######## ![](media/image1.png){width="1.6875in" height="1.4930555555555556in"}

######## **[U.S. Shorebird]{.smallcaps}** 

######## **[Conservation Plan]{.smallcaps}**

##### **[A Conservation Plan for Alaska Shorebirds]{.smallcaps}** 

#### Version 1.0

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height="2.709722222222222in"}

Prepared by

####### Alaska Shorebird Working Group

Coordinated by

> [Brad A. Andres Robert E. Gill, Jr.]{.smallcaps}
>
> [Migratory Bird Management Alaska Biological Science
> Center]{.smallcaps}
>
> [U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Geological Survey]{.smallcaps}
>
> [1011 East Tudor Road 1011 East Tudor Road]{.smallcaps}
>
> [Anchorage, Alaska 99503]{.smallcaps} [Anchorage, Alaska
> 99503]{.smallcaps}

## 

[March 2000]{.smallcaps}

## Table of Contents

List of Tables iii

List of Figures iii

List of Appendices iii

Executive Summary iv

Acknowledgments v

Suggested Citation v

Introduction 1

Shorebirds in Alaska 2

The Planning Unit - Alaska and Alaska Bird Conservation Regions 5

Shorebird Species Priorities in Alaska 11

Shorebird Conservation Issues in Alaska 15

Shorebird Conservation Goals and Objectives for Alaska 19

Implementation and Coordination 23

Immediate Priority Projects for Shorebirds in Alaska 23

Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network Sites in Alaska 24

Literature Cited 27

## List of Tables

> Table 1. Percent of shorebird populations, relative to estimated North
> American population size, found in Alaska as either migrants or
> breeders. 4
>
> Table 2. Seasonal distribution of shorebird species of high
> conservation concern in different Bird Conservation Regions in Alaska.
> 9
>
> Table 3. Seasonal habitat associations of Alaska's high priority
> shorebirds. Habitat classification after Kessel (1979). 14
>
> Table 4. Conservation issues affecting shorebirds among Bird
> Conservation Regions of
>
> Alaska. 15

## List of Figures

Figure 1. Bird Conservation Regions, and subregions, of Alaska (based on
the scheme of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation 1998). 7

Figure 2. Location of potential Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve
Network sites in Alaska. See Appendix 7 for site details. 25

## List of Appendices

Appendix 1. Wintering areas of shorebirds that commonly breed in or
migrate through

Alaska. A-1

Appendix 2. Shorebirds uncommon to Alaska. A-3

Appendix 3. State and federal conservation units within Bird
Conservation Regions of

Alaska. A-4

Appendix 4. Variables and criteria used in National and Regional
shorebird species

prioritization processes. A-6

Appendix 5. Prioritization scores and distribution by Bird Conservation
Region of shorebirds regularly occurring in Alaska. A-11

Appendix 6. Breeding and staging/stopover habitat preferences of Alaska
shorebirds. A-13

Appendix 7. Sites within Alaska Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs) that
potentially qualify for inclusion within the Western Hemisphere
Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN). See Figure 2 for site locations. .
A-16

## Executive Summary

Because of its size and northerly position, Alaska provides breeding
habitat for more shorebird species than any other state in the U.S.
Seventy-one species of shorebirds have occurred in Alaska; 37 of them,
including several unique Beringian species and Old World subspecies,
regularly breed in the region. Most of these species migrate south of
the U.S.-Mexico border and a third migrate to South America or Oceania.
Concentrations of shorebirds at several coastal staging and migratory
stopover sites exceed one million birds; on the Copper River Delta
alone, five to eight million shorebirds stop to forage and rest each
spring.

Using the species prioritization process developed for the U.S. National
Shorebird Plan, we identified 14 taxa of shorebirds as species of high
concern in Alaska. All species of concern tend to have small global
population sizes and/or limited breeding distributions. Seasonal
occurrence of priority species was examined within the geographic
context of Alaska's six Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). Most priority
species, particularly breeding species, occur in the Western Alaska BCR.
Southern regions (Cook Inlet and the Northern Pacific Rainforest BCRs)
are primarily used by shorebirds during migration and winter. The
Aleutian/Bering Sea Islands BCR is also an important wintering area for
shorebirds.

Alaska's overall size and the size of its Bird Conservation Regions
dictate that conservation considerations for shorebirds generally be
framed within a landscape context. Except for the Arctic
Plains/Mountains and Cook Inlet, where habitat for breeding shorebirds
is being lost, most other shorebird habitats in Alaska remain relatively
intact. The main threats to shorebirds in Alaska come from drilling,
transport, and refining of oil and natural gas, especially in the Cook
Inlet, Northern Pacific Rainforest, and Arctic Plains/Mountains BCRs.

It is unlikely that at anytime in the near future habitat will be
deliberately manipulated to manage shorebirds in Alaska as it is
elsewhere in the U.S. and Canada. Thus, an overall conservation goal for
shorebirds in Alaska is to keep species and their habitats well
distributed across not only the Alaska landscape, but also regions used
by these same populations during other phases of their annual cycles.
This will be achieved through a subset of goals and objectives specific
to several major components of the Alaska Shorebird Conservation Plan
that focus on population and habitat, research, and education/outreach.
Specific actions for each component will be formulated during the first
year following adoption of the plan. Biological elements of the plan
will be based on well-designed, cost-effective, and well-coordinated
efforts.

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## Acknowledgments

Brad A. Andres, Chair of the Alaska Shorebird Working Group, extends
appreciation and thanks to all members who contributed their time and
expertise to produce this plan. Their hard work and dedication have made
this very important endeavor possible. Thanks also to all agencies and
organizations that cooperated in this effort: Alaska Department of Fish
and Game (ADF&G), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), National Park Service
(NPS), Troy Ecological Research Associates (TERA), U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and U.S.
Geological Survey - Biological Resources Division (USGS-BRD). George
West graciously provided the artwork.

The following individuals contributed to the development, writing, and
editing of this plan: Brad Andres (USFWS), Phil Bruner (BYU, Hawaii),
Vern Byrd (USFWS), Paul Cotter (USFWS), Bob Gill (USGS-BRD), Colleen
Handel (USGS-BRD), Chris Harwood (USFWS), Heather Johnson-Schultz
(USWFS), Brian McCaffery (USFWS), Lee Tibbitts (USGS-BRD), Declan Troy
(TERA), and Kent Wohl (USFWS).

## Suggested Citation

This document should be cited as:

Alaska Shorebird Working Group. 2000. A Conservation Plan for Alaska
Shorebirds. Unpublished report, Alaska Shorebird Working Group.
Available through U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird
Management, Anchorage, Alaska. 47 pp.

The U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan and the Regional Conservation Plans
can be viewed and downloaded at: http://www.manomet.org/USSCP/

Alaska Regional Plan Coordinators:

Brad A. Andres Robert E. Gill, Jr.

Migratory Bird Management Alaska Biological Science Center

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Geological Survey

1011 East Tudor Road 1011 East Tudor Road

Anchorage, Alaska 99503 Anchorage, Alaska 99503

\(907\) 786-3378 (907) 786-3514

Email: <brad_andres@fws.gov> Email: <robert_gill@usgs.gov>

Comments concerning this report should be sent to Brad A. Andres.

## Introduction

Shorebirds are among the world's most impressive avian migrants. Some
species that nest in remote, high-arctic regions undertake annual,
one-way migrations of over 10,000 miles. To complete these long-distance
flights, most species rely on sites along the way where they stop to
rest and replenish fat reserves to fuel the next leg of their migration.
At many of these sites, particularly coastal ones, shorebirds can be
found in concentrations that number in the millions of individuals. That
many species fly such distances only to spend a few short months nesting
and raising their young in inaccessible and often harsh northern regions
only adds to the human fascination with this group of birds.

Shorebirds as a group are generally associated with water, and probably
no other cover type in temperate North America has been and continues to
be affected more by human perturbations than wetlands. The landscape of
North America has been markedly altered through the loss of large
expanses of estuarine, brackish, or freshwater wetlands. Not
surprisingly then is the increasing awareness that shorebird populations
throughout much of North America are in decline. Indeed, of the 72
species and subspecies of shorebirds addressed in the U.S. and Canada
National Shorebird Plans, almost half (49%) have experienced apparent
population declines since 1970; for half of these taxa (*n* = 17) the
declines are statistically significant. For many of these species,
outright loss of habitat is the cause of their population decline; for
others, it is less clear what factors are responsible for the observed
declines. What is known is that any adversity shorebirds face during one
phase of their annual cycle will likely manifest itself during
subsequent phases of that cycle. Therefore, the ability to identify and
assess changes in shorebird populations, especially among those species
migrating throughout the Western Hemisphere, requires well-coordinated
national and international efforts.

The impetus for the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan came from
heightened awareness of problems facing migratory birds in general and
from several recent national and international conservation initiatives
focusing on migratory songbirds and waterfowl. Although shorebirds have
long been afforded protection under North American laws and treaties,
such strictures have largely been ineffective in preventing declines in
their populations brought about primarily through loss of habitat. What
is needed are greater efforts to conserve habitat and increase knowledge
of shorebird biology. Such active conservation will halt the decline of
many species and keep common species common. The vision of the U. S.
Shorebird Conservation Plan, therefore, is to ensure that stable and
self-sustaining populations of all shorebirds are distributed throughout
their range and among a diversity of habitats across the Western
Hemisphere.

To be effective, the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan must address
shorebird conservation needs across each species' range and throughout
the annual cycle. To accomplish this goal the U.S. Shorebird
Conservation Plan has been developed around 12 geographical units, the
same units being used for other migratory bird conservation plans
throughout North America. Alaska constitutes 1 of these 12 units.
Working with the national component of the U.S. Shorebird Conservation
Plan, each of the 12 regional working groups is charged with compiling
information and making conservation recommendations for its respective
region. These recommendations, though based on regional needs, are
expected to reflect annual cycle needs of species and as such will
involve conservation actions across regions, countries, and in many
cases hemispheres.

The Alaska Shorebird Working Group (AKSWG) developed the Alaska
Shorebird Conservation Plan presented here. The AKSWG was formed in 1997
to raise the visibility of shorebirds in Alaska, achieve consensus on
needed conservation actions, and exchange information on issues,
research findings, and education. The group meets annually and interacts
throughout the year via an e-mail network; a report of the activities of
AKSWG members is produced and distributed annually (for information,
contact Heather_Johnson@fws.gov).

Academic and private researchers, federal and state agency staff,
conservation organizations, and shorebird enthusiasts have accumulated
data and impressions about Alaska's shorebirds for more than half a
century. The Alaska Shorebird Conservation Plan is based on that wealth
of information and on the expertise of shorebird biologists and
enthusiasts from around the state. This plan provides the framework and
background for conservation planning for shorebirds in Alaska. Large
gaps in our knowledge of Alaska's shorebirds, however, exist. As new
information becomes available, it will be incorporated into periodic
revisions of the plan.

## Shorebirds in Alaska

Seventy-one species of shorebirds have been recorded in Alaska
(Appendices 1 and 2). Of these, 46 species have been documented
breeding; 37 species are regular breeders and 9 species are irregular
breeders or breed in small numbers (Gill et al. 1994, Gill and Senner
1996). Shorebirds generally use a variety of open habitats for breeding,
but are mostly found along coastal habitats during staging and migratory
stopovers. Twenty-three species nest only on coastal or alpine tundra in
arctic and subarctic regions. Population sizes of migrant and breeding
shorebirds in Alaska range from a few thousand to several million (Table
1).

The 71 species of shorebirds that occur in Alaska represent fully
one-third of the world's shorebird species. That such diversity occurs
in a relatively small portion of the globe is primarily the result of
Alaska's placement relative to Asia and the series of paleogeographic
changes that shaped the region's landcover and avifauna (Kessel and
Gibson 1978**)**. Alaska is relatively far north with \>80% of the
state's landmass north of 60°N. In this region, tundra and taiga
landscapes dominate, and shorebirds, more so than any other group of
birds, have evolved and radiated. The same processes operating in Alaska
also occurred over a large portion of northeast Asia that was connected
intermittently with the North American landmass via the Bering Land
Bridge. The shorebirds that evolved in this part of Asia are frequently
seen in Alaska as accidental and casual visitors, or occasionally as
breeders, as are many Alaska species in the Russian Far East (see Kessel
and Gibson 1978**)**.

As a result of these geologic and evolutionary processes, the list of
shorebird taxa restricted wholly or in large part to Alaska is indeed
impressive (Table 1). For example, most of the world's populations of
three species (Bristle-thighed Curlew, Black Turnstone and Western
Sandpiper) and five subspecies (Dunlin *C. a. pacifica* and *C. a.
arcticola*; Rock Sandpiper *C. p. ptilocnemis* and *C. p. couesi*; and
Short-billed Dowitcher *L. g. caurinus*) occur entirely within Alaska.
For yet other forms, such as Surfbird and a subspecies of Rock Sandpiper
(*C. p. tschuktschorum*), as much as 75% of the world's breeding
population occurs in Alaska. Equally impressive is the large proportion
of North American populations of several other taxa that occur in
Alaska. These include Black Oystercatcher, Pacific Golden-Plover,
Wandering Tattler, Whimbrel (*N. p. rufiventris*), Bar-tailed Godwit
(*L. l. baueri*), and Red Knot (*C. c. roselaari*).

Shorebirds that breed in Alaska use numerous flyways enroute to
wintering grounds in Australia, New Zealand, Central and South Pacific
Islands, Southeast Asia, southern Canada, the contiguous U. S., and
Central and South America (Boland 1991, Gill et al. 1994, Gill and
Senner 1996; Appendix 1). Of 43 recognized shorebird taxa regularly
occurring in Alaska, some portion of the populations of 38 of these
spend the winter outside the U.S.; entire populations of 16 migrate to
South American or Oceanic countries (Gill and Senner 1996). Only six
species remain in Alaska in any numbers during winter (Black
Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, Surfbird, Sanderling, Rock Sandpiper,
and Dunlin).

Spring and fall concentrations of shorebirds at coastal
staging/migratory stopover sites in Alaska are impressive. The Copper
River Delta, Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, and lagoons on the north side of the
Alaska Peninsula each annually support millions of migrant shorebirds.
Numerous estuaries elsewhere along the coast of Alaska annually support
\>100,000 migrant shorebirds. The majority of the populations of several
species can be found at a few Alaska sites during certain periods of the
annual cycle.

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Table 1. Percent of shorebird populations, relative to estimated North
American population size, found in Alaska as either migrants or
breeders.

