List of birds of Aleutian Islands
This list of birds of the Aleutian Islands is a comprehensive listing of all bird species known from the Aleutian Islands, as documented by Gibson and Byrd (2007).
The known avifauna of the Aleutian Islands includes 271 species. Of that total, 42 (15%) are year-round residents and breeders, 27 (10%) migrate to the Aleutians to breed, 18 (7%) migrate to the Aleutians to winter, 6 (2%) are non-breeding summer residents, 37 (14%) are annual through-migrants, and 141 (52%) are vagrants of less-than-annual occurrence.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
The taxonomy (designation and sequence of orders, families, and species) and binomial nomenclature (common and scientific names) used in this list adhere to the conventions of the American Ornithologists' Union's (1998) Check-list of North American birds, the recognized scientific authority on the taxonomy and nomenclature of North American birds.
The following terms used to denote the annual and seasonal status of each species are from Gibson and Byrd (2007):
- Casual – recorded in <30% of years in the appropriate season, but in at least three calendar years.
- Intermittent – recorded in ≥30% of years in the appropriate season, but not annually.
- Migrant – annual through-migrant in spring or fall.
- Resident – substantial numbers present throughout the year.
- Summer – migrates to the Aleutians to breed or to summer offshore.
- Winter – migrates to the Aleutians to winter.
- Annual breeders are designated with an asterisk (*), as in Resident* or Summer*.
Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae
- Bean Goose, Anser fabalis (Intermittent)
- Greater White-fronted Goose, Anser albifrons (Migrant)
- Lesser White-fronted Goose, Anser erythropus (Accidental)
- Emperor Goose, Chen canagica (Winter)
- Snow Goose, Chen caerulescens (Casual)
- Brant, Branta bernicla (Migrant)
- Cackling Goose, Branta hutchinsii (Summer*)
- Canada Goose, Branta canadensis (Accidental)
- Tundra Swan, Cygnus columbianus (Resident*)
- Whooper Swan, Cygnus cygnus (Winter)
- Gadwall, Anas strepera (Winter)
- Falcated Duck, Anas falcata (Intermittent)
- Eurasian Wigeon, Anas penelope (Migrant)
- American Wigeon, Anas americana (Intermittent)
- Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos (Resident*)
- Spot-billed Duck, Anas poecilorhyncha (Casual)
- Blue-winged Teal, Anas discors (Accidental)
- Northern Shoveler, Anas clypeata (Migrant)
- Northern Pintail, Anas acuta (Resident*)
- Garganey, Anas querquendula (Intermittent)
- Baikal Teal, Anas formosa (Casual)
- Green-winged Teal, Anas crecca (Resident*)
- Canvasback, Aythya valisneria (Casual to Intermittent)
- Redhead, Aythya americana (Accidental)
- Common Pochard, Aythya ferina (Intermittent)
- Ring-necked Duck, Aythya collaris (Casual)
- Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula (Migrant)
- Greater Scaup, Aythya marila (Resident*)
- Lesser Scaup, Aythya affinis (Casual or Intermittent)
- Steller's Eider, Polysticta stelleri (Winter)
- Spectacled Eider, Somateria fischeri (Accidental)
- King Eider, Somateria spectabilis (Winter)
- Common Eider, Somateria mollissima (Resident*)
- Harlequin Duck, Histrionicus histrionicus (Resident)
- Surf Scoter, Melanitta perspicillata (Casual to Intermittent)
- White-winged Scoter, Melanitta fusca (Winter)
- Black Scoter, Melanitta nigra (Winter)
- Long-tailed Duck, Clangula hyemalis (Winter)
- Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola (Winter)
- Common Goldeneye, Bucephala clangula (Winter)
- Barrow's Goldeneye, Bucephala islandica (Winter)
- Smew, Mergellus albellus (Winter)
- Hooded Merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus (Casual)
- Common Merganser, Mergus merganser (Resident)
- Red-breasted Merganser, Mergus serrator (Resident*)
Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae
Order: Gaviiformes Family: Gaviidae
