BIRDS
The largest known concentration of bald eagles in the world occurs each fall and winter along the Chilkat River near Haines. More than 3,000 bald eagles, our national symbol, gather along the river where late runs of salmon are accessible because of the unusual swelling of warm water that keeps sections of the river ice-free.
During the short Arctic summer, Alaska is host to nearly half of the entire world population of at least 12 bird species, the only North American populations of 24 species, and the only U.S. nesting populations of about 50 species.
Because Alaska is close to Siberia and has been connected to Asia by a land bridge in the past, Old World species occur in Alaska more frequently than anywhere else in North America.
Literally thousands of millions of birds of more than 440 different species occur in Alaska. About 95 percent are "nongame" species.
Over 20 million waterfowl and shorebirds, including almost the entire world population of western sandpipers, pass through the Copper River Delta between April 25 and May 20 each year. During that period, biologists have logged up to 20,000 birds an hour in the skies over the Copper River delta.
There are birds from all continents that nest in Alaska.
Some birds migrating to Alaska travel great distances. Our smallest bird, the rufus hummingbird, migrates over 2,000 miles. Several warblers travel 6,000 to 8,000 miles from the jungles of South American, flying mainly at night at altitudes of 2,000 to 12,000 feet. Pacific golden plovers find their way to Alaska from Hawaii and Polynesia, apparently making the 2,000 mile trip in a nonstop flight. Arctic terns that nest in the Arctic have been found wintering in the Antarctic, a 20,000 mile round trip.
Alaska has more seabirds than the rest of the United States put together. More than 80 to 124 millian seabirds occur in Alaska waters in summer.
There is little question the large number of migrant and resident birds affect the lives of humans living in Alaska. A great portion of the migrant birds are insect eaters, and though they do not decimate Alaska's insect population, they must consume literally tons of insects each year.