  ----------------- ----------------- ----------- -------------------- ----------------- --------
                                                                                         

  Taxon             North America^1^  \% in       Taxon                North America     \% in
                                      Alaska^2^                                          Alaska

                                                                                         

  Black-bellied     \>140,000         \>25        Sanderling           200,000-450,000   \<10
  Plover                                                                                 

  American          \>150,000         25-50       Semipalmated         3-4 million,      \>25
  Golden-Plover                                   Sandpiper                              

  Pacific           \~16,000          100         Western Sandpiper    2.8-4.3 million   100
  Golden-Plover                                                                          

  Semipalmated      \>124,000         \>25        Least Sandpiper      300,000-900,000   25-50
  Plover                                                                                 

  Killdeer          0.2-2.0 million   \<1         White-rumped         300,000-500,000   \<5
                                                  Sandpiper                              

  Black             6,900-10,800      \>60        Baird's Sandpiper    140,000-300,000   5-15
  Oystercatcher                                                                          

  Greater           \>83,000          25-50       Pectoral Sandpiper   350,000-400,000   30-50
  Yellowlegs                                                                             

  Lesser Yellowlegs 300,000-800,000   25-50       Sharp-tailed         10,000-30,000     \>95
                                                  Sandpiper                              

  Solitary          25,000-150,000    \>25        Rock Sandpiper       20,000-30,000     100
  Sandpiper                                       (*ptilocnemis*)                        

  Wandering Tattler 10,000-25,000     \>50        Rock Sandpiper       \~75,000          100
                                                  (*couesi*)                             

  Spotted Sandpiper 50,000-250,000    10-30       Rock Sandpiper       \~50,000          \>75
                                                  (*tschuktschorum*)                     

  Upland Sandpiper  \>350,000         \<5         Dunlin (*pacifica*)  \~550,000         100

  Whimbrel          \<50,000          \>80        Dunlin (*arcticola*) \<750,000         100
  (*rufiventris*)                                                                        

  Bristle-thighed   7,500-11,800      100         Stilt Sandpiper      50,000-200,000    5-10
  Curlew                                                                                 

  Hudsonian Godwit  \<50,000          \<25        Buff-breasted        15,000-20,000     10-30
                                                  Sandpiper                              

  Bar-tailed Godwit \~100,000         100         Short-billed         \~150,000         100
  (*baueri*)                                      Dowitcher                              
                                                  (*caurinus*)                           

  Marbled Godwit    1,000-3,000       100         Long-billed          250,000-750,000   40-60
  (*beringiae*)                                   Dowitcher                              

  Ruddy Turnstone   25,000-90,000     20-40       Common Snipe         1-3 million       25-50
  (*interpres*)                                                                          

  Black Turnstone   61,000-99,000     100         Red-necked Phalarope 1-3 million       20-40

  Surfbird          50,000-100,000    \>75        Red Phalarope        1-2.5 million     10-30

  Red Knot          84,000-136,000    30-50                                              
  (*roselaari*)                                                                          

                                                                                         
  ----------------- ----------------- ----------- -------------------- ----------------- --------

^1^ Size estimates from Morrison et al. (2000). See same for accuracy
classification of each estimate.

^2^ From Gill and Senner (1996) and Alaska Shorebird Working Group.

## The Planning Unit - Alaska and Alaska Bird Conservation Regions

# The Alaska Environment

Alaska encompasses more than 574,179 square-miles (\~1.5 million km^2^),
representing an area one-fifth the size of the contiguous United States.
The region spans more than 20 degrees of latitude (51° to 71°N) and 57
degrees of longitude (130°W to 172°E), and is contained within almost
34,000 miles (55,000 km) of shoreline. The Yukon River, the third
longest river in the U.S., flows through 1,875 miles of Alaska and
drains a watershed encompassing over half (330,000 square-miles) of the
state. Broad, shallow rivers and associated valleys are dominant
features of Alaska's interior landscape, but equally prominent are
numerous mountain ranges that criss-cross the state. For example, 9 of
the 16 tallest peaks in North America occur within the Wrangell-St.
Elias Mountains bordering the North Gulf of Alaska. The continent's
highest peak, Mount McKinley (20,320 feet), is part of the Alaska Range
that arcs across Southcentral Alaska to the base of the Alaska
Peninsula. The periphery of the mostly mountainous interior of the state
is a mixture of expansive coastal wetlands and riverine deltas, the
extent of which exceeds that of all such habitat in the contiguous
United States. Permafrost occurs throughout most of the state and is
continuous north of the Arctic Circle. Finally, Alaska has over 40
active volcanoes, mostly along the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian
Islands, and more than 100,000 glaciers, which cover 5% of its land
area.

Alaska's climate varies markedly by region. The maritime influence of
the Gulf of Alaska brings warm winters, cool summers, heavy
precipitation, and constant wind to most of southeastern Alaska. In
contrast, interior Alaska has warm summers, very cold winters, little
wind, and light precipitation. Cool summers, cold winters, moderate
winds, and light precipitation are typical of western and northwestern
Alaska. Periods of over two months of continuous darkness in winter and
continuous sunlight in summer characterize northern Alaska.

The diversity of physiographic features has shaped an equally diverse
assemblage of landcovers (Bailey et al. 1994) but, as is typical of
northern ecoregions, biotic communities are generally of low species
richness. For example, only 128 species of trees and shrubs are known
from Alaska (Viereck and Little 1972). Vegetation across Alaska ranges
from temperate rain forests in the southeast to high arctic tundra in
the north.

Two-thirds of Alaska is publicly owned (Duffy et al. 1999; Appendix 3).
Of the nation's conservation lands, the two largest National Forests,
nine of the ten largest National Parks and Preserves, and 83% of all
National Wildlife Refuge lands occur in Alaska. In northern Alaska the
Bureau of Land Management administers the 37,000 square-mile National
Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. Glacier Bay and Wrangell-St. Elias National
parks in the U.S., and adjacent Kluane National Park and
Tatshenshini-Alsek Wilderness Provincial Park in Canada, form the
largest contiguous protected wilderness on the globe.

The human population of Alaska has doubled from 302,583 people in 1970
to 615,900 people in 1995, yet the state remains one of the least
populated areas of North America with an average density of slightly
more than one person per square mile. Nonetheless, a few major
population centers exist, including Anchorage, where 42% of all Alaskans
resided as of 1998. Outlying areas near Anchorage, including the Kenai
Peninsula and Matanuska-Susitna Borough, support another quarter of the
state's population. Indigenous people constitute about 15% of the
state's population.

Oil and gas development is the major revenue-producing industry in
Alaska and is concentrated in Cook Inlet and on the Arctic Coastal
Plain. In 1996, the State of Alaska received \$1.87 billion in royalties
from oil extracted from its lands. Alaska leads the country in oil
production. In 1995, for example, 541.6 million barrels of oil came from
Alaska oil fields, the largest of which is Prudhoe Bay on the North
Slope. Oil development and its supporting infrastructure are major
concerns for shorebird conservation in Alaska.

Alaska's current growth industry is tourism. In 1995, for example, 1.1
million visitors spent \$750 million in the state. Within the past five
years, the number of visitors to the state's capitol, Juneau, has
increased by 50,000 per year. Ecotourism in general and bird-watching
tours in particular, are also increasing in popularity throughout
Alaska. Shorebird festivals have become important to two regional
economies, those of Cordova and Homer.

**Bird Conservation Regions**

State, provincial, federal, and non-governmental organizations from
Canada, Mexico and the U.S. met in Puebla, Mexico, in November 1998, to
adopt an ecological framework that would facilitate coordinated
conservation planning, implementation, and evaluation of major bird
conservation initiatives. The scheme adopted by the group was based on
the Commission for Environmental Cooperation's (1998) hierarchical
framework of nested ecological units. From these, five Bird Conservation
Regions (BCRs) were designated within Alaska (Figure 1). These roughly
follow the Biogeographic Regions previously defined for the state by
Kessel and Gibson (1978). The Alaska Shorebird Conservation Plan is
drafted within the context of these five major BCRs. However, because
shorebird resources and issues in Cook Inlet differ markedly from those
elsewhere in the NW Interior Forest BCR, we treat Cook Inlet as a
separate BCR. Following are descriptions of each BRC and the subregions
therein; more detailed descriptions are provided in Gallant et al.
(1995).

*Arctic Plains and Mountains (BCR 1)*

This 93,000-square-mile region includes low-lying, coastal tundra and
drier uplands of the Arctic Foothills of the Brooks Range. Subregions
include: 1A) Arctic Coastal Plain, and 1B) Arctic Foothills and north
slope of the Brooks Range. It extends from the Alaska-Canada border at
Demarcation Point westward and southward to the mouth of the Noatak
River.

Because of thick, continuous permafrost, surface water dominates the
landscape (20-50% of the land surface on the coastal plain). Freezing
and thawing form a patterned mosaic of polygonal ridges and ponds.
Several rivers (e.g., Colville River) bisect the plain and flow into the
Arctic Ocean. Barrow, a city lying on the Arctic Ocean, experiences 67
days of darkness in the winter and 84 days of continuous sunlight in the
summer. The ocean surface, except for leads, is frozen 9 to 10 months a
year, and the ice pack is never far from shore.

![](media/image5.wmf){width="6.102777777777778in"
height="4.773611111111111in"}

Figure 1. Bird Conservation Regions, and subregions, of Alaska (based on
the scheme of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation 1998).

Because of the large amount of surface water, waterfowl and shorebirds
dominate the breeding avian community. The most abundant breeding
shorebirds on the coastal plain include American Golden-Plover, Dunlin,
Semipalmated Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, and Red Phalarope. Few bird
species winter in the region. Old World shorebird species penetrate the
region from the west (e.g., Bar-tailed Godwit) and shorebird species
regularly breeding in the Canadian Arctic penetrate from the east (e.g.,
White-rumped Sandpiper and Sanderling).

*Western Alaska (BCR 2)*

This large, 113,000-square-mile region consists of the coastal plain and
mountains of western and southwestern mainland Alaska. Subregions
include: 2A) Subarctic Coastal Plain and Seward Peninsula, 2B) Ahklun
and Kilbuck Mountains and Bristol Bay-Nushagak Lowlands, and 2C) Alaska
Peninsula Mountains.

Permafrost is continuous except in southern parts of the region. Sea
cliffs are present, as are mountains that exceed 3,300 feet in
elevation. Volcanic peaks up to 8,500 feet are found along the Alaska
Peninsula. Wet and mesic graminoid herbaceous communities dominate the
lowlands and numerous ponds, lakes, and rivers dot the landscape. Tall
shrub communities are found along rivers and streams and low shrub
communities occupy uplands; forests of spruce and/or hardwoods penetrate
the region on the eastern edge and approach the coast along major
rivers. The amount of intertidal habitat associated with the numerous
river deltas of this region far exceeds that of any other region of
Alaska.

Western Alaska has a unique breeding shorebird component (Table 2) that
is largely restricted to Beringia (e.g., Pacific Golden-Plover,
Bristle-thighed Curlew, Black Turnstone, and Western Sandpiper). Several
Old World species also regularly breed in or migrate through this region
(e.g., Sharp-tailed Sandpiper). High densities of breeding waterfowl and
shorebirds are found on the coastal plain of the Yukon and Kuskokwim
rivers. Intertidal habitats in this area and along the north side of the
Alaska Peninsula support millions of shorebirds during migration, mostly
sandpiper species such as Dunlin, Western Sandpiper, and Red Knot (Gill
and Jorgensen 1979, Gill and Handel 1981, 1990).

*Aleutian/Bering Sea Islands (BCR 3)*

Included in this relatively small region (7,000 square miles) are the
Aleutian Islands and the Bering Sea islands (i.e., Pribilofs, St.
Matthew, Hall, St. Lawrence, and Little Diomede). The Aleutian Islands
are volcanic in origin and extend westward from the Alaskan mainland for
1,100 miles.

Climate in the region is maritime and wind is ever present**.** Unlike
in the Aleutian Islands, which are free of permafrost and unaffected by
sea ice in winter, both processes are important features of islands in
the northern portion of this BCR. Vegetation at higher elevations
consists of dwarf shrub communities, mainly willow (*Salix* spp.) and
crowberry (*Empetrum nigrum*). Meadows and marshes of herbs, sedges, and
grasses are plentiful and ericaceous bogs occur on several islands.

Seabirds are a dominant component of this region's avifauna and several
species breed only in this region. Breeding diversity of shorebirds is
relatively low; primary species include the Black Oystercatcher, Dunlin,
Ruddy Turnstone, and Rock Sandpiper. Numerous Old World species are
regular migrants or visitants, and some of these regularly breed in the
region in small numbers (e.g., Common Ringed Plover, Wood Sandpiper).
Rock Sandpipers of three races occur on islands within the region.

*Northwestern Interior Forest (BCR 4)*

This BCR is an extensive (283,000 square miles) patchwork of ecoregions.
Subregions include: 4A) Interior Highlands and Ogilvie Mountains, 4B)
Interior Forested Lowlands and Uplands, Interior Bottomlands, and Yukon
Flats, 4C) Alaska Range, Wrangell Mountains, and Copper Plateau, and 4D)
Cook Inlet.

In the interior, winters are cold and summers are warm. In Fairbanks,
for example, average minimum monthly temperatures in winter range
between -17 and -5°F, while in summer average

Table 2. Seasonal distribution of shorebird species of high conservation
concern in different Bird Conservation Regions in Alaska.^1^

<table>
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 16%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td colspan="2"><p>Arctic Plains/</p>
<p>Mountains</p></td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">Western Alaska</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">NW Interior Forests</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="3">Aleutian/Bering Sea Islands</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="3">Cook Inlet</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="3"><p>Northern</p>
<p>Pacific Rainforests</p></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Species</td>
<td>B</td>
<td>M</td>
<td></td>
<td>B</td>
<td>M</td>
<td></td>
<td>B</td>
<td>M</td>
<td></td>
<td>B</td>
<td>M</td>
<td>W</td>
<td></td>
<td>B</td>
<td>M</td>
<td>W</td>
<td></td>
<td>B</td>
<td>M</td>
<td>W</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Pacific Golden-Plover</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><h4 id="section-2"></h4></td>
<td><h4 id="b">B</h4></td>
<td><h4 id="m">M</h4></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td>m</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Black Oystercatcher</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><h4 id="section-3"></h4></td>
<td><h4 id="b-1">B</h4></td>
<td>W</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><h3 id="section-4"></h3></td>
<td><h3 id="b-2">B</h3></td>
<td></td>
<td><h3 id="w">W</h3></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><h3 id="section-5"></h3></td>
<td><h3 id="b-3">B</h3></td>
<td></td>
<td><h3 id="w-1">W</h3></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Wandering Tattler</td>
<td>b</td>
<td></td>
<td><h3 id="section-6"></h3></td>
<td><h3 id="b-4">B</h3></td>
<td></td>
<td><h3 id="section-7"></h3></td>
<td><h3 id="b-5">B</h3></td>
<td><h3 id="section-8"></h3></td>
<td></td>
<td>b</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td>b</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td>B</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Whimbrel</td>
<td>B</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td>B</td>
<td><h3 id="m-1">M</h3></td>
<td></td>
<td>B</td>
<td>m</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><h3 id="m-2">M</h3></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td>m</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Bristle-thighed Curlew</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><h3 id="section-9"></h3></td>
<td><h3 id="b-6">B</h3></td>
<td><h3 id="m-3">M</h3></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Hudsonian Godwit</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><h3 id="section-10"></h3></td>
<td><h3 id="b-7">B</h3></td>
<td><h3 id="m-4">M</h3></td>
<td></td>
<td>b</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><h3 id="section-11"></h3></td>
<td><h3 id="b-8">B</h3></td>
<td><h3 id="m-5">M</h3></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Bar-tailed Godwit</td>
<td><h3 id="b-9">B</h3></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><strong>B</strong></td>
<td><strong>M</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Marbled Godwit<sup>2</sup></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><h3 id="section-12"></h3></td>
<td><h3 id="b-10">B</h3></td>
<td><h3 id="m-6">M</h3></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><strong>M</strong></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Black Turnstone</td>
<td>b</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><strong>B</strong></td>
<td><strong>M</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><h3 id="m-7">M</h3></td>
<td>w</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Surfbird</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td>B</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td>B</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td>B</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><h3 id="m-8">M</h3></td>
<td>w</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Rock Sandpiper</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><h3 id="section-13"></h3></td>
<td><h3 id="b-11">B</h3></td>
<td><h3 id="m-9">M</h3></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><h3 id="section-14"></h3></td>
<td><h3 id="b-12">B</h3></td>
<td></td>
<td><h3 id="w-2">W</h3></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><h3 id="w-3">W</h3></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><h3 id="w-4">W</h3></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Dunlin<sup>3</sup></td>
<td><h3 id="b-13">B</h3></td>
<td><h3 id="m-10">M</h3></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><h3 id="m-11">M</h3></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td>m</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Buff-breasted Sandpiper</td>
<td><h3 id="b-14">B</h3></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Short-billed Dowitcher<sup>4</sup></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><strong>B</strong></td>
<td><strong>M</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td>B</td>
<td>M</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td>B</td>
<td>M</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Total number of species</td>
<td>6</td>
<td>1</td>
<td></td>
<td>12</td>
<td>11</td>
<td></td>
<td>4</td>
<td>1</td>
<td></td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td></td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>1</td>
<td></td>
<td>3</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>4</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

^1^ B = breeding, M = migration, and W = wintering. B, M, W = common or
locally abundant; region is important to the species. **B**, **M**,
**W** =. large concentrations or absolute numbers; area of high
importance. b, m, w = uncommon to fairly common; region is within
species\' range but species occurs in low abundance relative to other
regions. See Appendix 4 for more detailed definitions of categories.

