Birds of Middleton Island, a Unique Landfall for Migrants in the Gulf of Alaska

Abstract

Migration studies at Middleton island, Gulf of alaska, over four decades documented the regular autumn occurrences of over 100 species of birds (35+ passerines and 65+ nonpasserines), most of them apparently departing across the Gulf of alaska for the Pacific coast to the east and south. With a focus on fall migration, we discuss here 261 species and 16 additional subspecies recorded at Middleton. We present much new information on the status of bird species and subspecies in the Gulf of alaska and highlight the regular and predictable use of a route of migration across the Gulf of alaska by large numbers of passerines, including species associated with the central Flyway.

Fourth Report of the Alaska Checklist Committee, 2013-2017

“…First AlAskA specimen: UAM 36300, ad. ♂, 8 Sep 2014, off Middleton Island, Gulf of Alaska (DeCicco et al 2017;photo WB 48:253, 2017). HistOry in AlAskA: Maintained as a casual or intermittent summer/autumn visitant in the Gulf of Alaska by Isleib and Kessel (1973), Kessel and Gibson (1978), and Gibson and Byrd (2007), but not substantiated in Alaska waters until 2013 (Tobish 2014, Gibson andWithrow 2015), after which DeCicco et al (2017) described this species as currently rare to fairly common in fall in the n Gulf of Alaska.…”

“…♀, 30 Aug 2013; and UAM 34001, ad. ♂, 17 Sep 2013-both Middleton Island, Gulf of Alaska (DeCicco et al 2017;photos WB 39:192, 2008;48:253, 2017). HistOry FOURTH REPORT OF THE ALASKA CHECKLIST COMMITTEE, 2013-2017 Figure 1.…”

“…Breeds Urals, Siberia, and Russian Far East east to Anadyrland, south to Altai, n Korea, ne Mongolia, and ne China. First AlAskA specimen: UAM 36492, hatching-year unsexed, 19 Sep 2014, Middleton Island, Gulf of Alaska (DeCicco et al 2017;photo NAB 69:39, 2015, andWB 48: 262, 2017 Alström et al 2011, Chesser et al 2014, Withrow et al 2016. Alaska specimens (n = 24: UAM, 22; U.S. National Museum, 2) identified by comparisons of genetic with phenotypic data.…”

“…S-c Canada (Saskatchewan to Newfoundland) and e USA (New England to West Virginia). AdditionAl subspecies: UAM 36700, hatching-year ♀, 5 Oct 2014, Middleton Island, Gulf of Alaska (DeCicco et al 2017;photo WB 48:267, 2017). nOtes: Specimen identified to subspecies by P. Pyle (in litt., 2016) at Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley.…”

“…Breeds w Canada (ne British Columbia, n Alberta) east across s Canada to Nova Scotia, south to c and e USA. First AlAskA specimen: UAM 34186, hatching-year ♀, 19 Aug 2013, Middleton Island, Gulf of Alaska (DeCicco et al 2017). HistOry in AlAskA: Casual or intermittent (since early 2000s) in se Alaska, accidental in s-c Alaska and in the Interior (see Gibson et al 2003, Heinl and Piston 2009, Tobish 2010a, b, 2011b, Gibson and Withrow 2015, DeCicco et al 2017.…”