Spruce Grouse chick. Photo: Milo Burcham
SpeakupforSpruceGrouseSpeak up for Spruce Grouse

The old-growth forests on Prince of Wales Island in the Tongass National Forest are  home to endemic birds like the Prince of Wales Spruce Grouse. But decades of industrial timber harvest have  shattered the habitat. It is time to stop clearcutting the big old trees and focus on a sustainable future.   

The draft plan for Prince of Wales begins to chart a path forward, by supporting recreation and protecting some key wildlife areas. But details on when and where timber harvest would occur are left for a later date, when the public would have no further opportunity to comment. 

Hurry, c omments  close at the end of the day on Monday! 
ArcticRefugeYour voice for the Arctic Refuge
Snowy Owl. Photo Steven Sachs / Audubon Photography Awards
Comments close on Tuesday! Your voice matters in the fight to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. By sending scoping comments to the Trump administration, you will stand shoulder to shoulder with a diverse coalition of Alaskans, scientists, indigenous people, veterans, birders, and Americans of all political stripes. This is the most serious threat that has ever faced the Arctic Refuge. Now is the time to stand up and speak out for this special place. 

BirdathonBirdathon Results Announced
Team Swift reluctantly accepts the Rubber Chicken Award for another year.
If you have sponsored a Birdathon team by pledging an amount per species seen or heard, fulfill your pledge or make a donation here. Your Birdathon donation will be matched and help ensure a healthy future for the birds across the globe that rely on habitat in Alaska. Thank you for your support! 
HatsGet Your 2018 Bird of the Year Pacific Golden-Plover Hat!
2018 Bird of the Year Pacific Golden-Plover hats modeled by Ben Sullender, Melanie Smith, Erika Knight, and honorary Audubon Alaska employee Big Dog.
Our new hats feature the 2018 Bird of the Year, the Pacific Golden-Plover. Now you can look fly while searching for that rare bird and support Audubon Alaska at the same time! Our classic hats are available, as well as a mesh trucker hat in black and grey. All proceeds support bird conservation in Alaska.
All of the teams for the Arctic Birding Challenge reported spotting a Downy Woodpecker. Photo Milo Burcham
ArcticBirdingChallenge2018 Great American Arctic Birding Challenge Winners

Congratulations to the winners of the 2018 Great American Arctic Birding Challenge! Many thanks to everyone who participated. We hope you enjoyed the time outdoors and learned a little about the amazing birds that connect the Arctic - especially the Arctic Refuge - with your state. 

The Arctic Refuge bonus prizes went to teams that saw 10 or more Arctic Refuse-nesting species. All of the competing teams achieved the bonus, which just goes to show how many bird species everyone shares with the Arctic Refuge!  Read the results here.
Heidi prepared to permanently migrate to warmer climes with a pair of bird-themed sunglasses.
DiscoveryDayPotter Marsh Discovery Day a Success!
Gorgeous blue skies blessed the Discovery Day at Potter Marsh, sponsored in part by Audubon Alaska.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by Potter Marsh on June 2 to help make the Department of Fish and Game's Discovery Day at Potter Marsh a success. Seasoned birders and birders-in-training scoured the marsh for rare birds while others got up close and personal with captive birds brought by Bird TLC. 
BirdQuiz'Name that Bird' Photo Quiz
Photo by Milo Burcham

Photo by Rejean Turgeon, Great Backyard Bird Count
Last Month's  Quiz Bird

This Month's Quiz Bird
Last month's quiz bird was a Lesser Yellowlegs. It is nearly identical to the Greater Yellowlegs, another species in the same genus, but can be differentiated by noticing that the length of its bill is roughly the same measurement as the depth of its head. The Lesser Yellowlegs also has a higher pitched call than the Greater Yellowlegs. 

Both males and females of this month's quiz bird (an adult female pictured here) can be brightly colored, although their colors differ. Their behavior is sometimes described as slow and lazy and in winter they often occur in small flocks around fruiting trees.  They frequent visitors to bird feeders.     
FamilyNightMonday, June 18th, 6-8PM
Potter Marsh, Anchorage
Join Audubon Alaska for a special birding adventure designed specifically for kids! Bring your kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, etc. for this basic introduction to the world of birding and naturalist skills. Please meet us there!  Learn more. 
Summer Birding with Audubon Alaska
BirdwalksMonday evenings in June & July, 7 PM to 9 PM
Potter Marsh boardwalk, Anchorage
Mark your calendars for Audubon Alaska summer bird walks. 
Conservation Biologist Max Goldman will lead Monday evening bird walks at Potter Marsh during the months of June and July. Let's go birding together!
Guatemala2.0Migrate to Guatemala this Fall with Audubon Alaska
Male Resplendent Quetzal, Guatemala's national bird. Photo by Randy Harwood / Audubon Photography Awards
Join Audubon Alaska on a trip to Guatemala, a richly diverse cultural center and a lush and vibrant paradise for birders. Set in the heart of Central America, it is one of the New World's prime migratory corridors. See firsthand many of the species Audubon hopes to protect through its ongoing conservation efforts.  Read the trip details here.