Kongsfjorden Bird Sanctuary
Facts and practical information
Kongsfjorden Bird Sanctuary is a 140 ha bird reserve at Svalbard, Norway, established in 1973. It includes islands and islets in Kongsfjorden, Haakon VII Land. It lies at the inner end of the fjord and consists of about ten islands, mainly covered with grassy vegetation and having small freshwater ponds. The fjord is surrounded by steep mountains, cliffs, glaciers and tundra. The reserve has been recognised as a wetland of international importance by designation under the Ramsar Convention. It has also been identified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International. It supports breeding populations of pink-footed and barnacle geese, common and king eiders, long-tailed ducks, purple sandpipers, red phalaropes, glaucous gulls, long-tailed jaegers and snow buntings. Ivory gulls have been recorded. ()
Svalbard
Best Ways to Experience the Park
Wildlife
AnimalsSee what popular animal species you can meet in this location.
Long-tailed duck
The long-tailed duck, once known in North America as the oldsquaw, is a fascinating medium-sized sea duck and the sole surviving member of the Clangula genus. Initially classified under Harelda, it later became the type species of its own genus.
Birds
Common eider
The common eider, also known as St. Cuthbert's duck or Cuddy's duck, is a large sea-duck found along the northern coasts of Europe, North America, and eastern Siberia. These ducks breed in Arctic and northern temperate regions and migrate to temperate zones during...
Birds
Snow bunting
The snow bunting is a captivating bird, perfectly adapted to life in the Arctic. This passerine species is found throughout the northern hemisphere, with smaller populations residing in high-altitude regions outside the Arctic.
Birds
Ivory gull
The ivory gull, a small bird native to the high Arctic, stands out as the sole member of the genus Pagophila. With a distribution spanning Greenland, the northernmost parts of North America, and Eurasia, this gull is truly circumpolar.
Birds
King eider
The King Eider is a striking sea duck, renowned for its vibrant appearance and Arctic lifestyle. Inhabiting coastal regions of Europe, North America, and Asia, these birds migrate to the Arctic tundra to breed in June and July.
Birds
Svalbard