List of birds of Svalbard
This list of birds of Svalbard includes 241 species as of 2024, of which at least three are introduced.
Svalbard is an archipelago of islands in the North Sea. It currently is an unincorporated area of Norway. The largest island, Svalbard or Spitzbergen, is home to about 2,500 people. Other islands include Nordaustlandet, Bjørnøja and Edgeøya.
Breeding status
- Abundant breeder (AB) – breeds annually, with >10,000 breeding pairs [1]
- Common breeder (CB) – breeds annually, with <10,000 breeding pairs
- Irregular breeder (IB) – does not breed annually, and only a few pairs
- Dispersed breeder (DB) – breeds annually, but dispersedly
- Winter visitor (WV) – spends the winter months in Svalbard
- Annual (A) – found in small numbers every year
- Occasional (O) – rare, occasional visitor, not every year
- Vagrant (V) – rare, less than 20 records
- Rare vagrant (RV) – rare, less than 5 records
- Introduced (I) – either introduced purposely or accidentally by humans, or a bird that came to Svalbard with the assistance of humans[2]
Ducks, geese, swans, and eiders
Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae
| English name | Norwegian name | Scientific name | Breeding status | Yearly abundance (if any) | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brant | Ringgås | Branta bernicla | CB | April–September |
|
| Red-breasted goose | Rødhalsgås | Branta ruficollis | RV |
| |
| Canada goose | Kanadagås | Branta canadensis | I V |
| |
| Cackling goose | Polargås | Branta huchinsii | V |
| |
| Barnacle goose | Hvitkinngås | Branta leucopsis | AB WV? | May–October |
|
| Bar-headed goose | Stripegås | Anser indicus | I V |
| |
| Snow goose | Snøgås | Anser caerulescens | A |
| |
| Greylag goose | Grågås | Anser anser | A, possibly IB | May–August, seen year-round |
|
| Taiga bean goose | Taigasædgås | Anser fabalis | V |
| |
| Pink-footed goose | Kortnebbgås | Anser brachyrhynchus | AB |
| |
| Tundra bean goose | Tundrasædgås | Anser serrirostris | O |
| |
| Greater white-fronted goose | Tundragås | Anser albifrons | A |
| |
| Mute swan | Knoppsvane | Cygnus olor | RV |
| |
| Tundra swan | Dvergsvane | Cygnus columbianus | V |
| |
| Whooper swan | Sangsvane | Cygnus cygnus | A, IB (Bjørnøya) | June–July, seen year round |
|
| Common shelduck | Gravand | Tadorna tadorna | V |
| |
| Ruddy shelduck | Rustand | Tadorna ferruginea | RV |
| |
| Mandarin duck | Mandarinand | Aix galericulata | I RV |
| |
| Baikal teal | Gulkinnand | Sibirionetta formosa | RV |
| |
| Garganey | Knekkand | Spatula querquedula | RV | ||
| Blue-winged teal | Blåvingeand | Spatula discors | RV |
| |
| Northern shoveler | Skjeand | Spatula clypeata | V | Year round, usually May–August |
|
| Gadwall | Snadderand | Mareca strepera | V |
| |
| Eurasian wigeon | Brunnakke | Mareca penelope | O, probably IB | May–August |
|
| Mallard | Stokkand | Anas platyrhynchos | A, probably IB |
| |
| Northern pintail | Stjertand | Anas acuta | A IB | May-August |
|
| Common teal | Krikkand | Anas crecca | A IB | May-September |
|
| Green-winged teal | Amerikakrikkand | Anas carolinensis | RV |
| |
| Common pochard | Taffeland | Aythya ferina | RV |
| |
| Ring-necked duck | Ringand | Aythya collaris | RV |
| |
| Tufted duck | Toppand | Aythya fuligula | A | May-September |
|
| Greater scaup | Bergand | Aythya marila | V |
| |
| Steller's eider | Stellerand | Polysticta stelleri | O | May-July |
|
| Spectacled eider | Brilleærfugl | Somateria fischeri | RV |
| |
| King eider | Praktærfugl | Somateria spectabilis | CB | April-September |
|
| Common eider | Ærfugl | Somateria mollissima | AB | March-September, seen year round |
|
| Harlequin | Harlekinand | Histrionicus histrionicus | V |
| |
| Velvet scoter | Sjøorre | Melanitta fusca | V |
| |
| White-winged scoter | Amerikasjøorre | Melanitta deglandi | RV |
| |
| Black scoter | Svartand | Melanitta nigra | A, probably CB | May-July |
|
| Long-tailed duck | Havelle | Clangula hyemalis | CB | April-September, seen year round |
|
| Common goldeneye | Kvinand | Bucephala clangula | O |
| |
| Barrow's goldeneye | Islandsand | Bucephala islandindica | RV |