^2^ Includes only the subspecies *Limosa fedoa beringiae*.

^3^ Includes only the subspecies *Calidris alpina arcticola*.

^4^ Includes only the subspecies *Limnodromus griseus caurinus*.

monthly maximum temperatures range between 55 and 72°F. Because of a
moderating maritime influence, the Cook Inlet subregion differs markedly
from the rest of the interior in climate. Primarily for this reason, but
also because of markedly different seasonal needs of shorebirds
occurring there, special consideration is given to Cook Inlet (see
below).

Much of the interior BCR is a mosaic of vegetation communities, but
mostly of different types of forest that have arisen from the interplay
of elevation, aspect, permafrost, surface water, and fire. Needleleaf,
deciduous, and mixed forests are all represented. Dominated species
include white spruce (*Picea glauca*), black spruce (*P. mariana*),
poplars (*Populus* sp.), and paper birch (*Betula papyrifera*). Tall
shrub communities occur along rivers, drainages, and near treeline.
Bogs, consisting of low shrubs and shrub-graminoid communities, are
common in the lowlands. Alpine dwarf shrub communities are common in
Interior Highlands and throughout mountainous regions; highest
elevations are generally devoid of vegetation.

Many bird species are shared among the subregions of this vast BCR.
Lowlands support many species of migrating and breeding waterfowl and
breeding shorebirds (e.g., Greater and Lesser yellowlegs, Solitary and
Spotted sandpipers, and Common Snipe). American Golden-Plovers and
Surfbirds are found in alpine habitats in the Interior Highland and
mountainous ecoregions (Johnson and Connors 1996, Senner and McCaffery
1997).

[Cook Inlet]{.underline} --- Because of a strong maritime influence, the
climate of the Cook Inlet subregion is mild relative to the rest of
interior Alaska. In Anchorage, which borders the Inlet, average monthly
minimum temperatures in winter range between 6 and 13°F; in summer
average monthly maximum temperatures range between 55 and 62°F. The
terrestrial communities within the Cook Inlet region are similar to
those elsewhere in the Northwestern Interior Forest BCR with the
exception of the vast expanses of intertidal habitats in Cook Inlet.
These habitats are a major spring stopover site for Western Sandpipers
and Dunlins and are also a primary wintering site for the nominate form
of Rock Sandpiper (*C*. *p. ptilocnemis*). Significant numbers of Long-
and Short-billed dowitchers and Hudsonian Godwits use upper Cook Inlet
during migration (Gill and Tibbitts 1999). Two-thirds of Alaska's human
population reside in the Cook Inlet subregion.

*Northern Pacific Rainforest (BCR 5)*

The coastal rainforest BCR encompasses 64,500 square miles and extends
from extreme southern Alaska to the western Gulf of Alaska. Heavy
precipitation and mild temperatures typical of a maritime climate
characterize the region. Subregions include: 5A) Coastal Hemlock-Spruce
Forests, and 5B) Pacific Coastal Mountains.

The region's stark, rugged features are a result of intense Pleistocene
glaciation, remnants of which still cover much of the adjacent interior
lands. The terrain in this BCR is generally steep, sloping from sea
level up to 3,300 feet, but the coastline is frequently broken by large
floodplains, alluvial fans, outwash plains, and river deltas. Needleleaf
forests of Western Hemlock (*Tsuga heterophylla*) and Sitka Spruce
(*Picea sitchensis*) dominate the region. Broadleaf forests mostly cover
large mainland river drainages. Several other vegetative communities are
present in this region, including tall, low, and dwarf shrub
communities, tall and low shrub bogs and swamps, and wet graminoid and
forb meadows.

The Copper and Stikine River deltas and the Yakutat Forelands are major
stopover sites for migrating shorebirds, especially Western Sandpipers,
Dunlins, Short-billed Dowitchers, and the Alaska subspecies of the
Marbled Godwit (*L. f. beringiae*) (Iverson et al. 1996, Andres and
Browne 1998, Bishop and Warnock 1998, Warnock and Bishop 1998). Compared
to those in tundra BCRs, few shorebird species breed in this region, but
among them are Greater Yellowlegs, Short-billed Dowitcher, and Black
Oystercatcher. During winter, species like Black Oystercatcher, Black
Turnstone, Rock Sandpiper, and Surfbird are found on marine shorelines
throughout the area (Isleib and Kessel 1973, Andres and Falxa 1995).

## Shorebird Species Priorities in Alaska

# The Prioritization Process

The system for prioritizing shorebird species of concern was developed
as part of the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan with input from many
individuals participating in the Plan's Research and Monitoring Working
Group, including representatives from across the U.S. and Canada. The
goal of the system was to provide a clearly organized method for
categorizing the various risk factors that affect the conservation
status of each species in a format that can be easily updated as
additional information becomes available. The system was designed in
collaboration with Partners In Flight (PIF) to ensure that it was as
compatible as possible with the PIF Plan while reflecting the unique
biology of shorebirds.

The variables used in the National and Regional prioritization processes
are presented in Appendix 4. Many of these variables, while widely
agreed to affect conservation status, are very difficult to estimate.
Nevertheless, prioritization is important to ensure that higher risk
species are given the attention needed to avoid significant declines.
Because appropriate data are often lacking, the classifications produced
by this system are considered estimates of the actual conservation
status of each species. Further study is needed for most species with
respect to most of these variables. The classifications presented in the
Alaska Shorebird Conservation Plan will be evaluated annually by the
Alaska Shorebird Working Group.

# Priority Species by Bird Conservation Region

#  {#section-15}

Several species of high national concern were downgraded when setting
Alaska priorities, primarily because threats to breeding areas in Alaska
were less severe (e. g., Solitary Sandpiper) or non-breeding season
threats were the primary cause for concern (e. g., American
Golden-Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Red Knot, and Sanderling) (Appendix 5).
On the other hand, for species like Wandering Tattler and Rock Sandpiper
and for subspecies of Dunlin (*C. a. arcticola*) and Short-billed
Dowitcher (*L. g. caurinus*), conservation concern at the Alaska level
was elevated over that nationally because of the importance of Alaska to
their populations. No Alaska species is classified as "Highly
Imperiled." (The Eskimo Curlew is considered highly imperiled at the
national level, but because it has not been recorded in Alaska in the
20^th^ century it is not discussed further.) Fourteen Alaska species or
subspecies received the next highest designation, "Species of High
Concern" (Table 2, Appendix 5). An additional 17 Alaska species were
classified as "Species of Moderate Concern" while only 7 species ranked
as "Species of Low Concern." Eleven of the 14 taxa of high concern in
Alaska also appear under the same category on the national list. Most
species of high conservation concern in Alaska were classified as such
because of their generally small global populations or limited breeding
distributions with Alaska encompassing most of their breeding range. The
following brief accounts summarize reasons for designation as "Species
of High Concern."

> Pacific Golden-Plover --- The Pacific Golden-Plover is of primary
> importance within the Alaska Region because of its small population
> size (16,000) and because its North American breeding range is
> restricted to Alaska (Johnson and Connors 1996).
>
> Black Oystercatcher --- The region is of primary importance to this
> species because over half the population nests in Alaska, concentrated
> especially in Prince William Sound and the Kodiak Archipelago (Andres
> and Falxa 1995). The species is very susceptible to disturbance by
> humans and foxes (Andres 1997, 1998), an issue of concern in several
> regions of Alaska.
>
> Wandering Tattler --- Little is known about this species but it is of
> particular concern to the region because Alaska is the principal
> breeding area and the species\' population is small---probably under
> 10,000 individuals---thus making it one of the least populous
> shorebird species in North America.
>
> Whimbrel --- The Whimbrel is of primary importance in the region
> because the majority of a subspecies (*Numenius phaeopus rufiventris*)
> breeds in Alaska (Gibson and Kessel 1997, Engelmoer and Roselaar
> 1998). The species' population is estimated at about 60,000 birds, of
> which as many as 40,000 occur in Alaska.
>
> Bristle-thighed Curlew --- This species is of interest because it
> nests only in Alaska in two relatively small, disjunct regions, the
> Andreafsky Wilderness near the north Yukon Delta and on the central
> Seward Peninsula. The total breeding population is among the smallest
> of all shorebirds and estimated at 3,200 pairs (Handel et al. 1990).
> Numerous lines of evidence suggest the population is being affected by
> anthropogenic factors on the nonbreeding grounds in central Oceania
> (Marks and Redmond 1994, Gill 1998)
>
> Hudsonian Godwit --- Alaska is important to this species because as
> much as 30% of the population may breed in the region (McCaffery 1996,
> McCaffery and Harwood in press). Recent findings suggest Alaska birds
> may warrant subspecific status (Haig et al. 1997).
>
> Marbled Godwit --- Alaska hosts a small (probably \<3,000 birds),
> highly disjunct breeding population of sufficiently different
> morphology to warrant subspecific (*Limosa fedoa beringiae*)
> designation (Gibson and Kessel 1989).
>
> Black Turnstone --- This species is of importance because the entire
> population of about 80,000 birds nests in Alaska, primarily along a
> narrow section of the coastal Yukon-Kuskokwim River Delta (Handel and
> Gill 1992). Its affinity to nest in the lowest vegetated intertidal
> regions makes it especially susceptible to loss or change of habitat
> resulting from global sea level rise.
>
> Surfbird --- The Surfbird is of primary importance in the region
> because of its relatively small population (50,000-100,000 birds),
> \>75% of which occurs in Alaska (Senner and McCaffery 1997). More
> importantly, most Alaska breeding birds concentrate for a few weeks
> each spring on traditional areas of Prince William Sound (PWS).
> Several of the areas used by Surfbirds in PWS were affected by the
> *Exxon Valdez* oil spill. There remains a high probability that other
> such events will occur in PWS and the Gulf of Alaska as long as the
> production and transportation of petroleum products continue at
> current levels.
>
> Rock Sandpiper --- This species is of importance to Alaska because of
> the restricted distributions of the multiple subspecies that have
> evolved in the region (Conover 1944). Two forms (*Calidris p.
> ptilocnemis* and *C. p. couesi*) breed exclusively in Alaska while the
> majority of a third (*C. p. tschuktschorum*) breeds within the region.
> Either the entire or the majority of the three populations winters in
> Alaska. None of the three populations is large, ranging in size from
> 25,000 to 75,000 individuals (R. Gill, unpubl. data). The nominate
> population breeds only on Bering Sea islands where habitat has been
> markedly altered by reindeer grazing, especially on the Pribilof
> Islands (A. Sowls, pers. comm.).
>
> Dunlin --- Alaska is of primary importance to two subspecies of Dunlin
> (*Calidris alpina pacifica* and *C. a. arcticola*) because both nest
> exclusively within the region (Warnock and Gill 1996). The population
> size of *C. a. pacifica* is about 500,000 (Page and Gill 1994), while
> that of *C. a. arcticola* is \<750,000 (D. Troy pers. comm.)*. C. a.
> arcticola* is of particular concern because it winters in East Asia
> where habitat continues to be lost and marked population declines have
> been reported (D. Troy pers. comm.).
>
> Buff-breasted Sandpiper --- The species' regional importance is based
> on the proportion of breeding birds supported in the state and the
> marked decline in the population, which is now thought to number less
> than 15,000 birds (Lanctot and Laredo 1994, R. Lanctot pers. comm.).
>
> Short-billed Dowitcher --- Alaska is of importance because the
> subspecies *Limnodromus griseus caurinus* breeds nowhere else. Its
> population is estimated at about 150,000 (PRBO unpubl. data), but some
> are concerned that numbers have declined, especially over the past
> decade (J. Jehl, R. Gill, and G. Page, pers. obs.).

Most species identified as high priority in Alaska, particularly
breeding species, occur in the Western Alaska and to a lesser extent the
Arctic Plains/Mountains BCR (Table 2). Southern regions (Cook Inlet and
the Northern Pacific Rainforest) have a high proportion of priority
species that occur as migrants or winter residents. The only other
Alaska unit that hosts wintering shorebirds is the Aleutian/Bering Sea
Islands BCR.

We used the vegetation classification system of Kessel (1979) to
describe shorebird habitats in Alaska. This system is largely based on
the vertical structure of vegetation and less so on plant species
composition. We augmented descriptions of unvegetated habitats to
describe use more accurately, particularly by non-breeding birds. In
Table 3 we present seasonal habitat associations of Alaska's high
priority species; habitat preferences for all species appear in Appendix
6.

Table 3. Seasonal habitat associations of Alaska's high priority
shorebirds. Habitat classification after Kessel (1979).

[Breeding]{.smallcaps}

> *Tundra meadows (dwarf shrub meadows, salt grass meadows, or wet
> meadows)*

Pacific Golden-Plover Bar-tailed Godwit Dunlin

Whimbrel Marbled Godwit Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Bristle-thighed Curlew Black Turnstone Short-billed Dowitcher

Hudsonian Godwit Rock Sandpiper

> *Alpine/rocky tundra (dwarf shrub mat)*

Surfbird Wandering Tattler Rock Sandpiper

> *Rocky shore/riverine alluvia*

Black Oystercatcher Wandering Tattler

[Staging/migratory stopovers or wintering (W)]{.smallcaps}

> *Tundra meadows (dwarf shrub meadows, salt grass meadows, or wet
> meadows)*

Pacific Golden-Plover Bristle-thighed Curlew

Whimbrel Buff-breasted Sandpiper

> *Tidal flats*

Hudsonian Godwit Marbled Godwit Short-billed Dowitcher

Bar-tailed Godwit Dunlin Rock Sandpiper

> *Rocky or gravel shorelines*

Black Oystercatcher (W) Black Turnstone (W) Rock Sandpiper (W)

Wandering Tattler Surfbird (W)

## Shorebird Conservation Issues in Alaska

The previous century witnessed unprecedented change to natural
landscapes throughout much of the U.S. (Jehl and Johnson 1994, LaRoe et
al. 1995). Alaska, however, remains largely unchanged with less than 1%
of the state having been permanently altered by human settlement and
activity (Duffy et al. 1999). This is not to imply that ecosystems in
Alaska are not being affected by human activities. On the contrary, the
nation's demand for natural resources drives Alaska's economy,
particularly development and production of oil and gas, timber, and
commercial fisheries. The threats to shorebirds posed by these and other
activities are both real and potential. In Table 4, we summarize
conservation issues throughout the Bird Conservation Regions of Alaska
and in the following narrative discuss each in greater detail.

Table 4. Conservation issues affecting shorebirds among Bird
Conservation Regions of Alaska.

