Highly pathogenic avian influenza & other frequently asked bird health questions

Highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed in both domestic and wild birds in Canada and the United States. The strain now present in North America has caused illness and death in waterfowl, shorebirds, gulls, and birds of prey. Birds that migrate to Alaska to nest and breed could be infected. Learn more including steps hunters can take to reduce infection risk and how to report observations/concerns. See also: Alaska Bird FAQ: if it's sick, abandoned, injured or dead

Help Conserve Emperor Geese

Let's work together to preserve hunting opportunities and protect Alaska's "beach goose" (See: Emperor Goose FAQ)

Alaska is home to more than 470 species of birds. Most are migratory birds for which the Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible under international treaties and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. While some of the birds stay in Alaska year-round, most migrate to Canada, Central America, South America, Asia, or the lower 48 United States. In fact, birds from Alaska pass through virtually every other state (even Hawaii) on the way to and from their nesting and wintering grounds! To help conserve migratory birds for future generations, we work with others to study, manage, and learn more about these amazing globetrotters and avian superheroes.

Latest News

black brant
Migratory Species
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and Migratory Birds in Alaska
The Center for Disease Control believes that the public health risk from HPAI in North America is low. Alaska hunters should still exercise caution while hunting and eating migratory birds by following steps to reduce infection risk. Learn how to report observations/concerns in Alaska.
two birds flying over brown grass
Wildlife Wonders
Help Breeding Birds and Nestlings Veg Out
Birds are most vulnerable to human impacts during the breeding and nesting season. You might not realize it, but a lot of everyday/backyard activities could affect birds. Learn how to minimize your impact.
birds flying over a wetland
Proposed Rule for 2022 Subsistence Harvest of Migratory Birds in Alaska Available for Public Comment 
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has published for public comment a proposed rule for the subsistence harvest of migratory birds in Alaska during the spring and summer of 2022.  
a black and white chickadee perched on a snowy branch
Wildlife Wonders
“Tshcick-a-dee-dee” Chickadees
Alaska is home to four of the seven North American chickadees: the black-capped, chestnut-backed, boreal, and gray-headed. Chickadee is an example of onomatopoeia: the formation of words that imitate natural sounds.
brown and tan bird with a long curved bill
Migratory Species
Whither Went the Eskimo Curlew?
This lanky, medium-sized, mottled brown shorebird with a decurved bill once darkened the skies with its migrations across the North American continent. In the 1850s, observers described flocks of calling birds that stretched for miles every spring and fall, their voices sounding like the distant...
ship deck and broken ice from above
Climate Change
Sea Change in the High North
It was a woman walking her dog on the beach near Seward late in the summer of 2015 who first noticed it: dead seabirds, mostly Common Murres, washing up on the shingle.
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What We Do

We work to conserve and manage migratory birds by:

  • Monitoring population distribution and abundance
  • Identifying important breeding, brood-rearing, staging, and wintering habitats
  • Banding and marking birds to determine migration patterns, mortality, longevity and habitat use
  • Determining effects of catastrophic events such as the Exxon Valdez oil spill.
  • Working with Alaska Natives and the State of Alaska to co-manage the spring/summer subsistence harvest of migratory birds.
  • Maintaining databases and providing these, as well as other technical assistance, to other agencies, land managers and private organizations.
  • Helping administer conservation grant programs that distribute funds to the State of Alaska and Alaskan tribes from Congressional appropriations or excise taxes on hunting equipment
  • Identifying and protecting important bird habitats through implementation of conservation plans
  • Reviewing and issuing permits for activities involving migratory birds including scientific collecting and other educational uses
  • Educating the public about migratory birds

 

A man holds a brown bird with dark eye stripe, long bill and long legs with affixing a band to its leg.
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Our Organization

Bird with tan, black and white speckling, black beak siting on the tundra
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The Migratory Bird Management program is comprised of several sections that specialize in different groups of birds.

 

We work closely with partners along different flyways and with our tribal partners to coordinate conservation and management efforts.  We also participate in outreach and education programs and bird festivals to raise awareness about birds and the challenges they face. 

a man and a woman stand against a banner that show different bird silhouttes so they can measure their wingspan
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Our Species

If it has feathers and wings, we likely count it, study it, and manage it!

Owl with black and brown barring on its chest sits atop a spruce tree
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Projects and Research

Our research and projects focus on efforts that will lead to conservation actions for migratory birds for the continuing benefit and enjoyment of the American public.

Group of people banding cackling Canada geese.
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Our Library

Learn more about what we do through our project, stories, and publications library.

Blue and white bird
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Location and Contact Information