Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Svalbard and Jan Mayen are remote Norwegian Arctic territories separated by more than 1,000 km of ocean. Svalbard is a mountainous archipelago north of mainland Norway, dominated by glaciers, barren rock, tundra and deeply indented fjords, with extensive sea ice during part of the year. Jan Mayen is an isolated volcanic island centred on the active Beerenberg volcano and largely covered by rugged lava terrain and glaciers. Both have severe Arctic climates, although ocean currents moderate coastal temperatures. Vegetation is sparse and treeless, consisting mainly of tundra plants, mosses and lichens.
Overview
The region offers exceptional High Arctic seabird and tundra birding. Svalbard supports huge colonies of Little Auks, Brünnich's Guillemots, Black Guillemots and Northern Fulmars, while tundra and wetlands hold Red Phalarope, Purple Sandpiper, Barnacle Goose and Pink-footed Goose. Ivory Gull is among the most sought-after Arctic specialties, though scarce and difficult to find. Boat trips also provide opportunities for Atlantic Puffin, skuas and other pelagic species. Longyearbyen and nearby areas are relatively accessible in summer, but exploring farther afield generally requires organised boat expeditions; polar bear risk makes independent travel outside settlements hazardous and subject to strict precautions. Jan Mayen is dramatically less accessible, with no conventional tourism infrastructure and highly restricted opportunities to visit. For birders, Svalbard is the practical destination and one of Europe's finest locations for High Arctic birdlife and seabird colonies.
Top 10 target species
| Species | Annual frequency | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus | 48.9% | 14.7% | 54.2% | 56.0% | 73.6% | 70.6% | 63.4% | 60.4% | 57.4% | 51.0% | 60.4% | 25.0% | 0.0% |
| Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla | 40.5% | 8.8% | 33.3% | 4.2% | 26.9% | 73.9% | 75.0% | 76.1% | 70.9% | 66.7% | 50.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis | 40.3% | 13.3% | 43.8% | 32.1% | 28.3% | 71.3% | 64.8% | 66.2% | 72.4% | 59.6% | 6.3% | 25.0% | 0.0% |
| Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle | 37.6% | 14.0% | 35.4% | 49.4% | 48.8% | 55.6% | 64.4% | 62.5% | 50.3% | 17.3% | 28.6% | 25.0% | 0.0% |
| Common Eider Somateria mollissima | 27.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 20.2% | 36.2% | 50.6% | 58.7% | 50.5% | 32.1% | 22.6% | 34.9% | 25.0% | 0.0% |
| Thick-billed Murre Uria lomvia | 21.3% | 1.5% | 12.5% | 4.2% | 24.8% | 53.4% | 55.8% | 53.3% | 23.7% | 14.5% | 11.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis | 18.9% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 37.1% | 39.3% | 44.8% | 40.7% | 21.9% | 17.5% | 0.0% | 25.0% | 0.0% |
| Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima | 16.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 16.4% | 37.1% | 30.0% | 34.8% | 33.3% | 49.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea | 16.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.8% | 3.2% | 52.4% | 55.8% | 56.5% | 27.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Dovekie Alle alle | 15.5% | 0.0% | 2.1% | 12.5% | 21.9% | 40.1% | 39.7% | 38.8% | 17.5% | 7.2% | 6.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |