Shorebirds

Surfbird

Calidris virgata

A medium-sized, stocky shorebird of rocky wave-washed coastlines, with a short yellow-based bill and a distinctive white rump and tail with a dark terminal band. Closely associated with the surf zone.

Where to look

Rocky shores at Cape Chiniak, Fort Abercrombie, and any rocky coastline around Kodiak Island.

Habitat

High alpine tundra ridges for breeding; rocky intertidal coastlines in migration and winter.

Diet

Barnacles, mussels, and marine invertebrates.

Natural history note

Surfbirds breed on high mountain ridges in interior Alaska and winter almost exclusively on wave-beaten rocky coasts.