List of birds of Aleutian Islands
This list of birds of the Aleutian Islands is a comprehensive listing of all bird species known from the Aleutian Islands, as documented by Gibson and Byrd (2007).
The known avifauna of the Aleutian Islands includes 271 species. Of that total, 42 (15%) are year-round residents and breeders, 27 (10%) migrate to the Aleutians to breed, 18 (7%) migrate to the Aleutians to winter, 6 (2%) are non-breeding summer residents, 37 (14%) are annual through-migrants and 141 (52%) are vagrants of less-than-annual occurrence.
The taxonomy (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and binomial nomenclature (common and scientific names) used in this list adhere to the conventions of the American Ornithologists' Union's (1998) Check-list of North American Birds, the recognized scientific authority on the taxonomy and nomenclature of North American birds.
The following terms used to denote the annual and seasonal status of each species are from Gibson and Byrd (2007):
- Accidental – one or two records
- Casual – recorded in <30% of years in the appropriate season, but in at least three calendar years
- Intermittent – recorded in ≥30% of years in the appropriate season, but not annually
- Migrant – annual through-migrant in spring or fall
- Resident – substantial numbers present throughout the year
- Summer – migrates to the Aleutians to breed or to summer offshore
- Winter – migrates to the Aleutians to winter
- Annual breeders are designated with an asterisk (*), as in Resident* or Summer*.
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Non-passerines: Geese, swans and ducks • Grouse • Loons • Grebes • Albatrosses • Shearwaters and petrels • Storm petrels • Cormorants • Bitterns, egrets and herons • Eagles and hawks • Falcons • Coots • Cranes • Plovers • Oystercatchers • Stilts • Sandpipers • Pratincoles • Gulls and terns • Skuas and jaegers • Auks, murres and puffins • Doves • Cuckoos • Typical owls • Nightjars • Swifts • Kingfishers • Woodpeckers |
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Passerines: Shrikes • Magpies and ravens • Larks • Martins and swallows • Chickadees • Wrens • Dippers • Locustellidae • Phylloscopidae • Old World flycatchers • Thrushes • Starlings • Accentors • Wagtails and pipits • Waxwings • Longspurs and snow buntings • Wood warblers • Sparrows, juncos, longspurs and buntings • Finches |
Geese, swans and ducks
Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae
- Bean goose, Anser fabalis (Intermittent)
- Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons (Migrant)
- Lesser white-fronted goose, Anser erythropus (Accidental)
- Emperor goose, Chen canagica (Winter)
- Snow goose, Chen caerulescens (Casual)
- Brant goose, Branta bernicla (Migrant)
- Cackling goose, Branta hutchinsii (Summer*)
- Canada goose, Branta canadensis (Accidental)
- Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus (Resident*)
- Whooper swan, Cygnus cygnus (Winter)
- Gadwall, Anas strepera (Winter)
- Falcated duck, Anas falcata (Intermittent)
- Eurasian wigeon, Anas penelope (Migrant)
- American wigeon, Anas americana (Intermittent)
- Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos (Resident*)
- Spot-billed duck, Anas poecilorhyncha (Casual)
- Blue-winged teal, Anas discors (Accidental)
- Northern shoveler, Anas clypeata (Migrant)
- Northern pintail, Anas acuta (Resident*)
- Garganey, Anas querquendula (Intermittent)
- Baikal teal, Anas formosa (Casual)
- Green-winged teal, Anas crecca (Resident*)
- Canvasback, Aythya valisneria (Casual to Intermittent)
- Redhead, Aythya americana (Accidental)
- Common pochard, Aythya ferina (Intermittent)
- Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris (Casual)
- Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula (Migrant)
- Greater scaup, Aythya marila (Resident*)
- Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis (Casual or Intermittent)
- Steller's eider, Polysticta stelleri (Winter)
- Spectacled eider, Somateria fischeri (Accidental)
