Birds of Yukon: The Complete List

Yukon’s wide open landscapes — from spruce forests to braided rivers and tundra — shape a distinct bird community that changes with the seasons. Short summers bring migrants in huge variety, while long winters favor hardy residents; a little planning helps you know where to look.

There are 60 Birds of Yukon, ranging from American Kestrel to Wilson’s Snipe. For each, you’ll find below Scientific name,Status,Months present.

When is the best time to spot these species in Yukon?

Spring and early summer (late May through July) are peak months for seeing migrants and breeding birds, while fall migration (August–September) brings large movements of shorebirds and waterfowl. Use the Months present column in the list to target specific species and habitats.

What do the status labels mean in the list?

Status indicates how regularly a species occurs — for example resident, breeder, common migrant, or rare/accidental — and helps set expectations for sightings; cross-reference the Scientific name and Months present to confirm identification and timing.

Birds of Yukon

Images and Descriptions

Canada Goose

Large, familiar goose often seen on rivers, lakes and wetlands across Yukon during spring and fall migration; some local breeding in lowland wetlands. Look for honking flocks and V-shaped flight lines near open water and farmed areas.

Snow Goose

Medium to large white goose with black wingtips that passes through Yukon in migration. Seen on tundra and wet fields in spring and autumn; large flocks can be noisy and conspicuous on migration stopovers.

Tundra Swan

Elegant white swan with a straight neck and small bill; migrates through Yukon to Arctic breeding areas. Best seen on large lakes and wetlands in May and again in late summer when families stage before migration.

Trumpeter Swan

Huge, all-white swan that breeds in some Yukon wetlands and river valleys; notable for its deep, trumpeting calls. Watch quiet shallow lakes and beaver ponds in summer for family groups and cygnets.

Mallard

Common dabbling duck found on almost any Yukon pond, marsh or slow river. Males are glossy green-headed and showy in spring; easy to see during migration and breeding season near human settlements.

Northern Pintail

Sleek, long-tailed duck that migrates through Yukon wetlands and tundra ponds. Males have a slender profile and long central tail feathers; often seen in mixed dabbling duck flocks in spring and late summer.

Green-winged Teal

Tiny dabbling duck frequenting shallow ponds, marsh edges and tundra pools during migration. Males show a green facial patch in breeding season; quick and wary, often seen in small flocks on quiet waters.

American Wigeon

Medium dabbling duck with a rounded head and whistling calls; seen in Yukon marshes and larger ponds during migration. Males flash pale forehead and green eye patch; often grazes with ducks and dabbling flocks.

Northern Shoveler

Distinctive duck with a broad, spatulate bill used for filtering; migrates through Yukon wetlands in spring and summer. Look for mixed shorebird and duck flocks on shallow marshes and floodplain ponds.

Common Merganser

Large fish-eating duck often seen on Yukon rivers and lakes; slender red bill and crested head in females. Often nests in tree cavities; watch for rafting flocks and diving behaviour on larger waterways.

Red-breasted Merganser

Sea- and freshwater diver seen on Yukon lakes and coastal waters during migration. Slender, serrated bill and shaggy crest make it distinctive; often seen in small, fast-moving flocks on open water.

Common Goldeneye

Medium diving duck common on forested lakes and rivers in Yukon. Males have striking white patches on face; nests in tree cavities and is often seen bobbing and diving for fish and invertebrates.

Barrow’s Goldeneye

A northern diving duck that nests on rocky lakes and coastal inlets; less common than Common Goldeneye but well-documented in Yukon. Look for chunky black-and-white males and tree-cavity nests on sheltered lakes.

Long-tailed Duck

Small sea duck with dramatic long tail streamers in males during migration. Seen on larger lakes and coastal waters in Yukon; calls and distinctive winter plumage make it noticeable during migration staging.

Red-throated Loon

Small, slim loon breeding in tundra ponds and migrating along Yukon waterways. In summer shows a rusty throat; often found on small lakes and sheltered coastal inlets where loons nest and feed.

Pacific Loon

A northern loon commonly seen on Yukon lakes and coastal waters during migration and breeding season. Sleeker than Common Loon; look for patterned backs and eerie calls from open lakes and coastal bays.

Common Loon

Large, iconic diver often heard before seen on Yukon lakes and large waters. Known for haunting calls and breeding on clear lakes; swims low in water and dives for fish, visible in summer and migration.

Horned Grebe

Small, crested grebe that breeds on Yukon ponds and wetlands. Flamboyant breeding plumage in summer, then often seen as scattered migrants on lakes; bobbing diving behavior and insect diet make it interesting to watch.

