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

References

  1. ^ "Bird Species in Svalbard". Birding Svalbard.
  2. ^ "Exotic and Introduced Species in eBird". Help Center.
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