Birds of St. Paul Island

The number of birds on St. Paul Island increases to about 200,000 in late spring and regularly includes rare birds from Asia. St. Paul has been “home” to several recent first North American records, such as Long-legged Buzzard and Pallas’s Rosefinch. Resident birds on the island include over 10 species of murres, auklets, kittiwakes, puffins, cormorants and fulmars.

Most of the birds that breed on the island do so on the cliffs. As a visitor, the drama of maneuvering around the cliffs while overlooking waves crashing on the rocky beach only heightens the excitement and fun of spotting birds that have been on your wish list for years. Then you can visit the lakes and tundra for even more birding. The one thing we can promise is you will not be disappointed in the variety and sheer number of birds on St. Paul Island.

The database below includes all 314 bird species that have been recorded in the Pribilof Islands and is sorted by taxonomic order. The database can also be sorted by common name, Latin name, or ABA rarity code as well – just click on a column header to sort alphabetically. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this database, and a very special thanks go out to Scott Schuette for his provided text, and to Doug Gochfeld and Ryan P. O’Donnell for the multitude of their stellar photography used.

Updated March 2019

Tax Id OrderingFamilyCommon NameLatin NameABA Rarity Code
280Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicus1
281Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalis1
282McKay’s BuntingPlectrophenax hyperboreus3
283Pine BuntingEmberiza leucocephalos5
284Little BuntingEmberiza pusilla4
285Rustic BuntingEmberiza rustica3
180Great EgretArdea alba1
199Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens1
257Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorum1
300Brewer’s BlackbirdEuphagus cyanocephalus1
305American RedstartSetophaga ruticilla1
304Orange-crowned WarblerOreothlypis celata1
310Palm WarblerSetophaga palmarum1
313Wilson’s WarblerCardellina pusilla1
308Yellow WarblerSetophaga petechia1
306Cape May WarblerSetophaga tigrina1
314Western TanagerPiranga ludoviciana1
312Townsend’s WarblerSetophaga townsendi1
307Magnolia WarblerSetophaga magnolia1
303Tennessee WarblerOreothlypis peregrina1
301OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapilla1
309Blackpoll WarblerSetophaga striata1
311Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronata1
302Northern WaterthrushParkesia noveboracensis1
286Pallas’s BuntingEmberiza pallasi5
287American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arborea1
288Chipping SparrowSpizella passerina1
289Savannah SparrowPasserculus sandwichensis1
290Fox SparrowPasserella iliaca1
291Song SparrowMelospiza melodia1
292Lincoln’s SparrowMelospiza lincolnii1
293Harris’s SparrowZonotrichia querula1
294White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrys1
295Golden-crowned SparrowZonotrichia atricapilla1
296Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis1
297Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus1
298Brown-headed CowbirdMolothrus ater1
299Rusty BlackbirdEuphagus carolinus1
260Gray WagtailMotacilla cinerea4
261White WagtailMotacilla alba3
262Olive-backed PipitAnthus hodgsoni3
263Pechora PipitAnthus gustavi4
264Red-throated PipitAnthus cervinus3
265American PipitAnthus rubescens1
266BramblingFringilla montifringilla3
267HawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustes4
268Common RosefinchCarpodacus erythrinus4
269Pallas’s RosefinchCarpodacus roseus5
270Pine GrosbeakPinicola enucleator1
271Eurasian BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula4
272Gray-crowned Rosy-FinchLeucosticte tephrocotis1
273Purple FinchHaemorhous purpureus1
274Oriental GreenfinchChloris sinica4
275Common RedpollAcanthis flammea1
276Hoary RedpollAcanthis hornemanni2
277Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostra1
278White-winged CrossbillLoxia leucoptera2
279Pine SiskinSpinus pinus1
239Rufous-tailed RobinLarvivora sibilans5
241Siberian RubythroatCalliope calliope3
240BluethroatCyanecula svecica2
242Red-flanked BluetailTarsiger cyanurus4
243Taiga FlycatcherFicedula albicilla4
244Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus5
245Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe2
246Mountain BluebirdSialia currucoides1
247Gray-cheeked ThrushCatharus minimus1
248Swainson’s ThrushCatharus ustulatus1
249Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatus1
250Wood ThrushHylocichla mustelina1
251Eyebrowed ThrushTurdus obscurus3
252Dusky ThrushTurdus naumanni4
253American RobinTurdus migratorius1
254Varied ThrushIxoreus naevius1
255Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottos1
256Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulus2
258Siberian AccentorPrunella montanella4
259Eastern Yellow WagtailMotacilla tschutschensis2
219Violet-green SwallowTachycineta thalassina1
