Otto Plantema
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PRIBILOF ISLANDS BIRD SPECIES
The Pribilof Islands are a wild and remote location in the Bering Sea, off the coast of mainland Alaska. They consist of two main islands, St. Paul and St. George, and smaller islands named Otter, Walrus and Sea Lion, the latter being only a rock.
The Pribilof Islands suffer constant rain and wind that erode and undercut the cliffs.
Well known for the numerous birds and marine mammals gathering at this site, these islands are sometimes named “Galapagos of the North” in reference to their abundant biological diversity.
The Pribilof Islands were also the main place of the commercial harvest of fur seals, but in 1911, hunting in the area was restricted, and today, it is forbidden with the exception of subsistence hunting by native Aleuts.
The weather is cool year-round, and heavy fog is usually common in summer.
The cold waters of the Bering Sea and the maritime location involve cool weather year-round. During summer, cloudy, foggy weather is usual.
Both St. Paul and St. George are inhabited by approximately 600 individuals.
In addition to a huge gathering of marine mammals on the shallowly-sloping beaches, the sea cliffs of these islands shelter extensive seabird colonies. More than 240 species can be seen in summer.
The two main species are the Red-legged Kittiwake and the Red-faced Cormorant. But other seabirds, Alcidae (16 species), Laridae, shorebirds and some common songbirds are breeding on these islands.
Ridge Wall in St. Paul, a high cliff wall above the Bering Sea, is one of the main breeding sites.
The Pribilof Islands are now considered part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.
Text by Nicole Bouglouan
Text Sources:
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
BIRDS FROM THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS AND VICINITY
SORA - Birds new to North America and the Pribilof Islands, Alaska
Flora and Fauna of the Pribilof Islands
All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Bird Species list:
Sources: Avibase (Lepage Denis)
Alder Flycatcher - Empidonax alnorum - Moucherolle des aulnes
Aleutian Tern - Onychoprion aleuticus - Sterne des Aléoutiennes
American Coot – Fulica americana – Foulque d’Amérique
American Golden Plover – Pluvialis dominica – Pluvier bronzé
American Robin – Turdus migratorius – Merle d’Amérique
American Tree Sparrow – Spizella arborea – Bruant hudsonien
Ancient Murrelet - Synthliboramphus antiquus - Guillemot à cou blanc
Arctic Tern - Sterna paradisaea – Sterne arctique
Arctic Warbler - Phylloscopus borealis - Pouillot boréal
Asian Brown Flycatcher - Muscicapa dauurica - Gobemouche brun
Baikal Teal - Anas Formosa - Sarcelle élégante
Baird’s Sandpiper - Calidris bairdii - Bécasseau de Baird
Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus – Pygargue à tête blanche
Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica - Hirondelle rustique
Barrow’s Goldeneye - Bucephala islandica - Garrot d’Islande
Bar-tailed Godwit - Limosa lapponica - Barge rousse
Belted Kingfisher - Megaceryle alcyon - Martin-pêcheur d'Amérique
Black-backed Woodpecker - Picoides arcticus - Pic à dos noir
Black-crowned Night Heron – Nycticorax nycticorax – Bihoreau gris
Black-footed Albatross - Phoebastria nigripes - Albatros à pieds noirs
Black Guillemot - Cepphus grylle - Guillemot à miroir
