Zeevogels op diep water van de Atlantische Oceaan: de invloed van windrichting op de soortsamenstelling in een klein gebied

In this paper an account is given of the birds seen between 29 March and 16 April 1984 at a location in the Atlantic. about 5 00 miles USU of Land’s End. This location is well off the continental shelf (figure 1), and the water depth is 4000-4800 m. Since only a few birds were seen per day, no attempt was made to estimate bird densities. Instead, all birds seen were noted and the species composition is considered here. During the first week, the Kittiwake was the dominant species. Later, when the wind changed from westerlies to easterlies, other species appeared, most notably Lesser Black-backed Gulls and skuas (tables 1 and 3). It is argued that these relatively coastal species were displaced by the wind (probably by the westerlies as well as by the easterlies) during their northward migration.