Status & Trends

 Estimated population size, population trend, conservation status, and percent occurrence of shorebirds that regularly occur in Alaska

Species1

Population estimate2Population trend3Conservation status4% Breeding in Alaska5% Migration in Alaska5% Winter in Alaska5

Black Oystercatcher

11,0002aSTA3aH615a615a385a

Black-bellied Plover (North America breeding)

362,700

dec

M7272<5

American Golden-Plover

500,000

dec

H58580

Pacific Golden-Plover (North American breeding)

42,500UNKH1001000

Semipalmated Plover

200,000

INC

L19190

Killdeer (vociferus)

2,000,000

DEC

M<15a<15a<15a

Upland Sandpiper

750,000

INC

L<15a<15a0

Bristle-thighed Curlew

10,000UNKG1001000

Whimbrel (hudsonicus, AK/SW Yukon Territory breeding)1a

40,000UNKH>955a>955a0

Bar-tailed Godwit (baueri)

90,000

DEC

G1001000

Hudsonian Godwit (AK breeding)1b

21,000

dec

H1001000

Marbled Godwit (beringiae)

2,000UNKH1001000

Ruddy Turnstone (interpres, AK breeding)1c

20,000UNKM100100<15a

Black Turnstone

95,000STAH100100>255a

Red Knot (roselaari)

21,8002b

dec

G771005b0

Surfbird

70,000UNKM8080<55a

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Global juvenile cohort)1d

24,0002c

dec

L0>600

Stilt Sandpiper

1,243,700

dec

L10100

Sanderling (North America breeding)

200,000

dec

M<15a<105a,b<55a,b

Dunlin (arcticola)

500,000

DEC

H955a1005a0

Dunlin (pacifica)

550,000STAM100100<5

Rock Sandpiper (ptilocnemis)

19,800UNKH100100>905a

Rock Sandpiper (couesi)

75,000UNKL100100100

Rock Sandpiper (tschuktschorum)

50,000UNKL701005b>505a,b

Baird’s Sandpiper

300,000UNKL10100

Least Sandpiper

700,000STAL38380

White-rumped Sandpiper

1,694,000STAL<1<1<1

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

56,000

DEC

H255a265b0

Pectoral Sandpiper

1,680,000

DEC

H68755b0

Semipalmated Sandpiper (AK breeding)1e

1,450,000STA3bH1001000

Western Sandpiper

3,500,000

dec

M>955a1005b0

Short-billed Dowitcher (caurinus)

75,000

dec

H80800

Long-billed Dowitcher

650,000UNKM75985b0

Wilson’s Snipe

2,000,000STAL2525<55a

Spotted Sanpiper

660,000STAL20200

Solitary Sanpiper (cinnamomea)

63,000UNKL79790

Wandering Tattler

17,500UNKL57570

Lesser Yellowlegs

660,000

DEC

H24240

Greater Yellowlegs

137,000STAL27270

Red-necked Phalarope (North America breeding)

2,500,000

DEC

M50500

Red Phalarope (North America breeding)

1,620,000

dec

M36360

1Taxonomy follows AOU 7th edition (1998) and supplements through Chesser et al. (2017). Subspecies (in italics) follow Gibson and Withrow (2015) and Andres et al. (2012b). Regional population categories are used when a species occurs outside of North America and follows Andres et al. (2012b) and B. Andres (unpubl. data); “North America” refers to birds breeding in North America; “AK Breeding” is used when a distinct population segment is thought to occur in Alaska; a lack of designation reflects species for which a unique population segment is not known to occur in Alaska.

1aBand resightings (J. Johnson, unpubl. data) and migratory tracking studies (Johnson et al. 2016; D. Ruthrauff, unpubl. data; B. Watts, unpubl. data) indicate that the majority of Whimbrels breeding in Alaska represent a distinct population that segregates during the nonbreeding period from Whimbrels breeding in northwestern and eastern Canada.

1bBand resightings (J. Johnson, unpubl. data) and migratory tracking studies (Senner 2012; Senner et al. 2014; B. Watts, unpubl. data) indicate that the majority of Hudsonian Godwits breeding in Alaska represent a distinct population that segregates during the winter from godwits breeding in northwestern and eastern Canada.

1cThe Alaska-breeding population (and a small number of birds breeding in eastern Siberia) appear to be a distinct population that segregates throughout the annual cycle from interpres breeding in Eurasia and eastern Canada (Nettleship 2000; J. Helmericks, unpubl. data).

1dSharp-tailed Sandpipers do not breed in Alaska, but juveniles commonly occur as migrants (Handel and Gill 2010).

1eThree regional breeding populations (Alaska, western Canadian Arctic, and eastern Canadian Arctic) are recognized based on morphometric differences (Gratto-Trevor et al. 2012; Andres et al. 2012b). Migration tracking revealed varying levels of separation among Alaska-breeding birds and those breeding in the western and eastern Canadian Arctic during the nonbreeding period (Brown et al. 2016).

2Population size refers to global population size unless denoted in the species column as a subspecific or regional population estimate. Population estimates follow USSCPP (2016) and B. Andres (unpubl. data) except for: 2aWeinstein et al. (2014), 2bLyons et al. (2015), 2cHandel and Gill (2010).

3Population trend scores follow B. Andres (unpubl. data). Population trend scale is from Andres et al. (2012b). INC: substantial increase; inc: small increase or increase suspected; STA: stable or UNK: unknown; dec: moderate decrease or decrease suspected; DEC: substantial decrease. 3aWeinstein et al. (2014), 3bAndres et al. (2012b).

4Scores follow USSCPP (2016) and include species, subspecies, and regional populations. G = Greatest Concern, H = High Concern, M = Moderate Concern, L = Least Concern.

5Population size and percent occurrence values derive from population-specific estimates from B. Andres (unpubl. data) and often reflect a high degree of uncertainty.

5aEstimates derived by the Alaska Shorebird Group.

5bA portion of the population breeds in the Palearctic, most of which are assumed to either migrate through, or in a few cases remain in, Alaska during winter.

 

 

 

*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.

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