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List of birds of the Aleutian Islands facts for kids

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The avifauna of the Aleutian Islands included 376 species according to Gibson and Byrd (2007), Bird Checklists of the World (Avibase), and the American Ornithological Society (AOS) as of March 2021.

Of them, 44 (12%) are year-round residents and breeders, 26 (7%) migrate to the Aleutians to breed, 18 (5%) migrate to the Aleutians to winter, 6 (2%) are non-breeding summer residents, 37 (10%) are annual through-migrants, 196 (53%) are vagrants of less-than-annual occurrence. The status of the remaining 42 is not noted by either Gibson and Byrd or Avibase. 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 62nd Supplement, published by the AOS. 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 are used to denote the annual and seasonal status of each species reported by Gibson and Byrd (2007), or in the case of "Accidental", noted as such for species added from Avibase:

  • Accidental – one or two records
  • Casual – recorded in less than 30% of years in the appropriate season, but in at least three calendar years
  • Intermittent – recorded in 30% or more 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

Order: Anseriformes   Family: Anatidae

Pheasants, grouse, and allies

Order: Galliformes   Family: Phasianidae

Grebes

Order: Podicipediformes   Family: Podicipedidae

Pigeons and doves

Order: Columbiformes   Family: Columbidae

Cuckoos

Order: Cuculiformes   Family: Cuculidae

  • Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus (intermittent)
  • Oriental cuckoo, Cuculus optatus (casual)

Nightjars

Order: Caprimulgiformes   Family: Caprimulgidae

  • Gray nightjar, Caprimulgus jotaka (accidental)

Swifts

Order: Apodiformes   Family: Apodidae

Hummingbirds

Order: Apodiformes   Family: Trochilidae

Rails, gallinules, and coots

Order: Gruiformes   Family: Rallidae

  • Sora, Porzana carolina (accidental)
  • Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus (accidental)
  • Eurasian Coot, Fulica atra (accidental)
  • American coot, Fulica americana (accidental)

Cranes

Order: Gruiformes   Family: Gruidae

Stilts and avocets

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Recurvirostridae

Oystercatchers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Haematopodidae

  • Eurasian oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus (accidental)
  • Black oystercatcher, Haematopus bachmani (resident*)

Plovers and lapwings

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Charadriidae

Sandpipers and allies

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Scolopacidae

Pratincoles and coursers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Glareolidae

Skuas and jaegers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Stercorariidae

Auks, murres, and puffins

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Alcidae

Gulls, terns, and skimmers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Laridae

Loons

Order: Gaviiformes   Family: Gaviidae

Albatrosses

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Diomedeidae

Northern storm-petrels

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Hydrobatidae

Shearwaters and petrels

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Procellariidae

Frigatebirds

Order: Suliformes   Family: Fregatidae

Boobies and gannets

Order: Suliformes   Family: Sulidae

Cormorants and shags

Order: Suliformes   Family: Phalacrocoracidae

Herons, egrets, and bitterns

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Ardeidae

Osprey

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Pandionidae

  • Osprey, Pandion haliaetus (accidental)

Hawks, eagles, and kites

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Accipitridae

Owls

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Strigidae

Kingfishers

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Alcedinidae

Woodpeckers

Order: Piciformes   Family: Picidae

Falcons and caracaras

Order: Falconiformes   Family: Falconidae

Tyrant flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Tyrannidae

Vireos, shrike-babblers, and erpornis

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Vireonidae

Shrikes

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Laniidae

  • Brown shrike, Lanius cristatus (accidental)
  • Northern shrike, Lanius borealis (casual or intermittent)

Crows, jays, and magpies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Corvidae

Tits, chickadees, and titmice

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Paridae

Larks

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Alaudidae

Grassbirds and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Locustellidae

  • Middendorff's grasshopper warbler, Helopsaltes ochotensis (casual)
  • Lanceolated warbler, Locustella lanceolata (casual or accidental)

Swallows

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Hirundinidae

Leaf warblers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Phylloscopidae

Kinglets

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Regulidae

Waxwings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Bombycillidae

Nuthatches

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sittidae

Wrens

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Troglodytidae

Mockingbirds and thrashers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Mimidae

Starlings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sturnidae

Dippers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Cinclidae

Thrushes and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Turdidae

Old World flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Muscicapidae

Accentors

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Prunellidae

Wagtails and pipits

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Motacillidae

Finches, euphonias, and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Fringillidae

Longspurs and snow buntings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Calcariidae

Old World buntings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Emberizidae

  • Pine bunting, Emberiza leucocephalos (casual or accidental)
  • Little bunting, Emberiza pusilla (casual)
  • Rustic bunting, Emberiza rustica (intermittent)
  • Yellow-throated bunting, Emberiza elegans (accidental)
  • Yellow-breasted bunting, Emberiza aureola (casual)
  • Gray bunting, Emberiza variabilis (casual)
  • Pallas's bunting, Emberiza pallasi (accidental)
  • Reed bunting, Emberiza schoeniclus (casual)

New World sparrows

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Passerellidae

Troupials and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Icteridae

New World warblers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Parulidae

Cardinals and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Cardinalidae

See also

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