Order: Podicipediformes Family: Podicipedidae
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Diomedeidae
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Procellariidae
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Hydrobatidae
Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Phalacrocoracidae
Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ardeidae
Order: Falconiformes Family: Accipitridae
Order: Falconiformes Family: Falconidae
Order: Gruiformes Family: Rallidae
Order: Gruiformes Family: Gruidae
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Charadriidae
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Haematopodidae
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Recurvirostridae
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Scolopacidae
- Terek Sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos (Casual or Intermittent)
- Common Sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos (Migrant)
- Green Sandpiper, Tringa ochropus (Casual)
- Gray-tailed Tattler, Tringa brevipes (Migrant)
- Wandering Tattler, Tringa incana (Migrant)
- Spotted Redshank, Tringa erythropus (Casual)
- Greater Yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca (Casual)
- Common Greenshank, Tringa nebularia(Migrant)
- Lesser Yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes (Casual)
- Marsh Sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis (Casual)
- Wood Sandpiper, Tringa glareola (Migrant)
- Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus (Migrant)
- Bristle-thighed Curlew, Numenius tahitiensis (Intermittent)
- Far Eastern Curlew, Numenius madagascariensis (Intermittent)
- Black-tailed Godwit, Limosa limosa (Intermittent)
- Bar-tailed Godwit, Limosa lapponica (Migrant)
- Ruddy Turnstone, Arenaria interpres (Migrant)
- Great Knot, Calidris tenuirostris (Casual)
- Red Knot, Calidris canutus (Casual)
- Sanderling, Calidris alba (Winter)
- Semipalmated Sandpiper, Calidris pusilla (Casual)
- Western Sandpiper, Calidris mauri (Intermittent)
- Red-necked Stint, Calidris ruficollis (Intermittent)
- Little Stint, Calidris minuta (Casual)
- Temminck's Stint, Calidris temminckii (Intermittent)
- Long-toed Stint, Calidris subminuta (Migrant)
- Least Sandpiper, Calidris minutilla (Summer*)
- Baird's Sandpiper, Calidris bairdii (Intermittent)
- Pectoral Sandpiper, Calidris melanotos (Migrant)
- Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Calidris acuminata (Migrant)
- Rock Sandpiper, Calidris ptilocnemis (Resident*)
- Dunlin, Calidris alpina (Migrant)
- Curlew Sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea (Casual)
- Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Eurynorhynchus pygmeus (Casual or Accidental)
- Broad-billed Sandpiper, Limicola falcinellus (Casual)
- Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Tryngites subruficollis (Casual)
- Ruff, 'Philomachus pugnax (Migrant)
- Short-billed Dowitcher, Limnodromus griseus (Casual)
- Long-billed Dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus (Migrant)
- Wilson's Snipe, Gallinago delicata (Summer*)
- Common Snipe, Gallinago gallinago (Migrant)
- Pin-tailed Snipe, Gallinago stenura (Casual or Accidental)
- Red-necked Phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus (Summer*)
- Red Phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius (Migrant)
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Glareolidae
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Laridae
- Franklin's Gull, Larus pipixcan (Accidental)
- Black-headed Gull, Larus ridibundus (Migrant)
- Black-tailed Gull, Larus crassirostris (Casual)
- Mew Gull, Larus canus (Winter)
- Herring Gull, Larus argentatus (Migrant)
- Iceland Gull, Larus glaucoides (Casual)
- Lesser Black-backed Gull, Larus fuscus (Accidental)
- Slaty-backed Gull, Larus schistisagus (Migrant)
- Glaucous-winged Gull, Larus glaucescens (Resident*)
