Front cover of "A Guide to Common Birds of the Yukon Flats."

The colorful centerfold of the guide shows 18 birds common to the Yukon Flats along with their names in Gwich'in Athabascan and English.

Staff from the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) and the Council of Athabascan Tribal Governments (CATG) worked together to produce "A Guide to Common Birds of the Yukon Flats."  The colorful six-page guide contains detailed illustrations of 18 bird species that are common to the Yukon Flats region of interior Alaska along with their names in the Gwich'in Athabascan and English languages.  The guide includes songbirds, raptors, upland game birds, and the sandhill crane (jyah).  The illustrations were created by renowned wildlife artist David Sibley, and the center portion of the guide can be unfolded and used as a poster.  Copies of the guide were mailed in spring 2007 to approximately 500 box holders in the Yukon Flats villages of Arctic Village, Beaver, Birch Creek, Chalkyitsik, Circle City, Fort Yukon, Rampart, Stevens Village, and Venetie.  Additional copies of the guide are available from the offices of CATG or the Refuge and requests for the popular guide have been flying in.  Yukon Flats Refuge Education Specialist Shannon Nelson and CATG Environmental Coordinator Joy Shockley developed the guide with input from Refuge and CATG staff.  Community Liaison Joanne Ahlfs from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge helped provide many of the Gwich'in language translations.  The project was funded through a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Challenge Cost Share Grant and is the second Gwich'in and English bird guide to be produced.  In 2005 "A Guide to Waterfowl of the Yukon Flats" was created by Refuge and CATG staff as part of an annual funding agreement.  The birds included in each guide are considered culturally and/or biologically significant to the Yukon Flats.  For more information or to request copies please contact Education Specialist Shannon Nelson at 800/531-0676 or shannon_nelson@fws.gov.