124 The importance of the Kanchalan River, Chukotka, Russia, for the Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus THOMAS HEINICKE1, NIKOLAY N. YAKUSHEV2 & EVGENY E. SYROECHKOVSKI, JR.3 1Chausseestr. 1, D-18581 Vilmnitz, Germany. E-mail: [email protected] 2Saratov university, Astrakhanskaya str. 83, 410012 Saratov, Russia. 3Institute of Ecology and Evolution, RAS, Goose, Swan and Duck Study Group of Northern Eurasia, Leninskiy prospect 33, 119071 Moscow, Russia. Abstract An expedition was made to two different parts of the Anadyr region, southern Chukotka in summer 2006, to make an inventory of the bird fauna of the region. The Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus was found for the first time in both areas. Significant numbers (~ 1% of the eastern flyway population of the species) were counted in the middle reaches of the Kanchalan River in mid-June, with smaller numbers seen on moult migration in the coastal region of Russkaya Koshka during early July. Total numbers in the Kanchalan floodplain were estimated at 150–200 birds, of which 40–50 were paired adults and the rest non-breeders. These numbers indicate that the area is of international importance for the species. Although breeding was not recorded, the birds’ location and habitat structure make the breeding of the species in the area likely. Key words: Anadyr region, Chukotka, Kanchalan River, Lesser White-fronted Goose, Russkaya Koshka. The Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser 2006). The breeding range of the eastern erythropus is a globally threatened species, population is thought to extend from the classed as vulnerable by the International Taymyr Peninsula eastwards into the Union for the Conservation of Nature Chukotka region, but seems to be very (IUCN 2008). The most recent mid-winter fragmented (Jones et al. 2008; Morozov & estimates suggest that 8,000–13,000 Syroechkovskiy 2002). In recent years, individuals occur in the western population breeding birds were located in several parts and 20,000 in the eastern population (Jones of Yakutia, with the highest numbers in the et al. 2008; Delany et al. 2008; Delany & Scott Abyi lowlands. Small numbers are known to ©Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Wildfowl (2009) 59: 124–134 Lesser White-fronted Geese in Chukotka, Russia 125 breed in the Anabar River basin and in the visited from 9–18 June; Camp II, in the lower valleys of the Olenka River and the lower part of the river basin (23 km Yana River (Artyukhov & Syroechkovski northeast of Kanchalan village; 65°15’N, 1999; Morozov & Syroechkovskiy 2002). 177°11’E), was visited for a shorter period, The knowledge of the easternmost part from 22–26 June; and Camp III, also in the of the breeding range in the Chukotka lower part of the river basin (5 km south of region is very patchy and there are few Kanchalan village; 65°07’N, 176°46’E), was observations of the geese at their nest visited from 29 June–2 July (Fig. 1). The sites (Birdlife International 2001; Morozov Kanchalan River floodplain consisted of a & Syroechkovskiy 2002; Krechmar & mosaic of creeks, gravel/sand banks and Kondratyev 2006). islands with many pools and lakes, An expedition was undertaken to make a particularly around Camp I. The vegetation general inventory of the bird fauna in two was mostly patches of shrubs and trees different parts of the Anadyr region of (including Salix sp., Alnus fruticosa, Betula Chukotka, east Russia, in summer 2006, in exilis and Populus suaveolens) up to 3 m high, an area not previously known to hold Lesser and open mires covered by sedges (Carex White-fronted Geese. This paper presents sp.) and mosses. The western border of the the counts and other observations made of floodplain was a 30–40 m high cliff. The Lesser White-fronted Geese during the floodplain was surrounded by Eriophorum survey, and considers the importance of the tussock tundra with several lakes and open area for the species. The results are mires with sedge-moss vegetation. discussed in relation to other recently The second study area, the coastal published data of Lesser White-fronted lagoon of Russkaya Koshka ~ 60 km east- Geese reported in other parts of Chukotka. southeast of Anadyr, was visited from 7–29 July, both to make a survey of the Methods highly endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper The survey in 2006 focussed on two areas to Eurynorhynchus pygmeus and to count the north and east of the city of Anadyr breeding, migrating and moulting waterbirds (Fig. 1). The first of these, the Kanchalan at the site. study area (~ 65°10’N, 176°46’E), was a Both study areas were explored on foot, river basin ~ 60 km northwest of Anadyr. using a combination of transect counts and This part of the expedition covered nearly counts made at