4. The
Birds of Kamchatka
The
King of the Air: Steller's Sea Eagle
More than 50 percent of the world's Steller's Sea Eagles (Haliaeetus
pelagicus)
nest on the peninsula.
No other bird in Kamchatka can rival
with Steller's sea eagle in beauty and majesty.
Steller's sea eagle is relict predator inhabits both coasts of the
peninsula.
His unproportionally big beak and monstrous claws can carry deathly
wounds to a deer
or a sheep; however, they are specified to catch and "finish"
salmon.
The
Steller's sea eagle is one of the leaders in Russian ornitofauna
with the stretch of wings
of up to 2,5 meters, and the sizes of his nests are probably incompatible.
In the Kronotsky Zapovednik, an old nest of many years was found
the height of which reached nearly
two meters and the diameter was 3 meters!
Steller's
Eagle discussing whose turn to eat next.
Courtesy: http://www.kamchatkapeninsula.com/
An eagle usually lays two eggs, but only one of the two fledglings
grows up to flap his wings
in the skies. The Steller's sea eagle is very cautious and sensitive
to his "privacy".
Actually Kamchatka is the only place of their residence. The Steller's
sea eagle's
population (there are over 4,000 birds with about a 1,000 nesting
pairs in the peninsula) is
relatively successful and can keep this status unless the human
being starts its "victorious"
march across wild Kamchatka.
Black
brant (Branta nigricans) and the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
In the Nalychevsky nature park, one of the three regional nature
parks, in the Nalycheva River
valley, sorrounded by the Zupanovsky, Koryaksky, Avachinsky and
Dzenzur volcanoes,
rare species include the black brant (Branta
nigricans),
Steller's eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus),
white-tailed sea eagles,gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) ,peregrine
falcon (Falco peregrinus)
and the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos).
Out on the Commander Islands, about sixty bird species
nest, and approximately one hundred
more use the islands as stopovers on their migratory routes.
Of notes is the intermingling of American and Euroasian species,
and the high overall bird
populations.
Cormorants
Whooper swan, Cygnus cygnus
Bewick's
swan, Cygnus bewickii
Photo:
© Kondratsjev A. Jakovievisj and © Arbusov E. Valentinovisj
All
pictures from "Endangered Animals of Russia: from knowledge
to action (www.nature.ok.ru)"
Bewick's swan, Cygnus bewickii
more text to come
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gyrfalcon,
Falco rusticolus
Gyrfalcon, Falco rusticolus
click here
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Peregrine
falcon, Falco peregrinus
Photo: © Tom Holden
Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus
A large robust falcon with tapered tail and long, angular
wings, found on both coastal and
inland cliffs. Adults have slate-grey upper parts with paler rump
and delicately barred tail.
Peregrines swoop on their prey of pigeons, seabirds and grouse from
height at
speeds of 150 - 250 Km/h!
Nordmann's
greenshank, Tringa guttifer
Photo from Shiokawa
Tidalflat Preservation Association
Nordmann's greenshank, Tringa guttifer
This species has a very small, declining population
as a result of the development of coastal
wetlands throughout its range, principally for industry, infrastructure
projects and aquaculture.
It therefore qualifies as Endangered.
Identification: 29-32 cm. Medium-sized sandpiper with slightly upturned,
bicoloured bill and
shortish yellow legs. Breeding adults are boldly marked, with whitish
spots and spangling on
blackish upperside, heavily streaked head and upper neck, broad
blackish crescentic spots
on lower neck and breast and darker lores. In flight, shows all-white
uppertail-coverts and
rather uniform greyish tail. Toes do not extend beyond tail tip.
Juvenile is browner above
than non-breeding adult, has whitish notching on scapular and tertial
fringes, pale buff
wing-covert fringes and faintly brown-washed breast with faint dark
streaks at sides.
Text above from www.birdlife.net
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Spoon
billed sandpiper, Eurynorhynchus
pygmeus/Calidris
pygmeus
Photo by: PIPAT SUTHIWISADESAK
Spoon
billed sandpiper, Eurynorhynchus pygmeus/Calidris
pygmeus
© Photo: C. Zöckler, Chukotka, 2000 and © Photo:
Chris Schenk 2000
Spoon billed sandpiper, Eurynorhynchus
pygmeus
click
here
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Aleutian
tern, Sterna kamtschatica
© www.nature.ok.ru
Aleutian tern, Sterna kamtschatica
more
text here
Osprey,
Pandion haliaeetus
Photo: © Lubis Arunas,
© Kaso Vladimir Nikolaevisj and © Jakusjkin Vladislav
Timofeevitsj
All pictures from "Endangered Animals of Russia:
from knowledge to action (www.nature.ok.ru)"
mere
tekst her
White-tailed
sea eagle, Haliaeetus albicilla
Photo: © Khabrij W.
Mikhajlovitsj
Picture
from "Endangered Animals of Russia: from knowledge to action
(www.nature.ok.ru)"
White-tailed
sea eagle, Haliaeetus albicilla
more
text here
Long-billed murrelets,
Brachyramphus perdix
A picture of the Long-billed murrelets was not
easy to find, so thanks to
Jay and © Kevin J. McGowan.
