8 University of Michigan 



smaller streams draining lakes and swamps carry sediment only 

 during freshets, but they carry much organic matter, enough 

 sometimes to give the water a brownish or blackish color. Sloughs 

 in all stages of filling abound along the larger valleys. 



Lakes are common in the valleys, and are especially abundant 

 along the upper parts of the Kuskokwim. Most of the lakes are 

 small and shallow, though a few, Lake Minchumina, for example, 

 are a number of miles across and are deep in parts. 



The shallower lakes usually contain an abundance of water 

 lilies and other aquatic plants, but the rivers and sloughs seldom 

 contain much aquatic vegetation. 



This habitat is used by a number of birds and by several 

 mammals for shelter from enemies. It is the feeding-place also of 

 a few birds and of the mink and otter. The moose enters the 

 lakes in summer for protection from mosquitoes. During the 

 breeding season nearly every small lake is the home of at least one 

 pair of breeding ducks, while the larger lakes shelter numerous 

 pairs of ducks and also geese and other aquatic birds. 



Shore habitat and association: 



Larus hyperhoreus harrovianus. Glaucous gull. Summer. 



Larus brachyrhynchus. Short-billed gull. Summer. 



Lams Philadelphia. Bonaparte gull. Summer. 



Anas platyrhyn^has. Mallard. Summer. 



Nettion carolinense. Green-winged teal. Summer. 



Histrionicus histrionicus pacificus. Harlequin duck. Summer. 



Anser albifrons gambeli. White-fronted goose. Simimer. 



Branta canadensis hutchinsi. Hutchins goose. Summer. 



Olor columbianus. Whistling swan. Summer. 



Grus canadensis canadensis. Little brown crane. Summer. 



Lobipes lobatus. Northern phalarope. Summer. 



Pisobia minuiilla. Least sandpiper. Summer. 



Totanus melanolencus. Greater yellowlegs. Summer. 



Totanus flavipes. Yellowlegs. Summer. 



Tringa solitaria cinnamomea. Western solitary sandpiper. Summer. 



Actitis macularia. Spotted sandpiper. Summer. 



Charadrius semipalmatus. Semipahnated plover. Summer. 



Bonasa nmbellus yukonensis. Yukon ruffed grouse. Resident. 



Euphagus carolinus. Rusty blackbird. Summer. 



