Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 08/03/2011 - 15:43
Forums
High Arctic Change 2011

I have a question about the kittiwake birds Mark Goldner visited. They nest off a giant cliff. Do other birds in the artic do that. If so, what are some of them?

Thu, 08/04/2011 - 04:08

Mark Goldner

Great question, Sami! Many other birds nest in cliffs. I'm not enough of a bird expert to know which ones do, but we saw a few Fullmars nesting in the same area as the Kittiwakes. Many birds here nest in the ground - Arctic Geese and Arctic Terns, for example. In fact, the Terns are so protective of their eggs and chicks who hang out in the ground (which makes them vulnerable to predators) that they literally attack people as we walk by. There are a bunch of Tern nests right here in Ny Ålesund, and when we walk by we need to wave our arms or hold up a stick - otherwise they might peck our heads!