Important shorebird migration and nonbreeding sites within each Bird Conservation Region of Alaska
Important shorebird migration and nonbreeding sites within each Bird Conservation Region of Alaska (ordered by site number in column one [No.] below), including key species that occur at each site, major periods of seasonal use, estimate of shorebird abundance at each site, and the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) criteria for estimated population size and percent of population. Species are listed using four-letter
banding codes.
Northern Pacific Rainforest Bird Conservation Region 5
| No.1 | Site2 | Key Species3 | Seasonal Use4 | No. of Shorebirds5 | WHSRN Classification pop size6 | WHSRN Classification % of pop7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stikine River Delta | WESA, DUNL | S | several 100,000s | I | H? |
| 2 | Mendenhall Wetlands | WESA, RUTU, SURF, LESA, DUNL | S, A, W | few 10,000s | R? | |
| 3 | Yakutat Forelands | MAGO, WESA, DUNL, LESA | S | few 100,000s | I | H |
| 4 | Middleton Island | WESA, BLTU, LESA, PAGP | S, A, W | several 1,000s | R? | |
| 5 | Controller Bay | MAGO, REKN, WESA, DUNL | S | several 100,000s | H | H |
| 6 | Copper River Delta | WESA, DUNL, REKN, SBDO, LBDO, BBPL | S | several 100,000s | H | H |
| 7 | North Montague Island | SURF, BLTU | S, W | several 10,000s | R | H |
Northwestern Interior Forest Bird Conservation Region 4
| No.1 | Site2 | Key Species3 | Seasonal Use4 | No. of Shorebirds5 | WHSRN Classification pop size6 | WHSRN Classification % of pop7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Kachemak Bay | WESA, SURF, ROSA | S, W | several 10,000s | I | |
| 9 | Cook Inlet2a | ROSA, WESA, SBDO, HUGO | S, A, W | several 100,000s | H | H |
Western Alaska Bird Conservation Region 2
| No.1 | Site2 | Key Species3 | Seasonal Use4 | No. of Shorebirds5No. of Shorebirds5 | WHSRN Classification pop size6 | WHSRN Classification % of pop7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Kodiak Island2b | WESA, DUNL, RNPH | S, A, W | several1,000s | R? | |
| 11 | Izembek-Moffet Lagoons* | ROSA, DUNL, WESA, LESA | A | several 10,000s | R-I? | H |
| 12 | Nelson Lagoon/ Mud Bay | DUNL, WESA, ROSA, BARG, WHIM | A | several 100,000s | I-H? | H |
| 13 | Seal Islands | DUNL, WESA, ROSA, RNPH | A | few 10,000s | R-I? | |
| 14 | Port Heiden | DUNL, WESA, ROSA, RNPH, BARG | A | few 100,000s | R-I? | |
| 15 | Cinder-Hook Lagoons | MAGO, DUNL, ROSA, BARG | S, A | several 10,000s | R-I? | H |
| 16 | Ugashik Bay | MAGO, DUNL | A | few 10,000s | R | H |
| 17 | Egegik Bay | BARG, DUNL | A | several 10,000s | R | H |
| 18 | Kvichak Bay | DUNL, BBPL, PAGP | A | several 10,000s | R | |
| 19 | Nushagak Bay | DUNL, WESA, BBPL, PAGP | A | several 10,000s | R | |
| 20 | Nanvak Bay | DUNL, WESA, ROSA, LESA, RNPH | A | few 10,000s | R? | |
| 21 | Chagvan Bay | DUNL, WESA, ROSA, LESA | A | few 10,000s | R? | |
| 22 | Goodnews Bay | DUNL, WESA | A | few 10,000s | R? | |
| 23 | Carter Bay | HUGO, DUNL, WESA, ROSA | A | few 10,000s | R | R? |
| 24 | Nunivak Island2b | ROSA, DUNL, WESA | A | few 10,000s | R? | I? |
| 25 | Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta2a | DUNL, WESA, ROSA, REKN, BTCU, BARG, BLTU, LBDO, RNPH, HUGO | S, A | several 100,000s | H | H |
| 25a | Kokechik Bay | DUNL, WESA, ROSA | S, A | few 10,000s | R | |
| 25b | Hooper Bay | DUNL, WESA, ROSA | S, A | few 100,000s | I | |
