Fauna Series No. 3

Fauna of the National Parks — No. 3 Birds and Mammals of Mount McKinley National Park

Faunal Position of Mount McKinley National Park

A LARGE PROPORTION of the breeding birds of the McKinley region consists of eastern forms. For instance, the robin, junco, and fox sparrow all belong to eastern and not to western races. Certain migratory species, such as Baird's sandpiper which breeds in the Kotzebue Sound region and along the Arctic Coast of Alaska, also breed high up in the mountain passes above timber line in the McKinley region. Yukon Valley races are fairly well represented in the park by both birds and mammals. In the case of certain small mammals the park seems to be a common meeting ground of several geographic races. In some instances we find typical northern Rocky Mountain forms, such as the Dawson red-backed mouse, living beside a typical western or Bering Sea form, such as the Nushagak ground squirrel. Two Asiatic forms, European wheatear and Kennicott's willow warbler, were found breeding in the region. Typical western species of birds, such as Hepburn's rosy finch and Gambel's sparrow, make up a rather small proportion of the total avifauna which was found, as previously stated, to consist chiefly of eastern and Arctic species, with some central Alaskan and a few western forms.

Last Modified: Thurs, Oct 4 2001 10:00:00 pm PDT
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