220Bank SwallowRiparia riparia1
221Cliff SwallowPetrochelidon pyrrhonota1
222Barn SwallowHirundo rustica1
223Common House-MartinDelichon urbicum4
224Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis1
225Pacific WrenTroglodytes pacificus1
226Golden-crowned KingletRegulus satrapa1
227Ruby-crowned KingletRegulus calendula1
228Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus5
229Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita5
230Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibilatrix5
231Dusky WarblerPhylloscopus fuscatus4
232Yellow-browed WarblerPhylloscopus inornatus4
233Arctic WarblerPhylloscopus borealis2
234Kamchatka Leaf WarblerPhylloscopus examinandus5
235Middendorff’s Grasshopper-WarblerLocustella ochotensis4
236Gray-streaked FlycatcherMuscicapa griseisticta4
237Asian Brown FlycatcherMuscicapa dauurica5
238Dark-sided FlycatcherMuscicapa sibirica4
197Black-backed WoodpeckerPicoides arcticus2
200Northern FlickerColaptes auratus1
201MerlinFalco columbarius1
202Eurasian HobbyFalco subbuteo4
203GyrfalconFalco rusticolus2
204Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus1
205Olive-sided FlycatcherContopus cooperi1
206Western Wood-PeweeContopus sordidulus1
207Yellow-bellied FlycatcherEmpidonax flaviventris1
208Alder FlycatcherEmpidonax alnorum1
209Say’s PhoebeSayornis saya1
210Eastern KingbirdTyrannus tyrannus1
211Brown ShrikeLanius cristatus4
212Northern ShrikeLanius borealis1
213Warbling VireoVireo gilvus1
214Common RavenCorvus corax1
215Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensis2
216Horned LarkEremophila alpestris1
217Purple MartinProgne subis1
218Tree SwallowTachycineta bicolor1
177Red-faced CormorantPhalacrocorax urile2
178Pelagic CormorantPhalacrocorax pelagicus1
179Gray HeronArdea cinerea5
181Chinese Pond-HeronArdeola bacchus5
182Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax1
183OspreyPandion haliaetus1
185Black KiteMilvus migrans5
186Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus1
187White-tailed EagleHaliaeetus albicilla4
188Northern HarrierCircus hudsonius1
184Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatus1
189Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopus1
190Long-legged BuzzardButeo rufinus5
191Snowy OwlBubo scandiacus2
192Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus1
193Boreal OwlAegolius funereus2
194Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus2
195Northern BoobookNinox japonica5
196Belted KingfisherMegaceryle alcyon1
198Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major4
158Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreus1
159Aleutian TernOnychoprion aleuticus2
160White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterus4
161Common TernSterna hirundo1
162Arctic TernSterna paradisaea1
163Red-throated LoonGavia stellata1
164Arctic LoonGavia arctica2
165Pacific LoonGavia pacifica1
166Common LoonGavia immer1
167Yellow-billed LoonGavia adamsii2
168Laysan AlbatrossPhoebastria immutabilis2
169Black-footed AlbatrossPhoebastria nigripes1
170Short-tailed AlbatrossPhoebastria albatrus3
171Northern FulmarFulmarus glacialis1
172Mottled PetrelPterodroma inexpectata2
173Short-tailed ShearwaterArdenna tenuirostris2
174Fork-tailed Storm-PetrelOceanodroma furcata2
175Leach’s Storm-PetrelOceanodroma leucorhoa1
176Double-crested CormorantPhalacrocorax auritus1
139Crested AukletAethia cristatella2
140Rhinoceros AukletCerorhinca monocerata1
141Horned PuffinFratercula corniculata1
142Tufted PuffinFratercula cirrhata1
143Black-legged KittiwakeRissa tridactyla1
144Red-legged KittiwakeRissa brevirostris2
145Ivory GullPagophila eburnea3
146Sabine’s GullXema sabini1
147Bonaparte’s GullChroicocephalus philadelphia1
148Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus3
149Ross’s GullRhodostethia rosea3
150Franklin’s GullLeucophaeus pipixcan1
151Black-tailed GullLarus crassirostris4
152Mew GullLarus canus1
153Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis1
154Herring GullLarus argentatus1
155Iceland GullLarus glaucoides1
156Slaty-backed GullLarus schistisagus3
157Glaucous-winged GullLarus glaucescens1
119Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis5
120Wilson’s PhalaropePhalaropus tricolor1
121Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatus1
122Red PhalaropePhalaropus fulicarius1
123Pomarine JaegerStercorarius pomarinus1
124Parasitic JaegerStercorarius parasiticus1
125Long-tailed JaegerStercorarius longicaudus1
126DovekieAlle alle2
127Common MurreUria aalge1
128Thick-billed MurreUria lomvia1
129Black GuillemotCepphus grylle1
130Pigeon GuillemotCepphus columba1
131Long-billed MurreletBrachyramphus perdix3
132Marbled MurreletBrachyramphus marmoratus1
133Kittlitz’s MurreletBrachyramphus brevirostris2
134Ancient MurreletSynthliboramphus antiquus2
135Cassin’s AukletPtychoramphus aleuticus1
136Parakeet AukletAethia psittacula2
137Least AukletAethia pusilla2
138Whiskered AukletAethia pygmaea2