Black-headed Gull – Chroicocephalus ridibundus – Mouette rieuse
Black Kite – Milvus migrans – Milan noir
Black-legged Kittiwake - Rissa tridactyla - Mouette tridactyle
Black Oystercatcher - Haematopus bachmani - Huîtrier de Bachman
Blackpoll Warbler - Setophaga striata – Paruline rayée
Black Scoter - Melanitta americana - Macreuse à bec jaune
Black-tailed Godwit - Limosa limosa - Barge à queue noire
Black-tailed Gull - Larus crassirostris - Goéland à queue noire
Black Tern - Chlidonias niger - Guifette noire
Black-throated Diver (Loon) - Gavia arctica - Plongeon arctique
Black Turnstone - Arenaria melanocephala - Tournepierre noir
Black-winged Stilt - Himantopus himantopus - Echasse blanche
Bluethroat - Luscinia svecica - Gorgebleue à miroir
Bohemian Waxwing - Bombycilla garrulous - Jaseur boréal
Bonaparte’s Gull - Chroicocephalus philadelphia - Mouette de Bonaparte
Boreal Owl - Aegolius funereus - Nyctale de Tengmalm
Brambling - Fringilla montifringilla - Pinson du Nord
Brant Goose - Branta bernicla - Bernache cravant
Brewer’s Blackbird - Euphagus cyanocephalus - Quiscale de Brewer
Bristle-thighed Curlew - Numenius tahitiensis - Courlis d’Alaska
Broad-billed Sandpiper - Limicola falcinellus - Bécasseau falcinelle
Brown-headed Cowbird – Molothrus ater – Vacher à tête brune
Brown Shrike - Lanius cristatus - Pie-grièche brune
Buff-bellied Pipit - Anthus rubescens - Pipit farlousane
Buff-breasted Sandpiper - Tryngites subruficollis - Bécasseau roussâtre
Bufflehead - Bucephala albeola - Garrot albéole ou Petit Garrot
Cackling Goose - Branta hutchinsii - Bernache de Hutchins
Canada Goose - Branta canadensis - Bernache du Canada
Canvasback – Aythya valisineria – Fuligule à dos blanc
Cape May Warbler - Setophaga tigrina - Paruline tigrée
Cassin’s Auklet - Ptychoramphus aleuticus - Starique de Cassin
Cedar Waxwing – Bombycilla cedrorum – Jaseur d’Amérique
Chimney Swift - Chaetura pelagica - Martinet ramoneur
Chipping Sparrow – Spizella passerina – Bruant familier
Cliff Swallow - Petrochelidon pyrrhonota - Hirondelle à front blanc
Common Chiffchaff - Phylloscopus collybita - Pouillot véloce
Common Coot - Fulica atra - Foulque macroule
Common Cuckoo - Cuculus canorus - Coucou gris
Common Eider - Somateria mollissima - Eider à duvet
Common Gallinule - Gallinula galeata - Gallinule d’Amérique
Common Goldeneye - Bucephala clangula – Garrot à œil d’or
Common Greenshank - Tringa nebularia - Chevalier aboyeur
Common House Martin - Delichon urbicum - Hirondelle de fenêtre
Common Moorhen – Gallinula chloropus - Gallinule poule d’eau
Common Murre - Uria aalge - Guillemot de Troïl
Common Pochard - Aythya ferina - Fuligule milouin
Common Raven – Corvus corax - Grand corbeau
Common Ringed Plover - Charadrius hiaticula - Pluvier grand-gravelot
Common Rosefinch - Carpodacus erythrynus - Roselin cramoisi
Common Sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos - Chevalier guignette
Common Swift - Apus apus - Martinet noir
Common Tern - Sterna hirundo - Sterne pierregarin
Crested Auklet - Aethia cristatella - Starique cristatelle
Curlew Sandpiper - Calidris ferruginea - Bécasseau cocorli
Dark-eyed Junco – Junco hyemalis – Junco ardoisé
Dark-sided Flycatcher - Muscicapa sibirica - Gobemouche de Sibérie
Downy Woodpecker – Picoides pubescens – Pic mineur
Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus – Cormoran à aigrettes
Dunlin - Calidris alpina - Bécasseau variable
