Koniuji Island facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Koniuji Island |
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Kaniuji Island, July 2008
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 896 ft (273 m) |
| Geography | |
 Koniuji Island
Location in Alaska
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| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Stratovolcano |
| Volcanic arc/belt | Aleutian Arc |
| Last eruption | 1150 BC |
Koniuji Island (Aleut: Tanĝimax) is a small island in southwestern Alaska, United States. It is part of the Andreanof Islands subgroup of the Aleutian Islands. The island is located northwest of Atka Island and east of Kasatochi Island.
Koniuji Island is very small, covering about 0.37 sq mi (237 acres) of land. No people live on the island.
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Koniuji Island: A Hidden Volcano
Koniuji Island is actually the top part of a stratovolcano that is mostly underwater. A stratovolcano is a tall, cone-shaped volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, ash, and rocks.
Scientists do not know much about the volcano's past. Some old reports about it erupting might have been mistakes. These reports likely referred to eruptions from the nearby Kasatochi volcano. Koniuji Island's last known eruption happened about 3,000 years ago, around 1150 BC.
Island Features and Landscape
Most of Koniuji Island has very steep, cliff-like shores. These cliffs rise sharply, especially on the north, east, and west sides. The island has two main peaks. One is about 896 feet (273 m) tall, and the other is about 790 feet (240 m) tall.
The south side of the island is different. It slopes more gently upwards from the shore. This area is covered in grass. The northwest end of the island is a low, flat, and rocky point.
Around the island, especially to the south and west, you can find large patches of kelp. Kelp is a type of large seaweed that grows in underwater forests.
Amazing Seabird Habitat
Koniuji Island is a very important home for many seabirds. Nearly 300,000 seabirds nest on the island. This makes it a critical breeding ground for several species.
About 70% of the birds nesting here are Fork-tailed Storm-petrels. Another 17% are Leach's Storm-petrels. These small birds spend most of their lives at sea.
Many Ancient Murrelets and Whiskered Auklets also nest on Koniuji Island. The number of these four species that breed on Koniuji Island is more than 1% of their total global populations. This means the island is super important for their survival!
Birds Found on Koniuji Island
A survey in 1998 counted many different bird species on Koniuji Island during the breeding season. Here are some of the birds they found:
| Glaucous-winged Gull | 300 |
| Black-legged Kittiwake | 2,246 |
| Red-legged Kittiwake | 28 |
| Common Murre | 449 |
| Thick-billed Murre | 1,299 |
| Pigeon Guillemot | 62 |
| Ancient Murrelet | 10,000 |
| Parakeet Auklet | 300 |
| Crested Auklet | 300 |
| Whiskered Auklet | 200 |
| Least Auklet | 2,000 |
| Horned Puffin | 200 |
| Tufted Puffin | 20,000 |
| Leach's Storm-Petrel | 50,000 |
| Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel | 200,000 |
