Waterfowl

OVERVIEW

Alaska has more than 90 million acres of wetland habitat for use by breeding waterfowl. That's an area roughly equal in size to Montana, our 4th largest state.  About 20% of America's waterfowl nest here. Alaska supports nesting populations of at least 34 species of waterfowl, including many species and subspecies found nowhere else in the United States, North America, or the world.  For example:

• Geese:  more than half a million individuals of 5 species and 10 subspecies nest in the state annually. More than 80% of the world's breeding population of Pacific Black Brant fly to Alaska each year to nest. Nine out of ten of the world's birds Emperor Geese nest here. Alaska supports 100% of the world's breeding Tule and Pacific White-Fronted Geese, Aleutian, Cackling geese and Dusky Canada Geese.

• Northern Pintails:  Up to half of North America pintails nest here.

• Sea Ducks:  Alaska supports 100% of the U.S. breeding populations of several northerly species of seaducks including Spectacled, King, and Steller's Eiders; Long-tailed Duck; and Black, White-Winged, and Surf Scoters.

• Swans: More than 90,000 Tundra Swans and 13,000 Trumpeter Swans nest in this great state.

Several areas in Alaska are particularly important to nesting waterfowl.  Some of these places are:

• The Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta supports one of the largest aggregations of water birds in the world. Over one million ducks and half a million geese breed here annually.

• Bristol Bay Lowlands: 10% of statewide duck production occurs in these expansive lowlands adjacent to this world-famous commercial salmon fishing bay.

• Yukon Flats: 10% of statewide duck production takes place in this small lake complex within the floodplain of the Yukon River near Alaska's eastern border with Canada.

• Tanana/Kuskokwim Valley: about 10% of Alaska's ducks are produced in these rolling black-spruce-carpeted hills outlined by white spruce and pond-filled valleys

Conservation of Alaska's waterfowl requires coordination and partnership with ornithologists, natural resource and land managers, and private landowners in a wide variety of places outside of Alaska where our birds migrate through or overwinter.

• 50% of Alaska's waterfowl winter in the Pacific Flyway.

• 25% use the Mississippi Flyway.

• 10% use the Central Flyway.

• 10% use the Atlantic Flyway.

• The remaining 5% percent travel to Mexico, South America, Asia or the Pacific Islands.

Last Updated: September 15, 2008