No Job Name Status of the black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) breeding population in Greenland, 2008por_169 391..403 Aili Lage Labansen,1 Flemming Merkel,2 David Boertmann2 & Jens Nyeland3 1 Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, PO Box 570, DK-3900 Nuuk, Greenland 2 National Environmental Research Institute, Department of Arctic Environment, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark 3 Naturama, Dronningmaen 30, DK-5700 Svendborg, Denmark Abstract Based on the intensified survey efforts (since 2003) of Greenlandic breeding colonies of black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), the total Greenland breed- ing population was estimated at roughly 110 000 breeding pairs, constituting about 4% of the total North Atlantic breeding population. This population estimate of black-legged kittiwake is the most reliable and updated estimate hitherto reported for Greenland. The results confirm considerable population declines in many areas of West Greenland. The breeding population of black- legged kittiwakes in the Qaanaaq area appears healthy, whereas the rest of the west coast has experienced declines, especially the north-western region (in the area from Upernavik to Kangaatsiaq). Exactly when these reductions have occurred is uncertain because of the limited survey effort in the past, but some colonies declined as far back as the mid-1900s, whereas declines of other colonies have occurred since the 1970–80s. East Greenland data from the past are few, but recent aerial surveys confirm that the abundance of breeding kittiwakes on this inaccessible coast is low. The reasons for the West Greenland declines are not documented. Poor feeding conditions and a high hunting pressure, particularly prior to 2002 when the open season was shortened considerably, are possible explanations. Keywords Black-legged kittiwake; Greenland; population status; Rissa tridactyla. Correspondence Aili Lage Labansen, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, PO Box 570, DK-3900 Nuuk, Greenland. E-mail: aili@natur.gl doi:10.1111/j.1751-8369.2010.00169.x The black-legged kittiwake Rissa tridactyla (hereafter kit- tiwake) is a widely distributed seabird in the circumpolar Arctic (Cramp & Simmons 1983; Hatch et al. 1993), num- bering more than 5 million pairs when all national population estimates are summed (Cramp & Simmons 1983; Hatch et al. 1993; Anker-Nilssen et al. 2000; Mitchell et al. 2004; Bakken et al. 2006; Hatch et al. 2008; Barrett et al. 2006). Reports on declines in breeding populations, poor breeding performance and so on, from many regions of the breeding range of kittiwakes, have led to an increased international focus on this species (Regehr & Montevecchi 1997; Carscadden et al. 2002; Frederiksen et al. 2004; Mitchell et al. 2004; Barrett et al. 2006; Bornaechea & Gardarsson 2006; Gardarsson 2006; Mavor et al. 2006; Sunnanå & Fossheim 2008). Hence, the kittiwake is now considered to be a species of conser- vation concern by the Arctic Council working group Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), and the need for a circumpolar conservation strategy and action plan is being considered by CAFF’s Seabird Expert Group. The kittiwake is categorized as vulnerable (VU) on the Greenland Red List (Boertmann 2007). The kittiwake is a widespread breeder in Greenland, particularly along the west coast. Former estimates of the West Greenland breeding population have been some- where between 80 000 and 200 000 pairs (Boertmann et al. 1996; Bakken et al. 2006), based largely on out- dated surveys (as old as 80 years) of varying quality, and the East Greenland population has been virtually unknown. As the kittiwake is subject to hunting in Greenland, in contrast to elsewhere in the North Atlantic (Merkel & Barry 2008), an updated and more reliable estimate of the breeding population is required for management pur- poses. This was underlined by Nyeland (2004), who documented a general decreasing trend in the breeding population in West Greenland during the past century. Therefore, the survey effort of the Greenland kittiwake breeding population was intensified after 2003 with the aim of surveying all significant breeding areas within a Polar Research 29 2010 391–403 © 2010 the authors, journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd 391 mailto:aili@natur.gl reasonably short time frame. The results from these surveys have been published in regional reports (Boert- mann 2004, 2006; Nyeland & Mathæussen 2004; Burnham et al. 2005; Merkel et al. 2007; Nyeland 2007), and in combination with unpublished results from other surveys, allow us to make an updated estimate of the breeding population in Greenland. The objective of this study is to present an updated population estimate of breeding kittiwakes in Greenland. Key breeding areas are identified and apparent population trends are discussed. Methods Data on kittiwake breeding numbers are stored in a data- base containing information about Greenland’s seabird colonies, which is maintained by the National Environ- mental Research Institute and