particular sites (for instance the same area as an earlier expedition to the lakes, islands and lagoons) to record the region in 1975 (described by Kistchinski et number of birds in the vicinity. Line al. 1983). Observations were made in the transects were also taken when moving by Kanchalan study area from 7 May–2 July boat from Kanchalan village to the different 2006, from three camps along the river camps along the river. In the Kanchalan area basin. Camp I, in the middle reaches of the about 4,000 ha were covered around Camp I, river basin (50 km north-northeast of both to the east and west of the river, with an Kanchalan village; 65°33’N, 177°14’E), was additional 500 ha monitored at one of the ©Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Wildfowl (2009) 59: 124–134 126 Lesser White-fronted Geese in Chukotka, Russia Figure 1. Location of the different study areas: I-III = Kanchalan area, Chukotka (I = Camp I, II = Camp II, III = Camp III), IV = Russkaya Koshka, Chukotka, Russia. islands in the floodplain. Line transects along was explored up to 4 km to the west and 8.5 the cliff west of the Kanchalan River km to the east of Camp I. About 3,000 ha covered 7 km to the north and 13 km to the east of the river at Camp II, and ~ 4,000 ha south of Camp I. The surrounding tundra east and southeast of the river near Camp ©Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Wildfowl (2009) 59: 124–134 Lesser White-fronted Geese in Chukotka, Russia 127 III, were also explored. The total length of on three of 23 days in the Russkaya Koshka the line transect along the Kanchalan River area. between Camp I and Kanchalan village was Within the Kanchalan area, Lesser ~ 100 km, divided into three main sections: White-fronted Geese were found mainly 33, 45 and 20 km stretches of the river from near Camp I, particularly on the islands and north to south. Daily excursions usually gravel banks of the river floodplain. They covered different parts of the study area and also used the neighbouring tundra, but only places close to the campsites were almost entirely < 1–2 km from the flood counted regularly. Excursions normally plain. Counts of 71 individuals south of the started around noon and ended in the late camp and a further 23 individuals north of evening. Satellite images of the study area the camp were recorded along a 20 km were used for orientation and observations, transect along the top of the cliff on 12–13 including goose counts, were assigned to June. These 94 birds (4.7 individuals/km of different landmarks such as islands and lakes. river basin) consisted of 38 pairs, four single At the Russkaya Koshka coastal lagoon, birds and small flocks of up to six birds. 6,500 ha including 1,100 ha around Camp Only six individuals (6.4%) were identified IV were covered. The 1,100 ha were divided as being second-year birds, indicating a low into three study plots where birds were percentage of returning juveniles or low counted regularly, every third day. productivity the previous summer. Another Hunting pressure on different goose 33 km transect on 18 June, when birds were species in the Kanchalan area was assessed counted from a boat travelling along the from the remains of plucked birds collected Kanchalan River, recorded 124 individuals in Kanchalan village and from the camp most of which were in pairs or very small sites of reindeer herders. Remains of sixteen flocks, but included one flock of 24 birds. different birds (usually wings only) were This covered part but not all of the area found around individual houses and at a surveyed on 12–13 June; the area south of communal rubbish heap at Kanchalan the camp was covered on both occasions, village. Another three wing remains and a but almost all areas north of the camp were freshly shot bird were detected at a reindeer missed on 18 June. On combining the herders’ camp site near Camp I. All of the different counts, the numbers of Lesser geese found in Kanchalan area were White-fronted Geese in the middle reaches collected during spring (late April and May) of Kanchalan River were estimated to be 2006, whereas the fresh remains near Camp 150–200 birds and the minimum number of I were found in June. Species was adult pairs to be 40–50 (Table 1). Assuming determined from the length of the wing and that the 7,000 ha of the floodplain with from the colour of the plumage. vegetation cover provided suitable habitat, this indicates a density of 0.57–0.71 adult Results pairs/km2. Lesser White-fronted Geese were observed The Lesser White-fronted Goose was the on 15 of 19 days in the Kanchalan area and most commonly observed goose species in ©Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Wildfowl (2009) 59: 124–134 128 Russia LesserWhite-fronted GeeseinChukotka, ©Wildfowl Trust &Wetlands Table 1.