Site Name: Noatak River Delta
Status: Identified State: Alaska
Priority: State Country: US
Criteria Proposed: A4ii
Criteria Confirmed: D4ii 		County:
Northwest Arctic
 
Latitude: 67.0
Longitude: -162.5
 Area (ha): 41131.0 Elevation (m):
Min 0.0  Max 10.0  Avg 0.0
 
Bird Conservation Region:
Arctic Plains and Mountains 		Endemic Bird Area:
 
Site Description:
The Noatak River delta is Alaska's most northern river delta having extensive vegetated and unvegetated habitats. Overall, the Noatak Delta-Sisulik area is thought to be one of the two most important sites to shorebirds along the Chukchi Sea coast of Alaska.
 
Ornithological Significance:
Studies suggest an average bi-weekly population of 73,000 shorebirds on salt marsh habitat alone at the Noatak River Delta. Dunlin are listed as the most abundant species using the area and are noted to occur there in "moderate" densities even into early October. Although data are lacking for shorebird use of the extensive unvegetated flats of the delta, based on comparative use of similar habitats at other Chukchi Sea sites the over all number of shorebirds using the delta could well exceed 100,000 birds.

There are several tern colonies in the Noatak Delta. The total number of Aleutian Terns exceed 1% of the global population.

Until more recent data become available, however, this site is PENDING GLOBAL/CONTINENTAL status.

 
Criteria:
 
Species Data and Criteria :
Common Name Date Seasonal/ Daily Season # Observed Density (#/km2) Units Proposed Criteria Confirmed Criteria
Long-billed Dowitcher 1980 unknown  1    Unknown     
Semipalmated Sandpiper 1980 unknown  1    Unknown     
Western Sandpiper 1980 unknown  1    Unknown     
Dunlin 1980 unknown  1    Unknown     
Arctic Tern 1986 breeding  30    Unknown     
Aleutian Tern 1986 breeding  200    Unknown  A4ii - >1% global pop. seabirds/terrestrial sp. simultaneously; 5% over season
  
 
Ownership
Suggested protection meaures: -Adequate spill response preparedness.
% of IBA Ownership

 
Habitat
Intertidal mudflats, Vegetated mudflats, and Graminoid/sedge meadows

Shoreline- 142 km Barrier beach/spit- 8 km2 Vegetated intertidal- 96 km2 Unvegetated intertidal-39 km2

% of IBA Habitat
  Barren 
  Forested Upland / Deciduous forest / Other 
  Wetlands 

 
Land Use
hunting; urban industrial transport.
% of Total Use of IBA Land Use
  hunting 
  urban/industrial/transport 

 
Conservation Issues
Transportation of petroleum products and associated leakage and spills.

Consumptive use through hunting.

Level Threat
  Extraction Industry 
  Unsustainable exploitation of birds 

Citation: National Audubon Society 2009. Important Bird Areas in the U.S.
Available at http://www.audubon.org/bird/iba 11/2009