is available on the institute’s website (Boertmann et al. 1996; Bakken et al. 2006). This database includes historical kittiwake data (breeding location data back to 1898) as well as all survey results from recent years (e.g., Boertmann et al. 1996; Boertmann 2006; Merkel et al. 2007). The database con- tains information on colony location and survey results for all colonial seabird species breeding in Greenland (Boertmann et al. 1996; Bakken et al. 2006). From this database the most recent survey results (2007 was the most recent survey year in West Green- land; 2008 in East Greenland) from all known kittiwake colonies in Greenland were extracted. These data are expressed either as the number of individuals or nests/ pairs. Nest/pairs are here presented as “apparently occupied nests” (AONs), and numbers of individuals were converted to number of AONs by using a K-factor of 0.65. This was derived from a study in Qaanaaq (Merkel et al. 2007), which, as a result of the lack of data from other regions, was applied to the entire area. Survey data in the database are categorized as being of high, medium or low quality. Colonies are spatially grouped according to administrative municipalities, which are named after the largest town. For the purpose of this presentation the West Greenland data were further grouped into four larger regions (north, north-west, south-west and south), and the East Greenland data were grouped into two regions (north-east and south-east), as shown in Fig. 1. All survey results in the West Greenland data set were obtained by direct counts on site (primarily from a boat using binoculars), except for two colonies in Ilulissat, two in Upernavik and the four colonies in the Qaanaaq area, which were all photographed systematically, and AONs were counted from these photographs (Boertmann 2006; Merkel et al. 2007; Nyeland 2007). Colony surveys were mainly carried out in July (96% of the West Greenland surveys), which is the time when at least one of the adults or large chicks are present on their nests. A few colonies were surveyed in late June (n = 7), in August (n = 3) and in very early September (n = 1) (see the Appendix). East Greenland data were treated separately. In June– July 2008, an aerial seabird survey was conducted along the entire coast from Kap Farvel (60°N) to Kap Morris Jesup (83.5°N), and this contributed significantly to the otherwise limited data for this part of Greenland (Boert- mann et al. 2009; Merkel et al. 2010). Results West Greenland Sixteen West Greenland kittiwake colonies in the database may never have existed, and were excluded from the data set. The remaining 246 colonies, accepted to have been occupied at some time in West Greenland since 1920, were included in the present summary (see the Appendix; Fig. 1). The median year of the most recent count of these colonies was 2003 (standard deviation = 6.7 years); of the 246 colonies, 64.6% had been visited since 2003 and 92.3% within the past 10 years (1998–2007) (Table 1). The remaining 19 colonies (with most recent survey data of more than 10 years old) were all small (�65 AONs) or empty. The oldest count included in the present summary is from 1954 (see the Appendix; Table 1). Among the 246 colonies, 139 were occupied by breed- ing pairs during the most recent visit, and their numbers add up to a total West Greenland breeding population of 103 348 AONs (Fig. 1; Table 2). As much as 95.8% of the total number of AONs were counted in 2003 or later, and 99.7% in 1998 or later (Table 1). The mean colony size was 744 AONs, with a range from 1 to 18 707. The median colony size was 57 AONs, and only three colonies had more than 10 000 AONs (Fig. 1). Data from 12 colonies were converted from number of individuals to AONs, and added up to 3588 AONs (3.5% of the total number of AONs). The quality of the count data were categorized as high, medium and low for 94, 20 and nine colonies, respectively. For 16 colonies the quality of the count data was not reported (see the Appendix). Low-quality count data accounted for 0.3% of the total number of AONs. Count data of medium and high quality accounted for 98.4% of the total number of AONs. Figure 1 and Table 2 give an overview of the regional distribution and abundance in West Greenland. The northern region is characterized by very few but large colonies, holding 34.5% of the West Greenland breeding population in only four colonies. Colonies are far more abundant in the north-west region, from Upernavik in the north to Kangaatsiaq in the south, being home to 71.1% of all registered colonies, although they house Kittiwake population status in Greenland A.L. Labansen et al. Polar Research 29 2010 391–403 © 2010 the authors, journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd392 X XX X X X XX X XXXXXXXX XXXX XXX X XX X XX XX X XX X XXXX XXX X X X XX XX X XX XX X XX X XXX XXXXX X XXX X XXXXXXXX X X XXX XX X XXX X X X XX X XXX X X X north north-west south-west south north-east south-east North-east Water Polynya Scoresby Sound Wollaston Forland Polynya Nuuk Narsaq Qaanaaq Aasiaat Paamiut Tasiilaq Sisimiut Ivittuut Qaqortoq