Pictures of Birds other than Auks

Taken Around Spitsbergen (2007)


Not quite, but almost a record of every species (other than auks) that we saw. However, some of the birds didn't show well, and those photographs are accordingly of mediocre quality at best. I give the English name of the species throughout - quite a few are known under different names in America. By clicking on a picture you can look at a larger version.




Long-tailed skua (Falkenraubmoewe), on the ground and taking over incubating the eggs.


long-tailed skua long-tailed skua on nest



Ptarmigan (Alpenschneehuhn) on the left - note the amazing camouflage of the female. On the right, snow bunting (Schneeammer), the only passerine (songbird) breeding in the archipelago.


ptarmigan snow bunting



Eider ducks (Eiderenten). As usual with ducks, there is the big difference between the dowdy female (look at her closely though - she's prettier than you might think) and the impressive male.



female Eider male Eider
Eiders on the
water flying
Eiders



Glaucous gull (Eismoewe) on the left, barnacle geese (Weisswangengaense) on the right.


glaucous gull barnacle
geese


Grey phalarope (Thorshuehnchen) in its far from grey breeding plumage on the left. The less gaudy male on the left, two females on the right.


male grey phalarope female grey phalaropes


The poorest quality pictures, but of some very nice birds. Red-throated diver (Sterntaucher) with arctic fox patrolling on the left and male king Eider (Prachteiderente) on the right, taken at a fair distance. Finally, ivory gull (Elfenbeinmoewe) below.




red-throated diver male king Eider
ivory gull

15 July 2007