Население птиц Охотского моря и сопредельных вод Тихого океана и Японского моря в зимне-весенний период 2020 г.

Abstract

The transect surveys were carried out in February–May 2020 from ships during the pollock and herring fisheries in the Sea of Okhotsk. We counted 27.4 thousands of 28 seabird species. In comparison with the results of the previous studies in 2015, the species diversity was higher since the observations covered not only the wintering period but also the beginning of the spring migration; therefore, there were waterfowl returning from the south (sea ducks, loons, cormorants) and some larids and alcids. During the winter period (until mid-April) only 19 seabird species were recorded on the survey transects. In addition, we observed three more species of rare gulls in bird aggregations around vessels during trawling. Due to more difficult ice conditions in 2020, the northern boundary of the distribution of some wintering species (Laysan albatross, short-tailed shearwater, pigeon guillemot, and tufted puffin) was located further south than in 2015.