FAUNA AND MARINE BIRD POPULATION NEAR THE SOUTH KAMCHATKA NATURE PARK COAST IN SUMMER SEASON

Abstract

The study was conducted in June – July 2016 and 2021 on the southeastern coast of Kamchatka. Birds on line transects and on routes along the coastline were taken into account from the side of a small vessel (boat) and on a motor boat. We recorded 32 bird species, mainly alcids (34.4% of the species composition), larids (15.6%) and anatids (12.5%). The density of bird distribution in the water area was 25.5 individuals/km2 on average. In terms of numbers, the tubenoses and alcids (42.9% each) occupied the dominant position on the accounting transects remote from the land, and on the routes close to the shore – larids (61.5%) and alcids (23.0%). The total number of birds within the boundaries of the coastal water area of 1 280 km2 is approximately 40 thousand individuals. The basis of the population (about 60%) consists of eight species nesting in this area, each of which has more than 1 000 individuals (mainly tufted puffins and murres). The remaining 40% are species from other regions (short-tailed shearwaters migrating from the southern hemisphere, northern fulmars nesting on the neighboring territories and phalaropes during postnesting migrations).