Alaska has vast expanses of arctic and subalpine tundra characterized by low temperatures, permafrost, and a short growing season. In spring, plant and invertebrate production explode with the surface melt and constant daylight, providing a wealth of food resources for migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, waterbirds and landbirds. Birds from several global flyways converge on Alaska's tundra during breeding season.
Research provides clear evidence that some bird species are nesting earlier as temperatures increase in the arctic and subarctic regions. This may benefit some birds by increasing the amount of time available for nesting and raising chicks. However, the warming trends are also leading to environmental mismatches, where the emergence of food supplies is no longer synchronized with the nesting schedule of the birds.
Other Habitats Our Birds Need
Coastal Dunes and Beaches
Coastal dunes and beach communities face a dynamic, harsh environment that requires plants to have unique survival mechanisms.
Conifer Forest
Conifer forests, including our magnificent temperate rainforests, dominate the Pacific Northwest from California to southeast Alaska.
Estuaries
Estuaries occur where freshwater rivers meet the salt waters of the ocean. They are one of most biologically rich habitats on Earth, thanks to the mixing of nutrients from both the land and sea.
Freshwater Wetlands
Freshwater wetlands are the hallmark of the Pacific Americas Flyway. Wetlands are subject to periodic flooding and are further characterized by their soil type, hydrology and vegetation.
Hawaiian Wetlands
Hawaii’s freshwater wetlands support the Ae’o, or Hawaiian Stilt, and five other species of endemic, endangered waterbirds.
Intertidal Rocky Shorelines
Rocky shorelines along the North Pacific coastline occupy the region between high and low tide. They may be rocky cliffs, boulder rubble, wave-pounded shelves, or sheltered rocky shores.
Oak and Prairie
Oak and prairie ecosystems support a unique suite of specialized birds. They are home to a handful of imperiled species such as Streaked Horned Lark and Oregon Vesper Sparrow.
Pacific Atolls
An atoll is a coral reef island, or islets. They are are characteristically ring-shaped with a central lagoon, and sometimes a central island.
Pelagic
Pelagic habitats, one of many habitats in the marine environment, include the open ocean. Birds that spend time in the pelagic zone must be able to withstand the salt water, wind and waves–and some do for years at a time.