THE DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF SEABIRDS OFF SOUTHWESTERN GREENLANDIN AUTUMN AND WINTER 1988-1989

Ship-based surveys of seabirds were carried out off southwestern Green land in the autumn of 1988 and winter of 1989. The results provide the first quantitative information on seabird distribution and numbers fo r single seasons and estimates for one particular area in winter. Some oceanographic habitat characteristics important for seabird distribut ion are described. In winter, high numbers of king elders Somateriaspe ctabilis, Brunnich's guillemots Urialomvia, glaucous gulls Larushyperb oreus, Iceland gulls Larusglaucoides, great black-backed gulls Larusma rinus and black guillemots Cepphusgrylle were found in offshore habita ts with heavy ice cover. An estimated 280,000 king eiders, 170,000 Bru nnich's guillemots, 2.500 glaucous gulls, 7,000 Iceland gulls, 9,500 g reat black-backed gulls and 25,000 black guillemots were found in wint er in an area west of Nuuk.