| 25c | Angyoyaravak Bay | REKN, DUNL, WESA, ROSA, BARG, SHAS | S, A | few 100,000s | I | |
| 25d | Old Chevak, Kanaryarmiut | WESA, DUNL, LBDO, REKN, BARG | S | few 1,000s | ||
| 25e | Hazen Bay | DUNL, WESA, ROSA | S, A | several 100,000s | I | |
| 25f | Aropuk Lake | HUGO | A | few 1,000s | I | |
| 25g | Kolavinarak Bay | BARG, REKN, DUNL | S, A | several 10,000s | R | R? |
| 25h | Tern Mountain Coast | BARG | A | few 10,000s | R | I |
| 25i | Cape Avinof | BARG | A | few 10,000s | R | I |
| 26 | Stebbins-St. Michael | SESA, DUNL, RNPH, LBDO, SHAS | A | several 10,000s | R-I? | |
| 27 | Norton Bay | DUNL, SESA, WESA, RNPH | A | few 10,000s | R | |
| 28 | Golovin Lagoon | DUNL, SESA, WESA, RNPH | A | few 10,000s | R | |
| 29 | Safety Sound | DUNL, SESA, WESA, RNPH | A | few 10,000s | R | |
| 30 | Lopp Lagoon | WESA, DUNL, SESA | A | several 10,000s | R | |
| 31 | Shishmaref Inlet | WESA, DUNL, PAGP | A | few 100,000s | I | |
| 32 | Cape Espenberg | WESA, SESA, DUNL | A | few 10,000s | R? |
Aleutian/Bering Sea Islands Bird Conservation Region 1
| No.1 | Site2 | Key Species3 | Seasonal Use4 | No. of Shorebirds5 | WHSRN Classification pop size6 | WHSRN Classification % of pop7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | St. Lawrence Island | ROSA, REPH | S, A | several 1,000s | I-H? |
Arctic Plains and Mountains Bird Conservation Region 3
| No.1 | Site2 | Key Species3 | Seasonal Use4 | No. of Shorebirds5 | WHSRN Classification pop size6 | WHSRN Classification % of pop7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | Noatak River Delta | DUNL, WESA, SESA, LBDO | S, A | several 10,000s | R-I? | |
| 35 | Krusenstern Lagoon | RNPH, LBDO, WESA, SESA, PESA | S, A | few 10,000s | R? | |
| 36 | Kasegaluk Lagoon | DUNL, REPH | S, A | few 10,000s | R | |
| 37 | Peard Bay | REPH | A | several 1,000s | R? | |
| 38 | Elson Lagoon | REPH | A | few 10,000s | R? | |
| 39 | Colville River Delta | DUNL, SESA, RNPH | A | several 10,000s | R | |
| 40 | Simpson Lagoon | REPH, RNPH, DUNL | A | few 10,000s | R? | |
| 41 | Northeast Alaska Lagoons and Coastal Area2b | SESA, RNPH, DUNL, PESA, BBPL, STSA, RUTU, LBDO, SAND, AMGP | S, A | few 100,000s | ||
| 41a | Staines River Delta | SESA, RNPH, BBPL, DUNL, STSA, PESA | A | few 1,000s | ||
| 41b | Canning River Delta | SESA, RNPH, BBPL, DUNL, STSA, PESA | A | several 1,000s | ||
| 41c | Katakturuk River Delta | SESA, RNPH, BBPL, DUNL, STSA, PESA | A | few 1,000s | ||
| 41d | Sadlerochit River Delta | SESA, RNPH, BBPL, DUNL, STSA, PESA | A | several 1,000s | ||
| 41e | Hulahula/Okpilak River Deltas | SESA, RNPH, BBPL, DUNL, STSA, PESA | A | several 10,000s | R | |
| 41f | Jago River Delta | SESA, RNPH, BBPL, DUNL, STSA, PESA | A | several 10,000s | R | R |
| 41g | Niguanak River Delta | SESA, RNPH, BBPL, DUNL, STSA, PESA | A | few 1,000s | ||
| 41h | Sikrelurak River Delta | SESA, RNPH, BBPL, DUNL, STSA, PESA | A | few 1,000s | ||
| 41i | Angun River Delta | SESA, RNPH, BBPL, DUNL, STSA, PESA | A | few 1,000s | ||
| 41j | Aichilik River Delta | SESA, RNPH, BBPL, DUNL, STSA, PESA | A | several 1,000s | ||
| 41k | Egaksrak River Delta | SESA, RNPH, BBPL, DUNL, STSA, PESA | A | few 1,000s | ||
| 41l | Kongakut River Delta | SESA, RNPH, BBPL, DUNL, STSA, PESA | A | several 10,000s | R |
1Site numbers cross-reference locations on Figure 10. Figure created by D. Ruthrauff.
