Introducing the Anchorage Birding Trail

Audubon Alaska has spent the past several years working with partners to create birding trails that make Alaska’s extraordinary birdlife more accessible to everyone. These virtual trails—curated guides to birding hotspots—already exist in Southeast Alaska and in the community of Utqiaġvik. Now, that effort is coming to Southcentral Alaska with the launch of the Anchorage Birding Trail. This new resource is designed to celebrate birds, habitats, hidden gems, and people across the Anchorage Bowl.

The Anchorage Birding Trail features 35 birding sites, stretching from Whittier to Westchester Lagoon and eastward into the Chugach Mountains. The virtual trail includes clear information for each site, including Indigenous place names, imagery, parking details, restroom availability, access notes, and any associated fees. It will also offer tips to help visitors plan safe, enjoyable birding outings. Together, these features aim to make birding more welcoming to people of all experience levels, from longtime Anchorage residents to visitors discovering Alaska birds for the first time.

“Thomas R. Dunlap wrote ‘Birding is easy to begin and impossible to master,’” says Mr. Whitekeys, president of the Anchorage Audubon Society—a partner in the creation of the trail. “The Anchorage Birding Trail won’t make you a master, but it’ll get you closer than you are today.”

An updated Birds of Anchorage, Alaska species checklist was also published in tandem with the trail. Special thanks go to the expertise of Alaska birders Mr. Whitekeys, Andy Bankert, Pat Pourchot, and Thede Tobish.

“The new Anchorage Birding Trail and updated Anchorage bird checklist will serve as catalysts to increased understanding of Anchorage bird habitats for visitors and residents alike,” says Tobish (one of “Alaska’s top birders,” according to Alaska Public Media). “Birders will learn more about local bird distribution across a wide array of new accessible sites. At the same time, a broader appreciation of preserved lands and their importance to bird use throughout the municipality should come."

The Anchorage Birding Trail Takes Flight

Why the Anchorage Bowl for a bird trail? As of 2025, 285 bird species have been recorded in the Anchorage area, with 160 species occurring annually, including 112 breeding species and 40 regular migratory birds. This remarkable diversity reflects Anchorage’s geographic position at the crossroads of multiple migration routes, where coastal, forest, freshwater, and alpine habitats intersect.

Just as importantly, the Anchorage area offers birding opportunities year-round. Spring migration begins in late March or early April, peaking in mid-May, with the return of raptors, gulls, and waterfowl. Songbirds follow by in mid-April and continue in early June, as do shorebirds. Fall is the longest birding season, beginning as early as July for shorebirds and extending into late fall for gulls and swans. Even winter has its rewards: Since 1961, 96 species have been recorded during Anchorage Christmas Bird Counts, underscoring the city’s value as a four-season birding destination.

"Where to go birding in Anchorage and what birds can be expected to be seen in various habitats are frequent questions asked by birders of varying birding experience and skill,” says Pourchot. “An Anchorage birding trail provides great information for residents and visitors alike."

Three Habitats, Four Seasons, Dozens of Ways to Bird

To help users navigate this diversity, birding sites on the Anchorage Birding Trail are organized into three broad habitat types: coastal, forest and freshwater, and alpine. Each habitat highlights different species and experiences, making it easier for birders to plan trips based on interest (what birds do you need to add to your list?), season, or accessibility.

Coastal sites include nearshore waters and the intertidal zones of Cook Inlet, along with adjacent areas shaped by marine influences. Locations like Lower Ship Creek, Point Woronzof, and Carr-Gottstein Park offer opportunities to observe Arctic Tern, Trumpeter Swan, Sandhill Crane, Red-necked Grebe, Lesser Yellowlegs, and many more species that depend on their productive coastal systems. 

Along the eastern edge of the region, alpine habitats rise into the Chugach Mountains. Trail sites such as Arctic Valley, Prospect Heights, and Glen Alps offer tundra, ridgelines, and mountain peaks that attract species like Willow Ptarmigan, Horned Lark, and Rough-legged Hawk. And bonus: These sites also offer breathtaking, classic Alaskan scenery and great hiking.

Between Cook Inlet and the Chugach Mountains lie forest and freshwater habitats, home to sites like Cheney Lake, Sand Lake, and Kincaid parks—all of which are part of the Anchorage park and trail system.

“Anchorage parks and greenbelts on our urban trail system offer accessible ways to connect with nature while providing important habitat for migrating and resident birds,” says Anchorage Park Foundation Deputy Director Michelle LeBeau. “The Anchorage Birding Trail makes it easier for people to discover these places and enjoy some of the best birding our city has to offer.”

Conservation, Community, and Connection

The Anchorage Birding Trail is part of Audubon Alaska’s broader Alaska Birding Trails initiative, which is intentionally designed to create space for proactive, creative thinking about challenges facing both people and nature. Trails highlight Audubon-designated Important Bird Areas and birding hotspots—many of which face pressure from development or other projects—helping build awareness and support for conservation across Alaska’s public landscapes.

Birding trails also play an important economic role. By fostering sustainable tourism built around Alaska’s bioregions, they help grow local economies while reinforcing the value of healthy public lands and waters. Bird tourism in Alaska draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually and supports thousands of jobs, demonstrating how conservation and recreation can work together to benefit communities and wildlife.

“Be it swans on Westchester Lagoon or eagles at Potter Marsh, birds are one of the unique features that make Anchorage a truly special place to live and visit,” says David Krause, Vice President for National Audubon Society’s Alaska Program. “It’s our hope that the Anchorage Birding Trail will foster a greater appreciation for the wonder of birds, while contributing to sustainable economic development across the municipality.”

Ultimately, the Anchorage Birding Trail invites people to experience Anchorage—often considered more of a urban hub than a birding destination—through a deeper connection to birds, habitats, and place. By bringing together accessible sites, ecological knowledge, and community insight, the trail not only makes birding more approachable but also highlights the value of protecting the Southcentral landscapes that sustain both wildlife and people. 

As interest in birding continues to grow, this new resource will hopefully inspire stewardship, support local economies, and ensure that Anchorage’s remarkable birdlife can be appreciated for generations to come.

Audubon Alaska is celebrating the official launch of the Anchorage Birding Trail with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, May 27, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Westchester Lagoon, followed by a guided bird walk led by Audubon Alaska staff. Additional information and registration details can be found on the event registration page.