- King eider, Somateria spectabilis (Winter)
- Common eider, Somateria mollissima (Resident*)
- Harlequin duck, Histrionicus histrionicus (Resident)
- Surf scoter, Melanitta perspicillata (Casual to Intermittent)
- White-winged scoter, Melanitta fusca (Winter)
- Black scoter, Melanitta amerivcana (Winter)
- Long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis (Winter)
- Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola (Winter)
- Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula (Winter)
- Barrow's goldeneye, Bucephala islandica (Winter)
- Smew, Mergellus albellus (Winter)
- Hooded merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus (Casual)
- Common merganser, Mergus merganser (Resident)
- Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator (Resident*)
Grouse
Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae
- Willow ptarmigan, Lagopus lagopus (Resident*)
- Rock ptarmigan, Lagopus mutus (Resident*)
Loons
Order: Gaviiformes Family: Gaviidae
- Red-throated loon, Gavia stellata (Summer*)
- Arctic loon, Gavia arctica (Migrant)
- Pacific loon, Gavia pacifica (Migrant)
- Common loon, Gavia immer (Resident*)
- Yellow-billed loon, Gavia adamsii (Winter)
Grebes
Order: Podicipediformes Family: Podicipedidae
- Horned grebe, Podiceps auritus (Winter)
- Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena (Winter)
Albatrosses
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Diomedeidae
- Shy albatross, Thalassarche cauta (Accidental)
- Laysan albatross, Phoebastria immutabilis (Summer)
- Black-footed albatross, Phoebastria nigripes (Summer)
- Short-tailed albatross, Phoebastria albatrus (Summer)
Shearwaters and petrels
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Procellariidae
- Northern fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis (Resident*)
- Mottled petrel, Pterodroma inexpectata (Summer)
- Cook's petrel, Pterodroma cookii (Casual or Accidental)
- Sooty shearwater, Ardenna griseus (Summer)
- Short-tailed shearwater, Ardenna tenuirostris (Summer)
Storm petrels
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Hydrobatidae
- Fork-tailed storm petrel, Oceanodroma furcata (Resident*)
- Leach's storm petrel, Oceanodroma leucorhoa (Summer*)
Cormorants
Order: Suliformes Family: Phalacrocoracidae
- Double-crested cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus (Resident*)
- Red-faced cormorant, Phalacrocorax urile (Resident*)
- Pelagic cormorant, Phalacrocorax pelagicus (Resident*)
Bitterns, egrets and herons
Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Ardeidae
- Yellow bittern, Ixobrychus sinensis (Accidental)
- Great egret, Ardea alba (Casual)
- Intermediate egret, Egretta intermedia (Accidental)
- Chinese egret, Egretta eulophotes (Accidental)
- Little egret, Egretta garzetta (Accidental)
- Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis (Accidental)
- Black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax (Casual)
Eagles and hawks
Order: Accipitriformes Family: Accipitridae
- Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus (Resident*)
- White-tailed eagle, Haliaeetus albicilla (Resident*)
- Steller's sea eagle, Haliaeetus pelagicus (Casual)
- Northern harrier, Circus cyaneus (Casual)
- Sharp-shinned hawk, Accipiter striatus (Accidental)
- Northern goshawk, Accipiter gentiles (Accidental)
- Rough-legged hawk, Buteo lagopus (Summer*)
- Golden eagle, Aquila chryaetos (Resident*)
Falcons
Order: Falconiformes Family: Falconidae
- Eurasian kestrel, Falco tinnunculus (Casual)
- Merlin, Falco columbarius (Casual or Intermittent)
- Eurasian hobby, Falco subbuteo (Casual)
- Gyrfalcon, Falco rusticolus (Resident*)
- Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus (Resident*)
Coots
Order: Gruiformes Family: Rallidae
- American coot, Fulica americana (Accidental)
Cranes
Order: Gruiformes Family: Gruidae
- Sandhill crane, Grus canadensis (Summer*)
Plovers
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Charadriidae
- Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola (Migrant)
