Alaska is an exceptional locale for birdwatching. It features diverse habitats – from tundras to forests to fjords to coastal regions – that attract a vast assortment of bird species. With 534 documented species, Alaska chalks up the most bird breeds in the United States. Whether you’re an experienced bird nerd or a curious newbie, birdwatching in Alaska is for everyone.
These tips can help you get the best out of your wilderness birding adventures:
A tour we think you'll love
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Bring a good pair of binoculars and a spotting scope to help see details
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Carry an Alaskan bird field guide
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Consider taking a guided birdwatching tour. Guides on Alaska birding tours are familiar with the area and can help spot uncommon birds
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Birdwatch during the spring and summer. These are ideal seasons to observe migratory birds returning from their wintering habitats
Alaska is a special place where rugged, foreboding-looking terrain actually supports vibrant life. This includes thousands of birds, which makes it an ideal spot for watching awesome avians.
Alaska may look like a barren wilderness, but it’s actually brimming with life. Birds are one of the many species flourishing in the state. If you want to see them up close and personal – or through a trusty pair of binoculars – these are seven of the best birding hotspots in Alaska.
1) Take Wing With Us On An Alaskan Birdwatching Tour!
Calling all birdwatchers! Spread your wings and join Hoonah Travel Adventures for the exciting Chichagof Island Birding and Nature Adventure! Led by guides who are genuine naturalists, the fascinating walking tour through the Tongass National Forest will reveal the best birding in Alaska.
During the three-and-a-half-hour trek, you’ll find yourself gasping at eagles, pigeon guillemots, chickadees, warblers, ducks, seabirds….and maybe even a brown bear! Intrigued? Then contact us and book your Alaska bird watching experience today!
2) Pristine Kenai Fjords National Park
Kenai Fjords National Park is a ruggedly beautiful, 600,000-acre stretch of untainted wilderness outside the harbor town of Seward. Encompassing jagged coastlines and majestic, glacier-topped summits, it was deemed a Protected National Park in 1980. It is also an Important Bird Area, as designated by the Audubon Society.
One-hundred ninety-one bird species have been documented in Kenai Fjords. It’s an excellent birding hotspot with a rich blend of marine and coastal environments that draw a wide range of bird breeds.
Kenai Fjords offers some of the best Alaska bird watching, with a wide variety of birds including:
Horned And Tufted Puffins
Kenai’s rocky cliffs are a haven for horned and tufted puffins. You may also be able to see puffins in areas of the park such as Holgate Glacier and Aialik Bay. These endearing, migratory birds are nicknamed “clowns of the sea” for their neon orange beaks and feet and awkwardness on land. Puffins can impressively pursue their prey to depths up to 200 feet.
Songbirds
In shrub and forested sections of the national park, you may be treated to the sights and serenades of songbirds including the golden-crowned kinglet, Arctic warbler and fox sparrows.
Seabirds
Rocky outcrops and sheer cliffs serve as seabird nesting sites for North American waterfowl, including kittiwakes and raucous common murres. They form seabird colonies, which are large groups of birds that breed and nest together. These colonies can number in the thousands.
Willow Ptarmigan
Alaska’s state bird, the willow ptarmigan is exceptionally well-adapted to the Alaskan seasons. Their plumage changes from drab brown in the summer to snowy white in the winter, allowing them to seasonally meld with their surroundings. These chameleon-like shifts can make the bird difficult – but not impossible – to spot.
Golden Eagles
Large, nimble and lightning fast, golden eagles are raptors (meat-eating birds) that have amazing hunting prowess. Watch them drifting above and then nose-diving for prey. These gorgeous birds will eat small animals such as rabbits, but have been known to take on large livestock including sheep. You’ll have the best chance of seeing these awe-inspiring animals in more rugged areas of Kenai Fjords.
Bald Eagles
Would your heart race at the sight of 10 eagles in a tree? What about several thousand along a tight six-miles of roadway? That’s exactly the phenomenon that will greet you during the Alaska Bald Eagle Festival in Haines.
Held the second week of November, the festival celebrates the largest gathering of eagles in the country. You’ll behold the astonishing sight of 2,000 to 4,000 bald eagles swooping down on the Chilkat River to feast on the late salmon run.
You can also enjoy live music, guided hikes, live raptor demonstrations, educational programs and other festivities with hundreds of other eagle groupies.
Fun fact: The bald eagle’s name isn’t exactly accurate. The moniker actually comes from the Old English word “balde,” meaning white.
3) Scenic Glacier Bay National Park
Located in southeast Alaska west of Juneau, Glacier Bay National Park is a treasure trove of majestic, snow-topped mountains, unspoiled coastline, flourishing wildlife and dramatic glaciers. The national park is embellished with over 30 glaciers. One of the most spectacular and accessible is Margerie Glacier.
