Alaska Species Ranking System

The Alaska Species Ranking System is a prioritization tool that assesses the conservation status of native vertebrates in Alaska. It is collaboration with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Threatened, Endangered, and Diversity (TED) Program. It was developed to assist the TED program and their partners set priorities for wildlife conservation, meet the conservation needs of Alaska’s wildlife, and inform the State’s Wildlife Action Plan. The Alaska Species Ranking system is based on Florida’s Species Ranking System.

How are species assessed?

Conservation status is evaluated using 19 questions across 4 categories. These questions are assessed only in the context of Alaskan populations.

1. Status (2 questions, 20 points): Measures the population and distribution trends of the taxon in Alaska. Higher status scores acknowledge that taxa with known declining trends are of concern regardless of current population or range size.
2. Biological Vulnerability (7 questions, 50 points): Measures aspects of a taxon’s distribution, abundance and life history within the taxon’s geographic range in Alaska. Higher biological scores suggest greater vulnerability to extirpation, for example, because of small population size, low reproductive output, or specialized habitat requirements.
3. Action (4 questions, 40 points): Qualifies the current state of knowledge and extent of conservation efforts directed toward a given taxon within Alaska. Higher scores denote greater information needs or conservation action.
4. Supplementary Variables (6 questions, not scored): These variables are used to sort taxa relation to their taxonomic significance, season of occurrence, harvest and whether or not the taxon is peripheral in its range.

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Looking for more?

Range maps are available from the Wildlife Data Portal. References cited in the Conservation Reports can be viewed on our online reference library. Can’t find the report you’re looking for? Reach out to us and we’ll do our best to help!