Red-necked Grebe

Large, thick-necked grebe found on deeper Yukon lakes and in coastal waters during migration. Breeding birds have reddish necks; watch for dramatic head shaking displays and loud calls on nesting lakes.

Great Blue Heron

Tall, long-legged heron that frequents Yukon rivers, lakes and marshes in summer. Slow, deliberate hunting for fish and amphibians along shorelines and in shallow water; often seen standing motionless on riverbanks.

Bonaparte’s Gull

Small, graceful gull common during Yukon migrations; delicate shape and dark hood in breeding season. Seen over lakes, rivers and shorelines, often wheeling with terns and swallows above open water.

Ring-billed Gull

Medium, adaptable gull often seen at Yukon lakes, rivers and towns during summer. Recognizable by the black ring on its bill; feeds on fish, insects and human scraps at shorelines and near settlements.

Glaucous Gull

Large, pale arctic gull seen on Yukon coastal areas and larger rivers. Bulkier and paler than Herring Gull; frequent along coasts and river mouths, scavenging and hunting near open water in warmer months.

Herring Gull

Large, common gull around Yukon coastal waters, river mouths and lakes. Opportunistic feeder found near towns and shorelines; loud calls and bold behavior make it easy to spot during migration and summer.

Arctic Tern

Slender, long-winged tern that breeds on northern Yukon coasts and islands. Famous for long migrations and aggressive nest defense; watch for graceful flight, forked tail and sharp calls along coastal nesting colonies.

Short-eared Owl

Medium owl that hunts over open tundra, marshes and grasslands in Yukon, often seen at dusk. Flies low and buoyant while quartering for small mammals; nest on ground in open habitat during summer.

Snowy Owl

Large, striking white owl that appears irregularly in Yukon winters and in Arctic breeding areas. Diurnal and often perched on elevated sites; looks for open tundra, fence posts and snowfields where it hunts rodents and birds.

Northern Hawk-Owl

A daytime-hunting owl of boreal and open forest in Yukon. Long-tailed and hawk-like in posture, it perches conspicuously on poles and snags scanning for small mammals; both residents and occasional irruptions occur.

Great Gray Owl

Huge, shaggy-faced owl of boreal forests and clearings in Yukon. Relies on voles and small mammals; often found near burns and dense spruce where it hunts from low perches, producing deep, rolling hoots.

Boreal Owl

Small, elusive nocturnal owl of dense Yukon spruce forests. Often heard more than seen, with soft hoots from deep woods; best chance at dawn or dusk near mature forest stands and riparian edges.

Common Nighthawk

Slender, agile night-flying insectivore seen over Yukon clearings, roads and water at dusk. Recognizable by erratic flight and booming display dives in summer evenings; often flies high catching mosquitoes and moths.

Common Raven

Large, intelligent black bird ubiquitous across Yukon from tundra to town. Scavenger and opportunist that nests on cliffs and trees; watch for playful aerial displays, mimicry and groups around carcasses and human settlements.

Black-billed Magpie

Long-tailed, bold corvid found around Yukon towns, farmland and forest edges. Noisy and curious, often seen scavenging at road margins and open areas; distinctive white belly and black, glossy wings and tail.

Horned Lark

Small ground-dwelling songbird of open tundra, plains and river bars in Yukon. Sparse, lark-like song and fluttering display flights; often seen in flocks on windswept gravel bars, cutbanks and tundra expanses.

Lapland Longspur

Streaky, ground-nesting songbird of Arctic tundra and coastal barrens in Yukon. Males show handsome breeding plumage; common on tundra and seaside flats during breeding season where they forage for seeds and insects.

Snow Bunting

Chunky, white-and-brown bird of Arctic shorelines, tundra and scree in Yukon. Breeds on rocky coasts and high windswept sites; conspicuous flocks in migration and winter on open beaches and gravel bars.

Rock Ptarmigan

Stocky, ground-dwelling gamebird of alpine and tundra habitats in Yukon, changing plumage with the seasons. Well-camouflaged and often tame at high elevations; look for feathered legs and rounded shape on rocky tundra.

Spruce Grouse

Secretive, chunky forest grouse that lives in Yukon boreal spruce stands. Feeds on needles and buds, often seen along forest edges or flushing quietly from low branches and the forest floor during summer and winter.

Killdeer

Spotted, noisy plover of open gravel, shorelines and disturbed ground in Yukon during summer. Famous for its broken-wing distraction display to protect nests; commonly seen on river bars, mudflats and rural yards.

