Aleutian/Bering Sea Islands

Included in this region are the Aleutian Islands, extending westward from the Alaskan mainland for 1,100 miles, and the Bering Sea islands, including the Pribilofs, St. Matthew, Hall, St. Lawrence, and Little Diomede. The Aleutian chain is volcanic in origin, with a maritime climate in which wind is ever present. Vegetation at higher elevations consists of dwarf shrub communities, mainly willowand crowberry. Meadows and marshes of herbs, sedges, and grasses are plentiful, and some islands have ericaceous bogs. Sea ice does not extend to the Aleutians and permafrost is generally absent; however, sea ice is an important feature of the Bering Sea. Seabirds are a dominant component of this region’s avifauna, and several species, including the Red-legged Kittiwake, Least Auklet, and Whiskered Auklet, breed only in this region. Southern Hemisphere procellariiforms occur regularly in the offshore waters of the southern Bering Sea and northern Gulf of Alaska during Alaskan summers. The breeding diversity of passerines (mainly Lapland Longspur, Snow Bunting, and Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch), and shorebirds (including Black Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Ruddy Turnstone, and Rock Sandpiper) is low. However, McKay’s Bunting, the only endemic Alaskan passerine, is restricted to this area.

Bird Conservation Plans
Landbirds - Alaska Biogeographic Regions
Shorebirds - Alaska Planning Region
Waterbirds - Alaska/Bering/Yukon Region
All Birds -

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