List of birds of the 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 and eBird.
The known avifauna of the Aleutian Islands total 315 species as of early July 2020. Of that number, 44 are year-round residents and breeders, 27 migrate to the Aleutians to breed, 18 migrate to the Aleutians to winter, 6 are non-breeding summer residents, 37 are annual through-migrants, and the remaining 187 are vagrants of less-than-annual occurrence. 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 61st Supplement, published by the American Ornithological Society. 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 used to denote the annual and seasonal status of each species are from Gibson and Byrd :
- Accidental – one or two records
- 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*.
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl
- Emperor goose, Anser canagica
- Snow goose, Anser caerulescens
- Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons
- Lesser white-fronted goose, Anser erythropus
- Taiga bean-goose, Anser fabalis
- Tundra bean-goose, Anser serrirostris
- Brant, Branta bernicla
- Cackling goose, Branta hutchinsii
- Canada goose, Branta canadensis
- Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus
- Whooper swan, Cygnus cygnus
- Baikal teal, Sibirionetta formosa
- Garganey, Spatula querquendula
- Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors
- Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata
- Gadwall, Mareca strepera
- Falcated duck, Mareca falcata
- Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope
- American wigeon, Mareca americana
- Eastern spot-billed duck, Anas zonorhyncha
- Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
- Northern pintail, Anas acuta
- Green-winged teal, Anas crecca
- Canvasback, Aythya valisneria
- Redhead, Aythya americana
- Common pochard, Aythya ferina
- Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris
- Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula
- 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
- Black scoter, Melanitta amerivcana
- Long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis
- Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola
- Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula
- Barrow's goldeneye, Bucephala islandica
- Smew, Mergellus albellus
- Hooded merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus
- Common merganser, Mergus merganser
- Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator
Pheasants, grouse, and allies
- Willow ptarmigan, Lagopus lagopus
- Rock ptarmigan, Lagopus mutus
Grebes
- Horned grebe, Podiceps auritus
- Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena
Pigeons and doves
- Oriental turtle-dove, Streptopelia orientlalis
Cuckoos
- Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus
- Oriental cuckoo, Cuculus optatus
Nightjars
- Gray nightjar, Caprimulgus jotaka
Swifts
- White-throated needletail, Hirundapus caudacutus
- Fork-tailed swift, Apus pacificus
Hummingbirds
- Rufous hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus
Rails, gallinules, and coots
- Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
- Eurasian Coot, Fulica atra
- American coot, Fulica americana
- Baillon's crake, Zapornia pusilla
Cranes
- Sandhill crane, Antigone canadensis
Stilts and avocets
- Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus
Oystercatchers
- Eurasian oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus
- Black oystercatcher, Haematopus bachmani
Plovers and lapwings
- Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus
- Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola
- American golden-plover, Pluvialis dominica
- Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva
- Eurasian dotterel, Charadrius morinellus
- Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula
- Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus
- Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius
- Lesser sand-plover, Charadrius mongolus
Sandpipers and allies
- Bristle-thighed curlew, Numenius tahitiensis
- Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus
- Far Eastern curlew, Numenius madagascariensis
- Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica
- Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa
- Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres
- Great knot, Calidris tenuirostris
- Red knot, Calidris canutus
- Surfbird, Calidris virgata
- Ruff, Calidris pugnax
- Broad-billed sandpiper, Calidris falcinellus
- Sharp-tailed sandpiper, Calidris acuminata
- Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea
- Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii
- Long-toed stint, Calidris subminuta
- Spoon-billed sandpiper, Calidris pygmeus
- Red-necked stint, Calidris ruficollis
- Sanderling, Calidris alba
- Dunlin, Calidris alpina
- Rock sandpiper, Calidris ptilocnemis
- Baird's sandpiper, Calidris bairdii
- Little stint, Calidris minuta
- Least sandpiper, Calidris minutilla
- Buff-breasted sandpiper, Calidris subruficollis
- Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos
- Semipalmated sandpiper, Calidris pusilla
- Western sandpiper, Calidris mauri
- Short-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus griseus
- Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus
- Solitary snipe, Gallinago solitaria
- Pin-tailed snipe, Gallinago stenura
- Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago
- Wilson's snipe, Gallinago delicata
- Terek sandpiper, Xenus cinereus
- Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos
- Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularia
- Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus
- Gray-tailed tattler, Tringa brevipes
- Wandering tattler, Tringa incana
- Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes
- Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus
- Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia
- Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca
- Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola
- Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis
- Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus
- Red phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius
Pratincoles and coursers
- Oriental pratincole, Glareola maldivarum
Skuas and jaegers
- South polar skua, Stercorarius maccormicki
- Pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus
- Parasitic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus
- Long-tailed jaeger, Stercorarius longicaudus
Auks, murres, and puffins
- Dovekie, Alle alle
- Common murre, Uria aalge Resident*)
- Thick-billed murre, Uria lomvia
- Pigeon guillemot, Cepphus columba
- Long-billed murrelet, Brachyramphus perdix
- Marbled murrelet, Brachyramphus marmoratus
- Kittlitz's murrelet, Brachyramphus brevirostris
- Ancient murrelet, Synthliboramphus antiquus
- Cassin's auklet, Ptychoramphus aleuticus
- Parakeet auklet, Aethia psittacula
- Least auklet, Aethia pusilla
- Whiskered auklet, Aethia pygmaea
- Crested auklet, Aethia cristatella
- Rhinoceros auklet, Cerorhinca monocerata
- Horned puffin, Fratercula corniculata
- Tufted puffin, Fratercula cirrhata
Gulls, terns, and skimmers
- Black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla
- Red-legged kittiwake, Rissa brevirostris
- Sabine's gull, Xema sabini
- Bonaparte's gull, Chroicocephalus philadelphia
- Black-headed gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus
- Ross's gull, Rhodostethia rosea
- Franklin's gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan
- Pallas's gull, Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus
- Black-tailed gull, Larus crassirostris
- Mew gull, Larus canus
- Herring gull, Larus argentatus
- Iceland gull, Larus glaucoides
- Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus
- Slaty-backed gull, Larus schistisagus
- Glaucous-winged gull, Larus glaucescens
- Glaucous gull, Larus hyperboreus
- Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscatus
- Aleutian tern, Onychoprion aleuticus
- Little/Least tern, Sternula albifrons/antillarum
- White-winged tern, Chlidonias leucopterus
- Common tern, Sterna hirundo
- Arctic tern, Sterna paradisaea
Loons
- Red-throated loon, Gavia stellata
- Arctic loon, Gavia arctica
- Pacific loon, Gavia pacifica
- Common loon, Gavia immer
- Yellow-billed loon, Gavia adamsii
Albatrosses
- Salvin's albatross, Thalassarche salvini
- Laysan albatross, Phoebastria immutabilis
- Black-footed albatross, Phoebastria nigripes
- Short-tailed albatross, Phoebastria albatrus
Northern storm-petrels
- Fork-tailed storm-petrel, Hydrobates furcatus
- Leach's storm-petrel, Hydrobates leucorhous
Shearwaters and petrels
- Northern fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis
- Providence petrel, Pterodroma solandri
- Mottled petrel, Pterodroma inexpectata
- Cook's petrel, Pterodroma cookii
- Buller's shearwater, Ardenna bulleri
- Short-tailed shearwater, Ardenna tenuirostris
- Sooty shearwater, Ardenna griseus
- Flesh-footed shearwater, Ardenna carneipes
Boobies and gannets
- Brown booby, Sula leucogaster
Cormorants and shags
- Red-faced cormorant, Phalacrocorax urile
- Pelagic cormorant, Phalacrocorax pelagicus
- Double-crested cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus
Herons, egrets, and bitterns
- Great bittern, Botaurus stellaris
- Yellow bittern, Ixobrychus sinensis
- Gray heron, Ardea cinerea
- Great egret, Ardea alba
- Intermediate egret, Egretta intermedia
- Chinese egret, Egretta eulophotes
- Little egret, Egretta garzetta
- Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis
- Chinese pond-heron, Ardeola bacchus
- Black-crowned night-heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
Osprey
- Osprey, Pandion haliaetus
Hawks, eagles, and kites
- Golden eagle, Aquila chryaetos
- Hen harrier, Circus cyaneus
- Northern harrier, Circus hudsonius
- Chinese sparrowhawk, Accipiter soloensis
- Eurasian sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus
- Sharp-shinned hawk, Accipiter striatus
- Northern goshawk, Accipiter gentiles
- Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus
- White-tailed eagle, Haliaeetus albicilla
- Steller's sea eagle, Haliaeetus pelagicus
- Rough-legged hawk, Buteo lagopus
- Common buzzard, Buteo buteo
Owls
- Oriental scops-owl, Otus sunia
- Snowy owl, Bubo scandiacus
- Long-eared owl, Asio otus
- Short-eared owl, Aso flammeus
- Northern boobook, Ninox scutulata
Kingfishers
- Belted kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon
Woodpeckers
- Great spotted woodpecker, Dendrocopos major
Falcons and caracaras
- Eurasian kestrel, Falco tinnunculus
- Merlin, Falco columbarius
- Eurasian hobby, Falco subbuteo
- Gyrfalcon, Falco rusticolus
- Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus
Shrikes
- Brown shrike, Lanius cristatus
- Northern shrike, Lanius borealis
Crows, jays, and magpies
- Black-billed magpie, Pica hudsonia
- Common raven, Corvus corax
Larks
- Eurasian skylark, Alauda arvensis
- Horned lark, Eremophila alpestris
Swallows
- Bank swallow, Riparia riparia
- Tree swallow, Tachycineta bicolor
- Violet-green swallow, Tachycineta thalassina
- Northern rough-winged swallow, Stelgidopteryx serripennis
- Purple martin, Progne subis
- Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica
- Cliff swallow, Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Tits, chickadees, and titmice
- Black-capped chickadee, Poecile atricapillus
Nuthatches
- Red-breasted nuthatch, Sitta canadensis
Wrens
- Pacific wren, Troglodytes pacificus
Dippers
- American dipper, Cinclus mexicanus
Kinglets
- Golden-crowned kinglet, Regulus satrapa
- Ruby-crowned kinglet, Regulus calendula
Leaf warblers
- Wood warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix
- Dusky warbler, Phylloscopus fuscatus
- Yellow-browed warbler, Phylloscopus inornatus
- Arctic warbler, Phylloscopus borealis
- Kamchatka leaf warbler, Phylloscopus examinandus
Grassbirds and allies
- Middendorff's grasshopper-warbler, Locustella ochotensis
- Lanceolated warbler, Locustella lanceolata
Old World flycatchers
- Gray-streaked flycatcher, Muscicapa griseisticta
- Asian brown flycatcher, Muscicapa dauurica
- Dark-sided flycatcher, Muscicapa sibirica
- Siberian blue robin, Larvivora cyane
- Rufous-tailed robin, Larvivora sibilans
- Bluethroat, Cyanecula svecica
- Siberian rubythroat, Calliope calliope
- Red-flanked bluetail, Tarsiger cyanurus
- Narcissus flycatcher, Ficedula narcissina
- Mugimaki flycatcher, Ficedula mugimaki
- Taiga flycatcher, Ficedula albicilla
- Northern wheatear, Oenanthe oenanthe
Thrushes and allies
- Swainson's thrush, Catharus ustulatus
- Hermit thrush, Catharus guttatus
- Eyebrowed thrush, Turdus obscurus
- Dusky thrush, Turdus eunomus
- Naumann's thrush, Turdus naumanni
- American robin, Turdus migratorius
Starlings
- European starling, Sturnus vulgaris
Waxwings
- Bohemian waxwing, Bombycilla garrulus
Accentors
- Siberian accentor, Prunella montanella
Wagtails and pipits
- Western yellow wagtail, Motacilla flava
- Eastern yellow wagtail, Motacilla tschutschensis
- Gray wagtail, Motacilla cinerea
- White wagtail, Motacilla alba
- Olive-backed pipit, Anthus hodgsoni
- Pechora pipit, Anthus gustavi
- Red-throated pipit, Anthus cervinus
- American pipit, Anthus rubescens
Finches, euphonias, and allies
- Brambling, Fringilla montifringilla
- Hawfinch, Coccothraustes coccothraustes
- Common rosefinch, Carpodacus erythrinus
- Pine grosbeak, Pinicola enucleator
- Eurasian bullfinch, Pyrrhula pyrrhula
- Asian rosy-finch, Leucosticte tephrocotis
- Gray-crowned rosy-finch, Leucosticte tephrocotis
- Oriental greenfinch, Chloris sinica
- Common redpoll, Acanthis flammea
- Hoary redpoll, Acanthis hornemanni
- Red crossbill, Loxia curvirostra
- White-winged crossbill, Loxia leucoptera
- Eurasian siskin, Spinus spinus
- Pine siskin, Spinus pinus
Longspurs and snow buntings
- Lapland longspur, Calcarius lapponicus
- Snow bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis
- McKay's bunting, Plectrophenax hyperboreus
Old World buntings
- Pine bunting, Emberiza leucocephalos
- Little bunting, Emberiza pusilla
- Rustic bunting, Emberiza rustica
- Yellow-throated bunting, Emberiza elegans
- Yellow-breasted bunting, Emberiza aureola
- Gray bunting, Emberiza variabilis
- Pallas's bunting, Emberiza pallasi
- Reed bunting, Emberiza schoeniclus
New World sparrows
- Chipping sparrow, Spizella passerina
- Fox sparrow, Passerella iliaca
- American tree sparrow, Spizelloides arborea
- Dark-eyed junco, Junco hyemalis
- Golden-crowned sparrow, Zonotrichia atricapilla
- White-crowned sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys
- Savannah sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis
- Song sparrow, Melospiza melodia
Troupials and allies
- Brown-headed cowbird, Molothrus ater
- Rusty blackbird, Euphagus carolinus
New World warblers
- Orange-crowned warbler, Leiothlypis celata
- Yellow warbler, Setophaga petechia
- Palm warbler, Setophaga palmarum
- Yellow-rumped warbler, Setophaga coronata
- Townsend's warbler, Setophaga townsendi
- Wilson's warbler, Cardellina pusilla