99Western SandpiperCalidris mauri1
100Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseus1
101Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceus1
102Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus4
103Solitary SnipeGallinago solitaria5
104Pin-tailed SnipeGallinago stenura5
105Common SnipeGallinago gallinago3
106Wilson’s SnipeGallinago delicata1
107Terek SandpiperXenus cinereus3
108Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos3
109Spotted SandpiperActitis macularius1
110Green SandpiperTringa ochropus4
111Solitary SandpiperTringa solitaria1
112Gray-tailed TattlerTringa brevipes3
113Wandering TattlerTringa incana1
114Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipes1
115Spotted RedshankTringa erythropus4
116Common GreenshankTringa nebularia3
117Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleuca1
118Wood SandpiperTringa glareola2
79SurfbirdCalidris virgata1
80RuffCalidris pugnax3
81Broad-billed SandpiperCalidris falcinellus4
82Sharp-tailed SandpiperCalidris acuminata3
83Stilt SandpiperCalidris himantopus1
84Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferruginea3
85Temminck’s StintCalidris temminckii3
86Long-toed StintCalidris subminuta3
87Spoon-billed SandpiperCalidris pygmea4
88Red-necked StintCalidris ruficollis3
89SanderlingCalidris alba1
90DunlinCalidris alpina1
91Rock SandpiperCalidris ptilocnemis2
92Baird’s SandpiperCalidris bairdii1
93Little StintCalidris minuta4
94Least SandpiperCalidris minutilla1
95White-rumped SandpiperCalidris fuscicollis1
96Buff-breasted SandpiperCalidris subruficollis1
97Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotos1
98Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusilla1
59Black OystercatcherHaematopus bachmani1
60Black-bellied PloverPluvialis squatarola1
61European Golden-PloverPluvialis apricaria4
62American Golden-PloverPluvialis dominica1
63Pacific Golden-PloverPluvialis fulva2
64Lesser Sand-PloverCharadrius mongolus3
65Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula3
66Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatus1
67KilldeerCharadrius vociferus1
68Upland SandpiperBartramia longicauda1
69Bristle-thighed CurlewNumenius tahitiensis3
70WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus1
71Eskimo CurlewNumenius borealis6
72Far Eastern CurlewNumenius madagascariensis4
73Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponica2
74Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosa3
75Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpres1
76Black TurnstoneArenaria melanocephala1
77Great KnotCalidris tenuirostris4
78Red KnotCalidris canutus1
39Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula1
40Barrow’s GoldeneyeBucephala islandica1
41SmewMergellus albellus3
42Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatus1
43Common MerganserMergus merganser1
44Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator1
45Horned GrebePodiceps auritus1
46Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegena1
47Oriental Turtle-DoveStreptopelia orientalis4
48Common CuckooCuculus canorus3
49Oriental CuckooCuculus optatus4
50Chimney SwiftChaetura pelagica1
51White-throated NeedletailHirundapus caudacutus5
52Common SwiftApus apus5
53Fork-tailed SwiftApus pacificus4
54Rufous HummingbirdSelasphorus rufus1
55Eurasian CootFulica atra5
56American CootFulica americana1
57Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensis1
58Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus5
20MallardAnas platyrhynchos1
21Northern PintailAnas acuta1
22Green-winged TealAnas crecca1
23CanvasbackAythya valisineria1
24Common PochardAythya ferina3
25Ring-necked DuckAythya collaris1
26Tufted DuckAythya fuligula3
27Greater ScaupAythya marila1
28Lesser ScaupAythya affinis1
29Steller’s EiderPolysticta stelleri3
30Spectacled EiderSomateria fischeri3
31King EiderSomateria spectabilis2
32Common EiderSomateria mollissima1
33Harlequin DuckHistrionicus histrionicus1
34Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillata1
35White-winged ScoterMelanitta fusca1
36Black ScoterMelanitta americana1
37Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalis1
38BuffleheadBucephala albeola1
1Emperor GooseAnser canagicus2
2Snow GooseAnser caerulescens1
3Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons1
4Lesser White-fronted GooseAnser erythropus5
5Taiga Bean-GooseAnser fabalis3
6Tundra Bean-GooseAnser serrirostris3
7BrantBranta bernicla1
8Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsii1
9Canada GooseBranta canadensis1
10Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinator1
11Tundra SwanCygnus columbianus1
12Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus3
13Baikal TealSibirionetta formosa4
14GarganeySpatula querquedula4
15Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata1
16GadwallMareca strepera1
17Falcated DuckMareca falcata4
18Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope2
19American WigeonMareca americana1