A 16-year record of summer birds on Truelove Lowland, Devon Island, Northwest Territories, Canada

Abstract

Some 43 species were seen; 18 species bred regularly on or immediately adjacent to the lowland and 10 were occasional breeders. Extensions of the breeding range of Pacific loon Gavia pacifica, purple sandpiper Calidris maritima, wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe and water pipit Anthus spinoletta to Devon Island are reported. It is suspected that hoary redpoll Carduelis hornemanni and red knot Calidris canutus also nested there once each. Synchronous fluctuations in snow bunting Plectrophenax nivalis and lapland longspur Calcarius lapponicus populations were observed. A possible replacement of black-bellied plover Pluvialis squatarola by lesser golden plover P. dominica was detected. An abrupt disappearance of all colonies of breeding arctic tern Sterna paradisaea from the lowland was seen in 1989. -from Author