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To cite this article: S. M. Uspenskiy & P. S. Tomkovich (1987): The birds of Franz‐Josef Land and their protection, Polar Geography and Geology, 11:3, 221-234 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10889378709377330

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S. M. Uspenskiy and P. S. Tomkovich

From: Prirodnyye kompleksy Arktiki i voprosy ikh okhrany [The natural complexes of the and problems of their protection]. Leningrad: Gidrometeoizdat, 1986, pp. 63-76. Abstract: The authors present a survey of the avifauna of Franz-Josef Land based in part on fieldwork during VNIIPriroda's expedition of 1980-81 which concentrated especially on Hooker and Graham Bell islands, and in part on a thorough literature review. They focus especially on species distribution and on the dates of arrival, nest-building, egg- laying, hatching, etc. for each species. They conclude that 37 or 38 species have been recorded from the archipelago, that 14 species nest there, and that one species, the rock ptarmigan, is probably a permanent resident. With regard to the need for conservation, they stress that the archipelago contains the largest nesting colonies of ivory gulls in the USSR, as well as over 60 major cliff colonies of birds such as little auks, Brunnich's guille- mots, black guillemots, fulmars, and kittiwakes.

The first reports on the archipelago of Franz-Josef Land, including its birds, were produced by Payer [24]. Notes on the avifauna of the islands were later published by Neale [23], Jackson [19] and Bianki[2]. Attheend of the last century the first survey of the birds of the region appeared [18]. A considerably more detailed survey, based on an analysis of the existing literature and on his own observations, was compiled by Gorbunov [5]. During the past few decades the data on the birds of the archipelago have been augmented by articles by Demme [6], Rutilevskiy [10], Parovshchikov [8, 9] and Uspenskiy [16]. But even these reports on the birds of Franz-Josef Land were inadequate.

In 1980-81 the islands of the archipelago were investigated as part of the expedi- tion mounted by AANII and VNIIPriroda whose purpose was to compile a pro- posal on the organization of a nature reserve. Scientists from a number of other institutions also took part: S. Ye. Belikov (aerial surveys in 1980 and 1981; ground

Downloaded by [Moskow State Univ Bibliote] at 03:16 23 November 2012 observations on in 1981), P. S. Tomkovich (ground observations on Graham Bell Island in 1981; Zoological Museum, MGU), T. E. Randla (ground observations on Hooker Island in 1981; Republic Society of Hunters of Estonia), and S. M. Uspenskiy (aerial investigations of the eastern part of the archipelago in 1981). The data collected by the members of the expedition have greatly expanded our knowledge of the avifauna of the islands.

The authors have made an attempt to synthesize all the available information on the birds of Franz-Josef Land.

Red-throateddiver (Gavia stellata (Pontopp.)). Nests in small numbers on small, shallow lakes which break up early, in the west and the south of the archipelago.

221

Copyright © 1987 by V. H. Winston & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Nesting has been confirmed on Bell, Mabel, Koettlitz, Scott-Keltie, Newton and Hovgaard islands [5,6]. Data on breeding on , which is extremely probable, has been cited on the basis of interviews [8, 16]. These divers have also been recorded on Northbrook and Rudolph islands [5,10]. They appear earliest on Hooker Island (18 and 20 June) [5] and Rudolph Island (20 June) [10]. Breeding occurs in the last few days of June. A new clutch was also found at the end of July [5], but there is some doubt as to whether the young from this clutch would survive. No divers have been encountered in September. The total population scarcely exceeds a few dozen pairs.

Black-throateddiver (Gavia arctica (L.)). First recorded on Franz-Josef Land on 16 July 1981 on Graham Bell Island [12].

Northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis (L.)). Widely distributed throughout the archipelago and surrounding waters. The appearance of the birds is closely linked to the formation of coastal polynyas, and varies from year to year, starting from 13 March [5]. From observations at the polar station at Bukhta Tikhaya, the first birds arrived on 19 April in 1939; 22 May in 1949; and 8 April in 1950. Mass arrivals began on 30 May in 1949 and 13 April in 1950. Numbers, and possibly their distribution, also vary from year to year. There are reports of nesting colonies of fulmars on George Land (Capes Stevens, Grant, and Crowther and possibly Cape Forbes), Mabel Island, Hooker Island (Ruby Rock), Salisbury Island (Cape Fisher), and Rudolph Island (Cape Stolbovoy), but concrete descriptions of egg clutches or young are lacking [5]. More recently, an unconfirmed report has been published by Parovshchikov [8] on the nesting of fulmars at Cape Mary Harms- worth on Alexandra Land, where there are no rocky cliffs, and a report by Belokov and Randla [1], which refers to the nesting of fulmars on Hooker Island (Cape Albert Markham). Several pairs nested on Ruby Rock in 1929 and 1930 [5]; in 1931 7000 were reported [6], and about 1000 nesting fulmars were counted there in 1981. In 1949 the workers at the polar station of Bukhta Tikhaya recorded the start of egg laying on 22 June and the start of the departure of the nestlings on 12 August. But Demme [6] reports that the young fulmars begin leaving the nest on 13 July, which seems improbable. The last observations of fulmars date from the period from 8 September to the end of the month; one sighting was on 13 October [5, 6].

