United States 

Department of

Agriculture 

Maintaining and Improving Habitat 

for Hummingbirds in Alaska 

Forest National 

Service Headquarters FS-1039b Month 2016 
 

Introduction I

Hummingbirds play an important role in the food web, pollinating a variety 

of flowering plants, some of which are specifically adapted to pollination by 

hummingbirds. Hummingbird numbers are declining, like those of other 

pollinators, due to habitat loss, changes in the distribution and abundance of

nectar plants (which are affected by climate change), the spread of invasive 

plants, and pesticides. This guide is intended 

to help you provide and improve habitat for 

hummingbirds, as well as for other pollinators. While hummingbirds, like all birds, 

have the basic habitat needs of food, water, 

shelter, and space, this guide is focused on 

providing food—the plants that provide 

nectar or shelter the insects that hummingbirds favor as prey. Because climate, 

geology, and vegetation vary in different 

areas, recommended plants are presented for each ecoregion in Alaska within 

which hummingbirds occur.

This guide also provides brief descriptions of the hummingbirds that occur 

within Alaska, as well as some basic information about their habitat needs. 

Whether you manage large tracts or a small yard, you can make the land 

attractive to hummingbirds. Even long, narrow pieces of habitat, like utility corridors, field edges, and roadsides, can provide important connections 

among larger habitat areas. 

Rufous Hummingbird nest

Courtesy of Martin Hutten

Hummingbird Basics 

Hummingbirds only occur in the 

Americas, with the greatest diversity 

of species found along the equator. 

Only two species, the Rufous and 

Anna’s Hummingbirds, are known 

to occur in Alaska. Rufous Hummingbirds are highly migratory, 

travelling between Alaskan breeding 

grounds to winter in Mexico 

and the southern US. Anna’s Hummingbirds are increasingly found spending 

their winters in coastal Alaskan communities, where winters are temperate. 

For hummingbird species to thrive, they need to find suitable habitat all along 

their migration routes, as well as in their breeding, nesting, and wintering areas. 

Isolated foraging opportunities

Courtesy of Cheryl Carrothers

Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Alaska — 1 

 Food 

The first hummingbirds typically arrive in 

Alaska by mid-April. Snow may still cover 

much of the ground that time of year 

and few flowers are available. Insects, 

such as mosquitoes and gnats, provide 

critical nutrients for these newly arrived 

hummingbirds as they establish territories 

and begin nesting. Hummingbirds 

feed by day on nectar from flowers, 

including annuals, perennials, trees, 

shrubs, and vines once they are available.

Early season Rufous

Hummingbirds at feeder

Courtesy of Merrill Jensen

Western columbine—Aquilegia formosa 

Courtesy of Bob Armstrong

Hummingbirds feed while hovering or, 

if possible, while perched. They will 

continue to eat insects, and will consume 

tree sap 

when it is 

available. 

They obtain 

tree sap 

from sap 

wells drilled 

in trees by 

sapsuckers and other similar bird species. Native 

nectar plants and other foraging resource plants 

are listed in the table near the end of this guide.

Feeding at sap well

Water Courtesy of Bob Armstrong

Hummingbirds get adequate water 

from the nectar and insects they 

consume. However, they are attracted 

to running water which is abundant 

within their range in Alaska. Fountains, sprinklers and birdbaths with 

misters provide more urban attractants. Insect populations are typically 

higher near ponds, streams, muskegs, 

bogs and other wetlands, those areas 

also provide important foraging habitats for hummingbirds.

Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Alaska — 2 

Courtesy of Cheryl Carrothers
 I Hummingbird Species 

in Alaska 

Following are brief descriptions of the two hummingbird species found in 

Alaska, Anna’s (Calypte anna) and Rufous (Selasphorus rufus). There have been 

a few documented hybrids between Anna’s and Rufous Hummingbirds. 

Any hummingbirds observed that don’t seem to quite meet the descriptions 

provided below, should be photographed if possible and reported to local 

experts.

