Alaska and its waterways are populated by many diverse and exotic forms of wildlife, perhaps none more numerous and diverse than the bird population. The decks of the M/V Sikumi offer the ideal vantage point for seeing these Alaskan birds.
Alaska Birding Excursions
See Bald Eagles On Alaskan Cruise
Bald eagles are one of the most popular and most frequently watched birds in Alaska. You’ll have opportunities to watch the eagles in their natural environment
Take advantage of the sights as eagles swoop down from and snatch fish from the sea. Watch them soar elegantly through the Alaska skies or as they lounge about on the shore (and occasionally atop the boat).
If you cruise along the Inside Passage on a small ship Alaskan Cruise, you will probably see bald eagles. There is a reason the Founding Fathers thought these birds were so awe-inspiring. They are majestic, smart, noble, and mate for life, and they are fantastic hunters. Here are a few of the basics you should know when you spot them.
Bald eagles love the Inside Passage because of its incredible biodiversity and calm, clean waters. They thrive off of small mammals living in the nearby forests, the schools of salmon, and other sea life. They usually weigh between 12 and 13 pounds, and have a wingspan of up to 7 feet. They usually live between 30 and 35 years in the wild, and can live up to 50 in captivity! We cannot wait for your spirits to soar when you spot your first bald eagle from the decks of the Sikumi.
Puffin Bird Watching Alaska
Falling just behind the bald eagles on the list of Alaska’s most sought after birds is the puffin, and these little birds know how to please a crowd. We often see these small aquatic birds hunting and hanging around the rocks during our Custom Alaska Cruises. Their cute black and white bodies, funny personalities, and bright orange and yellow beaks make them incredibly easy to identify.
Alaska has two species of puffin – the Horned and the Tufted. If you see one while bird watching excrusion on the Sikumi, ask one of our crew members to help you identify it.
From the avid birdwatcher to the novice lover of wildlife, cruises aboard the M/V Sikumi offer ample opportunities to view and photograph the many types of birds found in Alaska.
Birders flock to the Inside Passage every year, and it’s easy to see why. There are hundreds of different species to discover. We have everything, from common birds and raptors to winged individuals found exclusively in the wilds of Alaska. There is no better way to see them than from a small luxury Alaskan cruise like the one you will get when you choose Custom Alaska Cruises.
The Inside Passage has such a diverse population of birds because it has three distinct ecosystems that exist alongside of one another. These ecosystems include Alpine and High Mountain, Forest, and Marine. Because these three are so close together, you can often see as many birds in a single afternoon as you would in days and days of driving across the lower 48. These birds include owls, plovers, goshawks, bald eagles, puffins, oystercatchers, and hundreds of others.
