The list of birds of Alaska includes every wild bird species recorded in the U.S. state of Alaska, based on the list published by the Alaska Checklist Committee. As of January 2022, there were 534 species on the official list.D. D. Gibson, L. H. DeCicco, N. R. Hajdukovich, S. C. Heinl, A. J. Lang, R. L. Scher, T. G. Tobish Jr., and J. J. Withrow Checklist of Alaska Birds, 28th edition - 2022 Alaska Records Committee: University of Alaska Museum, Fairbanks http://www.uaf.edu/museum/bird/products/checklist.pdf Retrieved September 12, 2022. Of them, 55 are considered rare, 149 are casual, and 79 are accidental, all as defined below. Another 18 and a species pair are considered unsubstantiated. One species is endemic to the state. One species has been added as a result of a split enacted in June 2021. Additional accidental species have been added from other sources.
Only birds that are considered to have established, self-sustaining, wild populations in Alaska are included on this list. This means that birds that are considered probable escapees, although they may have been sighted flying free in Alaska, are not included. Species which the Checklist Committee considers to depend entirely on human feeding, such as rock pigeon, are also not included.
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 American Ornithological Society (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 codes and definitions (except En) are used by the Alaska Checklist Committee to annotate some species:
(R) = Rare - "Annual or possibly annual in small numbers; most such species occur at the perimeter of Alaska, in season; a few are scarce residents" (C) = Casual - "Not annual; these species are beyond the periphery of annual range, but recur in Alaska at irregular intervals, usually in seasonal and regional patterns" (A) = Accidental - "One or two Alaska records, or none in the last 30 years" (U) = Unsubstantiated - "attributed to Alaska without specimen or photo substantiation" (En) = Endemic - A species found only in Alaska (except as a vagrant elsewhere)
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl
Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils.
Emperor goose, Anser canagica Snow goose, Anser caerulescens Ross's goose, Anser rossii (C) Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons Lesser white-fronted goose, Anser erythropus (C) Taiga bean-goose, Anser fabalis (C) Tundra bean-goose, Anser serrirostris (C) Brant, Branta bernicla Cackling goose, Branta hutchinsii Canada goose, Branta canadensis Trumpeter swan, Cygnus buccinator Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus Whooper swan, Cygnus cygnus (R) Wood duck, Aix sponsa (R) Baikal teal, Sibirionetta formosa (C) Garganey, Spatula querquedula (C) Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors Cinnamon teal, Spatula cyanoptera (R) Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Gadwall, Mareca strepera Falcated duck, Mareca falcata (C) Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope American wigeon, Mareca americana Eastern spot-billed duck, Anas zonorhyncha (C) Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos American black duck, Anas rubripes (A) Northern pintail, Anas acuta Green-winged teal, Anas crecca Canvasback, Aythya valisineria Redhead, Aythya americana Common pochard, Aythya ferina (C) Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula (R) Greater scaup, Aythya marila Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis Steller's eider, Polysticta stelleri Spectacled eider, Somateria fischeri King eider, Somateria spectabilis Common eider, Somateria mollissima Harlequin duck, Histrionicus histrionicus Surf scoter, Melanitta perspicillata White-winged scoter, Melanitta deglandi Stejneger's scoter, Melanitta stejnegeri (C) Black scoter, Melanitta americana Long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula Barrow's goldeneye, Bucephala islandica Smew, Mergellus albellus (R) Hooded merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus Common merganser, Mergus merganser Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis (R)
Grouse, pheasants, and allies Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
Phasianidae consists of the pheasants and their allies. These are terrestrial species, variable in size but generally plump with broad relatively short wings. Many species are gamebirds or have been domesticated as a food source for humans.
Ruffed grouse, Bonasa umbellus Spruce grouse, Canachites canadensis Willow ptarmigan, Lagopus lagopus Rock ptarmigan, Lagopus muta White-tailed ptarmigan, Lagopus leucurus Sooty grouse, Dendragapus fuliginosus Sharp-tailed grouse, Tympanuchus phasianellus
Grebes Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land.
