Seabirds in Alaska Seabirds in Alaska by Scott A. Hatch National Biological Service John F. Piatt National Biological Service A bout 100 million seabirds reside in marine waters of Alaska during some part of the year. Seabird nest sites include rock ledges, open ground, underground burrows, and crevices in cliffs or talus.
Seabirds take a variety of prey from the ocean, including krill, small fish, and squid.
Suitable nest sites and oceanic prey are the most important factors controlling the natural distribution and abundance of seabirds. The impetus for seabird monitoring is based partly on public concern for the welfare of these birds, which are affected by a variety of human activities like oil pollution and commercial fishing. Equally important is the role seabirds serve as indicators of ecological change in the marine environment. Seabirds are long-lived and slow to mature, so parameters such as breeding success, diet, or survival rates often give earlier signals of changing environmental conditions than population size itself. The existing monitoring program occurs largely on sites within the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, which was established primarily for the conservation of marine birds.