Scientific Name	Common Name	Final Rank	Status Score	Biological Vulnerability Score	Action Score	ASRS Conservation Report	Range Map
Actitis macularius	Spotted Sandpiper	8 Yellow	-6	-37	12
Anaxyrus boreas	Western Toad	5 Orange	0	-28	12
Anser albifrons elgasi	Tule Greater White-fronted Goose	1 Red	0	-2	4
Arenaria melanocephala	Black Turnstone	8 Yellow	-6	-18	4
Aythya affinis	Lesser Scaup	9 Blue	-5	-34	0
Bartramia longicauda	Upland Sandpiper	5 Orange	0	-30	12
Brachyramphus brevirostris	Kittlitz's Murrelet	9 Blue	-3	-26	0
Brachyramphus marmoratus	Marbled Murrelet	9 Blue	-5	-34	-4
Calidris alba	Sanderling	4 Orange	0	-8	20
Calidris alpina arcticola	Dunlin (arcticola)	2 Red	16	-16	-16
Calidris alpina pacifica	Dunlin (pacifica)	8 Yellow	-11	-16	-8
Calidris canutus	Red Knot	1 Red	6	2	12
Calidris ptilocnemis couesi	Rock Sandpiper (couesi)	5 Orange	0	-24	12
Calidris ptilocnemis ptilocnemis	Rock Sandpiper (ptilocnemis)	4 Orange	0	4	4
Calidris ptilocnemis tschuktschorum	Rock Sandpiper (tschuktschorum)	5 Orange	0	-24	12
Calidris subruficollis	Buff-breasted Sandpiper	1 Red	12	-12	12
Calidris virgata	Surfbird	5 Orange	0	-17	12
Callorhinus ursinus	Northern Fur Seal	2 Red	8	-6	-20
Cardellina pusilla	Wilson's Warbler	5 Orange	0	-32	4
Catharus guttatus	Hermit Thrush	9 Blue	-11	-39	0
Catharus ustulatus	Swainson's Thrush	9 Blue	-6	-39	0
Certhia americana alascensis	Brown Creeper (alascensis)	4 Orange	0	-16	8
Certhia americana occidentalis	Brown Creeper (occidentalis)	7 Yellow	-6	-10	8
Certhia americana	Brown Creeper	5 Orange	0	-26	8
Clangula hyemalis	Long-tailed Duck	8 Yellow	2	-40	4
Contopus sordidulus	Western Wood-Pewee	2 Red	10	-30	12
Corvus corax kamtschaticus	Common Raven (kamtschaticus)	5 Orange	0	-18	16
Corvus corax principalis	Common Raven (principalis)	9 Blue	-11	-36	-4
Corvus corax	Common Raven	9 Blue	-11	-36	-4
Cyanocitta stelleri	Steller's Jay	8 Yellow	-6	-41	16
Cygnus buccinator	Trumpeter Swan	9 Blue	-8	-24	0
Cypseloides niger	Black Swift	1 Red	6	11	24
Delphinapterus leucas	Beluga	9 Blue	-11	-24	-8
Delphinapterus leucas	Beluga, Cook Inlet stock	2 Red	20	20	-20
Dicrostonyx groenlandicus	Northern Collared Lemming	5 Orange	0	-32	24
Empidonax difficilis	Pacific-slope Flycatcher	9 Blue	-6	-25	0
Enhydra lutris kenyoni	Northern Sea Otter, SW Alaska DPS	9 Blue	4	-30	-12
Erignathus barbatus	Bearded Seal	3 Orange	6	-30	-16
Eumetopias jubatus	Steller Sea Lion, Western DPS	8 Yellow	6	-16	0
Falco sparverius	American Kestrel	2 Red	6	-28	24
Fratercula cirrhata	Tufted Puffin	6 Blue	0	-22	-4
Fratercula corniculata	Horned Puffin	5 Orange	0	-22	4
Geothlypis trichas	Common Yellowthroat	8 Yellow	-6	-24	16
Glaucomys sabrinus	Northern Flying Squirrel	5 Orange	0	-27	24
Haematopus bachmani	Black Oystercatcher	5 Orange	0	11	-4
Hirundo rustica	Barn Swallow	2 Red	12	-20	16
Ixoreus naevius	Varied Thrush	8 Yellow	-6	-35	12
Junco hyemalis hyemalis	Dark-eyed Junco (hyemalis)	9 Blue	-6	-36	0
Junco hyemalis oreganus	Dark-eyed Junco (oreganus)	9 Blue	-6	-20	0
Junco hyemalis	Dark-eyed Junco	9 Blue	-6	-36	0
Lasionycteris noctivagans	Silver-haired Bat	4 Orange	0	-7	24
Lemmus trimucronatus	Nearctic Brown Lemming	5 Orange	0	-42	12
Lepus americanus	Snowshoe Hare	9 Blue	-10	-46	-8
Lepus othus	Alaska Hare	5 Orange	0	-38	4
Limnodromus griseus	Short-billed Dowitcher	2 Red	6	-36	12
Limnodromus scolopaceus	Long-billed Dowitcher	5 Orange	0	-36	12
Limosa fedoa	Marbled Godwit	4 Orange	0	4	12
Limosa haemastica	Hudsonian Godwit	9 Blue	-6	-17	-4
Limosa lapponica baueri	Bar-tailed Godwit	1 Red	10	-12	4
