7 Types of Birds in Alaska: From Bald Eagles to Trumpeter Swans
September 22, 2026
Alaska’s coastline, tundra, and boreal forest support one of the most varied bird populations in North America. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, nearly 500 species of birds have been documented across the state, and that number keeps a lot of longtime birders reaching for their field guides.
Some of these types of birds in Alaska never leave, gritting out winters that would send most wildlife south. Others arrive only for a few frantic months of nesting and feeding before the days shorten again. This guide covers seven species that define Alaska’s skies, from the bald eagle patrolling salmon streams to the trumpeter swan gliding across quiet lakes.
1. Bald Eagle
The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is the bird most visitors hope to see, and Alaska rarely disappoints. The Alaska Air Forwarding wildlife guide notes that our national bird is abundant in Alaska with approximately 30,000 birds residing in the state, more than any other place in the United States. That concentration makes coastal rivers and salmon-spawning streams some of the best places in the country to watch this species up close.
Despite the name, a bald eagle is far from bald. The head is bright white, the hooked beak and legs yellow, and the body a glossy dark brown. Size is another giveaway: the bald eagle is a large and majestic bird with a wing-span of up to 7.5 feet and weighing anywhere from 8-14 pounds, and the female bald eagle is larger than the male. Cruise passengers and hikers alike often call it out as the highlight of a trip, and it is easy to see why: it’s the biggest bird of prey in Alaska and America’s national bird.
Pro Tip: Late summer and fall, when salmon runs peak, offer the best odds for watching bald eagles hunt along riverbanks and tidal flats.
2. Willow Ptarmigan
The willow ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus) holds an official title few other birds on this list can claim. The willow ptarmigan has been the state bird of Alaska since 1955, and it is a popular game bird, primarily in season during spring. Unlike the bald eagle, this species is built for staying hidden rather than being seen.
Its defining trick is seasonal camouflage. As one Princess Cruises Alaska wildlife guide explains, these birds are true masters of disguise with their feathers that change from brown in summer to snow-white in winter. Even its feet are adapted for the cold: the toes of the ptarmigan are feathered, giving it built-in snowshoes for walking across drifts in alpine and arctic tundra. Anyone hoping to add this species to a birding list should scan low shrubs and tundra edges rather than the sky, since it spends most of its time on the ground.
3. Common Raven
The common raven (Corvus corax) is one of the most recognizable and vocally complex birds in Alaska. Fly Aviary’s rundown of the state’s birdlife describes it as celebrated for its intelligence and adaptability, a reputation backed by decades of behavioral research on the species.
That vocal range is well documented. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game points to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s online resources, noting that the entry on Common Raven alone has seven different examples of this intriguing bird’s vocal prowess. Ravens are also opportunistic, and not always in ways that benefit their neighbors. Alaska Fish and Game’s trumpeter swan profile lists ravens among nest predators, noting that common ravens will snatch eggs, while bobcats, red foxes, and golden eagles prey on post-hatchlings and adults. Bird lovers curious about other members of the crow family and their glossy plumage may also enjoy this rundown of types of black birds found across North America.
4. Black-capped Chickadee
Small enough to overlook but hard to forget once identified, the black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) is a backyard favorite across much of Alaska. Bird Watching HQ sums up its appeal simply: Black-capped Chickadees are one of the most beloved birds in Alaska, and it’s easy to see why.
Physically, the species is instantly identifiable once you know what to look for. These birds are often described as “cute,” as they are tiny, with an oversized head that features a black cap and bib. Unlike migratory songbirds, black-capped chickadees typically stick around through the winter, foraging in mixed flocks and visiting feeders when natural food sources thin out. Their year-round presence makes them one of the more reliable species for beginner birders to learn first, before moving on to trickier identifications like the state’s many woodpeckers in Alaska.
5. Tufted Puffin
Few Alaska birds photograph as well as the tufted puffin (Fratercula cirrhata), with its bright orange bill and pale head plumes. According to Alaska Trekker’s wildlife guide, tufted puffins breed only on islands and rocky cliffs in the arctic waters of the North Pacific, which explains why coastal boat tours and island excursions are the most reliable way to see one.
Size can be deceptive with this species. Puffins are the size of pigeons, but weigh nearly twice as much, at around 2 pounds — a detail that makes sense once you watch one fly. In flight they look like flying cigars, moving very quickly close to water.
That same stocky build serves them well underwater, where they feed by diving, then flying under water with their wings in pursuit of small minnow-like fish. Readers curious how puffin proportions stack up against a more familiar backyard bird can compare notes with this guide to pigeons in Alaska.
Pro Tip: Tufted puffins nest in dense colonies on remote cliffs, so binoculars or a spotting scope make a real difference on boat-based wildlife tours.
6. Arctic Tern
The Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) is best known for the sheer distance it covers rather than its appearance, though its slate-gray back, black cap, and forked tail make it easy to pick out against a bright sky. Fly Aviary’s overview of the state’s birdlife describes it simply as the enduring Arctic tern, a fitting label for a species that breeds in Alaska’s far north each summer before undertaking one of the longest migrations of any bird on the planet.
During the brief Arctic summer, terns nest on gravel bars, tundra, and rocky islands, often in noisy colonies that defend their territory aggressively against intruders, including much larger birds. Watching a colony in action, with adults diving and calling at anything that strays too close to a nest, is one of the more memorable experiences available to Alaska birders willing to visit remote coastal or tundra sites during the short nesting window.
7. Trumpeter Swan
The trumpeter swan (Cygnus buccinator) is the largest bird on this list and one of Alaska’s clearest conservation success stories. Celebrity Cruises’ Alaska bird guide calls it the largest water bird in North America, pure white with a black face and bill. Its size is backed up by hard numbers from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, which reports that males average 28 pounds while females average 22 pounds.
The species nearly disappeared entirely. Wikipedia’s entry on the trumpeter swan notes that by 1933, fewer than 70 wild individuals were known to exist, and extinction seemed imminent until aerial surveys discovered a Pacific population of several thousand trumpeter swans around Alaska’s Copper River. Recovery since then has been dramatic.
Alaska Fish and Game’s swan profile states that the census of 1990 indicated over 13,000 trumpeters in Alaska, over 80 percent of the world’s population, with continuing increases over the past 20 years. Trumpeter swans also pair for the long haul: trumpeter swans mate for life and raise their young, called cygnets, together. Anyone interested in how this species compares with other large waterfowl across the country can browse this overview of different types of water birds.
Important Note: Trumpeter swans are sensitive to disturbance near nesting sites, so viewing from a respectful distance helps protect breeding success.
Seven species barely scratch the surface of what Alaska’s skies hold, but they represent the range visitors and residents are most likely to encounter, from tidal flats to alpine tundra to remote seabird cliffs.
Bird populations here share the landscape with an equally varied cast of insects and pollinators, including the state’s native bees and caterpillars, many of which serve as food sources for songbirds and shorebirds alike. Even less-loved residents like Alaska’s mosquitoes play a role in the food web that keeps chickadees, warblers, and other insect-eating birds fed through the short summer.
For birders planning a trip, timing matters as much as location. Spring and early summer bring nesting Arctic terns and displaying ptarmigan, late summer favors salmon-stream eagle watching, and winter narrows the field to hardy year-round residents like ravens and chickadees.
Those looking to extend their birdwatching beyond Alaska’s borders might also enjoy exploring different types of hummingbirds found elsewhere in North America, a striking contrast to the cold-adapted species covered here.