Anna’s Hummingbird I

(Calypte anna) 

APPEARANCE—Anna’s Hummingbirds are mostly green and gray, without any rufous or orange marks on the 

body. The male’s head and throat are 

covered in iridescent reddish-pink 

feathers that can look dull brown or 

gray without direct sunlight. Adult 

males (and some young males) have an 

iridescent rose/red crown and gorget 

with elongated feathers projecting to the sides. Males turn their head from side 

to side as they sing, flashing their iridescent head as a signal to other hummingbirds. They have a green back and are grayish below. Outer tail feathers 

are gray, darker at the edges. The tail extends well beyond the wingtips. Males 

are more vocal than any other North American hummingbird. The male has a 

dry, scratchy, buzzy “song” that it sings throughout the year.

Adult females also have a green back and grayish underparts. Gorget 

markings vary from bronzy-gray mottling to a central splotch of rose/red 

feathers. Very rarely, rose feathers may occur on the crown. The tail extends 

to or beyond the wingtips. Tail feathers are broad, rounded, banded in dull 

gray-green, blackish, and white. Immature birds look somewhat similar to the 

adult females, although immature males have heavier mottling in the gorget. 

The Anna’s Hummingbird typically holds its tail still while hovering.

RANGE—The Anna’s Hummingbird is the largest hummingbird occurring 

in Alaska. It is a year-round resident of the Pacific coast, from Alaska to Baja 

California. Since the mid-1930s, its range has expanded greatly, possibly due to 

its effective use of cultivated plants and feeders in urban and suburban areas. 

Anna’s Hummingbirds occur in Bird Conservation Region (BCR) 5 (Figure 1) 

Anna’s Hummingbird—male

Courtesy of Bob Armstrong

Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Alaska — 3 

which overlaps the Tongass and Chugach National Forests. They are locally 

uncommon in spring and summer with increasing regularly in coastal Alaskan 

communities in winter. 

HABITAT—Anna’s Hummingbirds are conspicuous in yards, parks, and 

residential neighborhoods. Further south, they use riparian woodlands, 

savannahs and coastal scrub. They readily 

come to hummingbird feeders and flowering 

plants, including cultivated species in gardens. 

Although this species has not been confirmed 

nesting in Alaska, breeding habitat elsewhere 

includes urban areas and parks at low to mid 

elevations. After breeding, they may move to 

higher elevations in search of nectar resources. 

MIGRATION—is not well understood. 

In Alaska, they appear to not migrate in the 

traditional sense. Instead, they migrate more 

altitudinally, with birds from higher elevations 

moving to lower coastal climates, as temperatures drop. Known wintering 

locations are almost always near people’s homes with an availability of

supplemental food sources and dense cover for nighttime roosting.

COURTSHIP—The courtship display of the male Anna’s Hummingbird 

lasts about 12 seconds, and includes diving from a height of over 100 feet 

which ends a unique short high-pitched noise made by air whipping through 

his tail feathers. As courtship progresses, the male chases a receptive female, 

who leads him toward her nest site, and perches again. The male then 

performs a “shuttle display,” where he swings back and forth about a foot 

above the female, keeping his body horizontal and his head down toward the 

female, often singing an intense song.

NESTING—The female builds the 1 inch 

tall by 1.5 inches in diameter nest out of

plant down, shed animal fur and spider 

webs, sitting in the nest and building the 

cup rim up around her. She may decorate 

the outside with lichens, mosses or even 

paint chips, sometimes stealing these 

materials from other active nests.

Anna’s Hummingbirds, however, are not 

known to nest in Alaska.

Anna’s Hummingbird—male

Courtesy of Gwen Baluss

Anna’s Hummingbird—female

Courtesy of Scott Carpenter

Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Alaska — 4 
Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) I

Rufous Hummingbird—male

Courtesy of Bob Armstrong

APPEARANCE—The back of the adult 

male Rufous Hummingbird is cinnamoncolored (rufous), sometimes spangled with 

green and rarely more than half green. 

The underparts are creamy white with a 

rufous “vest.” The crown is bright green, 

and the gorget is iridescent scarlet to orange, 

appearing golden or yellow-green from 

some angles. The tail extends past the wingtips. The rufous tail feathers are black-tipped 

and pointed.