Upernavik Uummannaq Ilulissat Maniitsoq Nanortalik Kangaatsiaq Qeqertarsuaq Qasigiannguit Ittoqqortoormiit 15°E10°E5°E0°5°W10°W15°W 25°W 25°W 30°W35°W 35°W 40°W45°W 45°W 50°W55°W 55°W65°W70°W75°W80°W85°W90°W95°W 75°N 75°N 70°N 70°N 65°N 65°N 60°N 60°N 0 200 400 km Kittiwake colonies no . of pairs 1 -100 101 -1000 1001 - 10000 10001 -20000 X 0 X Fig. 1 Map of Greenland with locations of the largest town from each municipality (marked as squares), and locations of all 246 registered breeding colonies in West Greenland and 16 registered breeding colonies in East Greenland. The size of the colonies at the most recent visit (with 2007 being the most recent survey year in West Greenland and 2008 in East Greenland) is indicated by the size of the circle. Empty colonies are marked with an X. The borders between the four regions in West Greenland (north, north-west, south-west and south) and the two regions in East Greenland (north-east and south-east) are indicated with dotted lines. Kittiwake population status in GreenlandA.L. Labansen et al. Polar Research 29 2010 391–403 © 2010 the authors, journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd 393 only 29.5% of the breeding population. The south-west region (from Sisimiut to Nuuk) holds 19.1% of all the colonies, and 32.3% of the total breeding population. The smallest numbers of kittiwakes were found in the southern region (from Paamiut to Nanortalik), with 8.1% of the colonies and 3.7% of the breeding population (Table 2). Of the 246 West Greenland colonies included in the data set, 107 (43%) were abandoned at the latest survey. Only in Qaanaaq were no colonies abandoned, whereas 51% were abandoned in the north-west, 26% in the south-west and 25% in the southern Greenland region (Table 2). Looking at the smaller regions, the municipalities, the largest numbers of breeding kittiwakes occur in Qaanaaq, Maniitsoq and Ilulissat, with 34.5, 31.4 and 21.3%, respectively, of the total West Greenland population. The remaining municipalities hold between 0 and 6% of the breeding population (Fig. 1; Table 2). The municipalities with the largest numbers of empty kittiwake colonies during the most recent survey were Uummannaq (27 of 39), Kangaatsiaq (25 of 35) and Ilulissat (17 of 40) (Table 2). East Greenland Only 16 breeding colonies or possible breeding colonies are recorded from East Greenland (see the Appendix; Fig. 1). Four are in the region between 60° and 69°N (in the south-east region), and 12 are found north of 69°N (in the north-east region). Nine colonies were surveyed in 2008, of which three were new and one abandoned. One new colony was recorded in north-east and two new colonies were recorded in south-east Greenland, although the name of one of the latter colonies indicates that the site has previously been occupied by kittiwakes Table 1 Distribution of the number (N) of kittiwake colonies and number of apparently occupied nests (AONs) by the most recent survey year in West Greenland. Year Ncolonies NAONs Ncolonies (%) NAONs (%) Cumulative Ncolonies (%) NAONs (%) 2007 28 4884 11.4 4.7 11.4 4.7 2006 10 35 746 4.1 34.6 15.4 39.3 2005 74 23 301 30.1 22.5 45.5 61.9 2004 1 0 0.4 0.0 45.9 61.9 2003 46 35 025 18.7 33.9 64.6 95.8 2002 2 2623 0.8 2.5 65.4 98.3 2001 3 10 1.2 0.0 66.7 98.3 2000 40 732 16.3 0.7 82.9 99.0 1999 6 301 2.4 0.3 85.4 99.3 1998 17 514 6.9 0.5 92.3 99.8 1988–97 8 121 3.3 0.1 95.5 99.9 1978–87 2 50 0.8 0.0 96.3 100.0 1968–77 8 0 3.3 0.0 99.6 100.0 1958–67 1948–57 1 41 0.4 0.0 100.0 100.0 Total 246 103 348 Table 2 Number of kittiwake colonies, number of colonies occupied by breeders and number of apparently occupied nests (AONs) at the most recent survey (with 2007 being the most recent survey year in West Green- land and 2008 in East Greenland) within each region in Greenland. The regions in West Greenland are divided further into municipalities. Region Municipality Number of colonies Number of AONsTotal Occupied North Qaanaaq 4 4 35 666 North-west Upernavik 42 32 6230 Uummannaq 39 12 732 Qeqertarsuaq 6 2 75 Ilulissat 40 17 22 034 Qasigiannguit 12 5 323 Aasiaat 1 0 0 Kangaatsiaq 35 17 1065 Subtotal north-west 175 85 28 376 South-west Sisimiut 5 1 50 Maniitsoq 35 29 32 421 Nuuk 7 5 905 Subtotal south-west 47 35 33 376 South Paamiut 8 4 3295 Qaqortoq 3 3 188 Narsaq 5 4 299 Nanortalik 4 4 65 Subtotal south 20 15 3847 West Greenland total 246 139 103 348 North-east 12 12 3537 South-east 4 3 ca. 200 TOTAL 262 155 107 085 Kittiwake population status in Greenland A.L. Labansen et al. Polar Research 29 2010 391–403 © 2010 the authors, journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd394 (see the Appendix). Five colonies north of 69°N were surveyed in 2003–04 by Gilg (2005) (in two of these kittiwakes were present, but breeding was not con- firmed), and the remaining two colonies have not been surveyed since 1993 and 1933, respectively. The colonies in East Greenland are relatively small (maximum 1300 AONs), and the sum of the latest counts adds up to less than 4000 AONs (Table 2). Discussion Numbers The results of recent kittiwake surveys have improved our knowledge on the status and