- Glaucous Gull, Larus hyperboreus (Winter)
- Sabine's Gull, Xema sabini (Migrant)
- Black-legged Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla (Resident*)
- Red-legged Kittiwake, Rissa brevirostris (Summer*)
- Ross's Gull, Rhodostethia rosea (Casual or Accidental)
- Sooty Tern, Onychoprion fuscatus (Accidental)
- Aleutian Tern, Onychoprion aleuticus (Summer*)
- Little/Least tern, Sternula albifrons/antillarum (Accidental)
- White-winged Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus (Accidental)
- Common tern, Sterna hirundo (Intermittent)
- Arctic Tern, Sterna paradisaea (Summer*)
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Stercorariidae
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Alcidae
- Dovekie, Alle alle (Casual)
- Common Murre, Uria aalge [Resident*)
- Thick-billed Murre, Uria lomvia (Resident*)
- Pigeon Guillemot, Cepphus columba (Resident*)
- Long-billed Murrelet, Brachyramphus perdix (Accidental)
- Marbled Murrelet, Brachyramphus marmoratus (Resident*)
- Kittlitz's Murrelet, Brachyramphus brevirostris (Summer*)
- Ancient Murrelet, Synthliboramphus antiquus (Resident*)
- Cassin's Auklet, Ptychoramphus aleuticus (Summer*)
- Parakeet Auklet, Aethia psittacula (Summer*)
- Least Auklet, Aethia pusilla (Resident*)
- Whiskered Auklet, Aethia pygmaea (Resident*)
- Crested Auklet, Aethia cristatella (Resident*)
- Rhinoceros Auklet, Cerorhinca monocerata (Casual)
- Horned Puffin, Fratercula corniculata (Summer*)
- Tufted Puffin, Fratercula cirrhata (Resident*)
Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae
Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae
Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae
Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Caprimulgidae
Order: Apodiformes Family: Apodidae
Order: Coraciiformes Family: Alcedinidae
Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae
Order: Passeriformes Family: Laniidae
Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae
Order: Passeriformes Family: Alaudidae
Order: Passeriformes Family: Hirundinidae
Order: Passeriformes Family: Paridae
Order: Passeriformes Family: Troglodytidae
Order: Passeriformes Family: Cinclidae
Order: Passeriformes Family: Sylviidae
Order: Passeriformes Family: Muscicapidae
Order: Passeriformes Family: Turdidae
Order: Passeriformes Family: Sturnidae
Order: Passeriformes Family: Prunellidae
Order: Passeriformes Family: Motacillidae
Order: Passeriformes Family: Bombycillidae
Order: Passeriformes Family: Parulidae
Order: Passeriformes Family: Emberizidae
- Savannah Sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis (Summer*)
- Fox Sparrow, Passerella iliaca (Summer*)
- Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia (Resident*)
- Golden-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia atricapilla (Summer*)
- Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis (Casual)
- Lapland Longspur, Calcarius lapponicus (Summer*)
- Pine Bunting, Emberiza leucocephalos (Casual or Accidental)
- Little Bunting, Emberiza pusilla (Casual)
- Rustic Bunting, Emberiza rustica (Intermittent)
- Yellow-throated Bunting, Emberiza elegans (Accidental)
- Yellow-breasted Bunting, Emberiza aureola (Casual)
- Gray Bunting, Emberiza variabilis (Casual)
- Pallas's Bunting, Emberiza pallasi (Accidental)
- Reed Bunting, Emberiza schoeniclus (Casual)
- Snow Bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis (Resident*)
- McKay's Bunting, Plectrophenax hyperboreus (Casual or Intermittent)
Order: Passeriformes Family: Fringillidae
- Check-list of North American Birds (7th ed.). Washington, D.C.: American Ornithologists' Union. 1998. ISBN 1-891276-00-X. http://www.aou.org/checklist.
- Gibson, Daniel D., and G. Vernon Byrd. 2007. Birds of the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Series in Ornithology 1, 351 pp. Nuttall Ornithological Club and American Ornithologists’ Union. ISBN 978-0-943610-73-3.