The Arctic is a harsh region, but the Arctic climate does not scare away birds. According to scientists, the number of birds in the Arctic is up to 50% of the world's shore birds. The species diversity of birds in these places has, according to various estimates, 150 - 290 species.
Mostly birds live here during the polar summer, when water and coastal rocks can provide shelter and sufficient food, but there are also wintering species, both marine and terrestrial.
What birds live in the Arctic
High latitudes are predominantly water (ice) expanses, with a small interspersing of island and coastal territories. Not surprisingly, the list of Arctic birds is topped by marine and waterfowl species.
Loons - ranging in size from a large duck to a goose, depending on the species:
- red-throated loon
- black-throated loon
- white-billed loon.
They belong to the migratory birds of the Arctic, spending the summer here from May to August-October. Nests are arranged in pits, lined with grass and moss, 1-2 chicks are hatched. Clumsy and helpless on land, loons are excellent swimmers and divers. In danger, they swim, deep immersing the body and leaving only the head on the surface.
The Bering cormorant is a bird 70-80 cm in size, weighing 1.5 kg. The plumage is black with a metallic sheen, the bare leathery area near the beak is painted black with red warts. This is the only cormorant species in the Russian Arctic. Lives on rocky coasts from May to September, feeds on fish and crustaceans. In a nest lined with grass and algae, it breeds 2-5 chicks.
Auks are a large detachment of birds of the north. In color and habits, they resemble penguins, which, as you know, are not found in the Arctic. They are perfectly adapted to swimming and diving, and spend most of their lives on the water, getting ashore only to breed. When swimming under water, they can row their wings, dive to a depth of 20 meters or more. Unlike penguins, auks can fly (with the exception of the extinct wingless auk, which could not fly, but dived to a depth of 76 meters). The auks include:
- Chistik
- Thick-billed murre
- slender-billed murre
- Lurik
- Baby auklet
- white belly
- auklet
- Motley and gray fawn
- Dead end
- Ipatka
- Hatchet
Seagulls - representatives of the family are distinguished by a characteristic color with a darker back and white plumage of the lower body, black marks on the head and ends of the wings. Gulls are wintering birds of the Arctic, foraging in the open polynyas of the Arctic Ocean or in bear hunting grounds. Species of these birds in the Arctic:
- The burgomaster is the largest representative of the family;
- Ivory gull - easily coexists with humans, nesting right next to populated areas;
- Ordinary kittiwake;
- polar gull;
- The pink gull is a small bird weighing only 350 g with pinkish plumage, listed in the Red Book.
- Petrels - Atlantic fulmar, Arctic petrel are common in the Arctic. The petrels got their name for their ability to predict the weather;
- Geese - up to 80% of the world's white geese are concentrated in the Arctic.
- Sandpipers - 17 out of 24 species of these birds nest in the Arctic.
ground birds
What birds live in the Arctic on its coastal part? They are not as numerous as marine ones.
- The Siberian Crane, or White Crane, is endemic to the north of Russia and is listed in the Red Book.
- The polar owl is an arctic predator that preys on birds, lemmings, cubs of fairly large animals (for example, arctic fox).
- Partridges are able to survive the Arctic winter. Like snowy owls, they are distinguished by dense feathering on their paws, which allows them to endure winter temperatures.
- Snow bunting, Greenland and Tundra tap dance are representatives of arctic passerines.
