What is the Difference Between: Similar Looking Alaska Animals

By Denise Saigh

What is the Difference Between comparing Alaska birds and mammals living within the same range, and are difficult to tell apart? Built around side-by-side comparison, the book focuses on Alaska birds and mammals sharing ranges and habitats, then helps readers spot the small differences many people miss at first glance—shape, markings, posture, behavior, and the subtle field clues seen only after a second look. The aim stays practical: reduce misidentifications on trails, along shorelines, in wetlands, or near treeline, where quick glances often lead to confident mistakes

• Language: English
• Publisher: Publication Consultants
• Release date: Jul 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781594336904

Denise Saigh

Denise Saigh has lived and traveled throughout Alaska as a fishery biologist, ecologist and an environmental scientist. She is involved in mushing, skijoring, telemarking, cross country and downhill skiing, mountain, rock and ice climbing, sea kayaking, fishing, scuba diving, biking, canoeing, hiking and flying. She has been involved with The Ninety-Nines: International Organization of Women Pilots, Alaska Mountain Rescue, X-C Ski Patrol, mushing clubs, bird treatment centers, science and environmental boards. Denise has taught skiing and camping to children and adults and taught biology, chemistry and art classes at the University of Alaska and Alaska Pacific University for 15 years.

Book preview

Birds

ARCTIC LOON

PACIFIC LOON

ARCTIC LOON

L 28 WS 45 WT 6 lb

Physical Features

Grey head and back of neck with red eyes Straight, slender long neck; round head and large pointed bill Black throat and white/black vertical striped chest Black/white vertical stripes on the neck meet the chest black/white stripes The black/white back is visible above the water line

Song High pitched, repeated rising oo-oowwee that is deeper than the Pacific Loon

Diet Dives for fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and aquatic vegetation

Predators Crow, raven bald eagles, and foxes

Lifespan 28 years

Summer Breeding

Nest: vegetation mound near tundra lakes

Female Breeding Age: 2–3 years

Lay: 1–3 eggs in May–June

Incubation: (male / female) 28–30 days

Fledge: 60–65 days

Alaska Habitat and Range

Freshwater ponds, tundra, and taiga

Seward Peninsula

Winter Migration

Coasts of the northeast Atlantic and eastern and western Pacific as far south as the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Caspian Sea, China, and Japan

PACIFIC LOON

L 26 WS 46 WT 4 lb

Physical Features

Grey head and back of neck with red eyes Straight, slender long neck; round head, and large pointed bill Black throat and white/black vertical striped chest Black/white vertical stripes on the neck do not meet the chest black/white stripes

Song Mourning, rising repeated yodel oo-looeee

Diet Dives for fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and aquatic vegetation

Predators Crow, raven bald eagles, and foxes

Lifespan 30 years

Summer Breeding

Nest: edge of tundra lakes

Female Breeding Age: 2–4 years

Lay: 1–2 eggs in June

Incubation: (male / female) 23–25 days

Fledge: 60–65 days

Alaska Habitat and Range

Tundra, fresh water, and open oceans Coastal statewide

Winter Migration

Along the Pacific coast to Baja California

COMMON LOON

YELLOW-BILLED LOON

COMMON LOON

L 34 WS 54 WT 10 lb

Physical Features

Black head, white underparts, checkered black and white back, round head, and red eyes Triangular black and white neck band and a blackish blue bill held horizontally

Song Yodeled wheea-whee; 3 times Rising wail and whinnying alarm sound Male: often calls to female at night

Diet Freshwater diet: pike, perch, and trout Salt-water diet: rock fish, flounder, and herring Dive to 200 feet and stay submerged for 3 minutes

Predators Otters, bald eagles and ospreys

Lifespan 25 years

Summer Breeding

Nest: vegetation anchored

to bottom of lakes

Female Breeding Age: 3–4 years

Lay: 1–2 eggs in June

Incubation: (male / female) 26–31 days

Fledge: 75–80 days

Alaska Habitat and Range

Wooded lakes and rivers, tundra ponds and coastal waters Most of Alaska except the Arctic

Winter Migration

Between the Alaska arctic tundra to the Aleutians and east and west US coasts

YELLOW-BILLED LOON

L 34 WS 58 WT 11 lb

Physical Features

Black head, white underparts, checkered black and white backs, sloped head, and red eyes Straight black and white neck band and a pointed yellow bill Largest species of Loons

Song Similar to common loon but deeper

Diet Small fish, invertebrates, aquatic plants, insects, mollusks, frogs, crustaceans, and annelids Dive underwater to catch prey

Predators Gulls, jaegers and foxes

Lifespan 25 years

Summer Breeding

Nest: vegetation anchored to bottom of lakes

Female Breeding Age: 2–4 years

Lay: 2 eggs in May–June

Incubation: (male / female) 27–29 days

Fledge: 12 weeks

Alaska Habitat and Range

Tundra and freshwater lakes Northern coast

Winter Migration

Along the Pacific coast from the Aleutians to California

PELAGIC CORMORANT

RED FACED CORMORANT

PELAGIC CORMORANT

L 27 WS 39 WT 4 Ib

Physical Features

Metallic iridescence black feathers and feathered head White patch on rump Long thin light brown bill and black webbed feet

Song Croaking grunts while nesting

Diet Dive to 100 feet for bottom–living non-schooling fishes like sculpins, rockfish, and shrimp

Predators Ravens

Lifespan 18 years

Summer Breeding

Nest: cliffs on rocky shores and islands in colonies

Female Breeding Age: 2 years

Lay: 3–5 eggs in May–June

Incubation: (male / female) 25–37 days

Fledge: 50–60 days

Alaska Habitat and Range

Nests on steep cliffs along rocky and exposed shorelines, and breeds on western coast

Winter Migration

Aleutians, Southeast Alaska, and along US pacific coast

RED FACED CORMORANT

L 30 WS 46 WT 4.5 lb

Physical Features

Black to violet colored feathers, bright red face patch around eye, and feathered head