Downloaded by [Moskow State Univ Bibliote] at 03:16 23 November 2012 Barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis (Bechst.)). A solitary report of several barnacle geese as casual visitors on Alexandra Land in the second half of August 1960 was made by Parovshchikov [8]. This observation was probably made by one of the workers at the polar station since Parovshchikov was not on the archipelago at the time; it has not been confirmed by concrete data and can scarcely be considered reliable.

Brant (Branta bernicla (L.)). This species is not numerous but probably occurs throughout the archipelago. Nesting of isolated pairs has been confirmed on Elizabeth, Alger, and Hooker islands [5] and on Graham Bell Land [authors' observations]. "Geese," which are very probably brant, arrive on Alexandra Land [8, 16] and even Rudolph Island [10] in spring. Nesting sites of brant geese on

222 Franz-Josef Land are unknown; sighting of the birds and finds of goose droppings have occurred primarily on coastal plains areas, especially on Graham Bell Island, on silty-sandy areas with sparse clumps of Phippsia, scurvy grass (Cochlearia), and Stellaria edwardsii. Brant appear in the southwest of the archipelago on 3-12 June and depart at the end of September [5]; but from observations at the polar station at Bukhta Tikhaya in 1939 the first geese appeared there on 5 May in 1939. In 1937 the start of their mass arrival there was recorded on 17 June and their departure on 28 August. One can judge only approximately as to the date of breeding on the basis of finds of broods on Graham Bell Island [12]; the start of nesting must occur in late June, early July. Nobody has observed significant congregations of brant on Franz-Josef Land; total numbers on the archipelago, in our view, are of the order of 1000 individuals.

Pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus Baillon). An adult male, a casual visitor, was killed on Hooker Island on 12 June 1914, and on 9 June 1930 a flock of some "grey geese" was observed there [5].

Swan (Cygnus sp.). Parovshchikov [8] cites a report by P. V. Spitsin: "At the end of June 1960 we saw a flock of Bewick's swans." This information cannot be considered reliable, at least as regards the species of .

Common eider (Somateria mollissima (L.)). These are widespread throughout the entire archipelago of Franz-Josef Land. Nesting has been confirmed on Alex- andra Land, Hovgaard, Newton, Hooker, Mertviy Tyulen', Scott-Keltie, and Graham Bell islands [1,5,6,8,12]. It was most likely a common eider's nest which was found by the Duke of Abruzzi's expedition on Rudolph Island, the most northerly island [5]; at least flocks were recorded there on 2-3 June [10]. According to Gorbunov, common eiders reach Franz-Josef Land in late May, early June; Parovshchikov [8] reports that solitary males appeared near Alexandra Land at the end of April in 1960 and that the males appeared en masse in mid-May; the females arrived at the end of May. In the Bukhta Tikhaya area, according to observations at the polar station, the first eiders were recorded on 17 June in 1937, on 31 May in 1939, on 8 May in 1949 and on 2 May in 1950. In 1981 on Graham Bell Island the first sightings were not until July. The impression is accumulating that the entire nesting population of eiders on the archipelago congregates in spring near Alex- andra Land where ice and, apparently, feeding conditions are most favorable, then later disperses throughout the islands. Moreover a very large colony of eiders is known to exist at Cape Mary Harmsworth on Alexandra Land; V. I. Al"banov Downloaded by [Moskow State Univ Bibliote] at 03:16 23 November 2012 collected 200 eggs here in 1914 [5].

In the north of Alexandra Land the eiders nest in dispersed fashion, but still in large numbers, at a density of 70-80 pairs in 250 km2. In the south of the archipelago eiders are not so numerous and in the largest colony on Mertviy Tyulen' Island Gorbunov managed to find only 10 nests with eggs. On the eastern and probably northern islands only isolated pairs nest [authors' observations]. In total 1000-3000 eiders occupy Franz-Josef Land. The birds are quite catholic in their choice of nest sites; they will occupy rocky or sandy, bare or vegetated shores of lakes or sea coasts

223 [5,8, authors'observations]. The period of egg laying extends from mid-June [6] to the end of July [12]. From observations at the polar station at Bukhta Tikhaya in 1949, the start of egg laying was recorded on 12 June; the young appeared on 28 July in 1937 and on 15 July in 1950. According to Neale's observations [5] the birds depart in mid-late September; in 1930 the eiders had disappeared from Bukhta Tikhaya (Hooker Island) by 8 September [6].

Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus (L.)). All the casual visitors have been sighted in the early spring, primarily in the southern and western parts of the archipelago. During Neale's expedition a gyrfalcon was recorded on 22 April 1882 on [5]; according to Parovshchikov [8] one was sighted on 19 and 22 April on Alex- andra Land, while he received reports that gyrfalcons had been observed over Mertviy Tyulen' Island in the spring of 1957 and over Hayes Island in the spring of 1959.

Rock ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus (Montin)). A rare species whose pattern of occurrence is unclear. Ptarmigan have been killed on Hooker, Alger, and Rudolph islands [5, 10] and have been observed on Alexandra Land [8]; feces containing ptarmigan bones have been found on Hovgaard Island [5]. The birds have been sighted only rarely and at various times: in February, April, June, July, September, and October. There is no information on breeding.

