The avifauna of the Aleutian Islands included 376 species according to Gibson and Byrd (2007), Bird Checklists of the World (Avibase), and the American Ornithological Society (AOS) as of March 2021.
Of them, 44 (12%) are year-round residents and breeders, 26 (7%) migrate to the Aleutians to breed, 18 (5%) migrate to the Aleutians to winter, 6 (2%) are non-breeding summer residents, 37 (10%) are annual through-migrants, 196 (53%) are vagrants of less-than-annual occurrence. The status of the remaining 42 is not noted by either Gibson and Byrd or Avibase. Several of the vagrants have only a single record.
This list is presented in the taxonomic sequence of the Check-list of North and Middle American Birds, 7th edition through the 62nd Supplement, published by the AOS. Common and scientific names are also those of the Check-list, except that the common names of families are from the Clements taxonomy because the AOS list does not include them.
The following terms are used to denote the annual and seasonal status of each species reported by Gibson and Byrd (2007), or in the case of "Accidental", noted as such for species added from Avibase:
Accidental – one or two records Casual – recorded in less than 30% of years in the appropriate season, but in at least three calendar years Intermittent – recorded in 30% or more 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*.
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
Emperor goose, Anser canagica (winter) Snow goose, Anser caerulescens (casual) Ross's goose, Anser rossii (accidental) Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons (migrant) Lesser white-fronted goose, Anser erythropus (accidental) Taiga bean-goose, Anser fabalis (intermittent) Tundra bean-goose, Anser serrirostris Brant, Branta bernicla (migrant) Cackling goose, Branta hutchinsii (summer*) Canada goose, Branta canadensis (accidental) Trumpeter swan, Cygnus buccinator Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus (resident*) Whooper swan, Cygnus cygnus (winter) Baikal teal, Sibirionetta formosa (casual) Garganey, Spatula querquendula (intermittent) Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors (accidental) Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata (migrant) Gadwall, Mareca strepera (winter) Falcated duck, Mareca falcata (intermittent) Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope (migrant) American wigeon, Mareca americana (intermittent) Eastern spot-billed duck, Anas zonorhyncha (casual) Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos (resident*) Northern pintail, Anas acuta (resident*) Green-winged teal, Anas crecca (resident*) Canvasback, Aythya valisneria (casual or 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 or intermittent) White-winged scoter, Melanitta deglandi (winter) Stejneger's Scoter, Melanitta stejnegeri Black scoter, Melanitta amerivcana (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*)
Pheasants, grouse, and allies Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
Willow ptarmigan, Lagopus lagopus (resident*) Rock ptarmigan, Lagopus mutus (resident*)
Grebes Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Horned grebe, Podiceps auritus (winter) Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena (winter) Western grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis
Pigeons and doves Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Rock pigeon, Columba livia (I) (accidental) Oriental turtle-dove, Streptopelia orientlalis (casual or accidental)
Cuckoos Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus (intermittent) Oriental cuckoo, Cuculus optatus (casual)
Nightjars Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae
Gray nightjar, Caprimulgus jotaka (accidental)
Swifts Order: ApodiformesFamily: Apodidae
Chimney swift, Chaetura pelagica (accidental) White-throated needletail, Hirundapus caudacutus (casual) Common swift, Apus apus (accidental) Fork-tailed swift, Apus pacificus (casual)
Hummingbirds Order: ApodiformesFamily: Trochilidae
Rufous hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus (accidental)
Rails, gallinules, and coots Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae
Sora, Porzana carolina (accidental) Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus (accidental) Eurasian Coot, Fulica atra (accidental) American coot, Fulica americana (accidental)
Cranes Order: GruiformesFamily: Gruidae
Sandhill crane, Antigone canadensis (summer*)
Stilts and avocets Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae
Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus (casual or accidental)
Oystercatchers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
Eurasian oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus (accidental) Black oystercatcher, Haematopus bachmani (resident*)
Plovers and lapwings Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae
Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus (accidental) Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola (migrant) European golden-plover, Pluvialis apricaria (accidental) American golden-plover, Pluvialis dominica (accidental) Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva (migrant) Eurasian dotterel, Charadrius morinellus (casual) Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus (accidental) Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula (casual) Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus (summer*) Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius (casual) Lesser sand-plover, Charadrius mongolus (migrant)
