The Alaska Checklist now stands at 551 species. Of these 55 are rare, 166 are casual, and 82 are accidental (see Withrow et al. 2026). The following changes are implemented:
Species new to Alaska:
► Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis), status accidental, based on a bird photographed 12 July 2025 in the Bering Sea, ~130 km nnw of Dutch Harbor (54.921oN 167.511oW) by L. Weiskittel (photos ML).
► Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus), status accidental, based on a bird photographed 15-17 Nov 2025 at Valdez by C. Andersen and J. Guthrie+ (photos ML).
English name changes:
► The English name Eurasian Hoopoe is changed to Common Hoopoe to conform to global usage.
Linear sequence changes:
► The linear sequences of Columbidae, Gruiformes, Pelecaniformes, Charadriiformes, and Accipitridae are rearranged following new understandings of relationships and for conformity with the convention of listing more diverse clades or assemblages after less diverse ones.
► Columbidae is reordered as follows:
Zenaida asiatica White-winged Dove
Zenaida macroura Mourning Dove
Patagioenas fasciata Band-tailed Pigeon
Streptopelia orientalis Oriental Turtle-Dove
Streptopelia decaocto Eurasian Collared-Dove
Columba livia Rock Pigeon
► Gruidae precedes Rallidae in Gruiformes.
► Anarhynchus nivosus Snowy Plover precedes Anarhynchus alexandrinus Kentish Plover.
► Numenius hudsonicus Hudsonian Whimbrel precedes Numenius phaeopus Eurasian Whimbrel.
► Sterninae precedes Larinae in Laridae.
► Threskiornithidae comes first within Pelecaniformes.
► Accipitridae is partially reorder as follows:
Accipiter striatus Sharp-shinned Hawk
Accipiter nisus Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Astur gentilis Eurasian Goshawk
Astur atricapillus American Goshawk
Circus cyaneus Hen Harrier
Circus hudsonius Northern Harrier
Genus changes:
► Bluethroat is removed from a monotypic Cyanecula and returned to Luscinia.
► Lesser Whitethroat is removed from Sylvia and placed in Curruca.
Status changes:
► Status of American White Pelican, Nazca Booby, Asian Rosy-Finch, Lesser Whitethroat, and Dickcissel are changed from accidental to casual based on a third record for each. Hermit Warbler is listed as a hybrid on the Unsubstantiated List.
Corrections:
► The genus of Eurasian and American Goshawks is corrected to Astur from Accipiter. Similarly, on the unsubstantiated list, Cooper’s Hawk is placed in Astur and Chinese Sparrowhawk in Tachyspiza.
► The status of Ash-throated Flycatcher, Red-backed Shrike, and Song Thrush should have been casual not accidental in the 31st Checklist.
Withrow, J., D. D. Gibson, and K. Winker. 2026. Checklist of the avian diversity of Alaska: Subspecies, breeding status, and taxonomy. Bulletin of the American Ornithologists Union 1.1:1-62.