Common crane (Grus grus (L.)). Rutilevskiy [11] reported a casual visit by a common crane on Borisyak Island in 1960.

Eurasian golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria (L.)). Casual visits have been reported in mid-June on Alexandra Land [9] and Graham Bell Island [12]. It is significant that on 18 June 1961 5-6 flocks of these birds were recorded on Alexandra Land, each numbering 8-13 birds; there were eggs in the oviducts of two females which were killed. But this does not prove that they breed on Franz-Josef Land.

Ruddy (Arenaria interpres (L.)). A casual visitor was killed on North- brook Island on 27 May 1896 [5]. A single bird was recorded on Graham Bell Island on 28 June 1981 [authors' observations] and there was a possible sighting of a turnstone on 17 June 1953 on Rudolph Island [10].

Northernphalarope (Phalaropus lobatus (L.)). According to Parovshchikov [9]

Downloaded by [Moskow State Univ Bibliote] at 03:16 23 November 2012 the male of a pair of this species was killed at Cape Nimrod on Alexandra Land on 16 June 1962.

White-rumped ( fusciocollis (Vieill.)). A specimen killed dur- ing the Jackson expedition on 28 June 1897 on Northbrook Island [5] still remains the sole evidence of casual visits by this species not only to Franz-Josef Land, but to any part of the Soviet Union.

Purple sandpiper {Calidris maritima (Brunn.)). This species probably nests throughout the archipelago in areas with a richer vegetation. Nesting has been

224 reliably established on Hooker, Scott-Keltie, Koettlitz, Northbrook, and Graham Bell islands [5, 5, authors' observations]. It has been sighted regularly in the southwest of the archipelago [5], but very rarely in the north and east [10, authors' observations]. According to Gorbunov the first purple arrive from 28 May to 9 June in different years (and possibly somewhat later in the northern and eastern islands). From observations at the polar station, "shorebirds," most proba- bly of this species, first appeared at Bukhta Tikhaya on 4 June in 1937 and on 2 June in 1949. Their mass arrival was recorded on 5 June in 1949. Egg laying occurs from 16 June to 15 July in the southwest [5,6] and from 20 June to 11 July on Graham Bell Island [authors' observations]. Workers at the polar station at Bukhta Tikhaya reported the first young on 15 July in 1949. The sandpipers gradually depart from mid-July onwards as the birds become free of nesting and rearing duties; according to Belikov and Randla [1] this does not occur until the end of August. They fly off in groups of up to 10 birds and finally disappear from the archipelago in the first ten days of September [5]. The total population is not amenable to an estimate, but is probably low. On the 460 km2 of Graham Bell Island which are free of ice, only 12-14 pairs nested in 1981.

Sanderling{Calidris alba (Pall.)). On 29 June and 16 July 1981 solitary sanderlings were observed on Graham Bell Island (the first was killed) [12].

Pomarine skua {Stercorarius pomarinus (Temm.)). Regularly visits various islands of the archipelago in small numbers while on migration in June-August. It has been recorded near Northbrook, Scott-Keltie, Alger islands and on Eaton, Hovgaard [5], Rudolph [10] and Graham Bell islands [authors' observations].

Richardson's skua {Stercorariusparasiticus (L.)). Migrating skuas are commonly sighted throughout the archipelago (from 20 July onwards on Graham Bell Island in 1981). The density of nesting birds is variable, in that the Richardson's skua is linked trophically, and hence territorially, with the cliff bird colonies. Thus, accord- ing to the authors'data, only one pair nested on Graham Bell Island in 1981 (on 460 km2), whereas 6 pairs nested at Bukhta Tikhaya on Hooker Island (1 pair per 2.5 km2) [1]. Apart from this, the nesting of this species has been confirmed on George Land (Capes Grant and Crowther) and on Northbrook, Bell, Newton, Scott-Keltie, Koettlitz, and Rudolph islands [5,6,10]. The appearance of the first birds has been recorded in different years from 7 to 13 June, but there is a report of a sighting on 15

Downloaded by [Moskow State Univ Bibliote] at 03:16 23 November 2012 April [5,10]. Egg laying occurs from about 10 June to 2 July [1, 5,10,12]. The last birds on the archipelago have been recorded from 7 to 19 September [5, 6].

Longtailed skua {Stercorarius longicaudus Vieill.). This skua has been sighted and killed on Franz-Josef Land only by the Duke of Abruzzi's expedition on 26 July 1900 in Nightingale Strait [5]; it was possibly observed north of the archipelago by Nansen and his companions. On 5 August 1981 the authors recorded a flock of 12 longtailed skuas on Graham Bell Island.

Herring (?«//(?) {Larus argentatus Pontopp.). On 23 June 1981 an adult gull, a little smaller than a glaucous gull, with a dark mantle and black wingtips was found

225 as a casual visitor by the authors among a congregation of glaucous gulls on the northern tip of Graham Bell Island.

Glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus Gunn). The glaucous gull is commonly encountered throughout the entire area of Franz-Josef Land, but nowhere in large numbers. The first birds usually arrive in the first three weeks of April, sometimes even in March [5, 10, 16], or in May. From observations at the polar station at Bukhta Tikhaya, their first appearance was recorded there on 11 April in 1949 and on 16 May in 1950; the start of their mass arrival occurred on 30 April in 1949, on 16 April in 1950; and on 30 April, 1981. Uspenskiy observed up to two dozen glaucous gulls around a polynya on the east of Graham Bell Island. Until the start of nesting, the glaucous gulls form small flocks (from 2-3 to 40 birds) near human habitations. Eggs and young of this gull have been found on George Land (Capes Neale, Crowther, Grant, and Stevens) and on Hooker Island (Ruby Rock), Northbrook Island, Torup Island, and Rudolph Island (Cape Stolbovoy); apart from this Gorbunov believes that they nest on Bell Island, McClintock Island (Cape Dillon), Nansen Island (Cape Goose), and (Cape Mill), and indicates that all the nesting sites are located on sheer cliffs, generally just below the crest [5]. More recently the nesting of several pairs on Ruby Rock has been confirmed [1,6] and it has been established that 4-5 pairs nest on Graham Bell Island [authors' observa- tions]; here the nests are distributed in a dispersed fashion, primarily on dikes. The total population of nesting birds on the archipelago is no more than 500 pairs. Egg laying extends from 9 June to early July Judging by the fact that the young hatch in early August [6]. From observations at the polar station, the glaucous gulls at Bukhta Tikhaya began laying on 22 June in 1949. The majority of the glaucous gulls apparently leave the archipelago prior to the middle of September, but occasional birds remain until 22 October [6].

Greater black-backed gull(?) {Larus marinus (L.)). In a list of birds recorded on Alexandra Land Parovshchikov has included the greater black-backed gull, but without any explanation of this inclusion [8]. In our view, the occurrence of this bird on Franz-Josef Land, even as a casual visitor should not be considered confirmed, although it is probable.

Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla (L.)). This species nests on sheer capes throughout the archipelago, but is more numerous in the south. The first kittiwakes return to the Downloaded by [Moskow State Univ Bibliote] at 03:16 23 November 2012 southern islands in the first three weeks of April, and the mass arrival occurs in the last ten days of the month; they return to the northern islands considerably later, in association with the date of appearance of the polynyas there [5, 6]. At Bukhta Tikhaya in 1949 the workers at the polar station recorded the start of their return on 9 April and the start of the mass arrival on the 13th. Nesting colonies of kittiwakes are found on George Land (Capes Neale, Crowther, and Grant), Bell Island, Northbrook Island (Cape Flora), Hooker Island (Ruby Rock), and McClintock Island (Cape Dillon) [5]. More recently, colonies have been found on Cape Ger- mania on Rudolph Island (about 20 pairs) [10] on Cape Kol'zat on Graham Bell Island (250 pairs) [authors' observations]. About 7000 individuals nested on Ruby Rock in 1931 [6], while in 1981 there were at least 5000 pairs [1]. In total the

226 kittiwakes on the archipelago number tens of thousands of birds. On the southern islands egg laying occurs around 20 June [5, 6]; on Graham Bell Island in 1981 it occurred from 24-25 June until about 10 July [12]. The kittiwakes depart in early September ajid are largely gone by the end of the month; sometimes a few birds remain until early October [5]. Ross's gull (Rhodostethia rosea (McGill)). In the Atlantic sector of the Arctic a considerable number of year-old and adult Ross's gulls make summer migrations, during which they molt their major feathers; in July these birds are moving in a westward direction, and in September eastward or southeastward [17,22]. Over the period July-September "young" and adult Ross's gulls were observed and killed by members of Nansen's expedition and of the Arctic Institute's expedition in 1955 in the northern part of Franz-Josef Land and somewhat north of the archipelago; Jackson sighted one gull on 5 July 1897 on Northbrook Island and one bird was killed by the Payer expedition south of the archipelago [5, 17]. P. S. Tomkovich observed adult Ross's gulls in early and mid-July 1981 and solitary year-old birds in mid-July at Cape Kol'zat on Graham Bell Island. It was apparently year-old birds which Nansen mistook for young birds, and on that basis he proposed that the species nests on the archipelago. Ivory gull (Pagophila eburnea (Phipps)). Regularly visits all the islands of Franz- Josef Land and is numerous in some places. In different years the first birds have been observed from 5 March to 16 April [5,10,16]. From observations at the polar station at Bukhta Tikhaya, in 1939 the first birds appeared there on 22 March; in 1937 their mass arrival was recorded on 28 March. But, taking into consideration the close connection during the non-nesting season between these birds and polar bears, one may assume that some proportion of the ivory gulls spends the entire winter here. Young and eggs of ivory gulls have been found on Cape Mary Harmsworth on Alexandra Land, on May Island [5], on Capes Germania and Stolbovoy on Rudolph Island [5, 10], on Hayes Island [1, 7], and on Graham Bell Island [authors' observations]. In every case the colonies were located on a bare, level surface, on sandy, rocky, or grassy terrain. Even on May Island where Gorbunov [5] has indicated that these gulls nest on cliffs, members of the expedition [21] encountered a colony on a basaltic plateau at a height of roughly 60 m. In this connection it is clear why reports of the nesting of ivory gulls on the cliffs of Cape Flora (Northbrook Island) and on Ruby Rock (Hooker Island) have not been confirmed [5]. For the same reason there are serious doubts as to the reports received of the nesting of these gulls on the cliffs of Bell Island, Cape Stevens, and in Downloaded by [Moskow State Univ Bibliote] at 03:16 23 November 2012 Grey Bay on George Land [5] where, most probably, only non-breeding birds were sighted. At Grey Bay the Leigh Smith expedition did not find nests, as Gorbunov has reported; in Markham's article [21], there is only the reference: "... ivory gulls were observed, nesting on a cliff." The colonies of ivory gulls contain from 5 to several dozen nests [authors' observations], sometimes up to 100 or even more [5, 10]. Many thousands of pairs of ivory gulls nest on Franz-Josef Land. Egg laying begins in the first few days of July [5,10, authors' observations]. They depart in late September-early October, although individual birds may linger until the end of October [5] and may possibly accompany polar bears throughout the entire winter, as discussed earlier.

227 Arctic tern (Sterna paradisea (Pontopp.)). The arctic tern is encountered throughout the archipelago [5, 8, 9, 10, authors' observations], but nests only on small, low islands, and on low coasts on larger islands. Colonies of arctic terns are known from Newton Island (about 30 pairs) and Mertviy Tyulen' Island (about 15 pairs); there is a "small colony" on Bell Island [5]; in individual years several nests have been recorded on Hooker Island [6]; a colony of 13 nests has been reported from Cape Mary Harmsworth on Alexandra Land [9] and there are possible reports from elsewhere on that island [16]; in 1981 not more than 30 pairs [authors' observations] nested singly or in small groups on Graham Bell Island. They may possibly also nest on Hovgaard and Alger Islands [5]. One may assume that not more than 200-300 pairs of terns nest on the entire archipelago. They arrive between 10 and 20 June (sometimes earlier) [6]. From observations at the polar station at Bukhta Tikhaya in 1937 they began to arrive on 23 June, in 1939 on 10 June and in 1950 on 17 June. In 1950 the mass arrival began on 25 June. Egg laying occurs from around 5 July almost to the end of the month [5, 6, authors' observations]. The young from the latest clutches undoubtedly do not have time to get on the wing and to become sufficiently strong fliers prior to the birds'departure from the archipelago; the latter occurs simultaneously with the freezing of interior lakes in the first ten days of September [1, 9]. At the same time a sighting of a flock of terns has been recorded in southern Franz-Josef Land on 17 September [5].

Little auk (Alle alle (L.)). The little auk nests in large colonies on islands with rocky cliffs or bouldery talus slopes. Colonies of this type are known from many places: George Land (Capes Neale, Crowther, Grant*, Stevens, Forbes, Chadds, Bruce, and Grey Bay), Bell Island, Mabel Island, Northbrook Island (Capes Flora* and Barents), Scott-Keltie Island*, Hooker Island (Capes Sedov*, Albert Markham, Ruby Rock, and the Valley of Silence), McClintock Island (Cape Dillon), Wilczek Island, Luigi Island (Cape Richthofen), Wiener-Neustadt Island (Cape Tirol), Salisbury Island (Capes Fisher and McClintock), Jackson Island (Capes Norvegia, Mill, and Helland), Karl-Alexander Island (Cape Felder), (Cape Hellwald), Torup Island, and Rudolph Island (Capes Brorok, Auk*, and Stolbovoy) [5]. Demme [6] collected little auk eggs on Ruby Rock and Parovshchikov has reported that little auks also nest in a number of places on Alexandra Land, but only at Cape Mary Harmsworth in any numbers. More recently this statement has justifiably been questioned (there are no cliffs or steep slopes at Cape Mary Harmsworth), while Cape Nansen and Geographers' Bay on George Land have been added to the list of sites where there are colonies [16]. There are no colonies on Downloaded by [Moskow State Univ Bibliote] at 03:16 23 November 2012 Graham Bell Island [authors' observations]. The first little auks arrive in the last ten days of February and the first two weeks of March; egg-laying probably occurs from the first ten days of June to about 10 July; the birds depart from about 10 September to the end of the month [5,6]. From observations at the polar station at Bukhta Tikhaya, in 1939, the first little auks were recorded on 20 February and in 1949 on 27 February; in the latter year the start of their mass arrival was recorded on 10 March, the start of egg laying on 23 April, and the appearance of the young on 18 July. In 1950 the first little auks were observed on 23 March; the start of their mass

*—Eggs or young found at these sites.