Dusky Thrush - Turdus eunomus - Grive à ailes rousses
Dusky Warbler - Phylloscopus fuscatus - Pouillot brun
Eastern Kingbird – Tyrannus tyrannus – Tyran tritri
Eastern Warbling Vireo - Vireo gilvus - Vireo mélodieux
Eastern Yellow Wagtail - Motacilla tschutschensis - Bergeronnette de Béringie
Emperor Goose - Chen canagica - Oie empereur
Eurasian Bullfinch - Pyrrhula pyrrhula - Bouvreuil pivoine
Eurasian Hobby - Falco subbuteo - Faucon hobereau
Eurasian Teal - Anas crecca - Sarcelle d’hiver
Eurasian Wigeon - Mareca penelope - Canard siffleur
European Golden Plover - Pluvialis apricaria - Pluvier doré
Eyebrowed Thrush - Turdus obscurus - Merle obscur
Falcated Duck - Mareca falcata - Canard à faucilles
Far Eastern Curlew - Numenius madagascariensis - Courlis de Sibérie
Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel - Oceanodroma furcata - Océanite à queue fourchue
Fox Sparrow – Passerella iliaca – Bruant fauve
Franklin’s Gull - Leucophaeus pipixcan - Mouette de Franklin
Gadwall - Mareca strepera - Canard chipeau
Garganey - Anas querquedula - Sarcelle d’été
Glaucous Gull - Larus hyperboreus - Goéland bourgmestre
Glaucous-winged Gull - Larus glaucescens - Goéland à ailes grises
Golden-crowned Kinglet - Regulus satrapa - Roitelet à couronne dorée
Golden-crowned Sparrow - Zonotrichia atricapilla - Bruant à couronne dorée
Goosander - Mergus merganser - Harle bièvre
Great Knot - Calidris tenuirostris - Bécasseau de l’Anadyr
Great Northern Diver or Common Loon - Gavia immer - Plongeon imbrin
Greater White-fronted Goose - Anser albifrons - Oie rieuse
Greater Yellowlegs - Tringa melanoleuca - Chevalier criard
Great Spotted Woodpecker – Dendrocopos major – Pic épeiche
Green Sandpiper - Tringa ochropus - Chevalier culblanc
Grey-cheeked Thrush - Catharus minimus - Grive à joues grises
Grey-crowned Rosy-Finch - Leucosticte tephrocotis - Roselin à tête grise
Grey Heron – Ardea cinerea – Grey Heron
Grey Plover - Pluvialis squatarola - Pluvier argenté
Grey-tailed Tattler - Tringa brevipes - Chevalier de Sibérie
Grey Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea - Bergeronnette des ruisseaux
Gyrfalcon - Falco rusticolus - Faucon gerfaut
Harlequin Duck - Histrionicus histrionicus - Arlequin plongeur
Hawfinch – Coccothraustes coccothraustes – Grosbec casse-noyaux
Hermit Thrush - Catharus guttatus - Grive solitaire
Herring Gull – Larus argentatus – Goéland argenté
Hooded Merganser - Lophodytes cucullatus - Harle couronné
Horned Grebe - Podiceps auritus - Grèbe esclavon
Horned Lark - Eremophila alpestris – Alouette hausse-col
Horned Puffin - Fratercula corniculata - Macareux cornu
Iceland Gull - Larus glaucoides - Goéland arctique
Ivory Gull - Pagophila eburnea - Mouette blanche
Jack Snipe - Lymnocryptes minimus - Bécassine sourde
Kamchatka Leaf Warbler - Phylloscopus examinandus - Pouillot du Kamtchatka
Killdeer - Charadrius vociferous - Pluvier kildir
Kittlitz’s Murrelet - Brachyramphus brevirostris - Guillemot de Kittlitz
King Eider - Somateria spectabilis - Eider à tête grise
Lapland Longspur - Calcarius lapponicus - Bruant lapon ou Plectrophane lapon
Laysan Albatross - Phoebastria immutabilis - Albatros de Laysan
Leach’s Storm-Petrel - Oceanodroma leucorhoa - Océanite cul-blanc
Least Auklet - Aethia pusilla - Starique minuscule
Least Sandpiper - Calidris minutilla - Bécasseau minuscule
Lesser Sand-Plover - Charadrius mongolus - Gravelot mongol ou Pluvier de Mongolie