- Pacific golden plover, Pluvialis fulva (Migrant)
- Lesser sand plover, Charadrius mongolus (Migrant)
- Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula (Casual)
- Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus (Summer*)
- Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius (Casual)
- Eurasian dotterel, Charadrius morinellus (Casual)
Oystercatchers
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Haematopodidae
- Black oystercatcher, Haematopus bachmani (Resident*)
Stilts
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Recurvirostridae
- Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus (Casual or Accidental)
Sandpipers
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Scolopacidae
- Terek sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos (Casual or Intermittent)
- Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos (Migrant)
- Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus (Casual)
- Grey-tailed tattler, Tringa brevipes (Migrant)
- Wandering tattler, Tringa incana (Migrant)
- Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus (Casual)
- Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca (Casual)
- Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia(Migrant)
- Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes (Casual)
- Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis (Casual)
- Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola (Migrant)
- Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus (Migrant)
- Bristle-thighed curlew, Numenius tahitiensis (Intermittent)
- Far Eastern curlew, Numenius madagascariensis (Intermittent)
- Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa (Intermittent)
- Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica (Migrant)
- Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres (Migrant)
- Great knot, Calidris tenuirostris (Casual)
- Red knot, Calidris canutus (Casual)
- Sanderling, Calidris alba (Winter)
- Semipalmated sandpiper, Calidris pusilla (Casual)
- Western sandpiper, Calidris mauri (Intermittent)
- Red-necked stint, Calidris ruficollis (Intermittent)
- Little stint, Calidris minuta (Casual)
- Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii (Intermittent)
- Long-toed stint, Calidris subminuta (Migrant)
- Least sandpiper, Calidris minutilla (Summer*)
- Baird's sandpiper, Calidris bairdii (Intermittent)
- Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos (Migrant)
- Sharp-tailed sandpiper, Calidris acuminata (Migrant)
- Rock sandpiper, Calidris ptilocnemis (Resident*)
- Dunlin, Calidris alpina (Migrant)
- Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea (Casual)
- Spoon-billed sandpiper, Eurynorhynchus pygmeus (Casual or Accidental)
- Broad-billed sandpiper, Limicola falcinellus (Casual)
- Buff-breasted sandpiper, Tryngites subruficollis (Casual)
- Ruff, Philomachus pugnax (Migrant)
- Short-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus griseus (Casual)
- Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus (Migrant)
- Wilson's snipe, Gallinago delicata (Summer*)
- Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago (Migrant)
- Pin-tailed snipe, Gallinago stenura (Casual or Accidental)
- Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus (Summer*)
- Red phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius (Migrant)
Pratincoles
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Glareolidae
- Oriental pratincole, Glareola maldivarum (Accidental)
Gulls and terns
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Laridae
- Franklin's gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan (Accidental)
- Black-headed gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus (Migrant)
- Black-tailed gull, Larus crassirostris (Casual)
- Mew gull, Larus canus (Winter)
- Herring gull, Larus argentatus (Migrant)
- Iceland gull, Larus glaucoides (Casual)
- Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus (Accidental)
- Slaty-backed gull, Larus schistisagus (Migrant)