+-----------------+----------+-------+-------+-------+----+---------+
| Issue           | Arctic   | We    | NW    | Aleu  | Co | N       |
|                 | Plains/  | stern | Int   | tian/ | ok | orthern |
|                 | M        | A     | erior |       |    | Pacific |
|                 | ountains | laska | F     | B     | I  | Rai     |
|                 |          |       | orest | ering | nl | nforest |
|                 |          |       |       | Sea   | et |         |
|                 |          |       |       |       |    |         |
|                 |          |       |       | Is    |    |         |
|                 |          |       |       | lands |    |         |
+-----------------+----------+-------+-------+-------+----+---------+
|                 |          |       |       |       |    |         |
+-----------------+----------+-------+-------+-------+----+---------+
| Oil and gas     | •        |       |       |       | •  |         |
| development     |          |       |       |       |    |         |
+-----------------+----------+-------+-------+-------+----+---------+
| Oil pollution   | •        | •     |       | •     | •  | •       |
+-----------------+----------+-------+-------+-------+----+---------+
| Marine-based    |          |       |       |       | •  | •       |
| recreation      |          |       |       |       |    |         |
+-----------------+----------+-------+-------+-------+----+---------+
| Mining          |          | •     | •     |       |    |         |
+-----------------+----------+-------+-------+-------+----+---------+
| Subsistence     |          | •     |       | •     |    |         |
| harvest         |          |       |       |       |    |         |
+-----------------+----------+-------+-------+-------+----+---------+
| P               | •        | •     |       | •     | •  |         |
| redators/exotic |          |       |       |       |    |         |
| animals         |          |       |       |       |    |         |
+-----------------+----------+-------+-------+-------+----+---------+

**Oil and gas development and infrastructure**

Oil and gas development is the driving force behind Alaska's economy
(Strohmeyer 1993) and also the largest potential threat to shorebirds in
the state. The types and severity of potential, negative effects of this
development on shorebirds vary across the state and are not only
specific to individual species and their habitats but also to the types
of development involved. Spills, industrial pollution, facility
construction and expansion, road building, and increased ground, air and
water traffic can have deleterious effects on shorebirds throughout the
year. Because oil or gas spills could have the most immediate and
dramatic effects on shorebird populations, adequate measures for spill
prevention and efficient cleanup procedures should be strongly
encouraged. The most likely areas for large spills are Prince William
Sound, Cook Inlet, and the Arctic Coastal Plain.

Up to eight million shorebirds use Prince William Sound annually for
migration, breeding or wintering. Protection of this region, especially
the Copper River Delta and Montague Island, is imperative for the
conservation of Pacific Flyway shorebirds. Although safeguards have
been, and continue to be, put in place to minimize oil spills in Prince
William Sound, the high volume of oil being transferred and transported
there makes the Sound a high risk region. The 800-mile-long Trans-Alaska
Pipeline terminates at the Valdez Marine Terminal in Prince William
Sound. This 1,000-acre facility, capable of storing 9.2 million barrels
of crude oil, pumps 1.3 million barrels of oil/day, and supports the
berthing and loading of 58 oil tankers/month. All of these tankers,
whose capacities range up to 1.9 million barrels each, travel from
Valdez, through Prince William Sound, and into the Gulf of Alaska
enroute to refineries along the west coast of the U.S.

Breeding and wintering populations of Black Oystercatchers and migrating
or wintering populations of Black-bellied Plovers, Black Turnstones,
Surfbirds, Marbled Godwit, Western Sandpipers, Dunlin, and Rock
Sandpipers occur in Prince William Sound. Catastrophic spills or chronic
low-level toxin exposure could have deleterious effects on these
populations.

Oil and gas drilling, transport, and refining all add risks to
shorebirds inhabiting Cook Inlet. These risks are increased because Cook
Inlet lies along the Aleutian Arc, one of the most seismically active
regions in the world. Petroleum developments must therefore withstand
relatively frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Currently, 17
gas- and 7 oil-producing fields occur within Cook Inlet along with large
storage and transfer facilities, a refinery, and a urea-production
plant. Natural gas is the main resource in the region. Much of the
drilling is offshore and a network of sub-seabed pipelines is used in
local transport of both oil and gas. Nearly all of Cook Inlet has been
opened to lease sales by either state or federal agencies. Additionally,
13 million barrels of jet fuel are transported each year beneath the
intertidal zone between the Port of Anchorage and the Anchorage
International Airport via a new subsurface pipeline. A spill or
persistent discharge from drilling platforms, transfer facilities, or
pipelines would be harmful to the marine, estuarine, tidal and
intertidal environments. Furthermore, containment and cleanup efforts
may be hampered by extreme currents and by ice floes that choke much of
the Inlet in winter. Large numbers of wintering Rock Sandpipers,
migrating Western Sandpipers and Dunlin, and breeding and migrating
Hudsonian Godwits, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary
Sandpipers, and Short-billed Dowitchers use the Cook Inlet region (Gill
and Tibbitts 1999). Thus, spills or allowable discharges could
immediately affect a variety of shorebirds at any time of the year.

Alaska's Arctic Coastal Plain produces \>20% of the nation's oil.
Although production peaked in 1988, oil development is expanding in the
Arctic as formerly uneconomical fields are being developed with new
technology that allows profitable oil extraction. Several factors of
expanding development may negatively affect shorebirds in this critical
breeding area: 1) increased interest in developing smaller fields within
the existing perimeter of development will encroach on existing breeding
areas, and 2) diminished areas, along with higher road densities,
increased noise, and increases in other anthropogenic disturbances will
undoubtedly reduce numbers of shorebirds nesting in the oil fields.
Beyond the Prudhoe Bay area, active exploration continues on the
Colville River Delta and throughout the northern and eastern portions of
the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A), where an estimated six
million shorebirds breed. The first Colville River Delta field, Alpine,
has recently begun operations and other developments on the Delta have
been proposed. Pipelines, airstrips, roads, and production facilities
are now part of the Colville River Delta landscape. Additionally, the
first offshore development (Northstar) will soon commence, and similar
developments will most likely continue as new discoveries are made.
Although the Northstar Project has been reviewed and determined to be
safe, offshore oil development in the Arctic is new and many potential
problems exist. It is difficult to estimate the probability of spills,
reliability of sub-seabed pipelines in the Arctic, adequacy of leak
detection systems, and efficacy of spill response and cleanup systems in
the Beaufort Sea.

With the expansion of offshore and Colville River Delta development
there is an increased risk to breeding and staging shorebirds on
Alaska's North Slope. Previously, spills were less likely to affect
areas other than the immediate vicinity of spill sites. With the
addition of delta and offshore development, and the relatively high
spill risk associated with offshore drilling in the Arctic, the
potential for widespread dispersion of spilled oil via river and ocean
currents increases. An oil spill on the Colville Delta or from an
offshore rig could impact distant mudflats and salt marshes used by tens
of thousands of migrating and breeding shorebirds (Andres 1994). The
effects of expanding onshore development, including displacement of
individuals from breeding sites, direct, small-scale environmental
damage due to spills, and potential long-term effects of pollutant
exposure, remain potential threats.

Because rural Alaska relies on diesel oil for electrical generation and
heating, all communities have diesel storage tanks. In coastal areas,
diesel oil and gasoline are delivered once or twice each year via marine
or river barge; 15-20 million barrels of non-crude fuels are transported
by barge to rural Alaska each year. This high volume of barge traffic
near critical shorebird breeding and stopover habitats is a potential
threat. This threat is increased by the remoteness of potential spill
sites and the myriad state and federal agencies that regulate spill
reporting and response. Storage and transfer facilities in rural Alaska
vary in quality and maintenance, but many are generally in poor
condition; most villages lack consolidated fuel storage facilities. The
Environmental Protection Agency and the Alaska Department of
Environmental Conservation are currently involved in a statewide program
to upgrade all fuel storage and transfer points in rural Alaska to meet
safety and environmental laws. This effort will also strengthen
reporting and response efficiency of spills and may help minimize
threats to shorebirds.

Many industries and communities throughout Alaska rely on seagoing
vessels. Commercial vessel groundings, at-sea discharges, lax fueling
practices, and poor maintenance all contribute to spills in the marine
environment. Spill reporting and response are regulated by several state
and federal agencies (depending on location) and the Alaska Department
of Environmental Conservation maintains a database of spills and
discharges throughout the state.

**Marine-based recreation/tourism**

Road access to Prince William Sound from the west will commence in 2000.
This improved access will result in increased recreational and
commercial use of western Prince William Sound and subsequent increases
in demand for recreation and fuel facilities away from ports. Additional
fuel facilities would make all of Prince William Sound easily accessible
by boat. Proposals to add floating lodges and other structures are
currently being considered. Floating fuel barges in Prince William Sound
will increase the chances of large-scale spills and of long-term,
low-level contamination of shorelines by diesel fuel and gasoline. Areas
of most concern are beaches where Black Oystercatchers and Wandering
Tattlers nest and shorelines that support large numbers of migrant
Surfbirds and Black Turnstones.

Easier access to Prince William Sound will also undoubtedly result in
increased use of beaches for outdoor recreation (campers, fishers, and
kayakers). State and federal agencies are considering the suitability of
many sites throughout the area for low-impact development (e.g.,
landings, picnic areas), and the use of these developments will probably
be regulated. Regulating use of beaches and other sites that attract
visitors is more difficult. Unfortunately, the most attractive beaches
to people are often preferred breeding habitat for Black Oystercatchers,
a species known to be sensitive to nest-site disturbance. Formulation
and evaluation of some restrictive land-use regulations could prevent
the extirpation of this species from portions of its original range.

The effects of shipping traffic, especially cruise ship traffic, on
nesting birds have received little attention. Higher visitation to
sensitive areas increases the likelihood of nest flooding by wakes and
contaminant discharge, which could threaten breeding birds. Areas most
likely to be affected include Prince William Sound, Kenai Fjords
National Park, and Glacier Bay. Recently, protected bays in Southeast
Alaska have come under increased demand for use by tourists,
aquaculturalists, and log transfer facilities.

Many of the issues discussed in the previous section under fuel
delivery/storage also apply here, especially at-sea discharges, lax
fueling procedures, and poor vessel maintenance.

**Mining development**

Mining in western and interior Alaska remains a potential, albeit
relatively small, threat to shorebirds. Most vulnerable are Wandering
Tattlers, Spotted Sandpipers and Semipalmated Plovers that use riverine
gravel bars and banks for breeding and foraging. Placer mining for gold
makes up much of the region's small-scale mining activity. This
technique often affects watersheds by direct physical modification of
the river channel and bank, but it also directly and indirectly affects
biological components through introduction of fuels, heavy metals, and
acids into the environment. Physical modification of the watershed may
result in displacement of breeding and foraging individuals, but in some
cases such activity may actually benefit populations; indeed, some
riparian corridors heavily disturbed by placer mining support some of
the highest reported nesting densities of Wandering Tattlers.
Contaminated sites may have broader effects due to persistence of the
contaminant in the environment or effects far from the point source.

**Subsistence harvest**

Rural harvest of shorebirds has been estimated for only a few areas of
Alaska; reports generally differentiate shorebirds into only two classes
--- large and small. Large shorebirds, mostly Bar-tailed Godwits, appear
to be the most frequently taken species and mostly on the central
Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Current hunter education and public outreach
programs are addressing shorebird issues in rural Alaska and are raising
awareness of the importance of shorebird conservation.

**Increased populations of native and introduced predators**

Concomitant with oil and gas development on the Arctic Coastal Plain is
the possible increase in red and arctic fox populations and a likely
increase in shorebird nest predation rates (Day 1998). Poor sanitation
protocols in and around oil production and seismic facilities could
promote concentrations of foxes by limiting natural predation on them
and providing anthropogenic food sources, thus increasing survival rates
of young. Pressure on local governments--- which are often responsible
for solid waste disposal---to maintain and clean up disposal sites could
help reduce this risk. Improperly maintained waste disposal sites in
rural villages also attract large numbers of foxes and Common Ravens,
especially throughout western Alaska. Landfills may become especially
attractive to foxes during years of low microtine numbers. The
maintenance of artificially high numbers of ravens at these sites could
potentially contribute to increased mortality of nearby nesting
shorebirds. Of particular concern is the population of Bristle-thighed
Curlews nesting in the Nulato Hills north of the villages of St. Mary's
and Mountain Village.

The occurrence of exotic predators, particularly foxes on islands
throughout much of western Alaska, has likely reduced populations of
ground- and cliff-nesting birds and prevented recolonization of sites
where bird populations had been extirpated. By the 1930s, foxes had been
introduced on nearly 460 Alaska islands, stretching from Southeastern
Alaska to the western Aleutians, to supply a world-wide demand for
pelts. Currently, foxes are present on about 10% of islands where they
had been introduced, nearly all in the Aleutians. Although both the
numbers and diversity of shorebirds breeding on these islands are low,
one race of Rock Sandpiper (*C. p. couesi*) nests throughout the
Aleutian Islands and its population has likely been held below capacity
because of predation by foxes. Other exotic mammals were also introduced
with foxes, mostly for fox food, including ground squirrels, voles,
mice, hares, and marmots. All of these, with the possible exception of
hares, are known to eat birds or bird eggs and have had dramatic effects
on seabird populations in Alaska and elsewhere. Effects of exotic
mammals on Alaska shorebird populations are not well documented, but
recolonization by both Black Oystercatchers and Red-necked Phalaropes
after fox eradication has been recorded (Byed et al. 1996). Accidental
introductions, especially of rats by grounded or anchored vessels, may
also put shorebirds at risk. Species at highest risk include Black
Oystercatchers, Red-necked Phalaropes, Rock Sandpipers, and Ruddy
Turnstones.

## Shorebird Conservation Goals and Objectives for Alaska

# Overview 

#  {#section-16}

The size of Alaska, and its Bird Conservation Regions, dictates that
conservation considerations for shorebirds generally be framed within a
landscape context. Although no shorebird species or habitat is
threatened with extirpation or extinction, the effects of human
activities on shorebirds and their habitats over the next 50 years will
undoubtedly be deleterious. Except within the Arctic Plains/Mountains
and Cook Inlet BCRs, where habitat for breeding shorebirds is being
lost, most other shorebird habitats remain relatively intact in Alaska.
However, potential threats to migrant shorebirds from oil and gas
development are high. Although conservation planning for catastrophic
events such as oil spills is difficult, strategies can be developed to
mitigate the systematic degradation of shorebird habitats (e.g., from
onshore and offshore oil development). An overall conservation goal for
shorebirds in Alaska is, therefore, to keep species and their habitats
well-distributed across the landscape.

Because threats to shorebirds on the breeding grounds are less
significant in Alaska than threats during other stages of the annual
cycle, conservation actions in Alaska's Bird Conservation Regions will
be less dramatic than in other regions of North America (where active
habitat enhancement or restoration may be required). In Alaska,
monitoring the size and trend of shorebird populations and the health
and quality of their habitats will dominate conservation actions.
Because Alaska will almost certainly suffer from incremental loss of
habitat over the next few decades, the current "undisturbed" breeding
habitat in the state provides an opportunity for identifying both
important breeding habitat variables and processes necessary to sustain
healthy shorebird populations. Without this knowledge, conservation
efforts undertaken in Alaska, and elsewhere during the annual cycle, may
be futile or misguided.

Although this plan focuses on priority shorebird species and habitats,
there is a clear need for the development and evaluation of broad-scale,
multi-species monitoring schemes within Alaska. Coordination of such a
program with the National and other Regional shorebird planning efforts
will help assure a reliable and cost-effective program to track
populations of North American shorebirds.

Vision of shorebird conservation in Alaska

To ensure the conservation of shorebirds in Alaska we must develop a
program that integrates components of research, monitoring, management,
habitat protection, and education/outreach. This program will be
accomplished within each of the six Bird Conservation Regions in Alaska,
will have a landscape perspective, and will be based on biological
considerations of species and ecosystems.

#  {#section-17}

# Populations and habitats

No shorebird species are currently threatened with extinction in Alaska.
Accordingly, few shorebird habitats need restoration action. However,
monitoring of shorebird population sizes and habitat quality is needed
to ensure the persistence of stable populations in Alaska.

