Late winter distribution and abundance of sea-associated birds in south-western Greenland, the Davis Strait and southern Baffin Bay

• Published in: Polar Research
• Main Authors: Mosbech, Anders, Johnson, Stephen R.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Norwegian Polar Institute 1999
• Subjects: Baffin Bay; Greenland; Baffin; Davis Strait; Polar Research; Somateria spectabilis
• Online Access: https://polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/2210; https://doi.org/10.3402/polar.v18i1.6554

Sea-associated birds were recorded during systematic aerial surveys of marine mammals in south-western Greenland, the Davis Strait and southern Baffin Bay in March 1981, 1982, 1991, 1993 and in April 1990. Most surveys included the northern part of the south-west Greenland Open Water Area, which in most years lies between 62° and 67°N. but none of the area south of 63°N was surveyed. The bird data are generally semi-quantitative and provide information on distribution and relative abundance in different areas during different years, under different ice conditions. In all years, regardless of ice conditons, large concentrations of king eiders Somateria spectabilis were found in water 65000 birds) were recorded north of the south-west Greenland Open Water Area in April 1990. indicating that northward spring migration was underway at this time.