Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Adak Island, Alaska
A variety of habitats from barren mudflats to high alpine tundra attract birds to Adak. Birdwatching is best at low tide and during early morning and late evening. Species abundance also varies with the season and weather conditions. Clam Lagoon, especially the southwest portion, is considered the best birding area although Kuluk Bay, Sweeper Cove, Lake Andrew and other areas are also productive.
Birding in the Aleutians is fun and challenging because there is always a chance to see a unique species. Thirty-four of the 155 birds on this checklist are "Asiatic" in origin. In addition, this list is provisional and almost any observer can help fill in missing pieces with data on species range, migration dates and bird behavior.
Good Birding!
* - nests on Adak
# - Asiatic species
HABITAT
o - open ocean
n - near shore ocean waters, bays and estuaries
w - lowland lakes, ponds and streams
b - beaches and mudflats
s - rocky shorelines
t - lowland tundra (includes town areas)
a - alpine tundra and rocky areas
LOONS Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Red-throated Loon n | | | | | |22|22|22| | +| | +| ___ Pacific Loon n |22|22|22|22|2 |+ | | | | 2|22|22| ___ Common Loon* nw |22|22|22|22|22|22|22|22|22|22|22|22| ___ Yellow-billed Loon n | +|++| |11|11|11|1 |+ | | | +| +|
GREBES Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Horned Grebe n |33|33|33|33|33|3 |+ | | +| 3|33|33| ___ Red-necked Grebe n |33|33|33|22|22| |+ | | |22|22|33| ___ Western Grebe n | | | | | | | | | | | | +|
SHEARWATERS Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Black-footed Albatross o | | | | | 1|11|11|11|11|11|1 | | ___ Laysan Albatross o | | | | | 1|11|11|11|11| | | | ___ Northern Fulmar o | | | | |23|33|33|32| | | | | ___ Cook's Petrel o | | | | | | | | +| | | | | ___ Sooty Shearwater o | | | | | 2|22|22|22|2 | | | | ___ Short-tailed Shearwater o | | | | | 2|23|33|33|32|2 | | | ___ Fork-tailed Storm-petrel o | | | |+ |+2|22|22|22|22|+ | | | ___ Leach's Storm-Petrel o | | | | | 2|22|22|22|22|22|+ | |
CORMORANTS Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Double-crested Cormorant n | | | | +| | | | | | | |++| ___ Pelagic Cormorant* ons|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44| ___ Red-faced Cormorant* ons|22|22|22|22|22|22|22|22|22|22|22|22|
SWANS & GEESE Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Tundra Swan nw | | | | |+ | | | | | | |+ | ___ Whooper Swan# nw |22|22|2+|++| +| | | | |++|22|22| ___ Bean Goose# n | | | | | +| | | | | | | | ___ Greater White-fronted Goose n | | | | | +| | | | +| | | | ___ Emperor Goose ons|44|44|44|43|32|++| | | |23|33|34| ___ Brant n |11|11|11|11|11| +| | | 1|11|11|11| ___ Canada Goose (Aleutian) nw | | | |22|22| | | | | 2| | |
DUCKS Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Green-winged Teal*(Aleutian) nw |44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44| ___ Falcated Teal# nw | |+ | | | |++| | | |+ |+ | | ___ Mallard* nw |44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44| ___ Spot-billed Duck# nw |11|11|11|11|11|11|11|11|11|11|11|11| ___ Northern Pintail* nw |33|34|44|44|43|33|33|33|44|43|33|33| ___ Garganey# n | | | | |11|1 | | | | | | | ___ Blue-winged Teal n | | | | | | | | |+ | | | | ___ Northern Shoveler n | | +| |22|22|22|2 | | 2|2 | | | ___ Gadwall nw |22|22|22|22|22| | | | | 2|22|22| ___ Eurasian Wigeon# nw |22|22|22|33|33|22| | +|22|22|22|22| ___ American Wigeon nw | | | | | 2|2 | | |+ |+ | | +| ___ Common Pochard# nw | | | | 2|22|2 | | | | +| | | ___ Canvasback nw |22|22|22| | | | | | | | |22| ___ Ring-necked Duck w | | | | +| | | | | | | | | ___ Tufted Duck# nw |22|22|22|33|32|22|22| |++|22|22|22| ___ Greater Scaup* nw |44|44|44|44|44|32|22|22|23|33|34|44| ___ Lesser Scaup w | | | | |++| | | | | | | | ___ Common Eider* n |33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33| ___ King Eider n |11|11|11|11|+ | | | | | |+ | | ___ Steller's Eider n |22|22|22|2 | | | | | | 2|22|22| ___ Harlequin Duck ns |44|44|44|44|44|33|33|33|44|44|44|44| ___ Oldsquaw n |44|44|44|33|3 |+ | +| +| | |33|44| ___ Black Scoter n |44|44|44|33|32|2 | | +| | 2|23|33| ___ Surf Scoter n | 1|11| |+ | | +| | | | |+ |+ | ___ White-winged Scoter n |33|33|33|33|33|22|11|11| | | 2|22| ___ Common Goldeneye n |44|44|44|44|42|+ | | | | 2|34|44| ___ Barrow's Goldeneye n | | | | | +|+ | | | | | | | ___ Bufflehead nw |33|33|33|33|32| | | | | 2|23|33| ___ Smew# nw | |+ |++| |++|+ |11| | | 1|11| +| ___ Hooded Merganser w | | | | | | | | | | |+ |+ | ___ Common Merganser nw | +| | | | +|+ | | | | +| | | ___ Red-breasted Merganser* nw |44|44|44|44|44|33|33|33|33|44|44|44|
EAGLES, HAWKS & FALCONS Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Bald Eagle* nwbsta|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44| ___ Northern Harrier n |+ | +| +| +| | | | | | | | | ___ Rough-legged Hawk t | | | | | | | | +|+ | +| | | ___ Eurasian Kestrel# t | +|+ | | | | | | | | | | | ___ Merlin t | | | | | | | | | | +| |+ | ___ Peregrine Falcon* nwbsta|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33| ___ Gyrfalcon wt | +| +|++|++| | | 1|11|11|11|11|11|
GAME BIRDS Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Rock Ptarmigan* ta |44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44| ___ Sandhill Crane t | | | | | +|+ | | | |+ |+ | |
PLOVERS Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Black-bellied Plover b | | | | | +|+ |+ | +| |++| | | ___ American Golden Plover bt | | | | | 2|2 | |22|33|22|2 | | ___ Mongolian Plover# b | | | | |+ |+ | | | | | | | ___ Common Ringed Plover# b | | | | | | | | +| | | | | ___ Semipalmated Plover* w | | | | |11|11|11| | | | | |
SHOREBIRDS Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Black Oystercatcher* s |33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33| ___ Greater Yellowlegs b | | | | | | | | | |++| | | ___ Lesser Yellowlegs b | | | | | |+ | | +| | | | | ___ Spotted Redshank# b | | | | | +| | | | | | | | ___ Wood Sandpiper# b | | | | | +|+ | |11| | | | | ___ Wandering Tattler nbs| | | | |22|2 | |22|22|2 | | | ___ Gray-tailed Tattler# b | | | | | |+ | | |+ | | | | ___ Common Sandpiper# b | | | | | +|+ | | |+ | | | | ___ Whimbrel b | | | |++|++|+ | | |+ | | | | ___ Bristle-thighed Curlew b | | | | |+ | | | | | | | | ___ Far Eastern Curlew# b | | | | | 2|21|11| | | | | | ___ Black-tailed Godwit# b | | | | | +| | | | | | | | ___ Bar-tailed Godwit b | | | | |23|22| | | | | | | ___ Ruddy Turnstone bs | | | | +| 2|2 | 3|34|44|43| | | ___ Great Knot# b | | | | | |+ | | | | | | | ___ Red Knot b | | | | | +| +| +| +| +| +| | | ___ Sanderling b |33|33|33|33| +| | | 2|22|22|23|33| ___ Western Sandpiper b | | | | | +| | +| | |+ | | +| ___ Rufous-necked Stint# b | | | | | +|+ | |+ | | | | | ___ Long-toed Stint# b | | | | | +| | | | | | | | ___ Least Sandpiper b | | | | +| | | | | | | | | ___ Baird's Sandpiper b | | | | | | | |+ |11| +| | | ___ Pectoral Sandpiper b | | | | |++|+ | | |22|22|22| | ___ Sharp-tailed Sandpiper# b | | | | | | | | | +|22| | | ___ Rock Sandpiper* bst|44|44|44|33|33|33|33|33|33|34|44|44| ___ Dunlin b |22|22|2+| +| | | | +| | 2|22|22| ___ Broad-billed Sandpiper# b | | | | | | | | +| | | | | ___ Ruff# b | | | | |++| | | | +| | | | ___ Long-billed Dowitcher b | | | | | | | | | +| | | | ___ Pin-tailed Snipe# w | | | | |+ | | | | | | | | ___ Red-necked Phalarope* nw | | | | | 4|44|32|22| | | | | ___ Red Phalarope n | | | | | |+ | 2| | +| +| | |
JAEGERS Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Pomarine Jaeger on | | | | |+ |++| +| | | | | | ___ Parasitic Jaeger* onbt| | | | +|33|33|33|33|3 | | | | ___ Long-tailed Jaeger on | | | | | | |+ |11| | | | |