*Goals*

-   Maintain or enhance current breeding populations, species diversity,
    and distribution of shorebirds and their breeding habitats in
    Alaska.

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-   Maintain or enhance habitat quality of current staging/migratory
    stopover sites in Alaska.

Objectives

-   Identify shorebird habitats prone to human disturbance and develop
    mitigation prescriptions to reduce negative influences on them.

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-   Help develop plans to mitigate negative impacts of land development
    activities on shorebird populations and their habitats.

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-   Identify important shorebird habitats and designate them within the
    Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network or East
    Asian-Australasian Shorebird Reserve Network.

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-   Protect important habitats used by shorebirds during their breeding,
    stopover/staging, and wintering periods.

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-   Implement rigorously designed protocols for monitoring the status
    and trend of shorebird populations in Alaska.

**Research**

Basic knowledge of most aspects of the biology of shorebirds in Alaska
resulted from a large body of work by natural historians, particularly
between the late 1800s and late 1900s. Despite this rich history, gaps
persist in knowledge of basic life history for many species. Modern
science also demands long-term, quantitative data to understand complex
issues such as population demographics and effects of fragmented
landscapes on population viability. Information at the site- and
landscape-levels is also needed to reasonably predict changes in
shorebird communities that could result from human activities. Thus,
there is an ongoing need for research at many levels. Because money for
research will likely continue to be limited, it is paramount that
applied shorebird research be well planned, integrated with research on
other waterbird and habitats were and when feasible, and well
coordinated among all research groups (e.g., regulatory agencies,
non-governmental organizations, and land custodians).

As new information becomes available, it will need to be synthesized in
a timely manner into a format that is useful to land managers and
planners. This information can then be used to make shorebirds more
prominent in land-use planning decisions. The Alaska Shorebird Working
Group will endeavor to provide reliable information and professional
input on the effects of land-use decisions on shorebird populations.

Goal

-   Maintain a strong research program that will provide information
    necessary to effectively conserve shorebirds that depend on Alaska
    for all or part of their annual cycle.

*Objectives*

-   Assure that relatively complete and up-to-date life history
    information is available for all species of shorebirds.

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-   Identify links between specific populations of shorebirds breeding
    in Alaska and areas used by these same populations during other
    critical periods of their annual cycles.

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-   Develop habitat-based models of seasonal distribution of Alaska
    shorebirds.

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-   Develop and test rigorous monitoring protocols and assessment
    methods for tracking size and trend of shorebird populations and
    associated habitats in Alaska.

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-   Monitor environmental health of staging/migratory stopover sites in
    Alaska.

**Public outreach, technical support, and environmental education**

The Alaska Shorebird Working Group will continue to inform governmental
agencies, industries, non-governmental organizations, and private
citizens (including school children) about Alaska's shorebirds and the
importance of their breeding, wintering, staging, and migratory stopover
habitats. Creating an awareness among these various groups about the
complex natural history of Alaska's shorebirds may be one of the
greatest contributions the Alaska Shorebird Working Group can make to
the conservation of shorebirds in the Western Hemisphere.

*Goals*

-   Increase opportunities to view, enjoy, and learn about shorebirds
    that occur in Alaska.

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-   Improve outreach to governmental agencies, industries,
    non-governmental organizations, and private citizens about Alaska's
    shorebirds and the conservation issues facing them.

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-   Increase international/national coordination, communication, and
    collaboration among shorebird conservation efforts.

Objectives

-   Improve web sites that pertain to Alaska's shorebirds and continue
    operation of the Shorebird Sister Schools Program.

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-   Develop new shorebird outreach events and publications.

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-   Improve communication with rural Alaskans about shorebird resources
    and their conservation.

-   Convene annual meetings of the Alaska Shorebird Working Group and
    participate in national and regional shorebird meetings.

-   Support shorebird festivals in Alaska.

-   Encourage the synthesis and reporting of results of Alaskan
    shorebird studies to scientific and general audiences.

-   Promote shorebird education curricula such as the Arctic-nesting
    Shorebird Curriculum and host workshops in villages in Alaska.

-   Provide technical assistance and training to educators and managers
    about shorebird ecology and conservation issues.

## Implementation and Coordination

The Alaska Shorebird Working Group will assume primary responsibility
for coordinating and implementing the goals and objectives identified in
the Alaska Regional Shorebird Conservation Plan. The Working Group's
effort will be coordinated through the Alaska Region's seat on the U.S.
Shorebird Plan Council and through formal interactions with other
regional working groups. At the regional level, the Alaska Shorebird
Working Group should be expanded to include representatives from all
principal federal, state, local, and Native land custodial agencies. The
working group should meet at least annually to identify and prioritize
regional shorebird issues and determine fiscal means of implementing
priority projects. At the national and international levels the Alaska
Regional Shorebird Working Group will meet with other regional working
groups during the annual meeting of the U.S. Shorebird Plan Council.
Because Alaska, more so than other U.S. shorebird regions, has a strong
link to Asian and Oceanic flyways, the Alaska Shorebird Working Group
will continue to foster cooperative conservation and research efforts
outside the Western Hemisphere.

## Immediate Priority Projects for Shorebirds in Alaska

> **Populations and habitats**

-   Determine current population size of Bristle-thighed Curlew.

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-   Determine population size of Buff-breasted Sandpipers.

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-   Identify stopover sites in East Asia used by North-slope Dunlin.

-   Identify important stopover sites on the NPR-A.

-   Determine population size of Buff-breasted Sandpipers.

-   Identify important wintering concentrations of Black Oystercatchers
    in the North Pacific Rainforest BCR.

> **Research**

-   Complete database on Beringian (Russia and Alaska) shorebirds.

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-   Determine effects of shoreline disturbance on Black Oystercatchers.

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-   Develop shorebird-habitat models for birds breeding and migrating
    through the NE Planning Unit of NPR-A.

> **Outreach**

-   Publish report on potential Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve
    Network Sites in Alaska and pursue nominations.

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-   Complete Alaska Shorebird Booklet.

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-   Maintain Alaska Shorebird Working Group

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-   Prioritize other shorebird issues and needs in Alaska.

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-   Pursue community-based programs for shorebird outreach.

## Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network Sites in Alaska

The Alaska Shorebird Working Group has compiled an initial, but fairly
detailed inventory of potential WHSRN sites in Alaska. It summarizes all
information currently available through 1999 on sites meeting WHSRN
criteria and discusses the basis for each site designation. For the
Alaska Shorebird Conservation Plan we have condensed this information
into a much more abbreviated document that includes Figure 2, Appendix
7, and the following narrative.

Currently there are 15 Hemispheric, 13 International, and 11 Regional
sites dedicated within WHSRN. Alaska hosts two of these sites, the
Copper River Delta, a Hemispheric site, and Kachemak Bay, an
International site. An additional 51 sites have been identified in
Alaska as meeting WHSRN criteria. These include up to 16 Hemispheric
sites, 13 International sites, and 23 Regional sites. About half of the
Hemispheric sites qualify based on numeric criteria while half qualify
according to percentage criteria (Appendix 7, Figure 2).

![](media/image6.wmf){width="7.094444444444444in"
height="5.6097222222222225in"}

***Figure 2. Location of potential Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve
Network sites in Alaska. See Appendix 7 for site details.***

**WHSRN Classification:** We have generally followed the two-tiered
system used by Morrison et al. (1995) for their classification of
potential WHSRN sites throughout Canada. These include (1) sites for
which available data clearly establish the status of the site, and (2)
sites that are important to shorebirds but for which available data do
not allow designation of a specific WHSRN category. The former includes
sites where single censuses of all shorebirds or maximum counts of all
shorebird species exceed the criteria for a WHSRN category. It also
includes sites where the aforementioned criteria are not met per se, but
where specific methodologies incorporating such factors as seasonal
turnover and length of stay among populations justify a certain WHSRN
category. Where a site qualifies based on the percentage of a population
supported, such as many of the Bering Sea islands, it is denoted as such
(e.g., "International %"). In instances involving evaluations based on
turnover rates or percentage of populations, details are provided in the
narrative sections of the site profiles (not included in this Alaska
Shorebird Conservation Plan).

For the second class of sites (i.e., sites where the WHSRN status is
less certain), the assigned category is followed by a question mark.
These include mostly two types of sites: 1) those whose evaluation was
based on limited data (e.g., sites at which only one or two censuses
were completed or sites not censused during a major portion of their use
by shorebirds) or 2) those that meet a specific WHSRN category, but may
be elevated to a higher category based on more rigorous censuses that
include an assessment of turnover. For example, a site designated as
"Regional?" indicates that additional information is needed to qualify
the site as a Regional reserve. A site noted as
"International-Hemispheric?" indicates sufficient data to support an
International Reserve designation, but based on additional study it may
qualify as a Hemispheric site. The basis for these questioned
designations is also explained in each site profile (again, not included
in this report).

**Region:** Potential sites are grouped according to the five Bird
Conservation Regions within the state. These are based on obvious
physiographic demarcations, but they also broadly reflect marked
differences in landforms and habitats, which in turn affect the seasonal
composition of shorebirds and their temporal patterns of occurrence.

**Important Seasons and Species:** Seasonal bounds are based on the
general chronology of events within the annual cycle of shorebirds while
in Alaska. These bounds are somewhat artificial because the timing of
life-cycle events varies among different species, often varies among
different age- and sex-cohorts with species, and varies latitudinally
across a particular species' range. With this in mind we have defined
seasons as: Spring (late April to early June), Summer (mid-June to late
July), Autumn (early August to late October), and Winter (November to
early April). Thus, for each site we list the seasons that are most
important to shorebirds and under each season the numerically dominant
species. If, for a particular site, there is no or limited information
on shorebirds for a given season, we note such as "unknown" and discuss
this within the narrative section of the site profile.

**Custodian:** The principal custodial agencies for a particular site
are listed in order of the relative amount of lands under their
respective jurisdiction. Within Alaska all lands below mean high tide
are under the jurisdiction of the State of Alaska. At most sites, lands
above mean high tide are administered by either state or federal
agencies or have been transferred or selected for transfer to Native
regional or village corporations.

## Literature Cited

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Andres, B. A. 1997. The *Exxon Valdez* oil spill disrupted the breeding
of Black Oystercatchers. J. Wildl. Manage. 61: 1322-1328.

Andres, B. A. 1998. Shoreline habitat use of Black Oystercatchers
breeding in Prince William Sound, Alaska. J. Field Ornithol. 69:
626-634.

Andres, B. A., and B. T. Browne. 1998. Spring migration of shorebirds on
the Yakutat Forelands, Alaska. Wilson Bull. 110: 326-331.

Andres, B. A., and G. A. Falxa. 1996. Black Oystercatcher (*Haematopus
bachmani)*. *In* The Birds of North America, No. 155 (A. Poole and F.
Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The
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Bailey, R. G., P. E. Avers, T. King, and W. H. McNab (eds.). 1994.
Ecoregions and subregions of the United States. U.S. Forest Service,
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Bishop, M. A., and N. Warnock. 1998. Migration of Western Sandpipers:
links between their Alaskan stopover areas and breeding grounds. Wilson
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Boland, J. M. 1991. An overview of the seasonal distribution of North
American shorebirds. Wader Study Group Bull. 62: 39-42.

Byrd, G. V., E. P. Bailey, and W. Stahl. 1996. Introduced predator
removal from islands. Exxon Valdez Oilspill Restoration Final Rep.,
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Commission for Environmental Cooperation. 1998. Ecological regions of
North America. Secretariat for the Comm. Environ. Coop., Montreal,
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Conover, H. B. 1944. The North Pacific allies of the Purple Sandpiper.
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Day, R. H. 1998. Predator population and predation intensity on
tundra-nesting birds in relation to human development. Unpubl. Rpt.,
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DeLorme. 1998. Alaska atlas and gazetteer, 2^nd^ edition. DeLorme,
Yarmouth, Maine.

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Michaelson. 1999. Landscape assessment of the degree of protection of
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Engelmoer, M., and C. Roselaar. 1998. Geographical variation in waders.
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Gallant, A. L., E. F. Binnian, J. M. Omernik, and M. B. Shasby. 1995.
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Washington, D.C. 73 pp.

Gibson, D. D., and B. Kessel. 1989. Geographic variation in the Marbled
Godwit and description of an Alaska subspecies. Condor 91: 436-443.

Gibson, D. D., and B. Kessel. 1997. Inventory of the species and
subspecies of Alaska birds. Western Birds 28:45-95.

Gill, R. E., Jr. 1996. Alaska shorebirds: Status and conservation at a
terminus of the East Asian-Australasian flyway. Pp. 21-42 *in*
Conservation of migratory waterbirds and their wetland habitats in the
East Asian-Australasian flyway (D. R. Wells and T. Mundkur, eds.).
Proceedings of an international workshop, Kushiro, Japan. Wetlands
International-Asia Pacific, Kuala Lumpur, Publ. No. 116, and
International Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau, Tokyo.

Gill, R. E., Jr. 1998. Trouble in Paradise: The Bristle-thighed Curlew.
WWF Arctic Bull. 3: 12-13.

Gill, R. E., Jr., R. W. Butler, P. S. Tomkovich, T. Mundkur, and C. M.
Handel. 1994. Conservation of North Pacific Shorebirds. Trans. N. A.
Wildl. Nat. Resour. Conf. 59: 63-78.

Gill, R. E., Jr., and C. M. Handel. 1981. Shorebirds of the Eastern
Bering Sea. Pp. 719-730 *in* Eastern Bering Sea Shelf; Oceanography and
Resources, Vol. 2 (D.W. Hood and J. A. Calder, eds.). Office of Marine
Pollution Assessment. NOAA. Univ. of Washington Press, Seattle, WA.

Gill R. E., Jr., and C. M. Handel. 1990. The importance of subarctic
intertidal habitats to shorebirds: A study of the central
Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska. Condor 92:702-725.

Gill, R. E., Jr., and P. D. Jorgensen. 1979. Preliminary assessment of
timing and migration of shorebirds along the northcentral Alaska
Peninsula. Studies in Avian Biol. 2: 113-123.

Gill, R. E., Jr., and B. J. McCaffery. 1999. Bar-tailed Godwits *Limosa
lapponica* in Alaska: A population estimate from the staging grounds.
Wader Study Group Bull. 88: 49-54.

Gill, R. E., Jr. and S. E. Senner. 1996. Alaska and its importance to
Western Hemisphere shorebirds. International Wader Studies 8: 8-14.

Gill, R. E., Jr., and T. L. Tibbitts. 1999. Seasonal shorebird use of
intertidal habitats in Cook Inlet, Alaska. Final Report. U.S. Department
of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division and
OCS Study, MMS 99-0012.

Haig, S. M., C. L. Gratto-Trevor, T. D. Mullins, and M. A. Colwell.
1997. Population identification of western hemisphere shorebirds
throughout the annual cycle. Molecular Ecology 6: 413-427.

Handel, C. M., and R. E. Gill, Jr. 1992. Breeding distribution of the
Black Turnstone. Wilson Bull. 104: 122-135.

Handel, C. M., B. J. McCaffery, R. B. Lanctot, and G. Peltola. 1990.
Distribution and population estimate of breeding Bristle-thighed
Curlews. Unpubl. Rpt., U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, AK.

Howe, M. A., P. H. Geissler, and B. A. Harrington. 1989. Population
trends of North American shorebirds based on the International Shorebird
Survey. Biol. Consv. 49: 185-199.

Isleib, M. E., and B. Kessel. 1973. Birds of the North Gulf Coast-Prince
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Iverson, G. C., S. E. Warnock, R. W. Butler, M. A. Bishop, and N.
Warnock. 1996. Spring migration of Western Sandpipers along the Pacific
Coast of North America: A telemetry study. Condor 98: 10-21.

