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Bird observations in Severnaya Zemlya, Siberia
ABSTRACT. Fieldwork in different parts of Severnaya Zemlya in 1985, 1991, 1992 a nd 1993 and aerial surveys in 1994 revealed a limited bird fauna with a total of 17 breeding species. The most numerous breeding birds are cliff-nesting seabird s, comprising little auk (Alle alle), 10 000-80 000 pairs; kittiwake (Rissa trid actyla), 5000-10 000; black guillemot (Cepphus grylle), 1000-5000; ivory gull (P agophila eburnea), 1000-2000; and glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus), 500-1000. T hey breed all over the archipelago, usually in rather small mixed- or single-spe cies colonies. Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) 100-500, and herring gull (Larus argentatus) 1-10, breed as solitary pairs or with a few pairs together. Of tundr a birds, only brent goose (Branta bernicla), purple sandpiper (Calidris maritima ) and snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) are found breeding on most of the maj or islands. The other tundra species--red-throated diver (Gavia stellata), king eider (Somateria spectabilis), sanderling (Calidris alba), Arctic skua (Stercora rius parasiticus), long-tailed skua (Stercorarius longicaudus), snowy owl (Nycte a scandiaca) and Lapland bunting (Calcarius lapponicus)--breed in small numbers and in limited areas, often not every year.
Of the even fewer mammal species, reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) occurs occasional ly, while Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) and collared lemming (Dicrostonyx torquatu s) are locally common in some years.
Key words: Severnaya Zemlya, high Arctic birds, breeding distribution
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RESUME. Des etudes sur le terrain menees dans differentes parties de la Severnai a Zemlia en 1985, 1991, 1992 et 1993 ainsi que des releves a aeriens effectues e n 1994 ont revele une avifaune limitee comptant au total 17 especes reproductric es. Les oiseaux nicheurs les plus nombreux sont ceux nichant sur les falaises. I ls comprennent le mergule nain (Alle alle) [10 000 a 80 000 paires]; la mouette tridactyle (Rissa tridactyla) [5000 a 10 000]; le guillemot a miroir (Cepphus gr ylle) [1000 a 5000]; la mouette blanche (Pagophila eburnea) [1000 a 2000]; et le goeland bourgmestre (Larus hyperboreus) [500 a 1000]. Ils nichent sur tout l'ar chipel, en general en colonies plutot petites rassemblant des especes mixtes ou une seule espece. La sterne arctique (Sterna Paradisaea) [100 a 500], et le goel and argente (Larus argentatus) [1 a...