Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer

Articles

Vol. 46 No. 1 (2015)

NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF CHIRIKOF ISLAND, ALASKA

DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21199/WB46.1.3
Submitted
September 20, 2025
Published
January 1, 2015

Abstract

Isolated in the western Gulf of Alaska 61 km from nearest land and 74 km southwest of the Kodiak archipelago, Chirikof Island has never seen a focused investigation of its avifauna. Annotated status and abundance for 89 species recorded during eight visits 2008–2014 presented here include eastern range extensions for three Beringian subspecies of the Pacific Wren (Troglodytes pacificus semidiensis), Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia sanaka), and Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte tephrocotis griseonucha). A paucity of breeding bird species is thought to be a result of the long history of the presence of introduced cattle and introduced foxes (Vulpes lagopus), both of which persist to this day.

References