2Sites in bold have been designated by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (www.whsrn.org).
2aLarge site that encompasses several smaller, discrete sites, each of which meets WHSRN criteria.
2bLarge site or discrete region over which the combined shorebird numbers meet WHSRN criteria.
*Site designated as a Wetlands of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention (www.ramsar.org) ^: Site designated by the East Asian–Australasian Flyway Partnership (www.eaaflyway.net). Most sites have also been designated as National Audubon Society Important Bird Areas (IBAs, www.ak.audubon.org/important-bird-areas-4).
3Species are listed by order of relative importance of site to each species; those in bold qualify a site as a WHSRN reserve based on percentage of population supported. See Appendix 1 for scientific names. AMGP = American Golden-Plover, BARG = Bar-tailed Godwit, BBPL = Black-bellied Plover, BLTU = Black Turnstone, BTCU = Bristle-thighed Curlew, DUNL = Dunlin, HUGO = Hudsonian Godwit, LBDO = Long-billed Dowitcher, LESA = Least Sandpiper, MAGO = Marbled Godwit, PAGP = Pacific Golden-Plover, PESA = Pectoral Sandpiper, REKN = Red Knot, REPH = Red Phalarope, RNPH = Red-necked Phalarope, ROSA = Rock Sandpiper, RUTU = Ruddy Turnstone, SAND = Sanderling, SBDO = Short-billed Dowitcher, SESA = Semipalmated Sandpiper, SHAS = Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, STSA = Stilt Sandpiper, SURF = Surfbird, WESA = Western Sandpiper, WHIM = Whimbrel.
4Seasonal use by key species: S = Spring, A = Autumn, W = Winter.
5Numbers of shorebirds at each site derived from published references when available; in absence of published estimates, numbers derive from unpublished works and expert opinion of the Alaska Shorebird Group. Data compiled by R. E. Gill, T. L. Tibbitts, C. M. Handel, R. B. Lanctot, D. R. Ruthrauff, and J. A. Johnson.
6WHSRN classifications (Number of shorebirds): Hemispheric Reserve (H) supports >500,000 annually; International Reserve (I) supports >100,000 annually; Regional Reserve (R) supports >20,000 annually. The level at which sites qualify (R, I, or H) is based on total numbers. A question mark indicates that additional study is needed to confirm the level of qualification.
7WHSRN classifications (% of the biogeographical population for a species): Hemispheric Reserve (H) supports >30% of the biogeographical population for aspecies; International Reserve (I) supports >10% of the biogeographical population for a species; Regional Reserve (R) supports >1% of the biogeographicalpopulation for a species. The level at which sites qualify (R, I, or H) is based on the bold species listed in the key species column.
*All content and related citations can be found in the Alaska Shorebird Conservation Plan, Version III.
Suggested Citation:
Alaska Shorebird Group. 2019. Alaska Shorebird Conservation Plan. Version III. Alaska Shorebird Group, Anchorage, AK.