Ynglende havfugle i Vestgrønland, 2009-2011. Technical Report No. 86

In order to map breeding common eider Somateria mollissima and to assess the possibilities to establish a local based monitoring programme in 
South West Greenland, a survey was carried out in the archipelago from 
Kitsissut (Kookøerne) west of Nuuk extending 80 km north of Nuuk during June 2009 (Rasmussen 2010). This survey was followed up by a survey of common eiders from Kitsissut to Qeqertarsuatsiaat (Fiskenæsset) 
south of Nuuk in 2010 and to Kuanersoq (Kvanefjord) south of Paamiut 
in 2011. All species of breeding and staging water birds were registered 
and most of the previously known colonies of seabirds found the area 
were visited all along. The surveys provided a much needed update of 
current knowledge about the distribution of breeding birds in Southwest 
Greenland, in one of the least studied areas. This knowledge is important 
particular with an impact assessment of potential oil spills from shipping 
or oil exploration.
This report summarizes the results from surveys in 2009, 2010 and 2011. 
Finally recommendations for a monitoring programme on common eiders are proposed. 
The survey was conducted by the GINR (Greenland Institute of Natural 
Resources) in cooperation with APPN (Agency for Fisheries, Hunting 
and Agriculture), which provided boats with crew for most of the survey. 
In the survey area north of Nuuk, including Kitsissut, 950 pairs of eider 
were found in 2009. At some 7 revisited sites the breeding numbers increased by 95% from 2009 to 2010. In 2011, when the breeding season 
was much delayed by a wet snowy winter and a late spring, the number 
of breeding eiders in these decreased compared to 2010, but to a level 
above 2009. In total of 3,000 pairs of common eider were estimated to 
breed in this area. Surveys of the same area using other methods in 1992 
and 1999 found about 100 pairs of common eider. Despite incomparable 
methods, breeding numbers have probably increased significantly.
Between Kitsissut and Qeqertarsuatsiaat 43 colonies with 1,832 pairs 
were found. It is estimated that 2,100-2,500 pairs of eider were breeding 
here. From Qeqertarsuatsiaat to Kuanersoq another 13 colonies with 428 
pairs of eiders were found in 2011 and the breeding number was estimated at 500-500 pairs. The 2010 survey found several colonies with 
more than 100 pairs that were previously unknown. The discovery of a 
few large colonies in fjords shows that important breeding sites can be 
found in places that were not previously surveyed. 
The total number of breeding common eiders from Niaqunngunaq in the 
north to Kuanersoq in the south was estimated to 5,900 to 6,700 pairs. A 
potentially important moulting area for common eider was found in two 
areas just north of the fjord Sermilik about 70 km south of Nuuk. These 
areas should be surveyed in July/August, when moulting numbers are 
peaking. 
Following other breeding species should be highlighted: Canada goose 
was found breeding throughout the area. A total of 66 pairs were found 
nesting. Lesser black-backed gull that established a Greenlandic breeding population in the 1990ies (Boertmann 2008) was found breeding in 69 
colonies holding 401 pairs in the surveyed area. 
An unknown colony of thick-billed murre (UK: Brünnich's Guillemot) 
with 84 (2010) and 385 individuals (2011) was found on a small island 
Kingittoq, which was already known as a seabird breeding site. This is 
the first new colony of this species to be found in Greenland since the 
1970ies. 
In 2009, 58 pairs of common skua were found breeding west of Akia and 
additionally 52 pairs were found south of Nuuk. This is probably the 
largest concentration of breeding common skua in Greenland.
It is recommended to monitor the number of breeding eiders in selected 
areas between Akia and Kangerluarsunnguaq (Buksefjord) through a local based monitoring programme 2011 implementing methods used in 
this survey and in Northwest Greenland (Merkel & Nielsen 2002). Annual monitoring allows to detect fluctuations and to closely monitor the 
population dynamics.