distribution of the breeding population of kittiwakes in Greenland consider- ably. Given the large distribution range and the often remote locations of the breeding colonies, the presented population estimate of nearly 110 000 pairs must be con- sidered as a good estimate. The total estimate is within the range of former estimates, but has now been updated and much better documented (Boertmann et al. 1996; Bakken et al. 2006). Population estimates based on surveys distributed over time suffer from some sources of error. One is interannual variation in attendance at breeding colonies (Hatch & Hatch 1988; Baird 1990). However, considering the large number of colonies counted within a relatively short time frame, a balance between unusually high or low colony attendances in the survey year is expected. Another factor is the possibility that some of the colonies found with few or no breeding pairs more than 10 years ago may have changed status. Yet, large increases in colony size are unlikely to stay unnoticed in West Greenland, where local people frequently travel along the coasts and are very aware of the presence of seabird colonies. As the majority of the kittiwake data were collected as AONs in July, before the fledging period (when prospecting immature birds may occupy empty nests), the population estimates are not highly sensitive to variation in daily or seasonal atten- dance (Boulinier et al. 1996; Cadiou & Monnat 1996). Count data of kittiwakes are most commonly given in AONs (e.g., Mitchell et al. 2004; Barrett et al. 2006), and the K-factor used to convert from the number of individu- als to AONs may not be representative for all of Greenland. However, as most count data were collected as AONs (96.5%), this error is small. The small contribution of data categorized as being of low quality is similarly considered a minor source of error (0.4% of the total number of AONs). The fact that all the largest colonies and the areas with high densities of registered colonies were covered in the more recent surveys should secure a good estimate for the population status in West Greenland. The present estimate of the Greenland breeding popu- lation constitutes about 3.8% of the North Atlantic kittiwake population (Cramp & Simmons 1983; Anker- Nilssen et al. 2000; Mitchell et al. 2004; Bakken et al. 2006; Barrett et al. 2006; Hatch et al. 2008), which is less than the 8–15% previously indicated (Boertmann et al. 1996; Bakken et al. 2006). This disparity must be ascribed to the higher quality of the current data, and does not document a shift in the size of the populations. Distribution By far the majority of the population is distributed along the West Greenland coast, with two key areas: Maniitsoq and Qaanaaq. The West Greenland population estimate of breeding kittiwakes falls within the range of former esti- mates, although the regional distribution is somewhat different from previous perceptions (Boertmann et al. 1996; Nyeland & Mathæussen 2004), in that the Qaanaaq area is now identified as equally or more important than the Maniitsoq area (Table 2). In contrast to West Greenland, the East Greenland coast is much more influenced by sea ice in spring and summer (Hansen et al. 2008; Hvidegaard et al. 2008), and the 2008 aerial survey confirmed that this coast holds only a sparse and scattered breeding population of kitti- wakes. All the important colonies are located at the major coastal polynyas: the Scoresby Sund Polynya (five colo- nies, including the largest East Greenland colony, with 1300 AONs), the Wollaston Forland Polynya (three small colonies, with a maximum of 75 AONs) and the North- east Water Polynya (one colony, with 873 AONs). The remaining three colonies (<50 AONs) are in the northern Dove Bay, which becomes free of ice relatively early. New information (available after the 2008 survey) indicates that more colonies of minor sizes may be found along this remote and inaccessible coast of south-east Greenland: in 2006 about five small colonies with 20–120 AONs (in total ca. 340 AONs) were located between Tasiilaq and Umiivik (A. Rosing-Asvid, pers. comm.). However, even if more colonies remain unknown along this remote and harsh coastline of East Greenland, they are likely to be small and unstable. Trends West Greenland. The size of the Qaanaaq population, in the north, is much larger than the former estimates of 14 000 from 1987 (Kampp 1990). However, the original 1987 estimates were crude because these colonies were visited primarily for monitoring thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia). Moreover, nests at the two largest colonies are located high above sea level (up to ca. 400 m a.s.l.), and Kittiwake population status in GreenlandA.L. Labansen et al. Polar Research 29 2010 391–403 © 2010 the authors, journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd 395 are often dispersed over large cliff areas, which may have caused an underestimation in 1987 (Merkel et al. 2007). Archived photos from 1987 of selected areas indicate that the kittiwakes were at least as plentiful then as today. In one colony (76014) fewer birds