Movements of Kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla ringed in Norway

Abstract

An analysis of the 556 recoveries of the ca. 58,000 Kittiwakes ringed in Norway since 1914 shows that Norwegian Kittiwakes disperse widely over the North Atlantic, with most recoveries from Newfoundland, Greenland, Iceland, the Faroes, UK, the North Sea and the Bay of Biscay. There are, however, considerable biases in the recovery data due to differential human activity in the various regions. Norwegian Kittiwakes move far from the colony after fledging and many do not return until their third summer. Adults do not move as far as immatures. There is a tendency for birds from northern colonies to winter further north and east than those from southern colonies. © 1997 British Trust for Ornithology.