BIRDS OBSERVED IN THE ARCTIC-OCEAN TO THE NORTH-POLE

Bird sightings made in the high Arctic Ocean during a cruise to the No rth Pole from 18-24 July 1994 on board the Russian ice breaker Kapitan Dranitsyn are presented. Twenty-eight sightings of 6 species were mad e north of 83 degrees N, 13 sightings of 5 species north of 87 degrees N, and 7 sightings of 3 species above 89 degrees N. The most common s pecies were the Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), Ross's Gull (Rhodostethia rosea), and Ivory Gull (Pagophila eburnea), followed by the Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis). No landbirds were seen. A r eview of the literature on bird sightings at high latitudes in the Arc tic Ocean, including observations made during a similar cruise in 1993 by Parmelee and Parmelee, reveals that a total of 29 species have bee n recorded during a number of expeditions. In addition to the 4 specie s above, these include 3 geese, 2 ducks, 1 plover, 1 sandpiper, 1 phal arope, 3 jaegers, 4 gulls, 1 tern, 4 alcids, and 5 species of passerin es (1 wheatear, 1 wagtail, and 3 buntings).