were counted in the 2006 photographs (2793 birds in 1987 versus 2484 birds in 2006; 17 colony sections), whereas the opposite was the case in another colony (77002; 659 birds in 1987 versus 733 birds in 2006; six colony sections). In total, the com- parison of 23 colony sections indicates a small popula- tion decline of ca. 7% (Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, unpubl. data). Nearby High-Arctic colonies of kittiwakes in Barrow Strait, Canada, are doing well, and the area has experienced significant increases in the breed- ing population since the 1970s (Mallory et al. 2009). The breeding population of the north-west region, on the other hand, appears to have experienced a substantial decline, indicated by the large number of abandoned colonies (Fig. 1), as well as large reductions in colony sizes (Burnham et al. 2005; Boertmann 2006). The updated figures show a decrease of 39, 79 and 36% in number of AONs in Upernavik, Uummannaq and the Disko Bay area (from Ilulissat to Aasiaat), respectively, compared with previous information (Boertmann et al. 1996). However, it is uncertain when these reductions have occurred because of the limited survey effort in the past (Burnham et al. 2005; Boertmann 2006). The Uum- mannaq area shows the most drastic declines (from 268 000 AONs in 1920 to 1100 AONs in 2000), with large reductions in the number of colonies as well as birds, a decline that may have happened at any time during the past 90 years, given that many colonies had not been surveyed since 1920 (Burnham et al. 2005). However, data from a few larger colonies indicate some reduction by 1949, and a survey in 1984 showed that several large colonies were abandoned by then (Burnham et al. 2005). In the Disko Bay region, and the fjords immediately to the south of the bay, substantial decreases were recorded in 2003. For example, by 2003 the populations in the fjords Arfersiorfik (n = 15 colonies and 3099 AONs in 1954) and Nordre Strømfjord (n = 9 colonies with 715 AONs in 1954) were reduced by 75 and 88%, respectively. Even larger reductions may have taken place in the Disko Bay, but presumed exaggerated survey results in the 1950s preclude sound comparisons (Boertmann 2006). The latest survey (2003) of the Maniitsoq area con- cluded that the breeding population of this key breeding area had been halved since 1977 (Nyeland & Mathæussen 2004), and for some of the larger colonies, this decrease had occurred by the early 1990s (Nyeland 2004). Simi- larly, the breeding population of the surveyed colonies in south Greenland has decreased by 60% since the previ- ous (1970–80s) counts (Boertmann 2004). The south- west and south Greenland regions show a common characteristic. Even though the total number of AONs has decreased, the population is now more dispersed, as several new and small colonies have been established (Boertmann 2004; Nyeland & Mathæussen 2004). Such small colonies are often unstable over time, but this phe- nomenon may give a false impression of a healthy and increasing population (Nyeland & Mathæussen 2004). East Greenland. In 2004 the population in north-east Greenland seemed to have increased considerably (Gilg 2005). This was, however, moderated in 2008, when six of these colonies had decreased from 700 to 302 AONs (see the Appendix). Despite this decrease, the conditions for kittiwakes have probably improved in recent years, because less drift ice has occurred along the coasts in the summer months (Johannessen et al. 2004; Hansen et al. 2008; Hvidegaard et al. 2008). This is underlined by the fact that the boreal lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus) has extended its breeding range to these coasts of Green- land in recent years (Boertmann 2008). Reasons for decline. The exploitation of seabirds in Greenland (hunting and egg collecting) has been a key factor for the decrease in several breeding seabird popu- lations, such as the thick-billed murre and common eider (Somateria mollisima) (Kampp et al. 1994; Merkel 2004), and may also be a contributing factor for the declines in the kittiwake population. Hunters in Greenland are annually obliged to report the number of birds taken each month, and these bag records date back to 1993. During the first year as many as 63 000 birds were reported to have been killed, but this decreased gradually to about 32 000 in 2001 (Government of Greenland, unpubl. hunting statistics 2008). From 2002 the open season was shortened from 16 August–31 May to 1 September–15 February (Government of Greenland 2002), after which the annual harvest declined further, and has stabilized at roughly 8000 birds (Government of Greenland, unpubl. hunting statistics 2008). These figures must be considered as index values because an uncertain number of birds are not reported, however, the pre-2002 records indicate that more than half of the annual catches were from the spring period. Ring recoveries indicate that there was a higher fraction of Greenlandic breeders in the spring catches than in the autumn catches, whereas the autumn catches had a higher fraction of younger birds and of adult breeders