You voted for our 2025 Bird of the Year, the Aleutian Tern. What's next? The 2026 Bird of the Year! Voting is now open until December 15 for our 2026 Bird of the Year, and we're highlighting three special candidates: the Dunlin, Lapland Longspur, and Sandhill Crane. Please cast your vote, and graphic artist Eric Cline will illustrate the winner!  

Dunlin

Greetings from the mudflats! You’ve probably seen me in massive flocks, flashing my black belly and rusty red back as we wheel across the sky in perfect synchrony. Or maybe scouring the beaches of Alaska, looking for tasty worms, crustaceans, and other small snacks. Oh wait, I almost forgot to introduce myself: I’m the Dunlin, the best shorebird in Alaska (obviously). All that’s pretty impressive for a bird that weighs less than two ounces, right?

But even tiny birds like me face big challenges. Shifting federal priorities could put oil and gas above conservation, threatening the coastal habitats that I (and thousands of my closest friends – all shorebirds are welcome in my flock) depend on. I may be small, but I pack a punch when it comes to spirit. If elected Bird of the Year, I’ll make sure no one forgets the importance of Alaska’s wetlands and mudflats, which are vital stopovers for migratory birds across the globe. Vote for me, the Dunlin, and let’s keep Alaska’s skies swirling with life!

Lapland Longspur  

Esteemed voters, allow me to introduce myself: I’m the Lapland Longspur, a sharp dresser, master singer, and one of the most abundant breeding birds of Alaska’s tundra. With my striking breeding plumage with a black neck and a spot of red for attention on the back of my head, I help bring both style and song to the far north. But even we hardy tundra specialists aren’t immune to danger. Shifting federal priorities could fast-track development across fragile Arctic habitats, threatening the wide-open spaces where I nest and thrive.

Now, I may be small, but I know how to make a big impression – my aerial song flights are practically a campaign speech in the sky! If elected Bird of the Year, I’ll use my voice to remind everyone that Alaska’s tundra is irreplaceable. Protect it, and you’ll protect not only me, but countless species who depend on this wild, windswept home. Vote for the Lapland Longspur because the tundra deserves a bird with flair!

Sandhill Crane  

Fellow Alaskans, lend me your ears (and maybe your binoculars)! I’m a Sandhill Crane: tall, elegant, and impossible to miss when I gather with my family and many, many distant relatives in the thousands during migration. I’m the bird you look at and go, “Oh, right, birds are descended from dinosaurs.” My bugling call echoes across Alaska’s skies, especially since it can be heard up to 2.5 miles away. But here’s the rub: our wetlands and staging grounds are under pressure from shifting policies that place development above conservation. Without these safe spaces, even a bird with legs as long as mine can’t outrun the threats to our future.

Now, I know I look like serious business striding across the marsh, but I promise I can bring a little fun to the role of Bird of the Year. I’m a living symbol of wild Alaska, and my gatherings are some of the greatest spectacles in the bird world. Vote for me, the Sandhill Crane, and together we’ll make sure wetlands remain a place where cranes can dance, chicks can thrive, and Alaskans can keep marveling at our sky-high performances for generations to come!