Pied-billed grebe, Podilymbus podiceps (R) Horned grebe, Podiceps auritus Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena Eared grebe, Podiceps nigricollis (C) Western grebe, Aechmorphorus occidentalis Clark's grebe, Aechmophorus clarkii (U)
Pigeons and doves Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
Band-tailed pigeon, Patagioenas fasciata (R) Oriental turtle-dove, Streptopelia orientalis (C) Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto (Introduced to North America) White-winged dove, Zenaida asiatica (C) Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura (R)
Cuckoos Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. The Old World cuckoos are brood parasites.
Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus (C) Oriental cuckoo, Cuculus optatus (C) Yellow-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus (C)
Nightjars and allies Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae
Goatsuckers (nightjars) are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is cryptically colored to resemble bark or leaves.
Lesser nighthawk, Chordeiles acutipennis (A) Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor (R) Eastern whip-poor-will, Antrostomus vociferus (A) Gray nightjar, Caprimulgus jotaka (A)
Swifts Order: ApodiformesFamily: Apodidae
The swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have very long, swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang.
Black swift, Cypseloides niger Chimney swift, Chaetura pelagica (A) Vaux's swift, Chaetura vauxi White-throated needletail, Hirundapus caudacutus (C) Common swift, Apus apus (C) Fork-tailed swift, Apus pacificus (C)
Hummingbirds Order: ApodiformesFamily: Trochilidae
Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards.
Ruby-throated hummingbird, Archilochus colubris (C) Anna's hummingbird, Calypte anna Costa's hummingbird, Calypte costae (C) Calliope hummingbird, Selasphorus calliope (C) Rufous hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus
Rails, gallinules, and coots
Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. The most typical family members occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and tend to be weak fliers.
Virginia rail, Rallus limicola (C) Sora, Porzana carolina (R) Baillon's crake, Porzana pusilla (U) (This species is not on the AOS Check-list; moreover, it is assigned to genus Zapornia by the Clements taxonomy.) Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus (A) Eurasian coot. Fulica atra (A) American coot, Fulica americana (R) Yellow rail, Coturnicops noveboracensis (U)
Cranes Order: GruiformesFamily: Gruidae
Cranes are large, long-legged, and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances".
Sandhill crane, Antigone canadensis Common crane, Grus grus (A) Hooded crane, Grus monacha (A)
Stilts and avocets Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills.
Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus (C) American avocet, Recurvirostra americana (C)
Oystercatchers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large, obvious, and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.
Eurasian oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus (A) Black oystercatcher, Haematopus bachmani
Lapwings and plovers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short thick necks, and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water.
Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus (A) Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola European golden-plover, Pluvialis apricaria (C) American golden-plover, Pluvialis dominica Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva Eurasian dotterel, Charadrius morinellus (C) Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula (R) Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius (C) Lesser sand-plover, Charadrius mongolus (R) Snowy plover, Charadrius nivosus (A)
Sandpipers and allies Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers, and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Different lengths of legs and bills enable multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.
Upland sandpiper, Bartramia longicauda Bristle-thighed curlew, Numenius tahitiensis Hudsonian whimbrel, Numenius hudsonicus Little curlew, Numenius minutus (A) Eskimo curlew, Numenius borealis (A) (Not seen since 1986) Long-billed curlew, Numenius americanus (C) Far Eastern curlew, Numenius madagascariensis (C) Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa (C) Hudsonian godwit, Limosa haemastica Marbled godwit, Limosa fedoa Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres Black turnstone, Arenaria melanocephala Great knot, Calidris tenuirostris (C) Red knot, Calidris canutus Surfbird, Calidris virgata Ruff, Calidris pugnax (R) Broad-billed sandpiper, Calidris falcinellus (C) Sharp-tailed sandpiper, Calidris acuminata Stilt sandpiper, Calidris himantopus Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea (C) Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii (C) Long-toed stint, Calidris subminuta (R)