from abroad (Lyngs 2003). Thus, the spring harvest may have been more harmful to the Greenlandic breeding population than the autumn harvest, both in terms of direct mortality and from dis- turbances as a result of hunting close to breeding Kittiwake population status in Greenland A.L. Labansen et al. Polar Research 29 2010 391–403 © 2010 the authors, journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd396 colonies. However, a population effect of the reduced hunting season has yet to be observed. So far, the linkage between the population decline and the harvest has not been as clear for kittiwakes as for other seabirds harvested in Greenland (Nyeland 2004). Kittiwakes are pelagic surface feeders, which, parti- cularly in the breeding season, makes them more vulnerable to reduced food availability (Furness & Tasker 2000). In some areas of the North Atlantic, the observed reductions in breeding populations as well as reduced reproductive success of kittiwakes has been connected to limited access to suitable food resources as a result of large-scale shifts in marine ecosystems (Ekker 2008). In Canada, a clear demarcation in population trends and biology between kittiwake colonies in the high Arctic and along the Atlantic coast give a similar picture as in Green- land, of healthy colonies in the High Arctic and colonies with reduced breeding populations further south (Gaston et al. 2009). The colonies in Atlantic Canada have decreased because of changes in feeding regimes (Regehr & Montevecchi 1997; Gaston et al. 2009). Little is known about the diet of kittiwakes in Greenland; however, to our knowledge, severe breeding failure has not been reported from Greenlandic colonies. Future surveys may show if the reduced hunting season will have an effect on the size of the breeding population. Other questions that are vital to address in Greenland include reproduction success, diet, impacts of climate change, etc., data which are also relevant for the management of the population. We therefore strongly recommend that a kittiwake monitoring programme is initiated in Greenland. Acknowledgements We thank the Danish Nature Protection Agency for finan- cial support for the kittiwake surveys in 2005 and 2006 (journal no. 127/001-0192). We are grateful to Birger Knudsen for providing up-to-date kittiwake information from the Paamiut area, and to Kasper Johansen and Morten Bjerrum (National Environmental Research Insti- tute) for GIS support. For safe navigation during the recent ship-based kittiwake surveys, we thank Finn Steffens (2005), Naimmanngitsoq Petersen (2006) and Jens Kjeldsen (2007), and Leif Petersen, Danish Air Survey, was an excellent pilot during the aerial surveys in East Greenland in 2008. 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Pinngortitaleriffik: Greenland Institute of Natural Resources. Regehr H.M. & Montevecchi W.A. 1997. Interactive effects of food shortage and predation on breeding failure of black-legged kittiwakes: indirect effects of fisheries activities and implications for indicator species. Marine Ecology Progress Series 155, 249–260. Sunnanå K. & Fossheim M. 2008. Forvaltningsplan Barentshavet—rapport fra overvåkingsgruppen 2008. (Management plan Barents Sea—report from the monitoring group.) Fisken og Havet Special Issue 1B. Bergen: Institute of Marine Research. Kittiwake population status in Greenland A.L. Labansen et al. Polar Research 29 2010 391–403 © 2010 the authors, journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd398 Appendix Latest count of all registrated breeding colonies of black-legged kittiwakes in Greenland. Based on data from the seabird breeding colony database maintained by the National Environmental Research Institute. In West Greenland, the area name is listed by municipality. In East Greenland the area name is listed by name of site. Area Colony number Date Qualitya Unitb Min pairsc North Qaanaaq 77002 25 July 2006 H P 12 860 Qaanaaq 76014 27 July 2006 H P 18 707 Qaanaaq 76013 28 July 2006 H P 2457 Qaanaaq 76012 29 July 2006 H P 1642 North-west Upernavik 73069 16 July 1998 L I 10 Upernavik 73056 8 July 2007 H N 43 Upernavik 73043 8 July 2007 H N 152 Upernavik 73026 6 July 2007 H N 13 Upernavik 73025 6 July 2007 H N 13 Upernavik 73011 6 July 2007 H N 608 Upernavik 73010 31 July 2002 H I 437 Upernavik 73009 1 August 2002 H I 2186 Upernavik 73008 6 July 2007 H N 219 Upernavik 73007 5 July 2007 H N 0 Upernavik 72151 13 July 1999 H N 2 Upernavik 72140 13 July 1999 H N 2 Upernavik 72137 15 July 1998 H N 16 Upernavik 72096 7 July 1998 H N 26 Upernavik 72092 13 July 1998 L I 20 Upernavik 72083 16 July 1998 L I 65 Upernavik 72078 15 July 1998 H N 57 Upernavik 72047 12 July 1998 M P 0 Upernavik 72038 13 July 1998 L I 65 Upernavik 72037 11 July 2007 H N 0 Upernavik 72036 4 July 1998 H N 8 Upernavik 72035 1 July 2007 H N 130 Upernavik 72034 1 July 2007 H N 12 Upernavik 72033 14 July 1998 L I 7 Upernavik 72032 13 July 1998 H N 9 Upernavik 72031 13 July 1998 L I 39 Upernavik 72027 1 July 2007 H N 48 Upernavik 72026 18 July 1994 M P 0 Upernavik 72025 11 July 2007 M N 104 Upernavik 72024 13 July 1998 M P 0 Upernavik 72023 4 July 1998 M P 0 Upernavik 72022 14 July 2000 M P 0 Upernavik 72020 13 July 1998 H N 0 Upernavik 72018 13 July 1998 H N 192 Upernavik 72017 1 July 2007 H N 3 Upernavik 72016 8 July 1998 M P 0 Upernavik 72014 9 July 2007 H N 994 Upernavik 72013 26 July 1999 H N 83 Upernavik 72011 26 July 1999 H N 145 Upernavik 72009 28 June 2007 H I 465 Upernavik 72008 8 July 2008 H N 0 Upernavik 72005 9 July 1999 H N 57 Uummannaq 72002 10 July 2000 H I 228 Uummannaq 71090 18 July 2000 H N 6 Uummannaq 71087 18 July 2000 H N 80 Uummannaq 71086 18 July 2000 H N 4 Kittiwake population status in GreenlandA.L. 