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Migratory movements poorly known. dispersal from late Aug to early Oct. Some birds over winter in open waters near breeding locations (Pribilofs, Aleutians), but most birds probably move considerable distances S to winter offshore in oceanic waters N Pacific, S as far as Japan (Hokkaido, and irregularly to Honshu) and casually to S California. No winter sightings from the Gulf of Alaska, few from SE Alaska and British Columbia, and regular records from Washington to California; similar exodus from E Bering Sea, Kamchatka and Sea of Okhotsk S and offshore of Kurils to Japan. Most birds return to colonies Apr-May, late May and early Jun at northernmost sits: arrives Commander Is and Aleutians late Apr, St Lawrence I by mid-May, and Bering Strait (N Chukotskiy, Diomede Is, Seward Peninsula) late May to early Jun. Migratory movements and patterns complex, requiring further study; apparently influenced by fluctuations in surface temperatures and salinities.   (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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