Scientific Results of the Katmai Expedition of the 

 National Geographic Society. 



X. BIRDS OF THE KATMAI REGION.* 



James S. Hine. 



Most of the birds taken by the expedition were procured 

 near the mouth of the Katmai River. Water birds predominate 

 in the region because a better food supply is available for them 

 than for the land birds. Most species are represented by a 

 large number of individuals, and for that reason there are large 

 numbers of birds although not a great many different kinds. 

 Kashvik Bay, the southern part of Katmai Bay, is the feeding 

 grounds of thousands of gulls and related forms and an immense 

 amount of food is required to feed them. 



Since the time at my disposal did not allow the making of a 

 complete collection of the birds of the Katmai district a com- 

 plete list is not possible at this time, and since it is the plan to 

 list only the species taken and many of the characteristic birds 

 are not represented a few notes on the commoner Alaskan 

 birds precede the others. 



One of the noisiest birds the summer through was the 

 common loon of the region. Specimens were seen commonly 

 and often passed overhead uttering their hoarse and homely 

 notes giving the suggestion of nearness to a farmyard with 

 domestic ducks in full song. The red-breasted Merganser is a 

 common species in the region and adults with young were seen 

 on more than one occasion. The young are expert swimmers 

 and are very difficult to capture, even when only a few days 

 from the egg. The species was very quiet about its haunts at 

 all times and was observed only when we came upon it without 

 its knowing of our approach. During the last days of August 

 many well organized flocks of geese and swans passed over our 

 camp. The bald eagle was seen at various times. This was one 

 of the few birds observed flying over the Valley of ten thousand 

 Smokes. It was not flying high but apparently was not inclined 

 to linger over and was soon out of sight in more productive 

 territory. The raven is widely distributed in Alaska and one is 



*Copyright, 1919, by National Geographic Society. All rights reserved. 



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