Alaska's Birds & Birdwatching

While the bald eagle remains a threatened species in the lower 48 states, this majestic bird thrives in Alaska. Not only is this raptor big, measuring 32 to 40 inches long with a wingspan of up to seven feet, but it's fast, reaching flight speeds between 35 and 44 miles per hour. These birds of prey eat fish, waterfowl and small mammals. And they're not bald - look for the distinctive white head.

The distinctive white adult plumage is not attained until 5 or more years of age. Immature birds lack this easily identifiable characteristic and can be confused with the Golden Eagle. The immature Bald Eagle's un feathered tarsi (lower legs) and whitish wing linings on the forward part of the wings, can be helpful distinctions where the two species coexist. Like many raptors, females are larger than males.

Alaska's state bird is a true chameleon, turning white in the winter and brown in the summer to camouflage itself from predators. There are actually three species of ptarmigans in Alaska, with a population that fluctuates between superabundant to nearly nonexistent in just a few years.

Willow ptarmigan are found nearly everywhere in Alaskas high, treeless country -- and sometimes they're also found in the willows and alders near the tree line. At Denali National Park, bus passengers sometimes see them along the road, often in a fox's mouth.

There are plenty of loons in Alaska - five species to be exact. Theses "spirits of the wilderness" are a vital part of Alaska's wilderness and are known for the distinctive yodeling call of the male loon. Loons are fast, flying at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour, and are among the best diving birds in the world, with the ability to stay underwater for more than a minute.

Look -- and listen -- for loons on lakes. The entire state has loons of one species or another -- common, yellow -billed, red-throated, Pacific and arctic.Common loons like larger lakes, and Pacific loons choose ponds and small lands. The common and yellow-billed loons are larger than the three other species. A loon's legs originate far back on its body, so they're not much good for walking. Loons rarely leave the water.

Two species live in Alaskan waters: Horned Puffin and the Tufted Puffin. The most striking puffin feature is the large colorful bill. Early sailors dubbed them the "sea parrot" from their stout bodies, short wings, and their orange or red webbed feet which are placed far back on their body. Both males and females have the same markings. Horned puffins are the species most often depicted on souvenirs. In summer they have a black back and neck with white on the sides of the head and on their breast.

Tufted Puffins are named for tufts of feathers that curl back from each side of the head. They have dark, black bodies and white faces. They have orange feet,and their bills are red and yellow. In Alaska, puffins breed on coastal islands and headlands from Forrester Island in southeastern Alaska to Cape Lisburne on the Chukchi Sea Coast. Horned Puffins are more prevalent farther north than Tufted Puffins.

Three large gulls are commonly found in Alaska. These are the glaucous-winged, gull glaucous gull and herring gull in order of decreasing abundance. These gulls are closely related, and hybrids are not uncommon.

Glaucous-winged gulls are the common "seagulls"familiar to many on the south coast of Alaska. Glaucous-winged gulls breed in Alaska from the British Columbia border to the end of the Aleutian chain and northward to Bristol Bay, western Nunivak Island, and the Pribilofs. Glaucous gulls breed along the coast of western and northern Alaska from the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta to Demarcation Point on the Canada border and on several islands in the Bering Sea. Almost all features of reproductive biology of Interior herring gulls resemble those of glaucous-winged gulls. However, the food of Interior herring gulls is limited and consists mainly of fish. This may account for their lower numbers.

Trumpeter swans and tundra swans are the two species of swans native to North America, both nesting in Alaska. The tundra swan was formerly named the whistling swan. A few whooper swans an Asian temperate region relative to trumpeters, are occasionally seen in the Aleutian Islands during winter. The trumpeter is the world's largest member of the waterfowl family, with males averaging 28 pounds and females averaging 22 pounds. Although less than two-thirds the size of trumpeters, tundra swans are often difficult to distinguish from their close relative when seen in the field. Adult tundra swans frequently, but not always, have a yellow spot on their black bill near the eye. Like all swans, the sexes have identical plumage, and both tundra and trumpeter swan adults are all white. However, in some Alaska locales, iron-rich marshes stain head and neck feathers a rusty color. One sure way to identify trumpeters is by their deep, French horn-like call, compared to the higher "whoop" of the tundra swan.

The eiders are sea ducks found across the arctic and subarctic zones of the northern hemisphere. All four of the world's eider species breed in Alaska, and many of these birds remain in the state's coastal waters during winter. The common, king, and spectacled eiders are among the largest ducks in North America. Steller's eiders are smaller and one of the most unique members of the duck tribe. The eiders are mostly arctic tundra nesters that remain in northern waters during winter and move toward nesting grounds as soon as the spring sea ice breaks up. Common eiders often nest in colonies along the coast, on barrier islands, and sand spits. The other three species are solitary breeders that usually nest on islands and peninsulas in tundra lakes and ponds.

The Steller's Jay, a member of the crow family, is bright blue on its wings, tail, and underparts, with a black hood extending from its upperparts to the top of its crested head. The Steller's Jay gives a variety of raucous calls and scolds, and is an accomplished mimic; it will often give the call of a Red-tailed Hawk when an interloper comes into its territory. Steller's Jays are common visitors to forested parks, and will venture into suburban areas in some winters.a