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Polar Research 29 2010 391–403 © 2010 the authors, journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd 399 Appendix Continued Area Colony number Date Qualitya Unitb Min pairsc Uummannaq 71084 18 July 2000 H N 21 Uummannaq 71050 18 July 2000 H N 60 Uummannaq 71026 16 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 71025 16 July 2000 H N 125 Uummannaq 71023 18 July 2000 H N 4 Uummannaq 71015 2 July 2000 M N 180 Uummannaq 71011 13 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 71010 13 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 71009 13 July 2000 H N 2 Uummannaq 71008 13 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 71007 13 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70114 13 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70113 13 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70112 13 July 2000 H N 2 Uummannaq 70111 12 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70109 12 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70106 15 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70101 13 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70099 13 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70098 13 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70097 12 July 2000 M P 0 Uummannaq 70095 12 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70090 12 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70088 12 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70086 8 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70079 8 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70072 8 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70069 8 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70068 8 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70065 8 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70064 12 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70053 15 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70049 15 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70042 7 July 2000 H P 0 Uummannaq 70026 4 July 2000 H N 20 Qeqertarsuaq 70005 3 September 1995 L I 65 Qeqertarsuaq 69116 15 July 2001 H 0 Qeqertarsuaq 69064 22 July 2001 L N 10 Qeqertarsuaq 69063 15 July 2001 H 0 Qeqertarsuaq 69001 11 July 2005 M P 0 Qeqertarsuaq 68012 11 July 2005 L P 0 Ilulissat 69129 7 July 2005 H P 15 Ilulissat 69118 6 July 2005 H P 0 Ilulissat 69103 5 July 2004 M P 0 Ilulissat 69081 6 June 2007 H N 0 Ilulissat 69077 5 July 2005 H N 1 Ilulissat 69049 5 July 2005 M P 2783 Ilulissat 69048 6 July 2005 H N 90 Ilulissat 69046 6 July 2005 H 0 Ilulissat 69045 6 July 2005 H N 42 Ilulissat 69043 6 July 2005 H N 44 Ilulissat 69042 6 July 2005 H 0 Ilulissat 69041 6 July 2005 H N 210 Ilulissat 69040 7 July 2005 H N 18 Ilulissat 69039 7 July 2005 H N 136 Ilulissat 69038 6 July 2005 H P 7072 Kittiwake population status in Greenland A.L. 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Polar Research 29 2010 391–403 © 2010 the authors, journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd400 Appendix Continued Area Colony number Date Qualitya Unitb Min pairsc Ilulissat 69037 6 July 2005 M N 1077 Ilulissat 69036 6 July 2005 H 0 Ilulissat 69035 6 July 2005 M P 800 Ilulissat 69034 6 July 2005 H P 0 Ilulissat 69033 6 July 2005 H P 9514 Ilulissat 69032 7 July 2005 H N 45 Ilulissat 69030 7 July 2005 H N 27 Ilulissat 69028 7 July 2005 H 0 Ilulissat 69027 7 July 2005 H N 111 Ilulissat 69026 7 July 2005 H P 0 Ilulissat 69025 7 July 2005 H 0 Ilulissat 69022 8 July 2005 H I 0 Ilulissat 69020 5 July 2005 H 0 Ilulissat 69019 5 July 2005 H 0 Ilulissat 69018 5 July 2005 H 0 Ilulissat 69017 4 July 2005 H 0 Ilulissat 69016 4 July 2005 H 0 Ilulissat 69015 4 July 2005 H N 49 Ilulissat 69014 4 July 2005 H 0 Ilulissat 69011 5 July 1976 I 0 Ilulissat 69010 5 July 1976 P 0 Ilulissat 69007 6 July 1976 M P 0 Ilulissat 69003 5 July 1976 I 0 Ilulissat 68036 6 July 1976 P 0 Ilulissat 68035 6 July 1976 M P 0 Qasigiannguit 68209 8 July 2005 H I 1 Qasigiannguit 68203 9 July 2005 H N 314 Qasigiannguit 68138 9 July 2005 H N 1 Qasigiannguit 68112 9 July 2005 H N 2 Qasigiannguit 68106 26 June 1976 I 0 Qasigiannguit 68081 23 July 1997 M P 0 Qasigiannguit 68054 21 July 2005 H P 0 Qasigiannguit 68026 8 July 2005 H 0 Qasigiannguit 68025 8 July 2005 H 0 Qasigiannguit 68020 8 July 2005 H P 5 Qasigiannguit 68017 8 July 2005 H P 0 Qasigiannguit 68014 8 July 2005 H 0 Aasiaat 68029 July 2006 M P 0 Kangaatsiaq 68219 12 July 2005 H N 3 Kangaatsiaq 68202 19 July 2005 H N 9 Kangaatsiaq 68159 14 July 2005 H P 85 Kangaatsiaq 68158 14 July 2005 H N 195 Kangaatsiaq 68129 20 July 2005 H P 0 Kangaatsiaq 68123 14 July 2005 H N 84 Kangaatsiaq 68121 19 July 2005 H N 12 Kangaatsiaq 68095 14 July 2005 H P 0 Kangaatsiaq 68094 14 July 2005 H P 0 Kangaatsiaq 68093 14 July 2005 H P 0 Kangaatsiaq 68086 13 July 2005 H P 0 Kangaatsiaq 68085 13 July 2005 H N 59 Kangaatsiaq 68084 13 July 2005 H N 243 Kangaatsiaq 68083 13 July 2005 H N 14 Kangaatsiaq 68082 24 July 1997 M P 0 Kangaatsiaq 68079 21 July 1997 M P 0 Kangaatsiaq 68077 13 July 2005 H N 90 Kangaatsiaq 68072 11 July 1954 M UP 41 Kittiwake population status in GreenlandA.L. 