It’s that time of year! Voting is now open until April 1 for our 2025 Bird of the Year and we’re highlighting three special candidates: Aleutian Tern, Lesser Yellowlegs, and Tundra Swan. Please cast your vote and graphic artist Eric Cline will illustrate the winner!

Aleutian Tern

Dearest friends and fans of feathered excellence: I’m the Aleutian Tern, a sleek, silver beauty and the most stylish flier in Alaska’s skies. While the Arctic Tern may get all the credit for the longest migration (let’s be honest—they’re the show-offs of the family), I’m no slouch myself. I take to the skies for an epic journey from Alaska to Southeast Asia, and I do it with grace, speed, and plenty of flair. Who needs a 25,000-mile grueling round trip when you can make the journey just as spectacular at a slightly shorter distance? You’ll find my long, slender wings cutting through the air in a display that’s nothing short of artistry.

Don’t let my size fool you—I’m a small bird with big ambitions. Coastal habitats are critical not just for me, but for countless other species, and losing them would be a devastating blow to Alaska’s biodiversity. If elected, I’ll fight to protect these habitats so future generations can marvel at our aerial acrobatics. Vote for me, the Aleutian Tern, and let’s make sure Alaska’s shores stay wild, free, and fabulous—just like me!

Lesser Yellowlegs  

Hello to my favorite Alaskans and bird enthusiasts! I’m the Lesser Yellowlegs—small in size, big in personality, and ready to step into the spotlight as your 2025 Bird of the Year. With my dazzling yellow legs (I definitely don’t skip leg day with these thunder thighs) and an impressive ability to migrate thousands of miles, I represent the lengths that Alaska’s birds are willing to fly—and walk—for good eatings and primo breeding grounds. But let’s get serious for a second: our boreal forests, wetlands, and coastal habitats are facing mounting threats from policy shifts that could prioritize development over conservation. If elected, I promise to make these issues impossible to ignore—after all, who could say no to a bird with legs like these?

Now, I’m not just running for the fame (though let’s be real, that’s a definite bonus). I’m here to raise awareness about the need to protect Alaska’s wetlands—critical pit stops for migratory birds like me. Without them, I’d have nowhere to refuel after my epic journey from the Arctic to South America. So, vote for me, the Lesser Yellowlegs: the bird with the brightest legs and the biggest heart for conservation. Together, we can make Alaska a haven for wildlife, one marsh at a time!

Tundra Swan  

Salutations, distinguished voters. I am the Tundra Swan—a vision of elegance and refinement, gliding through Alaska’s skies with unmistakable grace as I prepare to take my place as the 2025 Bird of the Year. You may know me by another name: the “Whistling Swan,” a title inspired by the melodic whispers of my wings as I soar overhead. It’s a sound as timeless as Alaska itself, yet even such natural wonders are at risk. Shifting federal priorities threaten to mar our wetlands, jeopardizing the habitats that sustain Tundra Swans like myself and countless others. Surely, such affronts to nature’s splendor cannot go unchallenged.

As the very embodiment of Alaskan majesty, I find it my duty to preserve these pristine landscapes. Wetlands are not mere puddles—they are symphonies of life, and my whistling wings will not fall silent on their watch. Vote for me, the Tundra Swan, and together we shall safeguard Alaska’s grandeur. After all, who better to lead than the bird who brings music to the skies?