Vincent van der Spek

An exclusively marine, medium-sized seabird, occupying rocky cliffs along sea coasts and offshore islands in the breeding season (Gaston & Hipfner 2020). A high-arctic species with circumpolar distribution but, in Europe, only found in Iceland, Norway and Russia (Keller et al. 2020). An oceanic migrant with high-latitude populations (Svalbard) undertaking the longest migrations, while those from more S locations (Iceland, N Norway) move less far, or disperse locally. Although its population trend in Europe is unknown (BirdLife International 2021), rapid population declines have been recorded in the N Atlantic (Frederiksen et al. 2019, Gardarsson et al. 2019).

Season of assessment

B

Population trendDecreasing
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		3410000-4560000,3950000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Brünnich's Guillemot

Movements are NE-SW with the European population migrating to several well-defined regions in the N Atlantic (Frederiksen et al. 2012). Birds breeding in Iceland are encountered wintering in SW Greenland and Newfoundland, N America. N Norwegian breeders are in Iceland, SW Greenland and Newfoundland in winter, but some overwinter locally in the Barents Sea (Steen et al. 2013). The high-arctic population in Svalbard (incl. Bear Is) also moves SW to its wintering grounds in (mainly) SW Greenland, Iceland and Newfoundland; a few birds are found in SW Norway during autumn and winter. Intercolony movements are recorded between Iceland and Norway (Bear Is and Finnmark county), and Iceland and SW Greenland. In Europe the wintering range extends S to the N North Sea (Gaston & Hipfner 2020).

Recoveries by Condition for Brünnich's Guillemot

Although currently hunted legally in Iceland and Greenland, Brünnich's Guillemot is a protected species in most of Europe, although they are vulnerable to by-catch in fishing nets. Most recoveries are after 2010 and are primarily during the breeding season (92% Jun-Jul; mainly adults and 'after 1st year' birds). About 98% of all recoveries are outside the main European regions; with 2% in N & NW Europe. There are very few pre-1961 encounters. The majority of records (81%) from 1961-90 are of dead birds, including 'shot/hunted' (73%; mainly from Greenland, Iceland & Newfoundland), but this fell to just 4% after 1990. The percentage of recoveries of live birds has increased considerably from 13% in 1961-90 to 93% since 1991 (mostly due to recaptures by ringers). 

Annual Movements for Brünnich's Guillemot

Post-breeding dispersal movements start Jul-Aug. The Svalbard population (incl. Bear Is) reaches the wintering grounds in SW Greenland as early as Sep-Oct, mostly in Nov and through to Mar, although wintering sites in Iceland are left as late as Apr. Birds breeding in N Norway overwinter in the N Atlantic Nov-Feb. N Icelandic breeders moult (Aug-Sep) off the coasts of E & SW Greenland and mainly winter in the coastal waters of SW & E Greenland, although some winter locally (Linnebjerg et al. 2018). It is most abundant during Oct-Mar in a recently discovered, major hotspot in the N Atlantic, S of Greenland, which very important for millions of seabirds of 21 species (Davies et al. 2021). Spring migration takes place Mar-May, with the occupation of breeding sites being dependent on retreating sea ice (Noskov et al. 2016).

Connectivity by Month by Region for Brünnich's Guillemot

Breeding sites are usually left mid- to late summer. The breeders from the Svalbard archipelago overwinter in Iceland, Newfoundland and, especially, SW Greenland, where they are present between (early) mid-autumn and early to mid- spring; immatures normally arrive earlier than adults (Bakken & Mehlum 2005). Birds breeding in N Norway are encountered in the same regions (Iceland, SW Greenland and Newfoundland) between late autumn and late winter. Icelandic breeders overwinter in SW Greenland and Newfoundland from mid-autumn to early spring. SW Greenland is also an important wintering area for the birds breeding in NW Russia (Kampp 1988, Noskov et al. 2016).

The species is most numerous among the seabirds wintering in SW Greenland (Boertmann et al. 2004). Strong migratory connectivity is found across the NE Atlantic (Merkel et al. 2021). Return movements take place from early to late spring, sometimes early summer.

Boris Nikolov

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
2020 . European Breeding Bird Atlas 2: Distribution, Abundance and Change. European Bird Census Council & Lynx Edicions, BarcelonaEditor(s): Keller, V., S. Herrando, P. Voříšek, et al.
Bakken, V., Mehlum, F. 2005 . Wintering Areas and Recovery Rates of Brünnich’s Guillemots Uria lomvia Ringed in the Svalbard Archipelago. Arctic 58: 268–275
BirdLife International2021 . Species factsheet: Uria lomvia. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/10/2021.
Boertmann, D., Lyngs, P., Merkel, F., Mosbech, A.2004 . The significance of Southwest Greenland as winter quarters for seabirds. Bird Conservation International 14: 87–112
Davies, T. E., Carneiro, A. P. B., Tarzia, M., et al. 2021 . Multispecies tracking reveals a major seabird hotspot in the North Atlantic. Conservation Letters article no.: e12824
Frederiksen, M., Linnebjerg, J. F., Merkel, F. R., Wilhelm, S. I., & Robertson, G. J. 2019 . Quantifying the relative impact of hunting and oiling on Brünnich’s guillemots in the North-west Atlantic. Polar Research
Frederiksen, M., Moe, B., Daunt, F., Phillips, R.A., Barrett, R.T., Bogdanova, M.I., Boulinier, T., Chardine, J.W., Chastel, O., Chivers, L.S., Christensen-Dalsgaard, S., Clément-Chastel, C., Colhoun, K., Freeman, R., Gaston, A.J., González-Solís, J et al2012 . Multicolony tracking reveals the winter distribution of a pelagic seabird on an ocean basin scale. Divers. Distrib. 18: 530–542
Gardarsson, A., Gudmundsson, G. A., Lilliendahl, K. 2019 . Svartfugl í íslenskum fuglabjörgum 2006-2008. Bliki 33: 35–46
Gaston, A. J., Hipfner, J. M.2020 . Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia), version 1.0. In Birds of the World Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.thbmur.01) Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA
Kampp, K.1988 . Migration and winter ranges of Brtinnich's Guillemots Uria lomvia breeding or occurring in Greenland. Dansk Om. Foren. Tidsskr. 82: 117–130
Linnebjerg, J.F., Frederiksen, M., Kolbeinsson, Y., Snaethórsson, A. Ö., Thórisson, B., Thórarinsson, T. L. 2018 . Non-breeding areas of three sympatric auk species breeding in three Icelandic colonies. Polar Biology 41: 1951–1961
Merkel, B., Descamps, S., Yoccoz, N.G., Grémillet, D., Fauchald, P., Danielsen, J., Daunt, F., Erikstad, K.E., Ezhov, A.V., Harris, M.P., Gavrilo, M., Lorentsen, S.H., Reiertsen, T.K., Systad, G.H, Thórarinsson, T. L., Wanless, S., Strøm, H. 2021 . Strong migratory connectivity across meta-populations of sympatric North Atlantic seabirds. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13580)
Noskov, G. A., Rymkevich, T. A., Gaginskaya, A. R. 2016 . Migration of Birds on Northwest Russia. Non-Passerines. ANO LA “Professional”, Saint Petersburg
Steen, H., Lorentzen,E., Strøm, H. 2013 . Winter distribution of guillemots (Uria spp.) in the Barents Sea. Report series no. 141. Norwegian Polar Institute.

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