Glacier Bay’s varied ecosystems make is a prime spot for birding and wildlife viewing in Alaska. Keep an eye out for a mesmerizing assortment of bird species including:
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Emperor goose – 80 to 90 percent of emperor geese breed along Alaska’s western coast
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Snowy owls – In certain areas of Alaska, under strict conditions, it’s legal to hunt snowy owls
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Rufous hummingbird – These pint-sized powerhouses are a migratory species that arrive in March, nest and leave in mid-August
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Northern hawk owl – A thrill for birdwatchers seeking a close-up view, the northern hawk owl is bold and doesn’t fear humans
Pro tip: The park’s weather is very volatile, so consider wearing a hat, gloves, rain gear, waterproof footwear and dressing in layers made of wool or synthetic material. Also, keep in mind that the region is bear and moose territory, so be sure to take safety precautions.
4) Awe-Inspiring Denali National Park
Located in central Alaska, Denali National Park is a vast, panoramic wilderness region. It showcases breathtaking, scenic views, abundant wildlife and the colossal Denali peak (formerly Mt. McKinley), the highest summit in North America.
It towers above six million acres of wilderness and is one of Alaska’s best spots for sighting many bird species. Look for Arctic warblers, gyrfalcons, northern shrikes and boreal chickadees. You may even spy rare birds including the boreal owl, white-tailed ptarmigan and rusty blackbird.
Unlike other national parks, a single, 90-mile road leads into Denali. However, vehicles are only permitted to drive the first 15 miles. Hop on a shuttle bus, and you can go beyond that point. Try trails near the entrance, including Mount Healy Overlook and Horseshoe Trail, and view exceptional birds including the three-toed woodpecker, trumpeter swan and white-winged crossbill.
Good to know: Like Glacier Bay Park, Denali’s weather can unpredictably fluctuate, so prepare for these shifts.
5) Vast Bering Sea
Covering a vast 890,000 square miles, the Bering Sea is one of the largest in the world. It’s bordered by Alaska to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Russian Far East to the west. Its summers are somewhat cool, but its winters are brutal, with thick ice and heavy snowfall.
The Bering Sea is an exceptional place for the best Alaska birdwatching. A jaw-dropping 40 to 50 million seabirds descend upon it in the summer to breed and raise their babies.
Excellent birdwatching areas in Bering include:
St. Lawrence Island
164 miles west of Nome lies St. Lawrence Island, the sixth largest island in the United States. It’s populated by approximately 1,400 people who live in the northern coastal villages of Savoonga and Gambell. Nesting birds such as puffins, loons, eiders and murres are plentiful there.
If you’re seeking hard-to-find birds, visit Gambell, the town is home to many rare birds, including the gray-streaked flycatcher, red-throated pipit, Pacific swift and white wagtail. Their rarity can add to the thrill of spotting them.
Pro tip: Before you go on birding trips in Gambell, consider the climate. It tends to be windy and wet, and its winters are merciless, with temperatures plunging to -20 degrees.
Pribilof Islands
The Pribilof Islands, located 200 miles north of Unalaska, are a birder’s utopia. Two-hundred forty bird species live there, and approximately two million seabirds nest there yearly.
Bering Land Bridge National Preserve
Serious birdwatchers will want to add the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve to their bucket list. Located on the vast, remote Seward Peninsula, it supports 21 major bird habitats where the avians live, breed, migrate or winter over.
Spring and summer offer plenty of drama: More than 200 species migrate through the area, and thousands start staging for their fall migration.
Fun fact: A particularly impressive National Preserve inhabitant is the Arctic tern. This athletic avian migrates over 44,000 miles a year. In its lifetime, which can be more than 30 years, it flies a distance equivalent to three round trips to the moon.
6) Magnificent Copper River Delta
Copper River Delta is one of the most important habitats in the world for migrating shorebirds. Its 35-mile-wide wetlands are a crucial stopover point for millions of the Pacific Flyway’s migratory birds. The Pacific Flyway is one of four major North American bird migration routes (the Atlantic, Mississippi, Pacific and Central), described as avian superhighways.
For spectacular birdwatching, visit Copper River from late April through mid-May, as millions of birds descend for their migratory stopover. Amazingly, the flocks can sometimes reach a quarter million birds per square mile.
7) The Untamed Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Uniquely located at the northern end of all four North American flyways, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge harbors more than 200 species. Most are migratory and come from six continents and all 50 states. However, some, like the snowy owl, are year-round residents.
As large as South Carolina and embodying vast, stark beauty, the national wildlife refuge offers countless birdwatching opportunities. You may be treated to sightings of a rich array of birds including:
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Snow goose
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King eider
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Spruce grouse
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Alder flycatcher
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Snow bunting
Pro tip: Keep in mind that the refuge lacks roads, established trails, food and facilities. There are no Alaska birding tours in ANWR. Self-reliance, survival skills and careful preparation are a must.
Join Us For A Birdwatching Adventure You’ll Never Forget!
Hoonah Travel Adventures takes birdwatching to an entirely new level in the rugged grandeur of Alaska. From teensy hummingbirds to magnificent eagles, a world of extraordinary avians will open up before you.
Look for your favorite bird, or just enjoy whatever flies your way. You may even glimpse a bear or two! Don’t wait any longer – book your Chichagof Island Birding and Nature Adventure now!