Lesser Scaup - Aythya affinis - Petit Fuligule
Lesser White-fronted Goose - Anser erythropus – Oie naine
Lesser Yellowlegs - Tringa flavipes - Chevalier à pattes jaunes
Lincoln’s Sparrow – Melospiza lincolnii – Bruant de Lincoln
Little Bunting - Emberiza pusilla - Bruant nain
Little Stint - Calidris minuta - Bécasseau minute
Long-billed Dowitcher - Limnodromus scolopaceus - Bécassin à long bec
Long-billed Murrelet - Brachyramphus perdix - Guillemot à long bec
Long-tailed Duck - Clangula hyemalis - Harelde boréale
Long-tailed Jaeger - Stercorarius longicaudus - Labbe à longue queue
Long-toed Stint - Calidris subminuta - Bécasseau à longs doigts
Magnolia Warbler - Setophaga magnolia - Paruline à tête cendrée
Mallard – Anas platyrhynchos – Canard colvert
Mangrove (Yellow) Warbler - Setophaga petechia - Paruline jaune
Marbled Murrelet - Brachyramphus marmoratus - Guillemot marbré
Marsh Sandpiper - Tringa stagnatilis - Chevalier stagnatile
McKay's Bunting - Plectrophenax hyperboreus - Bruant blanc ou Plectrophane blanc
Merlin - Falco columbarius - Faucon émerillon
Mew Gull or Common Gull - Larus canus - Goéland cendré
Middendorff’s Grasshopper-Warbler - Helopsaltes ochotensis - Locustelle de Middendorff
Mottled Petrel - Pterodroma inexpectata - Pétrel maculé
Mountain Bluebird - Sialia currucoides - Merlebleu azuré
Northern Boobook - Ninox japonica - Ninoxe boréale
Northern Flicker – Colaptes auratus – Pic flamboyant
Northern Fulmar – Fulmarus glacialis – Fulmar boreal
Northern Harrier - Circus cyaneus hudsonius - Busard d’Amérique
Northern Mockingbird – Mimus polyglottos – Moqueur polyglotte
Northern Pintail - Anas acuta - Canard pilet
Northern Saw-whet owl – Aegolius acadicus – Petite nyctale
Northern Shoveler - Anas clypeata - Canard souchet
Northern Shrike - Lanius borealis - Pie-grièche boréale
Northern Waterthrush - Parkesia noveboracensis – Paruline des ruisseaux
Northern Wheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe - Traquet motteux
Olive-backed Pipit - Anthus hodgsoni - Pipit à dos olive
Olive-sided Flycatcher - Contopus cooperi - Moucherolle à côtés olive
Orange-crowned Warbler - Leiothlypis celata - Paruline verdâtre
Oriental Cuckoo - Cuculus optatus - Coucou oriental
Grey-capped Greenfinch (Oriental Greenfinch) - Chloris sinica - Verdier de Chine
Oriental Turtle-Dove - Streptopelia orientalis - Tourterelle orientale
Osprey – Pandion Haliaetus – Balbuzard pêcheur
Ovenbird – Seiurus aurocapilla – Paruline couronnée
Pacific Golden Plover - Pluvialis fulva - Pluvier fauve
Pacific Loon (Diver) - Gavia pacifica - Plongeon du Pacifique
Pacific Swift - Apus pacificus - Martinet de Sibérie
Pacific Wren - Troglodytes pacificus - Troglodyte de Baird
Pallas's Reed Bunting - Emberiza pallasi - Bruant de Pallas
Pallas’s Rosefinch - Carpodacus roseus - Roselin rose
Palm Warbler - Setophaga palmarum - Paruline à couronne rousse
Parakeet Auklet - Aethia psittacula - Starique perroquet
Parasitic Jaeger or Arctic Skua - Stercorarius parasiticus - Labbe parasite
Pectoral Sandpiper - Calidris melanotos - Bécasseau tacheté
Pelagic Cormorant - Phalacrocorax pelagicus - Cormoran pélagique
Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus - Faucon pèlerin
Pechora Pipit - Anthus gustavi - Pipit de la Petchora
Pigeon Guillemot - Cepphus columba - Guillemot colombin
Pine Bunting - Emberiza leucocephalos - Bruant à calotte blanche
