Alaska and its importance to Western Hemisphere shorebirds

Thirty-seven species of shorebirds breed in Alaska, and six overwinter in its subarctic regions. The coastal habitats of Alaska provide critical staging areas during spring and fall migrations; 51 sites qualify within the three categories of shorebird reserves listed by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (Hemispheric, International and Regional). Studies on Alaskan shorebirds span 50 years, although the largest number of field studies have been undertaken over the past 20-year period.