Jehl, J. R., Jr., and N. K. Johnson (eds.). 1994. A century of avifaunal
change in western North America. Studies Avian Biol. 15.

Johnson, O. W., and P. G. Connors. 1996. American Golden-Plover
(*Pluvialis dominica*), Pacific Golden-Plover (*Pluvialis fulva*). *In*
The Birds of North America, No. 201-202 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.).
The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American
Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.

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86-94.

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birds. Studies Avian Biol. 1.

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(*Tryngites subruficollis*). *In* The Birds of North America, No. 91 (A.
Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia,
and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.

LaRoe, E. T., G. S. Farris, C. E. Puckett, P. D. Doran, and M. J. Mac
(eds.). 1995. Our Living Resources: A report to the nation on the
distribution, abundance, and health of U.S. plants, animals, and
ecosystems. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Biological
Service, Washington, D.C.

Marks, J. S., and R. L. Redmond. 1994. Conservation problems and
research needs for Bristle-thighed Curlews *Numenius tahitiensis* on
their wintering grounds. Bird Conserv. Internat. 4: 329-341.

McCaffery, B. J. 1996. The status of Alaska's large shorebirds: A review
and an example. International Wader Studies 8: 28-32.

McCaffery, B. J., and C. M. Harwood. 2000. Status of Hudsonian Godwits
on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska. West. Birds (In press).

Morrison, R. I. G., R. W. Butler, G. W. Beyersbergen, H. L. Dickson, A.
Bourget, P. W. Hicklin, J. P. Goossen, R. K. Ross, and C L.
Gratto-Trevor. 1995. Potential Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve
Network sites for shorebirds in Canada: 2^nd^ edition 1995. Technical
Report Ser. 227, Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa.

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shorebirds on fall migration in eastern Canada. Wilson Bull. 106:
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Page, C. L. Grattor-Trevor, and S. M. Haig. 2000. Population estimates
of Nearctic Shorebirds. Unpubl. Rpt, Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa.
47 pp.

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avifaunal change in western North America (J. R. Jehl and N. K. Johnson,
eds.). Studies Avian Biol. 15.

Senner, S. E., and B. J. McCaffery. 1997. Surfbird (*Aphriza virgata*).
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The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American
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of Alaska. Simon and Schuster, New York.

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Agriculture Handbook, No. 410, U.S. Dept. Agric., Washington, D.C. 265
pp.

Warnock, N., and M. A. Bishop. 1998. Spring stopover ecology of migrant
Western Sandpipers. Condor 100: 456-467.

Warnock, N., and R. E. Gill, Jr. 1996. Dunlin (*Calidris alpina*). *In*
The Birds of North America, No. 203 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The
Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American
Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.

+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| Common name        | Scientific name^1^    | Wintering area^2^       |
+====================+=======================+=========================+
| > Black-bellied    | #                     | The Americas, Oceania   |
| > Plover           |  Pluvialis squatarola |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > American         | *Pluvialis dominica*  | South America           |
| > Golden-Plover    |                       |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Pacific          | *Pluvialis fulva*     | Oceania, Australia      |
| > Golden-Plover    |                       |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Semipalmated     | *Charadrius           | The Americas            |
| > Plover           | semipalmatus*         |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Killdeer         | *Charadrius           | The Americas            |
|                    | vociferus*            |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Black            | *Haematopus bachmani* | Alaska                  |
| > Oystercatcher    |                       |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Greater          | *Tringa melanoleuca*  | The Americas            |
| > Yellowlegs       |                       |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Lesser           | *Tringa flavipes*     | The Americas            |
| > Yellowlegs       |                       |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Solitary         | *Tringa solitaria     | Central and South       |
| > Sandpiper        | cinnamomea*           | America                 |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Wandering        | *Heteroscelus         | The Americas, Oceania,  |
| > Tattler          | incanus*              | Australia               |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Spotted          | *Actitis macularia*   | The Americas            |
| > Sandpiper        |                       |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Upland Sandpiper | *Bartramia            | South America           |
|                    | longicauda*           |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Whimbrel         | *Numenius phaeopus    | The Americas, Oceania?  |
|                    | rufiventris*          |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Bristle-thighed  | *Numenius             | Oceania                 |
| > Curlew           | tahitiensis*          |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Hudsonian Godwit | *Limosa haemastica*   | South America           |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Bar-tailed       | *Limosa lapponica     | Oceania, Australia, New |
| > Godwit           | baueri*               | Zealand                 |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Marbled Godwit   | *Limosa fedoa         | North and Central       |
|                    | beringiae*            | America                 |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Ruddy Turnstone  | *Arenaria i.          | The Americas, Oceania,  |
|                    | interpres*            | SE Asia                 |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Black Turnstone  | *Arenaria             | North America           |
|                    | melanocephala*        |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Surfbird         | *Aphriza virgata*     | The Americas            |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Red Knot         | *Calidris canutus     | The Americas            |
|                    | roselaari*            |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Sanderling       | *Calidris alba*       | The Americas            |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Semipalmated     | *Calidris pusilla*    | The Americas            |
| > Sandpiper        |                       |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Western          | *Calidris mauri*      | The Americas            |
| > Sandpiper        |                       |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Least Sandpiper  | *Calidris minutilla*  | The Americas            |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > White-rumped     | *Calidris             | South America           |
| > Sandpiper        | fuscicollis*          |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Baird\'s         | *Calidris bairdii*    | South America           |
| > Sandpiper        |                       |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Pectoral         | *Calidris melanotos*  | South America           |
| > Sandpiper        |                       |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Sharp-tailed     | *Calidris acuminata*  | Oceania, Australia, New |
| > Sandpiper        |                       | Zealand                 |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Rock Sandpiper   | *Calidris p.          | Alaska                  |
|                    | ptilocnemis*          |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
|                    | *C. p. couesi*        | North America           |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
|                    | *C. p.                | Alaska                  |
|                    | tschuktschorum*       |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Dunlin           | *Calidris alpina      | North and Central       |
|                    | pacifica*             | America                 |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
|                    | *C. a. arcticola*     | Southeast Asia          |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Stilt Sandpiper  | *Calidris himatopus*  | Central and South       |
|                    |                       | America                 |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Buff-breasted    | *Tryngites            | South America           |
| > Sandpiper        | subruficollis*        |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Short-billed     | *Limnodromus griseus  | The Americas            |
| > Dowitcher        | caurinus*             |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Long-billed      | *Limnodromus.         | North and Central       |
| > Dowitcher        | scolopaceus*          | America                 |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Common Snipe     | *Gallinago gallinago* | The Americas            |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Red-necked       | *Phalaropus lobatus*  | SE Asia?, The Americas  |
| > Phalarope        |                       |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+
| > Red Phalarope    | *Phalaropus           | The Americas            |
|                    | fulicaria*            |                         |
+--------------------+-----------------------+-------------------------+

^1^ Taxonomy after AOU (1957) and Engelmoer and Roselaar (1998).

^2^ North America includes Mexico; The Americas include North, Central,
and South America; SE Asia includes Indonesia and mainland SE Asia.
Wintering areas from Hayman et al. (1986), Higgins and Davies (1996),
Gill and Senner (1996), Piersma et al. (1998).

+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
| Status                | > Common name         | > Scientific name    |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       |                       |                      |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
| [Rare or sporadic     | > Mongolian Plover    | ##                   |
| breeders              |                       |  Charadrius mongolus |
| from]{.smallcaps}     |                       |                      |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
| [Asia]{.smallcaps}    | > Common Ringed       | > *Charadrius        |
|                       | > Plover              | > hiaticula*         |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Eurasian Dotterel   | > *Charadrius        |
|                       |                       | > morinellus*        |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Wood Sandpiper      | > *Tringa glareola*  |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Common Sandpiper    | > *Actitis           |
|                       |                       | > hypoleucos*        |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Red-necked Stint    | > *Calidris          |
|                       |                       | > ruficollis*        |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Curlew Sandpiper    | > *Calidris          |
|                       |                       | > ferruginea*        |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Ruff                | > *Philomachus       |
|                       |                       | > pugnax*            |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       |                       |                      |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
| [Migrants or vagrants | > Oriental Pratincole | > *Glareola          |
| from                  | > (1 record)          | > maldivarum*        |
| Asia]{.smallcaps}     |                       |                      |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Little Ringed       | > *Charadrius        |
|                       | > Plover (1 record)   | > dubius*            |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Black-winged Stilt  | > *Himantopus        |
|                       | > (1 record)          | > himantopus*        |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Common Greenshank   | > *Tringa nebularia* |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Marsh Sandpiper (1  | > *Tringa            |
|                       | > record)             | > stagnatilis*       |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Spotted Redshank    | > *Tringa            |
|                       |                       | > erythropus*        |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Green Sandpiper     | > *Tringa ochropus*  |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Gray-tailed Tattler | > *Heteroscelus      |
|                       |                       | > brevipes*          |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Terek Sandpiper     | > *Xenus cinereus*   |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Little Curlew (1    | > *Numenius minutus* |
|                       | > record)             |                      |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Far Eastern Curlew  | > *Numenius          |
|                       |                       | > madagascariensis*  |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Black-tailed Godwit | > *Limosa limosa*    |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Great Knot          | > *Calidris          |
|                       |                       | > tenuirostris*      |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Little Stint        | > *Calidris minuta*  |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Temminck\'s Stint   | > *Calidris          |
|                       |                       | > temminckii*        |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Long-toed Stint     | > *Calidris          |
|                       |                       | > subminuta*         |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Spoonbill Sandpiper | > *Eurynorhynchus    |
|                       |                       | > pygmeus*           |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Broad-billed        | > *Limicola          |
|                       | > Sandpiper           | > falcinellus*       |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Jack Snipe (1       | > *Lymnocryptes      |
|                       | > record)             | > minimus*           |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Pin-tailed Snipe (1 | > *Gallinago         |
|                       | > record)             | > stenura*           |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       |                       |                      |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
| [Vagrants from        | > Snowy Plover        | > *Charadrius        |
| temperate             |                       | > alexandrinus*      |
| North]{.smallcaps}    |                       |                      |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
| [America]{.smallcaps} | > American Avocet (1  | > *Recurvirostra     |
|                       | > record)             | > americana*         |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Eskimo Curlew (has  | > *Numenius          |
|                       | > bred?)              | > borealis*          |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Purple Sandpiper (1 | > *Calidris          |
|                       | > record)             | > maritima*          |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | > Wilson's Phalarope  | > *Phalaropus        |
|                       | > (has bred)          | > tricolor*          |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       |                       |                      |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+

^1^ Status and nomenclature from Gibson and Kessel (1997), D. Gibson
pers. comm.

+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| Bird Conservation Region/Conservation   | Size (sq.  |   | \% of BCR  |
| Unit                                    | miles)     |   |            |
+=========================================+============+===+============+
| Northern Pacific Rainforest             |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Kachemak Bay State Critical Habitat   | 347        |   | 0.5        |
| > Area                                  |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Copper River Delta State Critical     | 933        |   | 1.4        |
| > Habitat Area                          |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Yakataga State Game Refuge            | 128        |   | 0.2        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Glacier Bay National Park/Preserve    | 5,156      |   | 8.0        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Wrangell-St. Elias National           | 1,030      |   | 1.6        |
| > Park/Preserve                         |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Kenai Fjords National Park            | 1,045      |   | 1.6        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Tongass National Forest               | 25,781     |   | 40.0       |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Admiralty National Monument           | 1,494      |   | 2.3        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Misty Fjords National Monument        | 3,359      |   | 5.2        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Chugach National Forest               | 9,297      |   | 14.4       |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve           | 77         |   | 0.1        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Total                                 | 48,647     |   | 75.3       |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| Western Alaska                          |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Lake Clark National Park/Preserve     | 6,328      |   | 5.6        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Aniakchak National Monument/Preserve  | 938        |   | 0.8        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Katmai National Park/Preserve         | 6,250      |   | 5.5        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > McNeil River State Game Sanctuary     | 131        |   | 0.1        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Tugidak Island State Critical Habitat | 78         |   | 0.1        |
| > Area                                  |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Cape Krusenstern National Monument    | 1,031      |   | 0.9        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Bering Land Bridge National Preserve  | 4,219      |   | 3.7        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife    | 5,469      |   | 4.8        |
| > Refuge                                |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Becharof National Wildlife Refuge     | 1,875      |   | 1.7        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Pilot Point State Critical Habitat    | 72         |   | 0.1        |
| > Area                                  |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Port Heiden State Critical Habitat    | 113        |   | 0.1        |
| > Area                                  |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Port Moller State Critical Habitat    | 199        |   | 0.2        |
| > Area                                  |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Izembek National Wildlife Refuge      | 502        |   | 0.4        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Izembek State Game Refuge             | 284        |   | 0.3        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge       | 2,914      |   | 2.6        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Selawik National Wildlife Refuge      | 3,359      |   | 3.0        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Togiak National Wildlife Refuge       | 6,414      |   | 5.7        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge  | 30,663     |   | 27.1       |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Total                                 | 70,839     |   | 62.7       |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| Aleutian/Bering Sea Islands             |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Alaska Maritime National Wildlife     | 5,369      |   | 77.3       |
| > Refuge                                |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Total                                 | 5,369      |   | 77.3       |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| Cook Inlet                              |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Redoubt Bay State Critical Habitat    | 288        |   | 0.1        |
| > Area                                  |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Trading Bay State Game Refuge         | 252        |   | 0.1        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Susitna Flats State Game Refuge       | 470        |   | 0.1        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Kenai National Wildlife Refuge        | 3,078      |   | 28.5       |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Total                                 | 4,088      |   | 37.9       |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| NW Interior Fores                       |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Yukon-Charley Rivers National         | 3,906      |   | 1.4        |
| > Preserve                              |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
|                                         |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
|                                         |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Wrangell-St. Elias National           | 19,577     |   | 6.9        |
| > Park/Preserve                         |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Denali National Park/Preserve         | 9,419      |   | 3.3        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Gates of the Arctic National          | 13,125     |   | 4.6        |
| > Park/Preserve                         |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Minto Flats State Game Refuge         | 781        |   | 0.1        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Kobuk Valley National Park            | 2,734      |   | 1.0        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Noatak National Preserve              | 9,375      |   | 3.3        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Innoko National Wildlife Refuge       | 6,016      |   | 2.1        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge      | 5,547      |   | 2.0        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Nowitna National Wildlife Refuge      | 2,438      |   | 0.9        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge       | 1,094      |   | 0.4        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Arctic National Wildlife Refuge       | 17,467     |   | 6.2        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge       | 2,234      |   | 0.8        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge  | 13,484     |   | 4.8        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Steese National Conservation Area     | 1,875      |   | 0.7        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > White Mountain National Recreation    | 1,563      |   | 0.6        |
| > Area                                  |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Total                                 | 110,635    |   | 39.1       |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| Arctic Plains/Mountains                 |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Arctic National Wildlife Refuge       | 12,667     |   | 13.6       |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska   | 35,938     |   | 38.6       |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
| > Total                                 | 48,605     |   | 52.2       |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+
|                                         |            |   |            |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+---+------------+

^1^ Includes only units greater than about 60 square miles. An
additional 14 units, all administered by the State of Alaska and
totaling some 283 square miles, are spread throughout mostly southern
Alaska (DeLorme 1998).

