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The Huna Tlingit people are native to this area of Southeast Alaska. Their village was originally near Glacier Bay on the other side of Icy Strait, but they moved their village due to advancing glaciers in the 1700s. By the mid-1700s, they permanently relocated to the Hoonah area, located across Icy Strait and 20 miles south of their prior village location. Hoonah remains a predominately Alaska Native community. Most all sites in Hoonah are seasonally accessible. Roads are not available during winter months.
Hoonah supports a lot of summer tourism and is a common stop for visiting cruise ships. There are several tour companies and charter boats available for those who want to explore this area of the Tongass National Forest, including some that specialize in birding—including birding tours designed for cruise ship passengers stopping in Hoonah.
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General Area Overview and Information Sources:
- Visit Hoonah
- City of Hoonah
- SEARHC: Hoonah Health Center
- US Forest Service: Hoonah Ranger District Recreation Information
- US Forest Service: Tongass National Forest Interactive Visitor Use Map
- US Forest Service: Hoonah Ranger District Motor Vehicle Use Map (PDF)
Birding and Wildlife Resources:
Birding Trail Map for Hoonah (click on site names for details).
Sites in Hoonah
Bear Paw Lake
Trumpeter Swans and other migrants frequent the pond in fall.
Cannery Point
A local birding guide company offers birding tours for cruise ship passengers.
Cannery Road
Look for waterfowl, shorebirds and seabirds accessible from both town and the cruise ship port at Cannery Point.
False Bay
Passerines including Varied Thrush are in abundance in the adjacent old-growth forest.
Game Creek Area
Nesting Olive-sided Flycatchers are in abundance here.
Hoonah Town Center
The town of Hoonah provides a diversity of habitats for a variety of bird species.
Icy Strait
Watch for Common Murre, Marbled Murrelet, Black-legged Kittiwake, Pigeon Guillemot, Pelagic Cormorant, Pacific Loon and Surf Scoter.
Long Island Causeway
A good spot to walk to look for birds using the adjacent tidelands, mud flats and saltwater.
Pavlof Marsh
Trumpeter Swans have been known to nest at this location.
Point Adolphus
A great spot for watching humpback whales, in addition to being a good birding site.
Port Frederick
Birders will find a wide variety of seabirds and waterfowl.
Spasski Creek
Belted Kingfisher and Great-blue Heron are commonly observed fishing in the creek at this site.
Whitestone Harbor
The adjacent forests are known to have nesting goshawks.
Wukuklook Boardwalk
Use caution and bear safety in this area, particularly when salmon are in the river.
Birding Photo: Ben Sullender
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