Lithobates sylvaticus	Wood Frog	5 Orange	0	-30	24
Marmota broweri	Alaska Marmot	4 Orange	0	-6	12
Marmota caligata	Hoary Marmot	5 Orange	0	-32	4
Marmota monax	Woodchuck	8 Yellow	-5	-17	12
Melanitta americana	Black Scoter	8 Yellow	2	-16	0
Melanitta fusca	White-winged Scoter	8 Yellow	-3	-28	4
Melospiza melodia	Song Sparrow	9 Blue	-6	-36	-4
Microtus longicaudus	Long-tailed Vole	5 Orange	0	-38	32
Microtus miurus	Singing Vole	5 Orange	0	-32	24
Microtus oeconomus	Root Vole	5 Orange	0	-38	24
Microtus pennsylvanicus	Meadow Vole	5 Orange	0	-44	32
Microtus xanthognathus	Yellow-cheeked Vole	5 Orange	0	-38	32
Myodes gapperi	Southern Red-backed Vole	5 Orange	0	-28	32
Myodes rutilus	Northern Red-backed Vole	6 Blue	0	-38	-8
Myotis californicus	California Myotis	4 Orange	0	-7	24
Myotis evotis	Long-eared Bat (Keen's Myotis)	4 Orange	0	-7	24
Myotis lucifugus	Little Brown Myotis	5 Orange	0	-25	16
Myotis volans	Long-legged Myotis	4 Orange	0	3	40
Neotoma cinerea	Bushy-tailed Woodrat	5 Orange	0	-19	32
Numenius phaeopus	Whimbrel	5 Orange	0	-36	12
Numenius tahitiensis	Bristle-thighed Curlew	5 Orange	0	-22	12
Ochotona collaris	Collared Pika	5 Orange	0	-27	4
Onychoprion aleuticus	Aleutian Tern	2 Red	6	-21	4
Passerella iliaca	Fox Sparrow	8 Yellow	-6	-38	4
Perisoreus canadensis	Gray Jay	2 Red	6	-38	16
Peromyscus keeni	Northwestern Deermouse	5 Orange	0	-36	20
Phalaropus fulicarius	Red Phalarope	2 Red	6	-36	12
Phalaropus lobatus	Red-necked Phalarope	2 Red	6	-33	12
Phoca largha	Spotted Seal	3 Orange	6	-30	-16
Phoca vitulina	Harbor Seal	3 Orange	10	-30	-20
Pluvialis dominica	American Golden-Plover	5 Orange	0	-33	12
Pluvialis fulva	Pacific Golden-Plover	5 Orange	0	-30	12
Poecile atricapillus	Black-capped Chickadee	8 Yellow	-6	-38	16
Poecile cinctus	Gray-headed Chickadee	2 Red	12	-20	40
Poecile hudsonicus	Boreal Chickadee	8 Yellow	-6	-35	16
Pusa hispida	Ringed Seal	3 Orange	0	-32	-16
Rana luteiventris	Columbia Spotted Frog	5 Orange	0	-19	24
Regulus calendula calendula	Ruby-crowned Kinglet (calendula)	5 Orange	0	-32	16
Regulus calendula grinnelli	Ruby-crowned Kinglet (grinnelli)	8 Yellow	-6	-20	12
Regulus satrapa	Golden-crowned Kinglet	5 Orange	0	-25	16
Rissa brevirostris	Red-legged Kittiwake	8 Yellow	-3	4	-4
Rissa tridactyla	Black-legged Kittiwake	9 Blue	-1	-20	-16
Selasphorus rufus	Rufous Hummingbird	2 Red	10	-24	16
Setophaga ruticilla	American Redstart	4 Orange	0	-14	8
Somateria spectabilis	King Eider	7 Yellow	-3	-10	4
Sorex cinereus	Cinereus Shrew	5 Orange	0	-42	32
Sorex eximius	Pygmy Shrew	5 Orange	0	-38	32
Sorex jacksoni	St. Lawrence Island Shrew	4 Orange	0	8	32
Sorex minutissimus	Least Shrew	5 Orange	0	-36	40
Sorex navigator	Western Water Shrew	5 Orange	0	-30	40
Sorex obscurus	Dusky Shrew	5 Orange	0	-38	32
Sorex pribilofensis	Pribilof Island Shrew	4 Orange	0	14	32
Sorex tundrensis	Tundra Shrew	5 Orange	0	-38	32
Sorex ugyunak	Barren Ground Shrew	5 Orange	0	-32	32
Sphyrapicus ruber	Red-breasted Sapsucker	9 Blue	-10	-19	-8
Sterna paradisaea	Arctic Tern	6 Blue	0	-34	-16
Surnia ulula	Northern Hawk-Owl	5 Orange	0	-22	16
Synaptomys borealis	Northern Bog Lemming	8 Yellow	-5	-23	32
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus	Red Squirrel	6 Blue	0	-34	0
Tringa flavipes	Lesser Yellowlegs	2 Red	10	-36	4
Tringa incana	Wandering Tattler	5 Orange	0	-24	12
Tringa solitaria	Solitary Sandpiper	8 Yellow	3	-24	4
Troglodytes pacificus	Pacific Wren	5 Orange	3	-36	4
Urocitellus parryii	Arctic Ground Squirrel	5 Orange	0	-40	24
Ursus maritimus	Polar Bear	2 Red	18	-6	-32
Zapus hudsonius	Meadow Jumping Mouse	5 Orange	0	-26	32