USFWS
Alaska Region
Conserving the Nature of America   

Anchorage Joins Other Cities to Protect Migratory Birds

Urban areas are critical to the survival of bird species, and birds account for the vast majority of people’s most frequent contacts with wildlife. Each spring, Anchorage residents and visitors marvel at the large concentrations of migrating song birds, shorebirds, and other waterfowl that pass through this city of more than a quarter million people. Over the past several years, birding festivals all over the state have been organized to take advantage of the popularity of bird watching and to support local businesses.

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Left to right: Paul Schmidt, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and Dave Wigglesworth, City of Anchorage, sign the
Left to right: Paul Schmidt, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and David Wigglesworth, Municipality of Anchorage, sign the “Urban Conservation Treaty for Migratory Birds” on July 26, 2008 in Anchorage
Photo Credit: Ron Laubenstein/USFWS

Current Events Calendar
Public Events, Meetings and Comment Deadlines

The Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Workshop, Supporting Science in a Changing Arctic
A wide-ranging partnership of international experts and others with a stake in the changing arctic, the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Workshop recently met to lay the foundations for informed research into, and management of, natural resources in this changing portion of the globe.

Service Removes Bald Eagle From Endangered Species List
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced it will remove bald eagles in the lower 48 from the list of threatened and endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  Bald eagle populations in Alaska are healthy at between 50-70,000 birds, and they have never been listed under the ESA.  Bald eagles nationwide, including those in Alaska, are still protected by other laws including the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act.  The Service recently published guidance (pdf) to help individuals and landowners avoid disturbing bald eagles. 

Avian Influenza-related Activities in Alaska
Links, files and public information portals for Alaskan communities, waterfowl hunters, and the general public.

 

Last Updated:July 31, 2008