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Autumn migration and wintering of northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) from the Canadian high Arctic

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Abstract

Five northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) were tracked by satellite transmitters from their breeding colony in the Canadian high Arctic (Cape Vera, Devon Island, NT) to their wintering grounds in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. In both 2004 and 2005, fulmars left northern Baffin Bay in mid- to late September, and migrated south to Davis Strait in less than 1 week, after which movements were erratic. In October and November, the birds were widely distributed, but by December through March, they tended to remain in the Labrador Sea between 50 and 55°N. Average flight speed was 35 km/h with a maximum of 64 km/h, and over their entire transmission periods, the five traveled on average 84 km/day. Our work suggests that the North Atlantic northern fulmar population may be panmictic in winter, with the Labrador Sea as a key wintering site for fulmars from high Arctic Canada.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the many students and collaborators who made the Cape Vera project possible in 2004–2005. Collections were in accordance with Canadian Council on Animal Care guidelines, and were conducted under the following permits: research (NUN-SCI-03-02, WL000190, WL000714), animal care (2003PNR017, 2004PNR021, 2005PNR021), and land use (59A/7-2-2). This work would not have been possible without the financial and logistic support provided by Environment Canada (CWS, NEI), Natural Resources Canada (PCSP), the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board (NWRT), and Carleton University.

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Correspondence to Mark L. Mallory.

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Mallory, M.L., Akearok, J.A., Edwards, D.B. et al. Autumn migration and wintering of northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) from the Canadian high Arctic. Polar Biol 31, 745–750 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-008-0417-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-008-0417-0

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