228 arrival occurred on 7 March, the start of egg laying on 23 April, the first appearance of young on 25 July; and the birds started to leave on 20 August. The number of little auks on the archipelago is enormous; it is undoubtedly the numerous bird species here. 5000 birds have been recorded on Ruby Rock [6]; between 10 and 20 August 1981 at least 10,000 little auks were counted along the coast of Hooker Island from Cape Albert Markham to the Yuriy Glacier [1], Black guillemot {Cepphus grylle (L.)). This species is widely distributed through- out the archipelago, like the little auk, but in considerably smaller numbers. Black guillemots nest on George Land (Capes Neale, Crowther, Grant, Stevens, Forbes, and Grey Bay), Bell Island, Northbrook Island (Cape Flora), Hooker Island (Ruby Rock), McClintock Island (Cape Dillon), Luigi Island (Cape Richthofen), Salis- bury Island (Cape McClintock), Jackson Island (Capes Norvegia, Mill, and Hel- land), Kane Island (Cape Hellvald), Karl-Alexander Island (Cape Felder), Torup Island, and Rudolph Island (Capes Brorok, Auk, and Stolbovoy) [5], but eggs and young have been found only on Capes Flora and Stolbovoy and on the water off the south coast of Hooker Island; black guillemots carrying fish to the cliffs have been seen at Ruby Rock. Parovshchikov [8] has published an unconfirmed report of black guillemots nesting on the low-lying headland of Cape Mary Harmsworth (Alexandra Land); at the same time Belikov and Randla [1] have found them nesting in at least three places on Hooker Island between Capes Sedov and Albert Markham. From the authors' observations black guillemots do not nest on Graham Bell Island. The first appearance of black guillemots on the archipelago has been recorded from 18 February to 15 March and their mass arrival from 2 to 22 March [5,6, 10]. One may judge as to the date of nesting from the fact that the young fly down to the water from 31 August until early September; the birds depart in late September-October [5, 6].

Brunnich's guillemot (Uria lomvia (L.)). Although particularly numerous in colonies on the cliffed coasts of the islands in the southern and central parts of Franz-Josef Land, the birds visit the entire archipelago [5,10,16, authors' observa- tions]. Colonies of Brunnich's guillemots are encountered on George Land (Capes Crowther, Grant*, Stevens*, Forbes), Bell Island, Mabel Island, Northbrook Island (Capes Flora* and Barents), Hooker Island (Ruby Rock*), McClintock Island (Cape Dillon), Luigi Island (Cape Richthofen), and Salisbury Island (Cape Fisher); apart from these, young birds flying down to the water have been observed in Mellenius, Allen Young, and Smithson straits and in the . Downloaded by [Moskow State Univ Bibliote] at 03:16 23 November 2012 Parovshchikov's statement [8] that Brunnich's guillemot nests on Cape Mary Harmsworth (Alexandra Land) has since been categorically refuted [16]. If one proceeds from the fact that in 1931 about 20,000 birds occupied Ruby Rock [6] and that in 1981 there were about 7000 birds there [1], then they are second only to the little auks in terms of numbers. The arrival of the first Brunnich's guillemots lasts from about 10 March to early April. Egg laying may occur throughout June (but usually around mid-month). After the young have descended to the water in the second half of August, the guillemots migrate south; they are rarely encountered on the archipelago in September [1, 5, 6].

*—Eggs and young found at these sites.

229 From the observations at the polar station at Bukhta Tikhaya, in 1939 the first Brunnich's guillemots appeared on 26 March and the young began to fly down to the water on 6 August. In 1949 the guillemots began to arrive on 24 March; the start of their mass arrival was on 11 April; egg laying began on 8 June; the first young appeared on 5 July; and they began to fly down to the water on 18 August. In 1950 the first Brunnich's guillemots were observed on 6 April; the start of their mass arrival was recorded on 9 April; egg laying began on 14 June; the first young appeared on 13 July; they began to fly down to the water on 21 July; and the last birds were observed on 26 August.

Snowy owl (Nyctea scandiaca (L.)). Solitary individuals regularly make casual visits to various of the islands of the archipelago, especially the southern ones. They have been recorded in February, April, May, August, and September on Alexandra Land, George Land, and Hooker Island and have been repeatedly reported from Northbrook Island; in addition pellets have been found on Hovgaard Island [1,5,8, 16]. On 30 April 1981 S. M. Uspenskiy observed a solitary owl at the edge of a polynya off the east coast of Graham Bell Island.

Swift (Apus apus (L.)). Swifts have been recorded as casual visitors only from Alexandra Land, above the settlement of ; two birds were sighted in late June 1958, one on 28 May 1960 and 16 on 6-11 June 1962 [8, 9].

Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica (L.)). Swallows were observed as casual visitors on 27 May 1896 on Northbrook Island [5] and on Alexandra Land in the summer of 1958 [8].

Horned lark (Eremophila alpestris (L.)). Horned larks have been recorded as casual visitors on 9 June 1897 on Northbrook Island, on 9 June 1930 on Hooker Island [5], on 19-23 April 1960,29 May and 8 June 1962 on Alexandra Land [8,9]. In every case except the first, flocks of birds (up to 20 birds) were involved.

Hooded crow (Corvus comix (L.)). Three hooded crows were reported in the literature as casual visitors to Alexandra Land on 21-23 May 1958, and a single bird on 19 April 1960 [8].

Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe (L.)). On 16-20 June 1953 a wheatear was

Downloaded by [Moskow State Univ Bibliote] at 03:16 23 November 2012 observed by P. S. Svirnenko on Rudolph Island [10], but the first casual visit of wheatears to Franz-Josef Land ws recorded by Parovshchikov [9]: a pair of birds was found on Alexandra Land from 1 June onwards, 1961; on 16 June a male was killed. In 1981 the authors observed a wheatear on Graham Bell Island on 31 July and 6 August and found feathers of a bird of this species which had died the previous year [12].

