MARINE BIRDS OF THE CHUKCHI AND BERING SEAS 



29 



lins, black turnstones (Arenaria melano- 

 cephald), rock sandpipers (Calidris ptiloc- 

 nemis), western sandpipers, and substantial 

 percentages of red phalaropes (Phalaropus 

 fulicarius), northern phalaropes (Lobipes 

 lobatus), and red-throated loons. 



The north side of the Alaska Peninsula (in- 

 cluding the wetlands, uplands, and estuaries) 

 is perhaps more important to marine birds as 

 a staging, feeding, and resting area than as a 

 nesting habitat. The importance of Izembek 

 Lagoon to black brant and emperor geese dur- 

 ing fall and spring is a classic example. King 

 and Lensink (1971) estimated that the fall 

 flight of sea ducks originating from the Penin- 

 sula averages 53,400 oldsquaws, 1,700 eiders, 

 and 74,400 scoters. Breeding geese are scarce 

 throughout the area. 



less than 10 years. We therefore recommend 

 that long-term studies be initiated at as many 

 places as possible, but at least at one site on 

 the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta; at a mainland 

 colony site that has predominantly murres, 

 kittiwakes, puffins, and cormorants; and at 

 an island site that also has small auklets. Al- 

 though the nesting distribution of the Kitt- 

 litz's murrelet remains an enigma, we regard 

 it less of a conservation issue and more of an 

 ornithological challenge. Consideration of 

 logistics and support facilities must, of 

 course, be included in the site selection pro- 

 cess. Most of the areas suggested for these 

 studies also merit recognition and protection 

 by being designated as a National Wildlife 

 Refuge, a National Park or Monument, or a 

 State Game Sanctuary. 



Conclusions and 

 Recommendations 



Most of the major breeding habitats of 

 marine birds in the Chukchi and Bering seas 

 are known, but imprecisely identified as to 

 location and size. With few exceptions, the 

 populations of birds using these habitats are 

 described only by the subjective and am- 

 biguous descriptors of abundance such as 

 "abundant, common, occasional, and rare," 

 which makes measurement of change im- 

 possible. 



We recommend that first and foremost a 

 catalog of habitats used by birds be developed 

 to aid resource administrators, developers, 

 and biologists (all of whom should be "conser- 

 vationists") in identifying critical habitats. 

 We believe that such a catalog would preclude 

 many problems because birds and their habi- 

 tats could be considered at the planning stage 

 rather than only at the operational stage. 

 Such a catalog would also be useful to stu- 

 dents of ornithology who are seeking loca- 

 tions suitable for particular studies. 



Nowhere in this region have studies of 

 marine birds been of sufficient duration to en- 

 able changes in populations (from whatever 

 cause) to be characterized. Since some species 

 of marine bird are known not to breed before 

 at least 3 or more years of age, meaningful in- 

 formation on survival and recruitment in 

 populations cannot be obtained by studies of 



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