- Glaucous-winged gull, Larus glaucescens (Resident*)
- Glaucous gull, Larus hyperboreus (Winter)
- Sabine's gull, Xema sabini (Migrant)
- Black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla (Resident*)
- Red-legged kittiwake, Rissa brevirostris (Summer*)
- Ross's gull, Rhodostethia rosea (Casual or Accidental)
- Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscatus (Accidental)
- Aleutian tern, Onychoprion aleuticus (Summer*)
- Little/Least tern, Sternula albifrons/antillarum (Accidental)
- White-winged tern, Chlidonias leucopterus (Accidental)
- Common tern, Sterna hirundo (Intermittent)
- Arctic tern, Sterna paradisaea (Summer*)
Skuas and jaegers
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Stercorariidae
- South polar skua, Stercorarius maccormicki (Casual)
- Pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus (Migrant)
- Parasitic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus (Summer*)
- Long-tailed jaeger, Stercorarius longicaudus (Migrant)
Auks, murres and puffins
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Alcidae
- Dovekie, Alle alle (Casual)
- Common murre, Uria aalge [Resident*)
- Thick-billed murre, Uria lomvia (Resident*)
- Pigeon guillemot, Cepphus columba (Resident*)
- Long-billed murrelet, Brachyramphus perdix (Accidental)
- Marbled murrelet, Brachyramphus marmoratus (Resident*)
- Kittlitz's murrelet, Brachyramphus brevirostris (Summer*)
- Ancient murrelet, Synthliboramphus antiquus (Resident*)
- Cassin's auklet, Ptychoramphus aleuticus (Summer*)
- Parakeet auklet, Aethia psittacula (Summer*)
- Least auklet, Aethia pusilla (Resident*)
- Whiskered auklet, Aethia pygmaea (Resident*)
- Crested auklet, Aethia cristatella (Resident*)
- Rhinoceros auklet, Cerorhinca monocerata (Casual)
- Horned puffin, Fratercula corniculata (Summer*)
- Tufted puffin, Fratercula cirrhata (Resident*)
Doves
Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae
- Oriental turtle dove, Streptopelia orientlalis (Casual or Accidental)
Cuckoos
Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae
- Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus (Intermittent)
- Oriental cuckoo, Cuculus optatus (Casual)
Typical owls
Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae
- Oriental scops owl, Otus sunia (Accidental)
- Snowy owl, Bubo scandiacus (Resident*)
- Brown hawk-owl, Ninox scutulata (Accidental)
- Short-eared owl, Aso flammeus (Summer*)
Nightjars
Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Caprimulgidae
- Grey nightjar, Caprimulgus indicus (Accidental)
Swifts
Order: Apodiformes Family: Apodidae
- White-throated needletail, Hirundapus caudacutus (Casual)
- Fork-tailed swift, Apus pacificus (Casual)
Kingfishers
Order: Coraciiformes Family: Alcedinidae
- Belted kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon (Resident*)
Woodpeckers
Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae
- Great spotted woodpecker, Dendrocopos major (Casual)
Shrikes
Order: Passeriformes Family: Laniidae
- Brown shrike, Lanius cristatus (Accidental)
- Northern shrike, Lanius excubitor (Casual or Intermittent)
Magpies and ravens
Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae
- Black-billed magpie, Pica hudsonia (Resident*)
- Common raven, Corvus corax (Resident*)
Larks
Order: Passeriformes Family: Alaudidae
- Sky lark, Alauda arvensis (Intermittent)
- Horned lark, Eremophila alpestris (Casual)
Martins and swallows
Order: Passeriformes Family: Hirundinidae
- Purple martin, Progne subis (Accidental)
- Tree swallow, Tachycineta bicolor (Casual or Intermittent)
- Violet-green swallow, Tachycineta thalassina (Casual or Intermittent)
- Bank swallow, Riparia riparia (Summer*)
- Cliff swallow, Petrochelidon pyrrhonota (Casual)
- Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica (Casual)
Chickadees
Order: Passeriformes Family: Paridae
- Black-capped chickadee, Poecile atricapillus (Resident*)
Wrens
Order: Passeriformes Family: Troglodytidae
- Pacific wren, Troglodytes pacificus