GULLS & TERNS Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Common Black-headed Gull# nb | | | | | 2|22|2+| +| | | | | ___ Mew Gull nbs|22|22|22| | +| | | +|+ | |22|22| ___ Herring Gull nb | | | | |+ | | | | | | | | ___ Glaucous-winged Gull* onwbst|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44| ___ Glaucous Gull onb|22|22|22|22|2+| +| | | | |+ | 2| ___ Black-legged Kittiwake nw | | | | +| 2|33|33|33|33|32|2 | | ___ Red-legged Kittiwake on | | | | | | | | | +| +| | | ___ Sabine's Gull o | | | | | | |+ | | | | | | ___ Common Tern# w | | | | | | |++|+ | | | | | ___ Arctic Tern* nwbt| | | | +|34|44|44|43| +| | | | ___ Aleutian Tern* nwbt| | | | |34|44|44|43| | | | |
AUKS & PUFFINS Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Common Murre on | |22|22|22|33|33|33|22|23|33|33|33| ___ Thick-billed Murre on |22|22|22|2 | | | | | | | 2|22| ___ Pigeon Guillemot* n |44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44| ___ Marbled Murrelet* on | |+ | 2|22|33|33|33|33|32| | 2|22| ___ Kittlitz's Murrelet* on | | | | |22|22|22|2 |+ | | | | ___ Ancient Murrelet on |22|22|23|33|34|44|43|22|22|+ | | 2| ___ Cassin's Auklet on | | | +| | +| | | | | | | | ___ Parakeet Auklet on | +|+ | +| +|++| | +| | | | | | ___ Least Auklet on | +|22|22|22|22|22|22| |+ | |+ | +| ___ Whiskered Auklet on | | | |++| | | | | | | | | ___ Crested Auklet on | | |22|22|22|22|22| | | | | | ___ Tufted Puffin* on |22|22|22|22|33|33|33|33|32|22|22|22| ___ Horned Puffin* on |22|22|22|22|23|33|33|33|32|22|22|22|
CUCKOOS & OWLS Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Common Cuckoo# t | | | | | |+ | | | | | | | ___ Snowy Owl ta |22|22|22|2 | | | |++| | 2|22|22| ___ Short-eared Owl t |22|22|22|22|22|22| +| 2|22|22|22|22|
SWALLOWS Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Tree Swallow w | | | | | |+ | | | | |+ | | ___ Bank Swallow w | | | | | |+ | | | | | | |
RAVENS & WRENS Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Common Raven* nwsta|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44| ___ Winter Wren* s |33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|
THRUSHES Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Northern Wheatear ta | | | | | | | | +| | | | | ___ Dusky Thrush# t | | | | | | | | | | +| | |
WAGTAILS &PIPITS Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Black-backed Wagtail# s | | | | | +|+ | | | | | | | ___ American Pipit t | | | | | | | | | +| | | +|
WAXWINGS & SHRIKES Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Bohemian Waxwing t | | | | | | | | | |+ | | | ___ Northern Shrike t |+ |+ |++| | | | | | | +| | +|
SPARROWS Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Savannah Sparrow t | | | | | | | | | +| | | | ___ Song Sparrow* st |33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33|33| ___ Lapland Longspur* t | |+ | | 2|34|44|44|44|43|2 |++|++| ___ Rustic Bunting# t | | | | | | | | | | +| | | ___ Snow Bunting* bsta|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|
FINCHES Hab|Ja|Fb|Mr|Ap|My|Jn|Jl|Ag|Sp|Oc|Nv|Dc| ___ Brambling# t | | | | | +|+ | | | | | | | ___ Rosy Finch* sta|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44|44| ___ Common Rosefinch# t | | | | | | +| | | | | | | ___ White-winged Crossbill t | | | | | | | | | | |+ | | ___ Common Redpoll t |22|22|+ | |+ | |2 | | | |22|22| ___ Hoary Redpoll t |22| | | | | |+ | | | | +| 2| ___ Hawfinch# t | | | | | +| | | | | | | |
Aleutian Islands Unit
Alaska Maritime NWR
PSC 486, Box 5251
FPO AP 96506-5251
Telephone: 907/592-2406
This resource is based on the following source:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1987. Birds of Adak Island, Aleutian Islands
Unit, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service. Unpaginated.
This resource should be cited as:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1987. Birds of Adak Island, Aleutian Islands
Unit, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service. Unpaginated. Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife
Research Center Online.
http://www.npwrc.usgs.govadakisle.htm
(Version 22MAY98).
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/chekbird/r7/adakisle.htm
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Page Last Modified: Friday, 01-Feb-2013 19:02:37 EST
Menlo Park, CA [caww54]