The adult female is bright green above and 

white below, strongly washed with rufous on the sides, flanks, and undertail 

coverts. The face and sides of the gorget are also washed rufous. The gorget 

is off-white, spangled with green to bronze. The throat is marked with redorange, from just a few spangles to a large patch depending on the individual. 

The rounded tail extends past the wingtips; it is rufous at the base and banded 

with black. The outer three pairs of tail feathers have white tips. Immature 

birds look similar to the adult female, although the immature males typically 

show more rufous on the rump and lower back as well as heavier markings on 

the throat. 

RANGE—The Rufous Hummingbird is the most common and widespread 

hummingbird species in Alaska, and can be found in a wide variety of

habitats. This species travels farther north than any other hummingbird, 

wintering in Mexico and Southeastern US and migrating to breeding sites 

as distant as Prince William Sound, Alaska. 

Although a relatively small hummingbird, it has an aggressive nature and 

frequently chases larger hummingbirds from nectar sources. It is thought to be 

an important pollinator in the cool, cloudy rainforests of southeast and southcentral Alaska. Pollination by Rufous Hummingbirds supports development 

of wild berry crops such as blueberry, salmonberry, and elderberry, providing 

locally important food resources to wildlife and humans. 

HABITAT—Rufous Hummingbirds use a diversity of forested and wetland 

habitats from shoreline to alpine, as well as parks and residential areas. They 

commonly utilize hummingbird feeders when available. All ages and both 

sexes are aggressive in defense of territory and forage resources, including 

feeders. They are thought to be closely associated with the Red-breasted 

Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Alaska — 5 

Sapsucker, nesting near sap wells and 

may follow the woodpecker around 

during the day, feeding at the wells the 

sapsucker keeps flowing.

MIGRATION—The Rufous Hummingbird makes one of the longest migratory 

journeys of any bird in the world from 

Alaska to Mexico. Rufous Hummingbirds usually begin arriving in Southeastern Alaska by April, with males arriving 

earliest and beginning their migration 

south by July. Females are also present in April, but in smaller numbers and 

typically stay through July during incubation and rearing of young. Successful 

nests start incubating between late May and late June with fledging in July. 

As with other hummingbirds, Rufous Hummingbirds typically move to higher 

elevations for the fall migration, following nectar producing flowers. 

Spring migration is mostly north along the coast and mountains of the Pacific 

Flyway. In the fall, Rufous head south and more interior along the Rockies, 

with an increasing number of individuals dispersing further east toward the 

Atlantic before heading to their wintering areas in Mexico and the Gulf Coast 

of the United States.

COURTSHIP—Male Rufous Hummingbirds perform a steep oval or 

J-shaped courtship display for females. If the female perches in a male’s 

breeding territory, he may perform a low, horizontal figure-8 display.

NESTING—Female Rufous Hummingbirds construct nests alone using soft 

plant matter bonded with spiderwebs. She 

finishes the outside with flecks of lichens, 

mosses, and tree bark and cements it to the 

drooping branches of coniferous or deciduous 

trees up to 30 feet off the ground, and occasionally in shriubs, ferns, or vines. Nests have 

an outside diameter of 2 inches, the inner cup 

diameter is about an inch. Nests can be reused 

multiple seasons if in good condition, and 

may not be used by the same female. Females 

lay 2–3 white eggs and only raise one brood 

per season. Incubation lasts up to 17 days and 

nestlings are raised in as little as 19 days.

Rufous Hummingbird—female

Courtesy of Jim Cruce

Rufous Hummingbird—female

Courtesy of Bob Armstrong

Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Alaska — 6 
Bird Conservation Regions (BCR) in Alaska 

The United States North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) 

Committee is a coalition of government agencies, private organizations, and 

bird initiatives in the United States. The committee is working to ensure the 

long-term health of North America’s native bird populations. Bird conservation initiatives have produced national and international conservation plans 

for birds as well as regional plans for numerous BCRs, which are ecologically 

distinct regions in North America with similar bird communities, habitats, 

and resource management issues. The regional plans provide more detailed 

information on population objectives and habitat needs for birds in specific 

landscapes. 