Common redpoll {Acanthisflammea (L.)). A flock of 9 redpolls was recorded as casual visitors on Alexandra Land on 13 June 1961; on 7 June 1962 a single male was killed; on 9-10 and 13 June 1962 several birds were observed at various places on the island and a pair was killed on 10 June [9]. On Graham Bell Island a pair of

230 redpolls was recorded on 8 July and one on 1 August 1981. One of a pair that was killed turned out to be a male common redpoll. This is the only case of a reliable species determination of a redpoll on Franz-Josef Land.

Lapland longspur (Calcarius lapponicus (L.)). On 10 and 11 June 1896 and on 9 June 1897 the Jackson expedition killed 4 longspurs on Northbrook Island [5]. On 26-29 June 1981 a single male longspur lingered on Graham Bell Island [authors' observations].

Snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis (L.)). Snow bunting nest throughout the archipelago in sites where there is protection for the nest (rocks or man-made structures) and a relatively rich vegetation. In accordance with these requirements, the species is often encountered in the south of the archipelago (on Hooker Island the density is 1 pair per 1.5 km2 [1]) but is extremely rare on low-lying/ hummocky islands (on Hooker Island the density is 3 pairs in 460 km2 [authors' observations]). Nesting of snow buntings has been confirmed on Alexandra Land (at Nagurskoye), George Land (Cape Neale), and on Northbrook, Hooker, Newton, Rudolph, and Graham Bell islands [5, 8, 10, 12]. The birds reach the archipelago from 10 April until the end of the month [5,8,10,16]. Calculations reveal that egg laying occurs in the second half of June to early July [5, 10, authors' observations]. In the second half of August the broods assemble into little flocks and begin their migration and possibly their departure for the south [1,10]. The last buntings disappear from the archipelago in October, or occasionally in late September [5, 10]. Observational data from the polar station at Bukhta Tikhaya is presented in Table 1. From observations at the polar station on Rudolph Island, the last buntings departed on 1 October in 1938. In 1939 the first birds began to arrive on 6 May.

A total of 37-38 species of birds has been recorded on the islands of Franz-Josef Land; 14 of these definitely nest, and one species (the rock ptarmigan) may possibly be both a permanent resident and a breeding species. When one takes into considera- tion the fact that the archipelago is located between 79.8° and 81.8° N, and hence represents the most northerly group of islands in the world ( and, to an even greater degree, , which rival it in this respect, are relatively massive landmasses, extending far to the south), and that the major part of these islands is occupied by (85.1% of the land area and 59% of the total length of coastline [3]), the avifauna of Franz-Josef Land should not be considered as impoverished. In fact, on the archipelago of Severnaya Zemlya, located considerably Downloaded by [Moskow State Univ Bibliote] at 03:16 23 November 2012 farther south, the nesting of only 11 species has been confirmed, while nesting of a further 4 species is hypothetical [11], and only 7-8 species nest on the De Long Islands [14, 15]. The avifauna of is considerably richer (the nesting of 25 species has been confirmed, while in total 64 species and subspecies have been sighted, including casual visitors [20]) but due to their more southerly latitude and the pecuiliarities of the hydrological regime of the surrounding seas, living condi- tions for the birds are much more favorable.

Naturally, the overwhelming maj ority of the birds of the archipelago fall into the category of sea birds and are closely linked trophically with the sea, as is generally

231 TABLE 1

Major Phenological Phenomena in Snow Buntings

Year of observation Phenological phenomenon 1937 1939 1949 1950

Start of arrival 29/5 10/6 14/4 12/3 Start of mass arrival 1/6 — 26/4 23/4 Appearance of first young — — 10/7 — Young birds start to fly — — 1/8 7/8 Start of fall departure — — 12/8 —

typical of the high latitudes. In this connection some of the species (common eider, fulmar, glaucous gull, ivory gull, little auk, Brunnich's guillemot, and black guille- mot) also spend the non-nesting period in the high latitudes. One should not exclude the possibility that with favorable ice conditions they may spend the winter here (on nearby polynyas). Hence the avifauna of the islands may be considered not only typical for the region in question and fairly representative, but even to some degree permanent; this in general increases the ecological significance of the nature reserve being planned here.

The ivory gull (which nests in and migrates through the region of the archipelago) should be considered the object of special attention and protection on . This species, represented among the local avifauna, is listed in the Red Book of the USSR (second edition). Since the largest nesting colonies of ivory gulls in the USSR (also significant on the world scale) are located within the archipelago and since concentrations of these birds have also been recorded in the non-breeding season, to some degree the fate of the species in general will be decided here. One should take into consideration the fact that a reduction in the numbers of ivory gulls will be linked, in the first instance, with unfavorable conditions in its nesting areas, and this includes the growing influence of the disturbance factor (F. Salomonsen and M. Norderhaug). Downloaded by [Moskow State Univ Bibliote] at 03:16 23 November 2012

Sea bird cliff colonies represent sites of special concentration of birds on the archipelago. In total more than 60 such cliff colonies have been counted here [5, authors' observations]; and according to rough calculations no less than 200,000 Brunnich's guillemots, 500,000 little auks, 30,000 black guillemots, 20,000 fulmars and 20,000 kittiwakes nest here [13]. These colonies of sea birds merit special attention and protection in view of the important role which they play in the cycling of chemical elements (transport by the birds of biogenic materials from sea to land) and thereby in the vitality of the archipelago's ecosystem [4, 15].