Long-billed murrelets, Brachyramphus perdix
more text to come
Slaty-backed
gull, Larus schistisagus
© www.muratasystem.or.jp/~rausu/ (not
valid as per Sept 2010)
Slaty-backed gull, Larus schistisagus
more text to come
Murres,
Uria aagle, Uria lomvia
Dickschnabellumme 
Guillemot de Brünnich
Photo © Ian Francis from wildlifeweb.co.uk
and © Hallvard Strøm, Norsk Polarinstitut
Murres,
Uria aagle, Uria lomvia
more text
to come
Tufted
puffins, Fratercula cirrhata
Photo: Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, USGS
Tufted puffin, Fratercula cirrhata
text to come
Pelagic
cormorants, Phalacrocorax pelagicus
Photo: © filin.km.ru
and © Lasse J. Laine
Pelagic cormorant, Phalacrocorax pelagicus
See also Cormorants here at www.vulkaner.no
and the Spectacled Cormorant at www.vulkaner.no
more text to come
Yellow-billed
loon, Gavia adamsii
Photo:
© Solovev M. Jurevisj, © Solovev
M. Jurevisj and © Tomkoritsj
P. Stanislavovitsj
All pictures from "Endangered Animals of
Russia: from knowledge to action (www.nature.ok.ru)"
Yellow-billed loon, Gavia adamsii
text to follow
Lesser
white-fronted goose, Anser erythropus
Photo:
© Kretsjmar A. Vasilevitsj and © Ovsjaikov
I. Gordeevitsj
All pictures from "Endangered Animals of
Russia: from knowledge to action (www.nature.ok.ru)"
Lesser white-fronted goose, Anser erythropus
more text to come
Emperor
goose, Anser canagicus
Photo: P.
Tomkovich, Arctic Bird Library
Emperor goose, Anser canagicus
Native to north-west Alaska and north-eastern Siberia,
these beautiful birds are often raised
by aviculturalists. Sexes are marked the same but the females are
slightly smaller.
They breed along the coast where they feed mostly on seaweeds, plus
some small marine
animal life. Incubation of the 3—8 cream-colored eggs takes
24—25 days.
The grey goslings are fully feather within 3 weeks.
After breeding season, the birds move to the tundra, where they
survive on grasses and berries.
More pictures here: www.feathersite.com
Aleutan
Canadian geese, Branta minima leucopareia or Branta canadensis
leucopareia?
Aleutan
Canadian goose, Branta minima leucopareia
Small goose with gray breast, black neck and front
of head, white cheek patches that don't
meet under the throat, and large white neck band; male and female
are marked the same
Most of the population today is limited to wildlife refuges
Nest Site in grass near water on a rise; nest guarded by male and
female prior to setting,
by male after setting begins
1750 First known introduction of foxes onto Aleutian Islands
was supposedly made to
make their capture easier and their escape less likely because of
the water barrier
surrounding the island.
1750-1936 Arctic foxes and red
foxes were introduced to at least 190 islands within the
breeding range of the Aleutian Canada goose in Alaska.
1811 First complaints were received from Aleut Natives that
foxes had caused severe declines
in birds that had once been numerous.
1938-1962 Aleutian Canada geese were not found on any of
the islands where they historically
nested and were thought to be extinct.
1963 Fish and Wildlife Service biologists found a remnant
population on remote Buldir Island in
the western Aleutian Islands. The population was estimated at between
200 and 300 birds.
1999
The population exceeded 30,000 geese, over four times the original
goal for delisting.
Above history from "Road to Recovery for
the Aleutian Canada Goose"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bald
eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Photo: Patuxent
Wildlife Research Center, USGS
Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus
click
here
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Spectacled
cormorant, Phalacrocorax perspicillatus
Spectacled cormorant, Phalacrocorax
perspicillatus
click
here
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Rock
Ptarmigan,summer
Photo:
© 1999, Masashi
Koizumi
Rock
Ptarmigan, winter
Photo: Karen
Bollinger/USFWS
Rock Ptarmigan, Lagopus mutus
The adult rock ptarmigan is a medium sized, stocky,
round-winged Arctic bird that stands about
15 inches tall and looks like a small grouse or pheasant. The female
Rock Ptarmigan is slightly
smaller than males. In the winter they are pure white except for
their black eyes, black bill and
a black stripe between the eyes and bill that is present in both
sexes all year. Both the male
and female ptarmigan have stripes with brown and black markings
in summer with a white belly
and wings. Their square shaped tail and beak are black. Also the
male has a red comb over its
eyes. Males and some females have black eyeliner. Birders distinguish
the Rock Ptarmigan from
the plumage of the White-tailed Ptarmigan by its black, not white,
tail. Male Willow Ptarmigans
have a redder plumage.
The adult ptarmigans prefer vegetables in summer eating a mix of
different plant materials like
blueberries, horse tail tips, crow berries, mountain plants of the
rose family and the heads of
sedges. Winter food consists mostly of buds and catkins of small
birch, and some willow buds
and twigs. The immature ptarmigans feed heavily on insects, spiders,
and snails.
The birds build their nest on the ground in a shallow scraped out
hole by a bare rocky outcrop.
They line the nest with some feathers and plant material. Because
they need some overhead
protection from flying predators they place the nest near a large
rock.
Text
above from Arctic Wildlife, By Fred J. Kane
more to follow
Text and pictures on this page: Courtesy:
http://www.kamchatka.org.ru
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