1 4 2

3

5

Alaska Bird Conservation Regions 

There are five BCRs in Alaska: Aleutian/Bering Sea Islands (BCR 1), Western 

Alaska (BCR 2), Arctic Plains and Mountains (BCR 3), Northwestern Interior 

Forest (BCR 4), and Northern Pacific Rainforest (BCR 5). (Figure 1). 

Figure 1

http://alaska.usgs.gov/science/biology/bpif/conservation/bcr.php 

The Chugach and Tongass National Forests are within BCR 5 and support 

the majority of the breeding habitat for Rufous Hummingbirds in Alaska. 

The maritime climate of BCR 5 is characterized by heavy precipitation and 

mild temperatures. In Alaska, the region is dominated by forests of western 

hemlock and Sitka spruce, with Lutz spruce more common in the north and 

occurrences of western red cedar farther south. Deciduous forests in this 

region trend from paper birch and aspen on the Kenai, transitioning to greater 

representation from red and Sitka alder in more southern locations, with black 

cottonwood found throughout.

Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Alaska — 7 

Some use of BCR 4 by hummingbirds has been documented. Coniferous, 

deciduous and mixed forest types are found in this BCR and are dominated 

by white spruce, black spruce, cottonwoods and paper birch. Tall shrub communities occur along rivers, drainages, and near treeline. Bogs, consisting of

low shrubs and shrub-graminoid communities, are common in the lowlands.

Courtesy of Cheryl Carrothers Courtesy of Cheryl Carrothers

Copper River Delta aerial view

Courtesy of Ron Niebrugge

Courtesy of Mary Stensvold Courtesy of Cheryl Carrothers

Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Alaska — 8 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Ecoregions in Alaska 

Ecoregions are delineated based on the site-specific combination of geology, 

topography, soils, vegetation, climate, water, wildlife, and human influences 

which may be present. Ecoregion boundaries differ from those of the BCRs. 

Nowacki et al. (2001) delineated Alaska into 32 ecoregions within three more 

comprehensive associations of Boreal, Polar and Maritime. Hummingbird 

occurrence in Alaska is currently limited to the five ecoregions within the 

Coastal Rainforest and Alaska Range Transition areas of the Boreal and 

Maritime associations. The list of occupied ecoregions and vicinity map 

(Figure 2) are provided below. 

B5 – Cook Inlet Basin

M2 – Boundary Ranges

M4 – Alexander Archipelago

M5 – Gulf of Alaska Coast

M6 – Chugach-St. Elias Mountains 

M6 

M2 

B5 

M4 

M5 

Occupied 

Hummingbird 

Ecoregions 

Alaska Ecoregion Selection 

B5, Cook Inlet Basin 

M2, Boundary Ranges 

M4, Alexander Archipelago 

M5, Gulf of Alaska Coast 

M6, Chugach-St. Elias Mountains 

G U L F O F

A L A S K A C A N A D A C A N A D A 

A L A S K A , U S A A L A S K A , U S A 

DTW 

Figure 2

http://agdc.usgs.gov/data/usgs/erosafo/ecoreg/

Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Alaska — 9 

Plants Important to 

Hummingbirds in Alaska 

I

The following table provides a list of important nectar plants, and lists plants 

commonly associated with an abundance of hummingbird prey insects or 

other attractants. These plants are native to Alaska and are adapted to the 

ecoregions (Figure 2) indicated in the table. The table also provides basic 

information about the plant’s habitat. Many of these plants may be available 

commercially, can be obtained from local growers, or collected with permission from the landowner. 

To collect plants or plant material from lands managed by the Chugach or 

Tongass National Forests, authorization can be obtained at a USDA Forest 

Service District Office. Forest Service personnel will identify whether a 

permit is required and if so, what type. Permitting is implemented for the 

protection of both resource and collector. Individuals are prohibited from 

selling or exchanging material harvested or gathered under free use permit. 