232 Literature

1. Belikov, S. Ye. and T. E. Randla. "The avifauna of Hooker Island," Ornitol- ogiya, No. 19, 1984, pp. 174-175. 2. Bianki, V. L. "The avifauna of Franz-Josef Land," Yezhegodnik Zool. muz. Ros. Akad. nauk, Vol. 22, 1922, pp. 6-7. 3. Govorukha, L. S. "Franz-Josef Land,"in: Sovetskaya Arktika (morya i ostrova Severnogo Ledovitogo okeana)[The Soviet Arctic (the seas and islands of the Arctic Ocean)]. Moscow: Nauka, 1970, pp. 328-359. 4. Golovkin, A. N. "The consumption of fish by Brunnich's guillemots and kittiwakes during the nesting season in the ," Zoologicheskiy zhur- nal, Vol. 42, No. 3, 1963, pp. 408-416. 5. Gorbunov, G. P. Trudy Arkticheskogo instituta, Vol. 4, 1932, 244 pp. 6. Demme, N. P. "The seabird cliff colony on Ruby Rock," Trudy Arkticheskogo Instituta, Vol. 11, 1934, pp. 53-86. 7. Markin, V. A. Planety ledyanoy venets [The ice crown of the planet]. Lenin- grad: Gidrometeoizdat, 1981, 120 pp. 8. Parovshchikov, V. Ya. "The birds of Alexandra Land," Ornitologiya, No. 4, 1962, pp. 7-10. 9. "New birds on Alexandra Land," Ornitologiya, No. 6, 1963, p. 481. 10. Rutilevskiy, G. L. "The birds of Rudolph Island," Trudy AANII, Vol. 205, 1957, pp. 27-96. 11. "Fauna," in: Sovetskaya Arktika (morya i ostrova Severnogo Ledo- vitogo okeana) [The Soviet Arctic (the seas and islands of the Arctic Ocean]. Moscow: Nauka, 1970, pp. 274-314. 12; Tomkovich, P. S. "The birds of Graham Bell Island (Franz-Josef Land)," Ornitologiya, No. 19, 1984, pp. 13-21. 13. Uspenskiy, S. M. "The colonially-nesting sea birds of the northern and Far Eastern seas of the USSR, their distribution, numbers, and role as consumers of and ," Byulleten' Mosk. ob-va. ispyt. prirody, otdel. biol., Vol. 61, No. 2, 1959, pp. 39-52. 14. "The birds and mammals of Bennett Island," Trudy AANII, Vol. 224, 1963, pp. 180-205. 15. Zhizn'v vysokikh shirotakh na primere ptits [Life in the high latitudes based on the example of the birds]. Moscow: Mysl', 1969, 463 pp. 16. "The avifauna of Franz-Josef Land," Ornitologiya, No. 10, 1972, pp. 123-129. Downloaded by [Moskow State Univ Bibliote] at 03:16 23 November 2012 17. Yudin, K. A. "The avifauna of the central part of the Arctic Basin," Trudy AANII, Vol. 259, 1964, pp. 400-403. 18. Clarke, W. E. "On the avifauna of Franz-Joseph Land. With notes by Wm. S. Bruce of the Jackson-Harmsworth Expedition," Ibis, Vol. 7, ser. IV, 1989, pp. 249-277. 19. Jackson, F. G. "Notes on the birds of Franz-Joseph Land by the Jackson- Harmsworth Polar Expedition, 1894 to 1897," in: A thousand days in the Arctic, 1899, pp. 397-412. 20. Lovenskiold, H. L. "Avifauna Svalbardensis," Norsk Polarinstitut Skrifter, No. 129, 1964, 461,pp.

233 21. Markham, C. R. "The voyage of the 'Eyra' and Mr. Leigh Smith's arctic discoveries in 1880," Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society, Vol. 3, 1881, pp. 129-150. 22. Meltolfte, H., C. Edelstam, G. Granstrom, J. Hammar, and C. Hjort, "Ross's gulls in the arctic pack-ice," British Birds, Vol. 74, no. 8, 1981, pp. 316-321. 23. Neale, W. H. "Notes on the natural history of Franz-Joseph Land as observed in 1881/82," Proceedings of the Scientific, Meteorological and Zoological Society of London, pp. 652-656. 24. Payer, J. Die osterreichisch-ungarische Nordpol-Expedition in den Jahren 1872-1874, nebst einer Skizze der Zweiten Deutschen Nordpol-Expedition 1869/70 und der Polar Expedition von 1871 [The Austro-Hungarian Expedition in the years 1872-1874, along with a sketch of the Second German North Pole Expedition of 1869-70 and the polar expedition of 1871]. Vienna, 1875, 519 pp. Downloaded by [Moskow State Univ Bibliote] at 03:16 23 November 2012

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