Taxon

Total or partial contact with Asia

Contact with known "hot spot"

Habitat used in Asia

Pop. in Alaska

Can samples be obtained

Score

Dunlin

(C. a. arcticola)

5

2

3

4

3

17

Entire pop. winters from Taiwan north to Yellow Sea and n. Japan

Winters throughout areas where H5N1 identified

Estuarine and freshwater habitats; also ephemeral inland lakes where domestic waterfowl raised

Est. at 650,000

Relatively. easy to trap on nest and during post-breeding when in flocks

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

5

1

3.5

2

3

14.5

Breeding restricted to n. central Siberia with annual cohort of immatures coming to Alaska; adults move through EAA flyway

Migrating adults pass through known "hot spots" in central E. Asia.  Species of concern if adults can pass virus to offspring on breeding grounds

Freshwater marshes, brackish wetlands, salt ponds, sewage farms, ephemeral wetlands

Between 10,000 and 40,000 depending on annual production

Easy to capture in Alaska in autumn

Bar-tailed Godwit

(L. l. baueri)

5

2

2

3

2

14

Entire pop. nests w. and n. Alaska & stages central E. Asia (Yellow Sea, Korea, Japan) in spring; southward migration direct across Pacific

On migration stops in central E. Asia (Yellow Sea, Japan, Korea)

Estuarine

Est. at 120,000, but 2005 census efforts accounted for <50,000

Could be difficult to obtain target number

Ruddy Turnstone

(A. i. interpres)

3

2

2.5

2.5

3

13

Portion of W. Alaska nesting pop. migrates to SE and E Asia; pop. nesting Chukotka moves to W. Alaska in fall before returning to E and SE Asia. Eastern Siberia and West Alaska breeding birds also migrate down the East Asian coast, with some birds wintering in the Mariana and Marshall Islands

On migration stops in central E. Asia (Yellow Sea, Japan, Korea)

Breeds upland tundra; migration and non-breeding coastal (rocky intertidal, sand beaches, & mudflats)

>35% of North American pop. (= ~20,000 birds) in Alaska, plus historically large numbers visit (>20,000 on Pribilof Is.) from Chukotka

Unless post-breeding concentrations found (e.g., Pribilof Is.) could be difficult to meet target sample. 200 turnstones can be captured in either the Marshall or Mariana Islands or both

Taxon

Total or partial contact with Asia

Contact with known "hot spot"

Habitat used in Asia

Pop. in Alaska

Can samples be obtained?

Score

Pectoral Sandpiper

3

1

4

3

2

13

Greater than 50% of pop. nests in Russia west to Eastern Taimyr Peninsular.

To date no known use of "hot spots"

Breeds marshy/grassy tundra; post-breeding uses brackish ponds freshwater marshes

200,000-300,000

Could be difficult to obtain target number

Red Knot

(C. c. rogersi & roselaari)

4

2

2

2.5

2

12.5

C.c. roselaari pop. nests Wrangel I. and w. Alaska and winters Pacific coast of the Americas.  C. c. rogersi nests Chukotka/New Siberian Isl. & winters Aust./New Zealand, passing through c. E. Asia

On migration C. c. rogersi passes through areas where H5N1 identified

Estuarine

C. c. roselaari <50,000; C. c. rogersi 220,000.  C. c. rogersi thought to stop in Alaska in spring but numbers unknown (possibly several 10,000s)

Could be difficult to obtain target number

Long-billed Dowitcher

3

1

3

3

2

12

>30% of pop. breeds in Russia where range expanding w. to Taimyr Pen.; >95% of entire pop. winters in North and Central America. Unknown numbers winter in Asia (Japan)

To date no known use of "hot spots"

Breeds coastal lowlands in wet, grassy freshwater meadows; uses estuarine and managed wetlands during migration & winter

North American pop. = 450,000 (>90% of this in Alaska during migration)

Could be difficult to obtain target number

Rock Sandpiper (C. p. tschuktschorum)

3

1

2.5

2

3

11.5

~ 20-30% of pop. nests in Chukotka

To date no known use of "hot spots"

Nests upland tundra; post-breeding use estuarine areas

Total pop. 50,000.  ~20K nest Chukotka but all return to AK en route to non-breeding areas in Pacific NW

Easy to trap on nest and during post-breeding flocking

Taxon

Total or partial contact with Asia

Contact with known "hot spot"

Habitat used in Asia

Pop. in Alaska

Can samples be obtained?