Pine Grosbeak - Pinicola enucleator - Durbec des sapins
Pine Siskin - Spinus pinus - Tarin des pins
Pintail Snipe ou Pin-tailed Snipe - Gallinago stenura - Bécassine à queue pointue
Pomarine Skua or Jaeger - Stercorarius pomarinus - Labbe pomarin
Purple Finch – Carpodacus purpureus – Roselin pourpré
Purple Martin - Progne subis - Hirondelle noire
Purple Sandpiper - Calidris maritima - Bécasseau violet
Red-breasted Merganser - Mergus serrator - Harle huppé
Red-breasted Nuthach – Sitta Canadensis – Sittelle à poitrine rousse
Red Crossbill - Loxia curvirostra - Bec-croisé des sapins
Red-faced Cormorant - Phalacrocorax urile - Cormoran à face rouge
Red-flanked Bluetail - Tarsiger cyanurus - Robin à flancs roux
Red Knot - Calidris canutus - Bécasseau maubèche
Red-legged Kittiwake - Rissa brevirostris - Mouette des brumes
Red-necked Grebe - Podiceps grisegena - Grèbe jougris
Red-necked Phalarope - Phalaropus lobatus - Phalarope à bec étroit
Red-necked Stint - Calidris ruficollis - Bécasseau à col roux
Red Phalarope - Phalaropus fulicarius - Phalarope à bec large
Red-throated Diver (Loon) - Gavia stellata - Plongeon catmarin
Red-throated Pipit - Anthus cervinus - Pipit à gorge rousse
Red-winged Blackbird – Agelaius phoeniceus – Carouge à épaulettes
Rhinoceros Auklet - Cerorhinca monocerata - Macareux rhinocéros
Ring-billed Gull - Larus delawarensis - Goéland à bec cerclé
Ring-necked Duck - Aythya collaris - Fuligule à bec cerclé ou à collier
Rock Sandpiper - Calidris ptilocnemis - Bécasseau des Aléoutiennes
Ross’s Gull - Rhodostethia rosea - Mouette de Ross
Rough-legged Buzzard - Buteo lagopus - Buse pattue
Ruby-crowned Kinglet – Regulus calendula - Roitelet à couronne rubis
Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres - Tournepierre à collier
Ruff - Philomachus pugnax - Combattant varié
Rufous Hummingbird - Selasphorus rufus – Colibri roux
Rufous-tailed Robin - Larvivora sibilans - Rossignol siffleur
Rustic Bunting - Emberiza rustica - Bruant rustique
Rusty Blackbird - Euphagus carolinus - Quiscale rouilleux
Sabine’s Gull - Xema sabini - Mouette de Sabine
Sand Martin - Riparia riparia - Hirondelle de rivage
Sanderling – Calidris alba - Bécasseau sanderling
Sandhill Crane – Grus canadensis – Grue du Canada
Savannah Sparrow – Passerculus sandwichensis - Bruant des prés
Say’s Phoebe - Sayornis saya - Moucherolle à ventre roux
Semipalmated Plover - Charadrius semipalmatus – Gravelot semipalmé
Semipalmated Sandpiper - Calidris pusilla - Bécasseau semipalmé
Short-billed Dowitcher - Limnodromus griseus - Bécassin roux
Sharp-shinned Hawk – Accipiter striatus – Epervier brun
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper - Calidris acuminata - Bécasseau à queue pointue
Short-eared Owl - Asio flammeus - Hibou des marais
Short-tailed Albatross - Phoebastria albatrus - Albatros à queue courte
Short-tailed Shearwater - Ardenna tenuirostris - Puffin à bec grêle
Siberian Accentor - Prunella montanella - Accenteur montanelle
Siberian Rubythroat - Calliope calliope - Rossignol calliope
Sky Lark – Alauda arvensis – Alouette des champs
Slaty-backed Gull - Larus schistisagus - Goéland à manteau ardoisé
Smew - Mergellus albellus - Harle piette
Snow Bunting - Plectrophenax nivalis - Bruant des neiges ou Plectrophane des neiges
Snow Goose - Chen caerulescens - Oie des neiges
Snowy Owl - Bubo scandiacus – Harfang des neiges
Solitary Sandpiper – Tringa solitaria – Chevalier solitaire