Semipalmated Plover

Small plover frequenting Yukon mudflats, river bars and coastal beaches in migration. Short bill and pale plumage; watch for quick runs and stops along wet sand and gravel edges during spring and late summer.

Western Sandpiper

Tiny sandpiper that migrates through Yukon coastal and inland mudflats in large flocks. Quick, probing bill and fast movements; concentrated on tidal flats and shallow pond edges during spring and fall staging.

Least Sandpiper

Small, dainty shorebird commonly seen on Yukon ponds, mudflats and streams during migration. Short yellow legs and pecking behavior; often the smallest and most numerous sandpiper in mixed flocks on muddy shores.

Dunlin

Medium sandpiper with a slightly drooped bill and black belly patch in breeding plumage; migrates through Yukon coastal and inland wetlands. Concentrates on tidal flats, river mouths and shallow ponds during staging.

Long-billed Dowitcher

Long-probing shorebird of Yukon marshes, tundra pools and mudflats. Feeds by rapid “sewing machine” probing; seen singly or in flocks on shallow wetlands and coastal margins during migration and post-breeding movements.

Lesser Yellowlegs

Slim, long-legged shorebird common on Yukon ponds, marsh edges and muddy shorelines during migration. Alert and vocal, often stalking small aquatic prey; easier to spot in shallow wetlands and flooded meadows.

Greater Yellowlegs

Taller shorebird with long legs and a louder call than Lesser Yellowlegs; migrates through Yukon wetlands and tundra pools. Runs and probes in shallow water, often on pond margins and river edges.

Wilson’s Snipe

Cryptic, chunky shorebird of Yukon wetlands and muskeg that feeds by probing soft mud for invertebrates. Noted for explosive “winnowing” display flights at dusk and dawn; best found in boggy sedge marshes and wet meadows.

Black-backed Woodpecker

A medium woodpecker of burned and mature spruce forests in Yukon, feeding heavily on bark beetles. Black back and barred flanks distinguish it; often found hammering on charred trunks in post-fire boreal habitat.

American Three-toed Woodpecker

Specialist of coniferous forests in Yukon, especially following bark beetle outbreaks. Stocky and black-and-white, it hammers into dead wood for larvae; usually found in mature spruce stands and burned areas.

Downy Woodpecker

Small, common woodpecker in Yukon’s forested valleys and towns. Short bill and small size distinguish it from Hairy Woodpecker; often seen at backyard feeders, forest edges and along riparian corridors.

Hairy Woodpecker

Larger than the Downy with a longer bill, this woodpecker occupies Yukon forests and riparian zones. Drums on dead trees and snags for insects; watch for it on trunks and large limbs during daylight hours.

Northern Flicker

A large, brownish woodpecker often found in open wooded patches, burned areas and yards in Yukon. Searches the ground for ants and beetles; shows a colorful underwing and loud, rolling calls in flight.

Peregrine Falcon

Powerful, fast falcon seen hunting over cliffs, river valleys and open areas in Yukon. Known for spectacular stoops on avian prey; look for slim, long-winged silhouette near cliff nesting sites and tall structures.

Gyrfalcon

Large, formidable arctic falcon that appears irregularly in Yukon, mostly in coastal or tundra zones. Pale and bulky, it hunts ptarmigan and seabirds; prized by birders when spotted but remains rare and unpredictable.

American Kestrel

Small, colorful falcon that perches on poles and fences hunting insects and small rodents in Yukon. Often found in open country and along roadsides; characteristic hovering and rapid wingbeats make it noticeable in summer.

Merlin

Small, fast falcon of open Yukon habitats that hunts small birds and large insects in flight. Compact and fierce, it uses rapid, direct pursuit and perch-and-sally tactics along forest edges and open valleys.

Bald Eagle

Large, iconic raptor found near Yukon rivers, lakes and coastal areas, where it feeds on fish and carrion. Adults show white head and tail; nests on tall trees or cliffs and are often visible near salmon runs.

Golden Eagle

Large, long-winged raptor of Yukon mountains and open country. Powerful hunter of mammals and birds, often seen soaring on thermals or perched on ridgelines; breeds on cliffs and hunts across wide territories.

Rough-legged Hawk

A northern hawk that visits Yukon in migration and winter and breeds in tundra. Long-winged with feathered legs; hovers to hunt small mammals in open fields and tundra edges, common in colder months.

Red-tailed Hawk

Large, broad-winged hawk seen in Yukon open country, valleys and forest edges during summer. Variable plumage but often shows rusty tail; perches on poles and hunts small mammals from high vantage points.

Birds of Other Canadian Provinces