Amak Island facts for kids
Amak Island (also called Amax in Aleut and Amak in Russian) is an island in Alaska, United States. It is part of the Aleutians East Borough. This island is not home to any people.
Amak Island is located north of the western end of the Alaska Peninsula. It lies northwest of the city of Cold Bay. The island covers about 5.8 square miles (15 square kilometers). Its highest point reaches about 1,601 feet (488 meters) above sea level.
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Amak Volcano
Amak Island is home to a volcano called Mount Amak. This volcano is known for its past eruptions. Its last recorded eruption happened a long time ago, in the year 1796.
Wildlife of Amak Island
Amak Island has been home to various animals, including marine life and birds.
The Song Sparrow
A type of bird called the song sparrow used to live on Amak Island. The last time these birds were seen on the island was around New Year's Eve in 1980 or 1981. Since then, they have not been seen again.
Why the Song Sparrows Disappeared
One main reason for the song sparrows disappearing was the loss of plants on the island. This "devegetation" means that much of the plant life that the birds needed for food and shelter was gone.
Future for Song Sparrows
For a while, these birds were thought to be a special kind of song sparrow found only on Amak Island. However, scientists now believe they were part of the wider Aleutian song sparrow group. There have been some hopeful reports from the late 1980s. These reports suggest that if the island's plant life improves, the song sparrows might return to live there again.