Forest Service representatives can also suggest potential plant collection 

locations. The use of locally-adapted genetically appropriate plants in 

restoration and pollinator enhancement work contributes to healthier 

gardens and a natural abundance of hummingbird forage resources. 

In addition, native plants can be maintained without the use of insecticides 

which can pose a serious threat to birds as well as the target insects. Some 

commercially available plants may look pretty but may not have flowers 

accessible to hummingbirds or other pollinators, they may not provide any 

nectar at all, or may be non-native plants. Please refer to the attached list for 

recommended plants to use in your area.

Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Alaska — 10 

Goatsbeard—Aruncus dioicus 

Courtesy of Mary Stensvold

Devil’s club—Oplopanax horridus 

Courtesy of Mary Stensvold
Plants Important to Hummingbirds in Alaska 

Scientific Common 

Ecoregions1 

Name Name B5 M2 M4 M5 M6 

CI BR AA GC CSE 

Shrubs and Trees 

Alnus spp. alder X X X X X 

Luetkea pectinate Partridgefoot X X X X X 

Malus fusca Oregon crabapple X X 

Menziesia 

ferruginea 

rusty 

menziesia X X X X X 

Oplopanax horridus devil’s club X X X X X 

Ribes bracteosum stink currant X X X 

Ribes laxiflorum trailing black currant X X X X 

Rubus spectabilis salmonberry X X X 

Salix spp. Willow spp. X X X X X 

Sambucus racemosa red elderberry X X X X X 

Vaccinium ovalifolium early blueberry X X X X X 

Perennial Herbs 

Angelica spp. angelica X X X X X 

*Aquilegia formosa western columbine X X X X X 

Aruncus dioicus goatsbeard X X X X 

*Castilleja miniata scarlet paintbrush X X 

*Castilleja parviflora mountain Indian 

paintbrush X X X X 

*Castilleja unalaschcensis Unalaska paintbrush X X X X X 

Chamerion angustifolium Fireweed X X X X X 

Lupinus nootkatensis Nootka lupine X X X X X 

Flowering 

or time 

of use General Habitat 

— Shrubs and Trees 

Early succession areas of glacial retreat and disturbed sites, host plant for April–-Jun sapwells and associated insect prey 

Jun–-Sept Subalpine, alpine 

May–-Jun Forest edges, beach/forest ecotone, muskegs 

May–Jun Forest understory, forest edges, openings; sea level to subalpine 

late May– Well drained forest and forest edges. Host plant for insect prey. 

early July 

May–Jun Forest understory, forest edges, openings; sea level to subalpine 

May–Jun Open areas, forest edges, beach/forest ecotone 

April–Jun Open areas, forest edge. Magenta flowers attract hummingbirds

April–Aug Riparian edges and wetlands, provide for an abundance of insect prey and 

may also be used for sapwells 

May–Jun Early successional species, growing in recently disturbed areas, forest edges, 

open areas 

Apr–Jun Forest understory, forest openings; sea level to subalpine 

— Perennial Herbs 

June–July Meadows, beach meadows, subalpine meadows. Host plant for insect prey. 

Jun–Aug Forest edges, meadows from sea level to subalpine 

Jun–Jul Open areas, disturbed areas, forest edges. Hummingbirds attracted to 

abundance of tiny insect pollinators 

May–Aug Upper beach meadows 

Jun–Aug Subalpine meadows 

Jun–Aug Upper beach meadows, subalpine meadows 

Jun–Aug Disturbed areas, open areas from sea level to subalpine 

May–Aug Upper beach meadows, subalpine meadows 

*Hummingbird adapted or preferred nectar source 

1

Ecoregions: 

B5 – Cook Inlet Basin 

M2 - Boundary Ranges 

M4 – Alexander Archipelago 

M5 – Gulf of Alaska Coast 

M6 - Chugach-St. Elias Mountains 

Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Alaska — 11 Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Alaska — 12 
Important Hummingbird Plants—continued 