| |
| Smew | Lappfiskand | Mergellus albellus | RV |
| |
| Common merganser | Laksand | Mergus merganser | RV |
| |
| Red-breasted merganser | Siland | Mergus serrator | O, probably DB |
|
Pheasants, grouse, and partridges
Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae
| English name | Norwegian name | Scientific name | Breeding status | Yearly abundance (if any) | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Svalbard rock ptarmigan | Svalbardrype | Lagopus muta hyperboreus | CB WV | January-December |
|
Swifts
Order: Apodiformes Family: Apodidae
| English name | Norwegian name | Scientific name | Breeding status | Yearly abundance (if any) | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common swift | Tårnseiler | Apus apus | V |
|
Cuckoos
Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae
| English name | Norwegian name | Scientific name | Breeding status | Yearly abundance (if any) | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common cuckoo | Gjøk | Cuculus canorus | RV |
|
Doves and pigeons
Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae
| English name | Norwegian name | Scientific name | Breeding status | Yearly abundance (if any) | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feral pigeon | Bydue | Columba livia var. domestica | RV |
| |
| Common wood pigeon | Ringdue | Columba palumbus | V |
| |
| European turtle dove | Turteldue | Streptopelia turtur | RV |
| |
| Eurasian collared dove | Tykerdue | Streptopelia decaocto | RV |
|
Rails and crakes
Order: Gruiformes Family: Rallidae
| English name | Norwegian name | Scientific name | Breeding status | Yearly abundance (if any) | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water rail | Vannrikse | Rallus aquaticus | RV |
| |
| Corn crake | Åkerrikse | Crex crex | RV |
| |
| Common moorhen | Sivhøne | Gallinula chloropus | RV |
| |
| Eurasian coot | Sothøne | Fulica atra | RV |
|
Cranes
Order: Gruiformes Family: Gruidae
| English name | Norwegian name | Scientific name | Breeding status | Yearly abundance (if any) | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common crane | Trane | Grus grus | V |
|
Grebes
Order: Podicipediformes Family: Podicipedidae
| English name | Norwegian name | Scientific name | Breeding status | Yearly abundance (if any) | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red-necked grebe | Gråstrupedykker | Podiceps grisegena | RV |
| |
| Horned grebe | Horndykker | Podiceps auritus | RV |
|
Oystercatchers
Order: Charadriformes Family: Haematopodidae
| English name | Norwegian name | Scientific name | Breeding status | Yearly abundance (if any) | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eurasian oystercatcher | Tjeld | Haematopus ostralegus | A | March-August |
|
Plovers and lapwings
Order: Charadriformes Family: Charadriidae
| English name | Norwegian name | Scientific name | Breeding status | Yearly abundance (if any) | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern lapwing | Vipe | Vanellus vanellus | O |
| |
| European golden plover | Heilo | Pluvialis apricaria | DB | Late April- September |
|
| Pacific golden plover | Sibirlo | Pluvialis fulva | V IB |
| |
| American golden plover | Kanadalo | Pluvialis dominica | RV |
| |
| Grey plover | Tundralo | Pluvialis squatarola | V |
| |
| Common ringed plover | Sandlo | Charadrius hiaticula | DB | May- September |
|
| Eurasian dotterel | Boltit | Charadrius morinellus | RV |
| |
| Eurasian whimbrel | Småspove | Numenius phaeopus | A | May- August |
|
| Eurasian curlew | Storspove | Numenius arquata | V |
| |
| Bar-tailed godwit | Lappspove | Limosa lapponica | RV |
| |
| Icelandic black-tailed godwit | Svarthalespove | Limosa limosa islandica | O V | May - June |
|
| Ruddy turnstone | Steinvender | Arenaria interpres | DB | May- September |
|
| Red knot | Polarsnipe | Calidris canutus | A DB | May- September |
|
| Ruff | Brushane | Calidris pugnax | V |
| |
| Curlew sandpiper | Tundrasnipe | Calidris ferruginea | V |
|
References
- ^ "Bird Species in Svalbard". Birding Svalbard.
- ^ "Exotic and Introduced Species in eBird". Help Center.