu Island that have continued to this day. We now have a much more complete picture of bird distribution in the Aleutians.

  • Birding Locations in Nome

    Webpage
    Nome is becoming well-known as a treasure for birders. The city is bounded by tundra on three sides and the Bering Sea coast on the other. Once the ice begins to break up, migration begins. Virtually the entire area of the Seward Peninsula that is accessible by road from Nome is comprised of extremely valuable nesting areas for many bird species, including most North American waterfowl. You’ll even find quality birding on wetlands and beaches right in town.

  • Louis Agassiz Fuertes and the Harriman Alaska Expedition

    Website
    This site highlights a journal that Louis Agassiz Fuertes kept during the Harriman Alaska Expedition. In the summer of 1899, railroad magnate Edward H. Harriman funded a scientific expedition along the Alaskan coast. The expedition, intended initially as a family vacation, gathered an illustrious group of scientists, writers and artists, and combined scientific research with leisure activities
Blogs

  • Judy Jessee - Judy's Mostly Alaskan Bird Blog

    BLOG

  • Lynn Barber - Alaska Big Year & Beyond

    BLOG

  • Michelle Michaud - Alaskabirder

    BLOG
    ’ve decided to write a blog about my experiences birding in Alaska and around the world. I will also write about bird-related issues near and dear to my heart. I hope you enjoy the blog. Please feel free to comment, and to share this blog with other like-minded birders or even your non-birding friends.

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