Sandpipers and allies Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae
Upland sandpiper, Bartramia longicauda (accidental) Bristle-thighed curlew, Numenius tahitiensis (intermittent) Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus (migrant) Eskimo curlew, Numenius borealis (accidental, possibly extinct) Far Eastern curlew, Numenius madagascariensis (intermittent) Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica (migrant) Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa (intermittent) Hudsonian godwit, Limosa haemastica (accidental) Marbled godwit, Limosa fedoa Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres (migrant) Black turnstone, Arenaria melanocephala Great knot, Calidris tenuirostris (casual) Red knot, Calidris canutus (casual) Surfbird, Calidris virgata Ruff, Calidris pugnax (migrant) Broad-billed sandpiper, Calidris falcinellus (casual) Sharp-tailed sandpiper, Calidris acuminata (migrant) Stilt sandpiper, Calidris himantopus (accidental) Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea (casual) Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii (intermittent) Long-toed stint, Calidris subminuta (migrant) Spoon-billed sandpiper, Calidris pygmeus (casual or accidental) Red-necked stint, Calidris ruficollis (intermittent) Sanderling, Calidris alba (winter) Dunlin, Calidris alpina (migrant) Rock sandpiper, Calidris ptilocnemis (resident*) Baird's sandpiper, Calidris bairdii (intermittent) Little stint, Calidris minuta (casual) Least sandpiper, Calidris minutilla (summer*) White-rumped sandpiper, Calidris fuscicollis (accidental) Buff-breasted sandpiper, Calidris subruficollis (casual) Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos (migrant) Semipalmated sandpiper, Calidris pusilla (casual) Western sandpiper, Calidris mauri (intermittent) Short-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus griseus (casual) Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus (migrant) Jack snipe, Lymnocryptes minimus (accidental) Solitary snipe, Gallinago solitaria (accidental) Pin-tailed snipe, Gallinago stenura (casual or accidental) Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago (migrant) Wilson's snipe, Gallinago delicata (summer*) Terek sandpiper, Xenus cinereus (casual or intermittent) Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos (migrant) Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularia (accidental) Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus (casual) Solitary sandpiper, Tringa solitaria (accidental) Gray-tailed tattler, Tringa brevipes (migrant) Wandering tattler, Tringa incana (migrant) Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes (casual) Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus (casual) Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia (migrant) Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca (casual) Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola (migrant) Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis (casual) Wilson's phalarope, Phalaropus tricolor (accidental) Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus (summer*) Red phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius (migrant)
Pratincoles and coursers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Glareolidae
Oriental pratincole, Glareola maldivarum (accidental)
Skuas and jaegers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Stercorariidae
South polar skua, Stercorarius maccormicki (casual) Pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus (migrant) Parasitic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus (summer*) Long-tailed jaeger, Stercorarius longicaudus (migrant)
Auks, murres, and puffins Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Alcidae
Dovekie, Alle alle (casual) Common murre, Uria aalge (resident*) Thick-billed murre, Uria lomvia (resident*) Black guillemot, Cepphus grylle 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*)
Gulls, terns, and skimmers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae
Black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla (resident*) Red-legged kittiwake, Rissa brevirostris (summer*) Ivory gull, Pagophila eburnea (accidental) Sabine's gull, Xema sabini (migrant) Bonaparte's gull, Chroicocephalus philadelphia (accidental) Black-headed gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus (migrant) Ross's gull, Rhodostethia rosea (casual or accidental) Franklin's gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan (accidental) Pallas's gull, Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus (accidental) Black-tailed gull, Larus crassirostris (casual) Common gull, Larus canus Short-billed gull, Larus brachyrhynchus Ring-billed gull, Larus delawarensis (accidental) 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) Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscatus (accidental) Aleutian tern, Onychoprion aleuticus (summer*) Little/Least tern, Sternula albifrons/antillarum (accidental) Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia (accidental) White-winged tern, Chlidonias leucopterus (accidental) Common tern, Sterna hirundo (intermittent) Arctic tern, Sterna paradisaea (summer*)
Loons Order: GaviiformesFamily: Gaviidae
Red-throated loon, Gavia stellata (summer*) Arctic loon, Gavia arctica (migrant) Pacific loon, Gavia pacifica (migrant) Common loon, Gavia immer (resident*) Yellow-billed loon, Gavia adamsii (winter)
Albatrosses Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Diomedeidae
Salvin's albatross, Thalassarche salvini (accidental)