Náttúrufræðingurinn - 1980, Page 174

— 1970. Áratog (þættir úr atvinnusögu
Breiðfirðinga). Prentsmiðjan Leiftur HF.
Reykjavík. 302 bls.
— 1977. Bréf og bögglar. Forlag Þórhalls
Bjarnasonar. 247 bls.
Stjórnartíðindi B nr. 395/1975.
Sœmundsson. Bjarni. 1932. Spendýrin
(Mammalia Islandiae). viii + 437 bls.
SUMM ARY
The breeding birds of Flatey and
some adjoining islets, in
Breidafjördur, NW. Iceland
bv Aevar Petersen,
Museum of Natural History P. 0. Box 5320,
125 Revkjavík, Iceland.
The bay of Breidafjördur (approx. size
110 by 60 km) is dotted with small islands,
thought to be some 2000—3000 in number.
Flatey is historically the most well-known of
these islands, and one of the largest, even
though its area is only 0.5 km2. Fig. 1 shows
the location of Flatey, and the other islands
dealt with in the present paper.
Seabirds have for centuries formed an
integral part of people’s subsistence in these
islands (Olafssen & Povelsen 1 772, Skulason
1970). The Breidafjördur holds a substantial
part of many seabird species which nest in
Iceland, of some the majority of the Ice-
landic breeding population.
The present paper deals only with those
species which are known to have nested in
the study area. A part of this area is now a
reserve bv law (Stjornartidindi B no. 395/-
1975). The bulk of the paper is an annotated
list. containing notes on past and present
status, distribution, etc. These data were
collected during 1974—1978, dealing with
the species mainly in the period April to
August. Information from outside this
period was provided by H. Gudmundsson of
Flatey. He also supplied information on past
status (from 1965 onwards), as did S.
Gunnlaugsson (from c. 1900—1930), and J.
Bogason (c. 1930—1965), former inhabit-
ants of Flatey. I have also used data by
Richard Hörring (unpublished diary in
Museum) from 1908, and the diary of F.
Gudmundsson frorn 1942.
List of breeding species
Information on estimated population
sizes for Flatey specifically, is contained in
Table III. The reader is asked to refer to that
along with the text.
Red-throated Diver (Gccvia stellata): One
pair nested annually until c. 1910, none
since.
Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis): No records of
nesting until 1975. An expanding species,
now nesting at one area only, on Flatey it-
self.
Grey-lag Goose (Anser anser): Most com-
mon in pre- and post-nesting periods. Never
recorded nesting on Flatey itself, but one
pair during 1973—1975 in another part of
the study area.
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos): Several pairs
nest annually, mainly on Flatey. No appar-
ent changes in numbers since the early part
of the present century.
Teal (Anas crecca): One to three pairs
nesting every year on Flatey only.
Fúder (Somaleria mollissima): Common
breeding species in most islands and of great
economic importance in form of Eider down
(see Table I). Start visiting potential nest—
sites around 10. May. First eggs found
10. —19. May (data from 1975—1977). First
young seen at sea around 10. June. By
beginning of July most males had moved
away from the islands and started moult.
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator):
Possibly one breeding pair in the area each
year.
Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus):
Usually around 10 nesting pairs annually.
Nests have been found in most of the bigger
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