Lesser Yellowlegs are a commonly occurring shorebird within Kanuti Refuge. In 2019 we partnered with the Alaska Migratory Birds Office to serve as a study site as part of a multi-partner investigation of migratory movements of Lesser Yellowlegs breeding at six sites across boreal Alaska and Canada. We captured and GPS-tagged 10 adult yellowlegs on the refuge and monitored their movements, with some wintering as far south as Argentina. We are currently pursuing a study of the adult survival of yellowlegs breeding near the Kanuti River. 

Learn more! Visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alaska Medium page to read the blog article, "A Day in the Life of a Lesser Yellowlegs."  Want an immersive experience for this story instead?  Experience it in a story map!

Read more:

Flyway-scale GPS tracking reveals migratory routes and key stopover and non-breeding locations of lesser yellowlegs

Eastern-breeding Lesser Yellowlegs are more likely than western-breeding birds to visit areas with high shorebird hunting during southward migration

Movement and Genomic Methods Reveal Mechanisms Promoting Connectivity in a Declining Shorebird: The Lesser Yellowlegs

Contact Information

Species

Bird wading in water.

Lesser Yellowlegs are medium-sized, slender, long-legged shorebirds. Sexes are similar in plumage and overall size, but females have slightly longer wings on average. In breeding plumage, upperparts mottled gray-brown, white, and black. Underparts white with brown streaking on neck and breast...

FWS Focus
Species
Kingdom
Animalia
Taxonomic Rank
Species

Programs

A bright blue sky obstructed by fluffy white clouds reflected off of a stream shot from inside a kayak
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages an unparalleled network of public lands and waters called the National Wildlife Refuge System. With more than 570 refuges spanning the country, this system protects iconic species and provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities on Earth.
Program
Washington,DC
A large bird with brown feathers, white head, and yellow beak flies against a pale blue sky
The Migratory Bird Program works with partners to protect, restore and conserve bird populations and their habitats for the benefit of future generations by: ensuring long-term ecological sustainability of all migratory bird populations, increasing socioeconomic benefits derived from birds,...
Program
Washington,DC

Facilities

Kanuti Flats aerial view with spotted bodies of water.
Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge
The Athabascan name for Kanuti is "Kk'toonootne" which translates to "well traveled river by both man and animals." Kanuti Refuge is about the size of the state of Delaware and straddles the Arctic Circle, with approximately a third of the Refuge above the Circle and two-thirds below it. Kanuti...
National Wildlife Refuge
Fairbanks,AK
Black and white bird with long neck and yellow bill on the water
Alaska Migratory Birds Office
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...
Conservation Office
Anchorage,AK