Species fact sheet by Global Register of Migratory Species - www.groms.de

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Most northerly of Atlantic auks. Mobile, undertaking migrations of substantial length. Abandons colonies end Aug. In winter, commonest in W Atlantic on S Grand Banks and shelf edge E of Nova Scotia, but scarce farther S, with distribution limits in E Atlantic less well defined. Two principal migratory patterns known: NW Greenland birds winter off Newfoundland; many from European Arctic winter off SW & (less frequently) SE Greenland, with massive westerly movement past NW Russia in Oct and return in Apr, presumably of birds from Novaya Zemlya, possibly from Severnaya Zemlya. Unlike others,, Franz Josef Land birds appear to winter in BE Barents Sea, close to the breeding archipelago.   (del Hoyo J, Elliott A, Sargatal J (eds), 1996)

• digitised by GROMS, after del Hoyo J A Elliott; J Sargatal (eds) (1996) - www.hbw.com,
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