Solitary Snipe - Gallinago solitaria - Bécassine solitaire
Song Sparrow – Melospiza melodia – Bruant chanteur
Sooty Shearwater - Puffinus griseus - Puffin fuligineux
South Polar Skua - Stercorarius maccormicki - Labbe de Mc Cormick
Spectacled Eider - Somateria fischeri - Eider à lunettes
Spoon-billed Sandpiper - Eurynorhynchus pygmeus - Bécasseau spatule
Spotted Redshank - Tringa erythropus - Chevalier arlequin
Spotted Sandpiper - Actitis macularius - Chevalier grivelé
Steller’s Eider - Polysticta stelleri - Eider de Steller
Stilt Sandpiper - Calidris himantopus - Bécasseau à échasses
Surfbird - Calidris virgata - Bécasseau du ressac
Surf Scoter - Melanitta perspicillata - Macreuse à front blanc
Swainson’s Thrush - Catharus ustulatus - Grive à dos olive
Taiga Bean Goose - Anser fabalis - Oie des moissons
Taiga Flycatcher - Ficedula albicilla - Gobemouche de la taïga
Temminck’s Stint - Calidris temminckii - Bécasseau de Temminck
Tennessee Warbler - Leiothlypis peregrina - Paruline obscure
Terek Sandpiper - Xenus cinereus - Chevalier bargette
Thick-billed Murre - Uria lomvia - Guillemot de Brünnich
Townsend’s Warbler - Setophaga townsendi - Paruline de Townsend
Tree Swallow – Tachycineta bicolour – Hirondelle bicolore
Trumpeter Swan - Cygnus buccinator - Cygne trompette
Tufted Duck - Aythya fuligula - Fuligule morillon
Tufted Puffin - Fratercula cirrhata - Macareux huppé
Tundra Bean Goose - Anser serrirostris - Oie de la toundra
Tundra Swan - Cygnus columbianus - Cygne de la toundra
Upland Sandpiper - Bartramia longicauda - Maubèche ou Bartramie des champs
Varied Thrush – Ixoreus naevia – Grive à collier
Velvet Scoter - Melanitta fusca - Macreuse brune
Violet-green Swallow - Tachycineta thalassina - Hirondelle à face blanche
Wandering Tattler - Tringa incana - Chevalier errant
Western Great Egret - Egretta alba - Grande aigrette
Western Sandpiper - Calidris mauri - Bécasseau d’Alaska
Western Tanager - Piranga ludoviciana - Tangara (Piranga) à tête rouge
Western Wood-Pewee - Contopus sordidulus - Pioui de l’Ouest
Whimbrel – Numenius phaeopus – Courlis corlieu
Whiskered Auklet - Aethia pygmaea - Starique pygmée
White-crowned Sparrow – Zonotrichia leucophrys - Bruant à couronne blanche
White-rumped Sandpiper - Calidris fuscicollis - Bécasseau à croupion blanc
White-throated Needletail - Hirundapus caudacutus - Martinet épineux
White-tailed Sea-Eagle – Haliaeetus albicilla – Pygargue à queue blanche
White Wagtail - Motacilla alba - Bergeronnette grise
White-winged Crossbill – Loxia leucoptera – Bec-croisé bifascié
White-winged Tern - Chlidonias leucopterus - Guifette leucoptère
Whooper Swan – Cygnus Cygnus – Cygne chanteur
Wilson’s Phalarope - Phalaropus tricolour - Phalarope de Wilson
Willow Warbler - Phylloscopus trochilus - Pouillot fitis
Wilson’s Snipe - Gallinago delicata - Bécassine de Wilson
Wilson’s Warbler – Cardellina pusilla – Paruline à calotte noire
Wood Sandpiper - Tringa glareola - Chevalier sylvain
Wood Thrush - Hylocichla mustelina - Grive des bois
Wood Warbler - Phylloscopus sibilatrix - Pouillot siffleur
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - Empidonax flaviventris - Moucherolle à ventre jaune
Yellow-billed Loon or White-billed Diver - Gavia adamsii - Plongeon à bec blanc
Yellow-browed Warbler - Phylloscopus inornatus - Pouillot à grands sourcils
Yellow-rumped Warbler – Setophaga coronata – Paruline à croupion jaune