Dippers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Cinclidae
- American dipper, Cinclus mexicanus (Resident*)
Locustellidae
Order: Passeriformes Family: Locustellidae
- Middendorff's grasshopper warbler, Locustella ochotensis (Casual)
- Lanceolated warbler, Locustella lanceolata (Casual or Accidental)
Phylloscopidae
Order: Passeriformes Family: Phylloscopidae
- Wood warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix (Accidental)
- Dusky warbler, Phylloscopus fuscatus (Casual)
- Arctic warbler, Phylloscopus borealis (Intermittent)
Old World flycatchers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Muscicapidae
- Narcissus flycatcher, Ficedula narcissina (Casual or Accidental)
- Taiga flycatcher, Ficedula albicilla (Intermittent)
- Dark-sided flycatcher, Muscicapa sibirica (Casual)
- Gray-streaked flycatcher, Muscicapa griseisticta (Intermittent)
- Asian brown flycatcher, Muscicapa dauurica (Casual or Accidental)
- Siberian rubythroat, Luscinia calliope (Migrant)
- Siberian blue robin, Luscinia cyane (Accidental)
- Red-flanked bluetail, Tarsiger cyanurus (Casual)
- Northern wheatear, Oenanthe oenanthe (Intermittent)
Thrushes
Order: Passeriformes Family: Turdidae
- Swainson's thrush, Catharus ustulatus (Accidental)
- Hermit thrush, Catharus guttatus (Summer*)
- Eyebrowed thrush, Turdus obscurus (Migrant)
- Dusky thrush, Turdus naumanni (Intermittent)
- American robin, Turdus migratorius (Casual)
Starlings
Order: Passeriformes Family: Sturnidae
- European starling, Sturnus vulgaris (Accidental)
Accentors
Order: Passeriformes Family: Prunellidae
- Siberian accentor, Prunella montanella (Accidental)
Wagtails and pipits
Order: Passeriformes Family: Motacillidae
- Eastern yellow wagtail, Motacilla tschutschensis (Migrant)
- Gray wagtail, Motacilla cinerea (Intermittent)
- White wagtail, Motacilla alba (Migrant)
- Olive-backed pipit, Anthus hodgsoni (Intermittent to Casual)
- Pechora pipit, Anthus gustavi (Casual)
- Red-throated pipit, Anthus cervinus (Intermittent)
- American pipit, Anthus rubescens (Summer*)
Waxwings
Order: Passeriformes Family: Bombycillidae
- Bohemian waxwing, Bombycilla garrulus (Casual or Accidental)
Longspurs and snow buntings
Order: Passeriformes Family: Calcariidae
- Lapland longspur, Calcarius lapponicus (Summer*)
- Snow bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis (Resident*)
- McKay's bunting, Plectrophenax hyperboreus (Casual or Intermittent)
Wood warblers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Parulidae
- Yellow warbler, Setophaga petechia (Summer*)
- Yellow-rumped warbler, Setophaga coronata (Casual)
- Townsend's warbler, Setophaga townsendi (Accidental)
- Wilson's warbler, Cardellina pusilla (Summer*)
Sparrows, juncos, longspurs and buntings
Order: Passeriformes Family: Emberizidae
- Savannah sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis (Summer*)
- Fox sparrow, Passerella iliaca (Summer*)
- Song sparrow, Melospiza melodia (Resident*)
- Golden-crowned sparrow, Zonotrichia atricapilla (Summer*)
- Dark-eyed junco, Junco hyemalis (Casual)
- Pine bunting, Emberiza leucocephalos (Casual or Accidental)
- Little bunting, Emberiza pusilla (Casual)
- Rustic bunting, Emberiza rustica (Intermittent)
- Yellow-throated bunting, Emberiza elegans (Accidental)
- Yellow-breasted bunting, Emberiza aureola (Casual)
- Gray bunting, Emberiza variabilis (Casual)
- Pallas's bunting, Emberiza pallasi (Accidental)
- Reed bunting, Emberiza schoeniclus (Casual)
Finches
Order: Passeriformes Family: Fringillidae
- Brambling, Fringilla montifringilla (Migrant)
- Gray-crowned rosy finch, Leucosticte tephrocotis (Resident*)
- Pine grosbeak, Pinicola enucleator (Resident*)
References
- Check-list of North American Birds (7th ed.). Washington, D.C.: American Ornithologists' Union. 1998. ISBN 1-891276-00-X.
- Gibson, Daniel D., and G. Vernon Byrd. 2007. Birds of the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Series in Ornithology 1, 351 pp. Nuttall Ornithological Club and American Ornithologists’ Union. ISBN 978-0-943610-73-3.