Site Name: Krusenstern Lagoon
Status: Identified State: Alaska
Priority: State Country: US
Criteria Proposed: A4ii
Criteria Confirmed: D3 		County:
Northwest Arctic
 
Latitude: 67.13333
Longitude: -163.66667
 Area (ha): 29884.0 Elevation (m):
Min 0.0  Max 10.0  Avg 0.0
 
Bird Conservation Region:
Arctic Plains and Mountains 		Endemic Bird Area:
 
Site Description:
This site is located at the north mouth of Kotzebue Sound and includes Krusenstern Lagoon and a beach ridge-wetland complex that extends southeast to Aukulak lagoon. The site is entirely within the cape Krusenstern National Monument. The 48 km2 Krusenstern Lagoon is protected by a 4 km long barrier bar along its northwestern shore, and lagoon waters average 1.2-2.0 m in depth. A diveristy of tundra and wetland habitats surrounds the area.
 
Ornithological Significance:
Krusenstern Lagoon usually supports over 5,000 shorebirds throughout the season. Red-necked Phalaropes, Western, Semipalmated and Pectoral Sandpipers, and Long-billed Dowitchers are the most abundant species using littoral habitats. This site is also a nesting area for Arctic and Aleutian Terns.

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
Black Turnstone
Long-billed Dowitcher
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Baird's Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Dunlin
Red-necked Phalarope
Pacific Golden-Plover
Aleutian Tern 1986 breeding  200    Unknown  A4ii - >1% global pop. seabirds/terrestrial sp. simultaneously; 5% over season
  
 
Ownership
Federal (National Park Service), entirely within the boundaries of the Krusenstern National Monument. WHSRN site of regional importance.
% of IBA Ownership

 
Habitat
Intertidal mud/sandflats., Sand/gravel shoreline, Graminoid/sedge meadows, and Barrier island/bars

Shoreline- 204 km Barrier beach/spit- 33 km2 Vegetated intertidal- 48 km2 Unvegetated intertidal- 2 km2

% of IBA Habitat
  Barren 
  Wetlands 
  Wetlands / Emergent Herbaceous Wetlands / Other 

 
Land Use
hunting; fishing; urban industrial transport.
% of Total Use of IBA Land Use
  fisheries/aquaculture 
  hunting 
  nature conservation and research 
  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