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Records 2019–2024 · GBIF

Birds in Alaska

Our list for Alaska has 200 bird species recorded regularly there: 32 residents, 90 summer visitors, 28 winter visitors, 37 passage migrants and 13 scarce visitors

The list comes from 3.9 million birdwatchers' records from 2019–2024, shared through the eBird Observation Dataset on GBIF. A bird is listed when it was recorded in at least 3 of the 6 years and has a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur here than are listed; the months show when it is recorded most years.

Species on our list
200
In October
124
Common
81
Busiest month
Jun

What's special about Alaska

vs United States

The birds recorded far more often here than across United States, as a share of all bird records. These are the ones Alaska is worth visiting for.

  1. BluethroatBluethroat171×Summer visitor · 0.15% of records here, 0.00% across United States
  2. Rock PtarmiganRock Ptarmigan171×Summer visitor · 0.21% of records here, 0.00% across United States
  3. Vega GullVega Gull160×Summer visitor · 0.21% of records here, 0.00% across United States
  4. Arctic LoonArctic Loon134×Summer visitor · 0.05% of records here, 0.00% across United States
  5. WheatearWheatear116×Summer visitor · 0.13% of records here, 0.00% across United States
  6. BramblingBrambling113×Winter visitor · 0.09% of records here, 0.00% across United States
  7. Arctic TernArctic Tern105×Summer visitor · 1.7% of records here, 0.02% across United States
  8. KittiwakeKittiwake103×Summer visitor · 1.8% of records here, 0.02% across United States

This month: October

GBIF · Oct

Most likely

  1. Common RavenCommon Raven4.56%
  2. Bald EagleBald Eagle3.60%
  3. MallardMallard3.51%
  4. Song SparrowSong Sparrow1.99%
  5. American CrowAmerican Crow1.70%
  6. KittiwakeKittiwake1.56%

Arriving now

  1. Bohemian WaxwingBohemian WaxwingWinter visitorSep 0.03% → Oct 0.17%
  2. Wood DuckWood DuckWinter visitorSep 0.00% → Oct 0.04%
  3. Black GuillemotBlack GuillemotSummer visitorSep 0.00% → Oct 0.03%
  4. Palm WarblerPalm WarblerPassage migrantSep 0.00% → Oct 0.03%
  5. Song ThrushSong ThrushPassage migrantSep 0.01% → Oct 0.02%
  6. Ruddy DuckRuddy DuckSummer visitorSep 0.00% → Oct 0.02%

Share of all bird records in Alaska in October, 2019–2024. “Arriving now” are the birds whose share rises most from last month. Each month links to that month’s page.

Near you this week

The birds most likely around your town or postcode right now, from the same records, for a square about 9 km across.

The bird calendar for Alaska

Month by month

When each bird is around, through the year. The darker the square, the closer that month is to the bird’s busiest. Filter by summer or winter visitors to see the seasons turn over.

The year in Alaska

Records by month
Bird records in Alaska by month, 2019–2024
January92,963
February79,485
March108,380
April245,907
May892,814
June1,253,893
July356,890
August291,375
September238,954
October152,504
November80,844
December90,137

June has the most records (1.3 million). Records follow birdwatchers as well as birds: a busy month means more people out looking, as well as more birds passing through.

By family

12 of 30
All 30 families in Alaska

How common

More of United States

All of United States

All 200 birds, A to Z

Show all 200 birds

Questions

4

What birds is Alaska known for?

Compared with the rest of United States, Alaska stands out for Bluethroat, Rock Ptarmigan, Vega Gull and Arctic Loon. Each is recorded at least 134.4 times as often here as across United States, as a share of all bird records (2019–2024).

How many birds are on Birdfact's list for Alaska?

200 species, each recorded regularly in Alaska (in at least 3 of the 6 years 2019–2024): 32 residents, 90 summer visitors, 28 winter visitors, 37 passage migrants and 13 scarce visitors. The list includes only birds with a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur in Alaska, and rarer vagrants are not listed.

What birds can I see in Alaska in October?

124 species on our list for Alaska are recorded regularly in October. Of these, the most often recorded are Common Raven, Bald Eagle, Mallard, Song Sparrow and American Crow.

What are the most common birds in Alaska?

Of the birds on our list, the ones birdwatchers record most often in Alaska are Common Raven, Bald Eagle, Mallard, Common Redpoll and American Robin.

Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made

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