BIRDS OF BYLOT ISLAND AND ADJACENT BAFFIN-ISLAND, NORTHWEST-TERRITORIES, CANADA, 1979 TO 1997

Observations of birds in the Bylot Island region from 1979 to 1997, wi th emphasis on the southwest part of the island each summer since 1989 , revealed an avifauna composed of 63 species, of which 35 were breedi ng. Thirteen species are new records for the region, including one for the Northwest Territories (black-headed gull Larus ridibundus) and tw o for the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (killdeer Charadrius vociferus; mew gull Larus canus). Two species, Canada goose (Branta canadensis) a nd red knot (Calidris canutus), were also confirmed as breeders for th e first time in the region. A summary of these avifaunal observations, along with a review of previous observations made in the region, allo ws changes in population size and status of individual species to be i dentified. These records combined with those from earlier studies give a total of 74 species for the Bylot Island region, 45 confirmed as br eeders. This makes the avian community in the area one of the most div erse known north of 70 degrees N latitude in the Canadian Arctic Archi pelago.