# *Appendix 4. Variables and criteria used in National and Regional shorebird species prioritization.*

# *Variables for National Priorities*

*Population Trend and Population Trend Uncertainty (PT)---*The
Population Trend variable uses available information on shorebird trends
(e.g., Howe et al. 1989, Morrison et al. 1994) to estimate broad
categories of population decline. Species with known declines in
populations are likely to be at higher risk than species where ongoing
study has detected no risk. However, many species may be declining even
though trends have not been detected using current monitoring
techniques. This is particularly true for species under-represented in
ongoing monitoring programs. Only species with documented significant
population declines (p\<0.10) are included in category 5.

> 5 Significant population decline (p\<0.10)
>
> 4 Apparent population decline
>
> 3 Apparently stable population or status unknown
>
> 2 Apparent population increase
>
> 1 Significant population increase

The Population Trend Uncertainty variable rates the relative level of
uncertainty associated with the estimate of population trend.
Uncertainty scores are rated on a scale of 1-5. These scores will be
reported with the PT scores to emphasize the need for additional
monitoring, and uncertainties associated with decisions based on
reported trends, but do not enter into the categorization process for
determining conservation priorities. High uncertainty about the trend
estimate results in a high score. For the purposes of determining how
representative available data are for the entire species, the data are
classified into one of two categories: 1) comprehensiveness high = data
estimated to represent more than half of the species range and/or half
of the estimated population; or 2) comprehensiveness low = data
represent less than half of both. Scores for these uncertainty estimates
are being developed.

> 5 No information about population trend.

4 Significance test has medium or low power (\<0.8) and
comprehensiveness is low; or, no data but informed estimates about
population trend possible.

> 3 Significance test has medium or low power (\<0.8), and
> comprehensiveness is high.
>
> 2 Significance test has high power (\>0.8), but comprehensiveness is
> low.
>
> 1 Significance test has high power (\>0.8), and comprehensiveness is
> high.

*Relative Abundance (RA)---*This variable uses population size estimates
to classify each species into 5 categories based on breaks in the
distribution of population sizes among shorebirds. Species with smaller
absolute population sizes are likely to be more at risk, either as a
result of historic declines or from catastrophic disturbances.
Population estimates were developed by Morrison et al. (unpublished
report). Note that for some species, (including Upland Sandpiper,
Solitary Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, Semipalmated Plover, Killdeer,
and Lesser Yellowlegs) the population estimates probably are low due to
lower counts resulting from higher dispersion. For these species, the
estimates may be inaccurate. However, most of these species (all except
Solitary Sandpiper) are near the midpoints of their categories, so this
factor may not result in misclassification. With increasing data about
current population sizes, these estimates will be revised.

> 5 \<25,000 individuals
>
> 4 25,000 - \<150,000 individuals
>
> 3 150,000 - \<300,000 individuals
>
> 2 300,000 - \<1,000,000 individuals
>
> 1 \>1,000,000 individuals

Appendix 4 continued

*Threats During Breeding Season (TB)---*This variable ranks the threats
known to exist for each species, and generally reflects the limited
knowledge available for determining threats to most shorebirds.

> 5 Known threats are actually occurring (e.g., significant loss of
> critical habitat), and can be documented.
>
> 4 Significant potential threats exist (e.g., oil spills), but have not
> actually occurred.
>
> 3 No known threats, or information not available.
>
> 2 Threats assumed to be low.
>
> 1 Demonstrably secure.

*Threats During Non-breeding Season (TN)---*This score uses the same
criteria listed above for the breeding season scores, with the
additional factor of concentration risk considered explicitly.

> 5 Known threats are actually occurring (e.g., significant loss of
> critical habitat), and
>
> can be documented. Concentration results in actual risk.
>
> 4 Significant potential threats exist (e.g., oil spills) but have not
> actually occurred. Concentration results in high potential risk.
>
> 3 No known threats, or concentration not a risk, or information not
> available.
>
> 2 Threats assumed to be low from all factors including concentration.
>
> 1 Demonstrably secure.

*Breeding Distribution (BD)*---This variable ranks the size of the
breeding range for species that breed in North America, and only applies
during the actual breeding season. The assumption is that species with
relatively more restricted ranges are more susceptible to breeding
failure from natural or human-induced causes. Threats that occur during
migration to or from the breeding grounds are addressed in Non-breeding
Distribution (ND) below.

> 5 \<2.5% of North America (212,880 square-miles)
>
> 4 2.5 - 4.9% of North America
>
> 3 5.0 - 9.9% of North America
>
> 2 10 - 20% of North America
>
> 1 \>20% of North America (1,703,008 square-miles)

*Non-breeding Distribution (ND)---*This variable refers to distribution
during the non-breeding season, which includes migration to and from the
breeding grounds. Threats resulting from concentration at some point
during migration are addressed in threats to non-breeding above. This
variable rates the relative risks associated with having a smaller
absolute range size during the non-breeding season. Because different
risk factors occur during the non-breeding season, the absolute sizes of
these categories are different from those above. In addition, the added
variable of length of coastline is used for coastal species where
measuring area is not as representative of distribution.

> 5 Highly restricted: ≤50,000 square-miles, or very restricted along
> coastal areas or interior uplands.
>
> 4 Local: 50,000 - 200,000 square-miles, or along ≤1,000 miles of
> coast.
>
> 3 Intermediate: 200,000 - 2,000,000 square-miles, or along 1,000 -
> 3,000 miles of coast.
>
> 2 Widespread: 2,000,000 - 4,000,000 square-miles, or along 3,000 -
> 5,000 miles of coast.
>
> 1 Very widespread: 4,000,000 - 7,000,000 square-miles, or along
> 5,000 - 9,000 miles of coast.

Appendix 4 Continued

**Criteria for National Priorities**

The following categories are modified from those proposed by the AOU
committee that was established to review the PIF prioritization system
(Beissinger et al., unpubl.). The primary change is to move species with
high population trend scores and some other high scores into the highest
category.

Proposed Categories:

> 5 Highly Imperiled---All species listed as threatened or endangered
> nationally, plus all species with significant population declines and
> either low populations or some other high risk factor.
>
> PT = 5 and RA, BD, TB, or TN = 5
>
> 4 Species of High Concern - Populations of these species are known or
> thought to be declining, and have some other known or potential threat
> as well.
>
> PT = 4 or 5 and either RA, BD, TB, or TN = 4 or 5
>
> RA = 4 or 5 and either TB or TN = 4 or 5
>
> For regional lists only: AI = 5 and RA \>3
>
> 3 Species of Moderate Concern - Populations of these species are
> either a) declining with moderate threats or distributions; b) stable
> with known or potential threats and moderate to restricted
> distributions; c) and d) relatively small and restricted; or e)
> declining but with no other known threats.

PT = 4 or 5 and RA, BD, ND, TN, or TB = 3

> PT = 3 and RA, BD, ND, TN, or TB = 4 or 5
>
> RA = 3 and BD or ND = 4, or 5
>
> RA = 4 and BD and ND \<4
>
> PT = 5 and RA, BD, ND, TN, or TB \> 1
>
> For regional lists only: AI=4 and RA\>3
>
> 2 Species of Low Concern - Populations of these species are either a)
> stable with moderate threats and distributions; b) increasing but with
> known or potential threats and moderate to restricted distributions;
> or c) of moderate size.
>
> PT = 3 and RA, BD, ND, TN, or TB = 3
>
> PT = 2 and RA, BD, ND, TN, or TB = 4 or 5
>
> RA = 3
>
> For regional lists only: AI = 3
>
> 1 Species Not at Risk - All other species

**Variables and Criteria for Regional Priorities**

To determine the relative importance of a species within a planning
region, a matrix showing species life history stages and the relative
importance of each Planning Region (e.g., Alaska Region) compared to
other Regions was developed. Also considered are life history stages for
each species within each Bird Conservation Region (BCR). Considering
area importance at the regional scale ensures that conservation

Appendix 4 Continued

effort will not be misdirected toward species that are rare in a
particular region only because they are close to the edge of their
range.

*Area Importance (AI)---*Area importance scores are based on knowledge
of distributions, expert opinion, and data on distributions for species
where they are available. Species are ranked on a relative scale within
each BCR.

Because management decisions based on species priorities are often
linked to seasonal aspects of biology, the scores for these variables
will be reported using a system that reflects both the relative area
importance and the season or seasons during which the area is important,
including breeding (B), wintering (W), and migration (M, spring and
fall). This system is used at two scales, including the Shorebird
Planning Regions and also the smaller Bird Conservation Regions within
each Planning Region.

> Score Symbol Description of occurrence within BCR or Planning Region,
> including relative abundance, importance relative to other regions,
> and importance of management and protection activities.
>
> 5 **B, W, M** High concentrations or absolute numbers known to occur.
> Area of high importance to the species relative to the majority of
> other regions. The area is critical for supporting hemispheric
> populations of the species.
>
> 4 B, W, M Common or locally abundant, with large numbers occurring or
> suspected to occur. Area of known or suspected importance relative to
> other regions, especially within the same flyway. The area is
> important for supporting hemispheric or regional populations.
>
> 3 b, w, m Uncommon to fairly common. Area is within the primary range
> of the species, and it occurs regularly, but is present in low
> relative abundance.
>
> 2 \* Rare occurrences. Area is within the expected range of the
> species, but it occurs at a low frequency. (In general, management for
> these species is not warranted within the region.)
>
> 1 Blank Does not occur in the area, or has only unpredictable,
> irregular occurrence as a vagrant. Area is outside of expected range.

The regional prioritization system uses the same criteria as for
national priorities, with the additional rule that species can be
assigned to a different category based on their area importance within
the region. Species that are highly imperiled are included wherever they
occur.

![](media/image7.png){width="4.604861111111111in"
height="2.0527777777777776in"}

Appendix 5. Prioritization scores and distribution by Bird Conservation
Region of shorebirds regularly occurring in Alaska.

<table>
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 18%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 7%" />
<col style="width: 7%" />
<col style="width: 7%" />
<col style="width: 7%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
</colgroup>
<thead>
<tr class="header">
<th colspan="10"></th>
<th colspan="6">Occurrence in Alaska Bird Conservation Regions</th>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<th></th>
<th colspan="6">National scores<sup>1</sup></th>
<th colspan="2">Priority</th>
<th rowspan="2"><p>Alaska</p>
<p>use<sup>2</sup></p></th>
<th rowspan="2"><p>Arctic</p>
<p>Plains/ Mountains</p></th>
<th rowspan="2"><p>Western</p>
<p>Alaska</p></th>
<th rowspan="2"><p>Aleutians</p>
<p>Bering Is.</p></th>
<th rowspan="2"><p>NW</p>
<p>Forest</p></th>
<th rowspan="2"><p>Cook</p>
<p>Inlet</p></th>
<th rowspan="2"><p>Northeern Pacific</p>
<p>Rainforest</p></th>
</tr>
<tr class="header">
<th>Species</th>
<th>PT</th>
<th>RA</th>
<th>TB</th>
<th>TN</th>
<th>BD</th>
<th>ND</th>
<th>US</th>
<th>AK</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Pacific Golden-Plover</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td>m</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Black Oystercatcher</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>W</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td>B,W</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>W</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>W</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Wandering Tattler</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td><strong>B</strong></td>
<td>b</td>
<td><h4 id="b-15">B</h4></td>
<td>b</td>
<td><h4 id="b-16">B</h4></td>
<td>b</td>
<td>B</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Whimbrel</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td>B</td>
<td>B,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td>B, m</td>
<td><strong>M</strong></td>
<td>m</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Bristle-thighed Curlew</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Hudsonian Godwit</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td>b</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Bar-tailed Godwit</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td><h4 id="b-17">B</h4></td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Marbled Godwit<sup>3</sup></td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>B,M</td>
<td></td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td>m</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Black Turnstone</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>, <strong>M,</strong> w</td>
<td>b</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td>*</td>
<td></td>
<td><strong>M</strong>,w</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Surfbird</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong>,w</td>
<td></td>
<td><h4 id="b-18">B</h4></td>
<td></td>
<td>B</td>
<td>B</td>
<td><strong>M</strong>,w</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Rock Sandpiper</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>W</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>W</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td><h4 id="w-5">W</h4></td>
<td><h4 id="w-6">W</h4></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Dunlin<sup>4</sup></td>
<td>5</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td><h4 id="m-12">M</h4></td>
<td>m</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Buff-breasted Sandpiper</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td><h4 id="b-19">B</h4></td>
<td><h4 id="b-20">B</h4></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Short-billed Dowitcher<sup>5</sup></td>
<td>5</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td>B,M</td>
<td>B,M</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Black-bellied Plover</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,m</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,M</td>
<td>m</td>
<td>m</td>
<td>M</td>
<td><h4 id="m-13">M</h4></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>American Golden-Plover</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td><strong>B</strong></td>
<td>B</td>
<td>B</td>
<td>*</td>
<td>B</td>
<td></td>
<td>m</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Killdeer</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>b</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td>*</td>
<td>*</td>
<td>b</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Greater Yellowlegs</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,M</td>
<td></td>
<td>B,M</td>
<td></td>
<td>b</td>
<td>B,m</td>
<td>B,m</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Solitary Sandpiper</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td><strong>B</strong></td>
<td>*</td>
<td>B</td>
<td></td>
<td>B</td>
<td>B</td>
<td>b</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Spotted Sandpiper</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>B</td>
<td>b</td>
<td>B</td>
<td>b</td>
<td>B</td>
<td>B</td>
<td>B</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Ruddy Turnstone</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td><h4 id="b-21">B</h4></td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,m</td>
<td>b,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td>*</td>
<td></td>
<td>m</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Red Knot</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td>B</td>
<td>B,M</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td>*</td>
<td>M</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Sanderling</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>b*,m,w</td>
<td>b*,m</td>
<td>m,w</td>
<td>w</td>
<td></td>
<td>m</td>
<td>m,w</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Semipalmated Sandpiper</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,M</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,m</td>
<td></td>
<td>m</td>
<td>m</td>
<td>m</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Western Sandpiper</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td>b,m</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td>b,m</td>
<td></td>
<td><h4 id="m-14">M</h4></td>
<td><h4 id="m-15">M</h4></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Least Sandpiper</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,M</td>
<td>b</td>
<td>B,m</td>
<td>b</td>
<td>b</td>
<td>b,m</td>
<td>B,M</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Sharp-tailed Sandpiper</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td><strong>M</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td><h4 id="m-16">M</h4></td>
<td>m</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td>*</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Stilt Sandpiper</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td><strong>B</strong></td>
<td><h4 id="b-22">B</h4></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td>*</td>
<td></td>
<td>*</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Common Snipe</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td><strong>B</strong></td>
<td>b</td>
<td>B</td>
<td>b</td>
<td>B</td>
<td>B</td>
<td>B</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Red-necked Phalarope</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,M</td>
<td>b,M</td>
<td>B,m</td>
<td>b</td>
<td>b,<strong>M</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Red Phalarope</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td>B,m</td>
<td>b,M</td>
<td></td>
<td>m</td>
<td>*</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Semipalmated Plover</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,m</td>
<td>b</td>
<td>B,M</td>
<td>b</td>
<td>B,m</td>
<td>B,M</td>
<td>B,M</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Lesser Yellowlegs</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,m</td>
<td>b</td>
<td>B</td>
<td>*</td>
<td><h4 id="b-23">B</h4></td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,M</td>
<td>b</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Upland Sandpiper</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>b</td>
<td>b</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><h4 id="b-24">B</h4></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>White-rumped Sandpiper</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td><h4 id="b-25">B</h4></td>
<td>B</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Baird's Sandpiper</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,m</td>
<td><h4 id="b-26">B</h4></td>
<td>B</td>
<td>b</td>
<td>B</td>
<td>m</td>
<td>m</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Pectoral Sandpiper</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,M</td>
<td>b,M</td>
<td>*</td>
<td>m</td>
<td>m</td>
<td>M</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Long-billed Dowitcher</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,M</td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td><strong>B</strong>,<strong>M</strong></td>
<td>b</td>
<td>b,m</td>
<td>m</td>
<td>M</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

^1^ See Appendix 4 for definitions and criteria of categories.