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Polar Research 29 2010 391–403 © 2010 the authors, journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd 401 Appendix Continued Area Colony number Date Qualitya Unitb Min pairsc Kangaatsiaq 68067 20 July 2005 H N 147 Kangaatsiaq 68066 20 July 2005 H 0 Kangaatsiaq 68065 20 July 2005 H P 0 Kangaatsiaq 68061 21 July 2005 H P 0 Kangaatsiaq 68059 21 July 2005 H P 0 Kangaatsiaq 68058 21 July 2005 H P 0 Kangaatsiaq 68055 21 July 2005 H P 0 Kangaatsiaq 67062 19 July 2005 H 0 Kangaatsiaq 67061 12 July 2005 H P 1 Kangaatsiaq 67060 12 July 2005 H 0 Kangaatsiaq 67059 12 July 2005 H 0 Kangaatsiaq 67030 16 July 2006 H N 38 Kangaatsiaq 67027 16 July 2006 H N 5 Kangaatsiaq 67026 16 July 2006 H 0 Kangaatsiaq 67025 16 July 2006 H N 37 Kangaatsiaq 67024 16 July 2006 M P 0 Kangaatsiaq 67011 16 July 2005 H N 2 South-west Sisimiut 67017 16 July 2005 H 0 Sisimiut 67015 16 July 2005 H 0 Sisimiut 67014 16 July 2005 H 0 Sisimiut 66201 28 August 1993 L P 50 Sisimiut 66028 20 July 1975 M 0 Maniitsoq 66044 22 July 2003 N 118 Maniitsoq 66043 22 July 2003 N 23 Maniitsoq 66021 28 June 1992 M P 0 Maniitsoq 66008 22 July 2003 N 10 Maniitsoq 66007 22 July 2003 N 67 Maniitsoq 66005 22 July 2003 N 39 Maniitsoq 66003 22 July 2003 M P 0 Maniitsoq 66002 22 July 2003 N 14 Maniitsoq 66001 21 July 2003 N 502 Maniitsoq 65064 26 July 2003 H N 1205 Maniitsoq 65043 1980 M P 50 Maniitsoq 65036 22 July 2003 N 103 Maniitsoq 65030 22 July 2003 N 43 Maniitsoq 65029 22 July 2003 N 41 Maniitsoq 65028 22 July 2003 N 164 Maniitsoq 65027 22 July 2003 M P 0 Maniitsoq 65026 22 July 2003 N 12 Maniitsoq 65024 22 July 2003 M P 0 Maniitsoq 65023 22 July 2003 N 48 Maniitsoq 65022 22 July 2003 N 20 Maniitsoq 65021 22 July 2003 N 27 Maniitsoq 65019 21 July 2003 H N 11 337 Maniitsoq 65018 21 July 2003 N 34 Maniitsoq 65015 25 July 2003 H N 3930 Maniitsoq 65013 25 July 2003 H N 1730 Maniitsoq 65012 25 July 2003 M P 0 Maniitsoq 65011 25 July 2003 H N 1390 Maniitsoq 65010 25 July 2003 M P 0 Maniitsoq 65009 25 July 2003 H N 3393 Maniitsoq 65008 25 July 2003 H N 715 Maniitsoq 65004 26 July 2003 H N 2400 Maniitsoq 65003 26 July 2003 H N 4770 Maniitsoq 65002 26 July 2003 H N 130 Kittiwake population status in Greenland A.L. 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Polar Research 29 2010 391–403 © 2010 the authors, journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd402 Appendix Continued Area Colony number Date Qualitya Unitb Min pairsc Maniitsoq 65001 26 July 2003 H N 100 Maniitsoq 64200 4 July 1992 H P 6 Nuuk 64035 28 June 2007 H P 48 Nuuk 64023 6 July 1986 M P 0 Nuuk 64022 27 June 2007 M P 276 Nuuk 64019 13 July 2007 M P 302 Nuuk 64018 27 June 2007 M P 217 Nuuk 64016 2 July 2007 0 Nuuk 64015 13 July 2007 M P 62 South Paamiut 62018 26 July 2007 H P 437 Paamiut 62010 22 July 2007 H N 0 Paamiut 62003 22 July 2007 H N 41 Paamiut 62001 26 July 2007 H P 0 Paamiut 61028 26 July 2003 H N 0 Paamiut 61009 26 July 2007 H P 697 Paamiut 61007 July 2003 M P 0 Paamiut 61002 26 July 2003 M N 2120 Qaqortoq 60087 28 July 2003 M N 81 Qaqortoq 60016 28 July 2003 M N 95 Qaqortoq 60012 1 August 1999 M N 12 Narsaq 61040 28 July 2003 M N 33 Narsaq 61039 28 July 2003 M N 22 Narsaq 61038 28 July 2003 M N 110 Narsaq 61010 28 July 2003 L 0 Narsaq 60015 28 July 2003 M N 134 Nanortalik 60044 16 July 2003 H N 32 Nanortalik 60028 16 July 2003 H N 3 Nanortalik 60027 16 July 2003 H N 25 Nanortalik 60001 18 July 2003 H N 5 North-east Mallemukfjeld 80501 July 1993 H N 873 Fugleø 76528 16 August 2003 L I 7 Rødeø 76524 16 August 2003 L I 5 Maroussia 76508 29 July 2008 L N 50 Hvalros Ø 74512 24 July 2008 H N 75 Hvalros Ø 74511 24 July 2008 H N 30 Hvalros Ø 74502 24 July 2008 M N 40 Kangikajik 70508 9 July 2004 H N 1300 Immikkeertikajik 70507 23 July 2004 H N 600 Appalik 70505 23 July 2004 H N 450 Sulussuutikajik 69503 26 July 2008 L N 50 Dunholm 69502 26 July 2008 H N 57 Southeast Umiivik 64501 18 July 1933 Small colony Taateraat 61501 18 June 2008 M I 97 West of Kap Discard 60502 16 June 2008 M I 39 Kangerlussuatsiaq 60501 1 June 2008 L 0 a L, low; M, medium; H, high. b The original unit for which the count number was given. I, individual; N, nest; P, pair. c Number of individuals were converted to number of breeding pairs using a factor of 0.65. Kittiwake population status in GreenlandA.L. Labansen et al. Polar Research 29 2010 391–403 © 2010 the authors, journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd 403