The Davis Strait - DCE - Nationalt Center for Miljø og Energi

Knowledge on habitat use of the wintering seabirds and the factors governing
their distribution is generally poor, especially for the offshore area. Despite
the unknowns it is evident that, seen in a North Atlantic perspective,
the waters off West Greenland are very important for seabirds (Barrett et al.
2006).
4.7.5 Selected species
A number of seabird species important for the assessment area are briefly
described in the following pages. For some species, the at-sea distribution is
shown for different seasons of the year, based on available ship and aerial
survey data collected in the period 1988-2010. At the time of data extraction
this corresponded to 25 ship surveys (1988-2010) and 3 aerial surveys (1996-
2009). Seabird densities were calculated as follows. The original survey transects
were split into 3 km segments, and for each segment a density was calculated
on the basis of the number of birds of the particular seabird species
observed, the length of the segment, and an effective search width estimated
separately for each survey and species by means of distance sampling methods
(Buckland et al. 2001). Survey by survey the densities were interpolated
to 3x3 km raster grids by inverse distance weighting (power 2, radius 15
km), and the densities shown on the maps represent the mean value in an
overlay analysis of these grids (divided into four seasons). Densities were
calculated only within a 15 km buffer around the survey transects. Note that
the number of overlapping surveys varies markedly between seasons and
areas (Fig. 4.7.3).
Northern Fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis
The number of breeding fulmars in the assessment area is very low, probably
no more than a few hundred pairs, and, moreover, the few colonies seem
to be unstable in time and space (Boertmann et al. 1996).
In the offshore areas fulmars are numerous and occur almost everywhere,
except for in winter when only few are present (Fig. 4.7.4). They usually
avoid areas with high ice coverage. Concentrations are linked to foraging areas
and such may occur at ice edges, upwelling areas and areas with commercial
fisheries.
The fulmar has a favourable conservation status in Greenland and it is not
included on the Greenland Red List (Boertmann 2007, listed as of ‘Least
Concern’ (LC)).
Fulmars have medium sensitivity to oil spills both on an individual level
and a population level. Breeding colonies are among the most sensitive areas,
because fulmars often rest on the water surface here. Recurrent offshore
concentration areas are not known, but may occur e.g. at upwelling areas.
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