^2^ Importance of use of Alaska Region relative to that within other
national Planning Regions. B = breeding, M = migration, and W =
wintering. **B**,**M**,**W** = high numbers of species within respective
season(s) relative to the majority of other regions. B,M,W = common or
locally abundant, region important to the species. b,m,w = uncommon to
fairly common, region within species

range but occurs in low relative abundance relative to other regions. \*
= rare occurrence, area within expected range of species, but occurs at
low frequency.

^3^ Includes only subspecies *Limosa fedoa beringiae*.

^4^ Includes only subspecies *Calidris alpina arcticola.*

^5^ Includes only subspecies *Limnodromus griseus caurinus*.

Appendix 6. Breeding and staging/stopover habitat preferences of Alaska
shorebirds

+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Species          | Breeding habitat       | > Staging/stopover      |
|                  |                        | > habitat               |
+==================+========================+=========================+
| Black-bellied    | dwarf shrub meadow,    | > wet meadow, silt      |
| Plover           | wet meadow             | > tidal flat            |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| American         | dwarf shrub meadow,    | > dwarf shrub meadow,   |
| Golden-Plover    | dwarf shrub mat        | > salt grass meadow     |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Pacific          | dwarf shrub meadow     | > dwarf shrub meadow,   |
| Golden-Plover    |                        | > silt tidal flats      |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Semipalmated     | riverine alluvia,      | > silt tidal flat, sand |
| Plover           | gravel beach           | > beach                 |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Killdeer         | riverine alluvia,      |                         |
|                  | unvegetated substrate  |                         |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Black            | rocky shore, gravel    | > gravel tidal flat,    |
| Oystercatcher    | beach                  | > rocky shore           |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Greater          | scattered woodland,    | > salt grass meadow,    |
| Yellowlegs       | dwarf shrub meadow     | > silt tidal flat       |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Lesser           | scattered woodland,    | > salt grass meadow,    |
| Yellowlegs       | dwarf shrub meadow     | > wet meadow            |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Solitary         | scattered woodland,    | > wet meadow, salt      |
| Sandpiper        | mixed forest           | > grass meadow          |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Wandering        | riverine alluvia,      | > gravel tidal flat,    |
| Tattler          | gravel beach           | > rocky shore           |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Spotted          | riverine alluvia,      | > riverine alluvia,     |
| Sandpiper        | lacustrine shoreline   | > lacustrine shoreline  |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Upland Sandpiper | scattered woodland     | > grass meadow          |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Eskimo Curlew    | dwarf shrub meadow     | > dwarf shrub meadow    |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Whimbrel         | dwarf shrub meadow     | > dwarf shrub meadow,   |
|                  |                        | > salt grass meadow     |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Bristle-thighed  | dwarf shrub meadow     | > wet meadow, dwarf     |
| Curlew           |                        | > shrub meadow          |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Hudsonian Godwit | scattered woodland,    | > silt tidal flat, salt |
|                  | dwarf shrub meadow     | > grass meadow          |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Bar-tailed       | dwarf shrub meadow     | > silt tidal flat,      |
| Godwit           |                        | > dwarf shrub meadow    |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Marbled Godwit   | dwarf shrub meadow     | > silt tidal flat       |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Ruddy Turnstone  | dwarf shrub mat        | > silt tidal flat,      |
|                  |                        | > dwarf shrub meadow    |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Black Turnstone  | salt grass meadow      | > rocky shore, gravel   |
|                  |                        | > tidal flat            |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Surfbird         | dwarf shrub mat        | > rocky shore, gravel   |
|                  |                        | > tidal flat            |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Red Knot         | dwarf shrub mat        | > silt tidal flat, wet  |
|                  |                        | > meadow                |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Sanderling       | dwarf shrub mat        | > sand beach, silt      |
|                  |                        | > tidal flat            |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Semipalmated     | dwarf shrub meadow     | > silt tidal flat       |
| Sandpiper        |                        |                         |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Western          | dwarf shrub meadow     | > silt tidal flat       |
| Sandpiper        |                        |                         |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Least Sandpiper  | dwarf shrub meadow,    | > salt grass meadow,    |
|                  | scattered woodland     | > silt tidal flat       |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| White-rumped     | wet meadow             | > salt grass meadow     |
| Sandpiper        |                        |                         |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Baird\'s         | dwarf shrub mat        | > silt tidal flat, salt |
| Sandpiper        |                        | > grass meadow          |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Pectoral         | wet meadow             | > salt grass meadow,    |
| Sandpiper        |                        | > wet meadow            |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Sharp-tailed     |                        | > wet meadow, silt      |
| Sandpiper^2^     |                        | > tidal flat            |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Rock Sandpiper   | dwarf shrub meadow,    | > gravel tidal flat,    |
|                  | dwarf shrub mat        | > rocky shore           |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Dunlin           | wet meadow, dwarf      | > silt tidal flat, salt |
|                  | shrub meadow           | > grass meadow          |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Stilt Sandpiper  | dwarf shrub meadow     | > salt grass meadow     |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Buff-breasted    | dwarf shrub meadow,    | > salt grass meadow     |
| Sandpiper        | dwarf shrub mat        |                         |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Short-billed     | wet meadow, salt grass | > silt tidal flat, salt |
| Dowitcher        | meadow                 | > grass meadow          |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Long-billed      | wet meadow             | > salt grass meadow,    |
| Dowitcher        |                        | > silt tidal flat       |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Common Snipe     | dwarf shrub meadow,    | > wet meadow, salt      |
|                  | scattered woodland     | > grass meadow          |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Red-necked       | lacustrine water, wet  | > nearshore marine      |
| Phalarope        | meadow                 | > water, lacustrine     |
|                  |                        | > water                 |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+
| Red Phalarope    | lacustrine water, wet  | > nearshore marine      |
|                  | meadow                 | > water, lacustrine     |
|                  |                        | > water                 |
+------------------+------------------------+-------------------------+

^1^ Habitat classification based on Kessel (1979). Ordered by preference
if more than one habitat shown.

^2^ Does not occur as a breeding species.

Appendix 7. Sites within Alaska Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs) that
potentially qualify for inclusion within the Western Hemisphere
Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN). See Figure 2 for site locations.

WHSRN

Bird Conservation Region/Site^1^ Code^2^ Custodian^3^ Key species^4^
Numbers^5^ Season^6^

**Arctic Plains/Mountains**

1\. NE Alaska Lagoons R-I S, FWS, N AGPL, LBDO, REPH, RNPH s10,000s SP,
S, A

SESA, PESA

2\. Simpson Lagoon R S, N REPH, DUNL f 10,000s S, A

3\. Colville River Delta R S, N DUNL, SESA, WESA, RNPH f 10,000s S, A

4\. Elson Lagoon R S, N, BLM DUNL, SESA, REPH f 10,000s S, A

5\. Peard Bay R? N, S REPH s 1,000s S, A

6\. Kasegaluk Lagoon R S, BLM, FWS, N DUNL, REPH f 10,000s SP, S, A

7\. Krusenstern Lagoon R S, N, NPS WESA, SESA, DUNL, LBDO f 10,000s SP,
S, A

8\. Noatak River Delta I N, S WESA, SESA, DUNL, LBDO s 10,000s SP, S, A

**Western Alaska**

9\. Cape Espenberg R? S, NPS, N WESA, SESA, DUNL, PESA f 10,000s S, A

10\. Shishmaref Inlet I S, N, NPS WESA, DUNL, SESA, BLTU s 10,000s S, A

11\. Lopp Lagoon R? S, N, BLM, NPS WESA, DUNL, SESA s 10,000s S, A

12\. Central Seward Pen. H% S, NPS, BLM BTCU, WHIM, BTGO, AGPL s 1,000s
SP, S

13\. Safety Sound R S, N DUNL, SESA, WESA, RNPH f 10,000s S, A

14\. Golovin Lagoon R? S, N DUNL, SESA, WESA, RNPH f 10,000s S, A

15\. Norton Bay R S, N, BLM DUNL, SESA, WESA, RNPH f 10,000s S, A

16\. Stebbins-St. Michael R-I? N SESA, DUNL, RNPH s 10,000s S, A

17\. Andreafsky Wilderness H% N, FWS, BLM BTCU, WHIM, AGPL s 1,000s SP,
S

18\. St. Lawrence Island I-H% N, S ROSA, DUNL s 1,000s SP, S, A

19\. N. Yukon R. Delta7 H-H% N, FWS, S DUNL, LBDO, BTGO, RNPH s 100,000s
SP, S, A

20\. C. Yukon R. Delta7 H-H% N, FWS, S DUNL, WESA, BTGO, BLTU s 100,000s
SP, S, A

BTCU, WHIM, LBDO, REKN,

Appendix 7 Continued

WHSRN

Bird Conservation Region/Site^1^ Code^2^ Custodian^3^ Key species^4^
Numbers^5^ Season^6^

RNPH

21\. Kuskokwim R. Delta7 H-H% N, FWS, S DUNL, WESA, BTGO, BLTU s
100,000s SP, S, A

BTCU, WHIM, RNPH

22\. Nunivak Island7 R-I N, FWS, S ROSA, DUNL, WESA, LBDO f 10,000s S, A

23\. Carter Bay R S, BLM, N DUNL, WESA, HUGO f 10,000s S, A

24\. Goodnews Bay R? S, N DUNL, WESA f 10,000s S, A

25\. Chagvan Bay R S, FWS, DFG, N DUNL, WESA, ROSA, LESA f 10,000s S, A

26\. Nanvak Bay R S, FWS, N DUNL, WESA, ROSA, LESA f 10,000s S, A

27\. Nushagak Bay R-I? S, N, FWS DUNL, WESA, BBPL, PGPL s 10,000s S, A

28\. Kvichak Bay R-I? S, N DUNL, WESA, BBPL, PGPL s 10,000s S, A

29\. Egegik Bay I?-H% S, DFG, N DUNL, WESA, BTGO s 10,000s S, A

30\. Ugashik Bay R S, DFG, N DUNL, WESA, LBDO, MAGO f 10,000s S, A

31\. Cinder-Hook Lagoons R-I S, DFG, N DUNL, WESA, BTGO, MAGO s 10,000s
S, A

32\. Port Heiden R-I? S, DFG, N DUNL, WESA, BTGO, ROSA f 100,000s S, A

33\. Seal Islands R-I? S, N DUNL, WESA, BTGO, ROSA f 10,000s S, A

34\. Nelson Lagoon/ Mud Bay I-H? S, DFG, N DUNL, WESA, BTGO, SBDO s
100,000s S, A

ROSA

35\. Izembek-Moffet Lagoons R-H%? S, DFG, FWS, N ROSA, BTGO, DUNL s
10,000s S, A

36\. Kodiak I.7 R? S, N, FWS, FS DUNL, WESA, SBDO, ROSA s 1,000s SP, S,
A, W

**Aleutian/Bering Sea Islands**

37\. St. Matthew Island I% N, FWS ROSA s 1,000s SP, S, A

38\. Pribilof Islands R-H%? N, S RUTU, ROSA f 10,000s S, A

39\. Aleutian Islands R-I% FWS, S, N, ROSA, BLOY, RUTU s 10,000s SP, S,
A, W

Appendix 7 Continued

WHSRN

Bird Conservation Region/Site^1^ Code^2^ Custodian^3^ Key species^4^
Numbers^5^ Season^6^

**NW Interior Forest (Cook Inlet)**

40 Tuxedni Bay I S, NPS, N WESA s 10,000s SP, S

41\. Redoubt Bay H-H% S, N, DFG WESA, SBDO, HUGO, LESA s 100,000s SP, S,
A

42\. Trading Bay I S, N, DFG WESA, SBDO, HUGO, LESA f 100,000s SP, S, A

43\. Susitna River Flats R-H% S, DFG SBDO, WESA, LESA s 10,000s SP, S, A

44\. Knik River Flats R? S, N LESA, SBDO, GRYE f 10,000s SP, S, A

45\. Chickaloon Flats R? FWS, S, FS SBDO, LESA s 1,000s SP, S, A

**North Pacific Rainforest**

46\. Kachemak Bay **I** S, DFG, N WESA, SURF, ROSA f 100,000s SP, S, W

47\. NE Montague Island R-H% S, N, FS SURF, BLTU, RNPH, ROSA s 10,000s
SP, W

48\. Middleton Island R N, S, FWS WESA, BLTU, SURF, LESA s 1,000s SP, S,
A, W

49\. Copper R. Delta **H** S, FS, N WESA, DUNL, REKN, SBDO s 100,000s
SP, S

BBPL

50\. Controller Bay H S, FS, N WESA, DUNL, REKN, BBPL s 100,000s SP, S

51\. Yakutat Forelands I-H% FS, S, N WESA, MAGO, DUNL, LESA f 100,000s
SP

52\. Mendenhall Wetlands R S, DFG, N WESA, SBDO f 10,000s SP, S, A, W

53\. Stikine River Delta I-H? S, FS, N WESA s 100,000s SP

^1^ See Figure 1 for boundaries of BCRs. Almost all sites are coastal
and thus represent mostly intertidal habitats, both unvegetated and
vegetated.

^2^ Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network criteria: H =
Hemispheric Reserve (supporting \>500,000 birds annually or \>30% of a
species\' flyway population), I = International Reserve (\>100,000 birds
or \>15% of a species\' flyway population), and R = Regional Reserve
(\>20,000 birds or \>5% of a species\' flyway population). A fourth
designation, Endangered Species, exists, but no Alaska shorebird
currently qualifies under this category. Sites that qualify based on
total numbers are shown with the appropriate letter (R, I, or H); a
question mark follows site designations that may qualify at that level
but additional study is needed. Those sites that qualify based on a
percentage of a population are accompanied by a percent sign (%). For
example, a site listed as I-H% indicates it qualifies as an
International site based on numbers as well as a Hemispheric site based
on percent of a population using the site. Only two Alaska sites have
been formally dedicated within the WHSRN system, both indicated in bold.

^3^ N = Alaska Native Regional or Village Corporation (= private), FS =
Forest Service, FWS = Fish and Wildlife Service, BLM = Bureau of Land
Management, S = State of Alaska (all state lands below mean high tide),
DFG = Alaska Dept. Fish and Game (state game refuges and critical
habitat areas).

^4^ Species that are numerically dominant on an area during an annual
cycle. BBPL = Black-bellied Plover, AGPL = American Golden-Plover, PGPL
= Pacific Golden-Plover, BLOY = Black Oystercatcher, GRYE = Greater
Yellowlegs, WHIM = Whimbrel, BTCU = Bristle-thighed Curlew, HUGO =
Hudsonian Godwit, BARG = Bar-tailed Godwit, MAGO = Marbled Godwit, RUTU
= Ruddy Turnstone, BLTU = Black Turnstone, SURF = Surfbird, REKN = Red
Knot, SEPA = Semipalmated Sandpiper, WESA = Western Sandpiper, LESA =
Least Sandpiper, PESA = Pectoral Sandpiper, ROSA = Rock Sandpiper, DUNL
= Dunlin, SBDO = Short-billed Dowitcher, LBDO = Long-billed Dowitcher,
RNPH = Red-necked Phalarope, REPH = Red Phalarope.

^5^ Total numbers of shorebirds (all species combined) likely to use a
particular area during an annual cycle: f = few ([\<]{.underline} 3); s
= several ([\>]{.underline} 4).

^6^ Season when used: SP = Spring, S = Summer, A = Autumn, W = Winter.

^7^ Indicates a site having several discrete sites, each meeting WHSRN
criteria.

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