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winter birding
December in Alaska
December is Alaska's darkest month, with as little as 5 hours of daylight in Anchorage and near-total darkness in the far north. Hardy birders can find ptarmigan, boreal owls, and winter finches. Christmas Bird Counts provide organized birding opportunities across the state.
Christmas Bird Counts across Alaska communities
Ptarmigan in winter plumage along accessible roads
Northern Hawk Owl and Great Gray Owl hunting in dim light
Northern lights as a dramatic birding backdrop
Trip planning notes
- Join a local Christmas Bird Count for a guided and social winter birding experience.
- Check feeder networks around Anchorage and Fairbanks for irruptive species like redpolls and grosbeaks.
- Extreme cold protection is critical—cover all exposed skin and carry hand and toe warmers.
Regional reality check
Conditions vary enormously across Alaska. Southeast Alaska, Anchorage, the Interior, Nome, the Aleutians, and the Arctic coast can have very different weather, access, migration timing, and daylight in the same month. Treat statewide averages as orientation, not a local forecast.
Key species in the dataset
Willow PtarmiganNorthern Hawk OwlGreat Gray OwlCommon RedpollPine GrosbeakBoreal Chickadee