Mountain Indian paintbrush—

Castilleja parviflora

Courtesy of Brad Krieckhaus Unalaska paintbrush—Castilleja unalaschcensis 

Western columbine—Aquilegia formosa 

Courtesy of Mary Stensvold Resources 

The Western Hummingbird Partnership (WHP) is a developing network of

partners collaborating to build an effective and sustainable international 

hummingbird conservation program: www.westernhummingbird.org

Native Seed Network: www.nativeseednetwork.org

North American Bird Conservation Initiative: www.nabci-us.org

e-Bird is a real-time, online checklist program and a way for the birding 

community to report and access information about birds: www.ebird.org

Observations reported by citizen scientists on Journey North helps track 

hummingbird migration: www.learner.org/jnorth/humm/

Partners in Flight is a coalition of partners working to combine, coordinate, 

and increase resources of public and private entities in order to conserve bird 

populations: www.partnersinflight.org

The Alaska Hummingbird Project conducts research promoting conservation and education about hummingbirds in Alaska (The Alaska Hummingbird 

Project, Inc.)

USDA PLANTS database. The PLANTS Database provides standardized 

information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and 

lichens of the U.S. and its territories: http://plants.usda.gov/java/ 

Pollinator Partnership: www.pollinator.org

The Birds of North America Online: http://birds.cornell.edu/bna/

Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Alaska — 13 

References 

Baluss, Gwen and Cheryl Carrothers. 2013. Rufous Hummingbirds: Pilot 

Banding Project and Plant Use Study. Available at: http://alaska.usgs.gov/

science/biology/bpif/meetings/reports/BPIF_2013_project_summaries.

pdf

Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 2014. Rufous Hummingbird, All About Birds. 

Available at: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/rufous_hummingbird. Accessed 

on November 4th, 2014.

eBird. 2015. eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance 

[web application]. eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. 

Available at: www.ebird.org. (Accessed: July 2014-October 2015]) .

North American Bird Conservation Initiative, U.S. Committee. 2000. Bird 

Conservation Regions (BCRs). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of

Bird Habitat Conservation, Arlington, VA 

(www.nabci-us.org/aboutnabci/map.pdf)

Healy, Susan and William A. Calder. 2006. Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus 

rufus), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell 

Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: 

http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/053

National Geographic Society. 2011. Field guide to the birds of North 

America. 5th ed. National Geographic Society, Washington, DC.

Nowacki, Gregory; Spencer, Page; Fleming, Michael; Brock, Terry; and 

Jorgenson, Torre. Ecoregions of Alaska: 2001. U.S. Geological Survey 

Open-File Report 02-297 (map).

Sauer, J. R., J. E. Hines, J. E. Fallon, K. L. Pardieck, D. J. Ziolkowski, Jr., and 

W. A. Link. 2014. The North American Breeding Bird Survey, Results and 

Analysis 1966 - 2013. Version 01.30.2015 USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research 

Center, Laurel, MD

Sibley, David Allen. 2003. The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North 

America. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, NY (200 3-04-29)

USDA Forest Service. 2014. Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Oregon and Washington, A Land Manager’s Guide. FS-1039a. 

US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, in cooperation with the 

Western Hummingbird Partnership and Klamath Bird Observatory.

Tongass National Forest, Ketchikan, Alaska: www.fs.usda.gov/tongass/

Chugach National Forest, Anchorage, Alaska: www.fs.usda.gov/chugach/

Maintaining and Improving Habitat for Hummingbirds in Alaska — 14 
Front cover images: 

Top—Bob Armstrong 

Bottom— Cheryl Carrothers 

Images 

Bob Armstrong 

Thanks to all the people, in various disciplines, whose 

dedication and efforts created this document:

Cheryl Carrothers - USFS Alaska Region

Mary Stensvold - USFS Alaska Region

Gwen Baluss - USFS Juneau Ranger District

Dustin Wittwer, USFS Alaska Region

Barb Bresson - USFS Pacific NW Region

Erik Ackerson - Graphic Design, EarthDesign@weavingroom.com

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and 

activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, 

marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, 

political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any 

public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with 

disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information 

(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 

720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, 

Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, 

or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity 

provider and employer.

The use of trade or firm names in this publication is for reader information and does not 

imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service of any product or 

service.