Score

Pacific Golden-Plover

3

2

2.5

2

2

11.5

Nesting occurs w. & sw Alaska and over large portion of n. Siberia and Chukotka.  Interchange known between Asia and Alaska but not quantified.  Alaska-nesting birds disperse to Oceania and Pacific coast of N & C America. Birds wintering in the Marshall or Mariana Islands are believed to be birds that have migrated overland from Siberia to Southeast Asia and Oceania.

Likely in c. East Asia

Nests upland tundra; migration and nonbreeding in coastal habitats

16,000

Could be difficult to obtain target number in Alaska; however, 200 plovers can be captured in either the Marshall or Mariana Islands or both

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

2

1

3

2

2

10

Small portion of pop. nests Wrangel I. & Chukotka then returns to non-breeding area in southern S. America

To date no known use of "hot spots"

Variable but generally dry upland tundra

3,000, including ~1000 birds from Chukotka/Wrangel I. stopping on southward migration

Could be difficult to obtain target number

Ranking criteria:

1.  Proportion of the population occurring in Asia.  Score as 1-5 where 5=100%

2.  Contact with a known 'hotspot' or source.  Score as 1=no contact, 2=contact

3.  Habitats used in context of likelihood of exposure 1=Offshore marine, 2=Estuary, 3=Terrestrial, 4=Freshwater.

4.  Population size in Alaska during 2006.  Score to the closest number 1=1,000, 2=10,000, 3=100,000, 4=1,000,000

5.  Can we obtain a representative sample of sufficient size (n=200)?  Score 1=no, 2=maybe, 3=yes.

Pacific Flyway

Taxon

Ranking

Tundra Swan (Western Population)

Primary

Lesser Snow Goose (Wrangel Island Population)

Primary

Northern Pintail

Primary

Long-billed Dowitcher

Primary

Red Knot (small numbers)

Primary

Pacific Golden Plover (small numbers)

Primary

Ruddy Turnstone (very small numbers)

Primary

Black Brant (Pacific Population)

Secondary

Cackling Goose

Secondary

Pacific Greater White-fronted Goose

Secondary

Mallard

Secondary

American Wigeon

Secondary

American Green-winged Teal

Secondary

Northern Shoveler

Secondary

Central Flyway

Taxon

Ranking

Lesser Sandhill Crane (Mid-continent)

Primary

Tundra Swan (Eastern Population)

Primary

Northern Pintail (low percentage from Alaska)

Primary

Pectoral Sandpiper

Primary

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Primary

Long-billed Dowitcher

Primary

Greater White-fronted Goose (Mid-continent)

Secondary

Lesser Snow Goose (Western Central Flyway)

Secondary

Mallard

Secondary

American Wigeon

Secondary

American Green-winged Teal

Secondary

Northern Shoveler

Secondary

Mississippi Flyway

Taxon

Ranking

Pectoral Sandpiper

Primary

Dunlin

Primary

Long-billed Dowitcher

Primary

Greater White-fronted Goose

Secondary

Northern Pintail

Secondary

Mallard

Secondary

American Wigeon

Secondary

American Green-winged Teal

Secondary

Northern Shoveler

Secondary

Lesser Scaup

Secondary

Greater Yellow-legs

Secondary

Lesser Yellow-legs

Secondary

Ruddy Turnstone

Secondary

Gray-cheeked Thrush

Secondary

Atlantic Flyway

Taxon

Ranking

Tundra Swan (Eastern Population)

Primary

Greater Scaup

Primary

Horned Grebe (possibly Europe/Greenland breeders)

Primary

Lesser Scaup

Secondary

Canvasback

Secondary

Long-tailed Duck (unknown east-west interchange)

Secondary

Western Sandpiper

Secondary

Least Sandpiper (do not breed in Asia)

Secondary

Greater Yellow-legs (do not breed in Asia)

Secondary

Black-bellied Plover

Secondary

Asian Contact

Species

Direct

Indirect

Timing

Specifics¹

Point of Contact

Yellow-billed Loon

Yes

Yes

Oct-Apr

Birds breeding on Alaskan north slope winter off of Japan, Korea, China.

Coastal Japan, Korea, China

Red-throated Loon

Yes

Yes

Oct-Apr

Birds breeding on Alaskan north slope winter off of Chukotka and Kamchatka.

Coastal Chukotka and Kamchatka

Pacific/Arctic Loon

Little data is available but probably follow similar patterns to yellow-billed and red-throated loons.