Research centre Snæfellsnes

Publications of director.

Jónsson, Einar Jón, publications
 

2023

Jónsson, J.E., Rickowski, F., Ruland, F., Ásgeirsson, Á. & Jeschke, J. 2023. Long-term data reveal contrasting impacts of native vs invasive nest predators in Iceland. Ecology letters 26: 2066-2076.

Ejsmond, M.J., Radwan, J. Ejsmond, A., Gaczorek, T., Babik, W. 2023. Adaptive immune response selects for postponed maturation and increased body size. Functional Ecology 37: 2883-2894.

Clark, B.L., Carneiro, A.P.B., Pearmain, E.J. et al. Global assessment of marine plastic exposure risk for oceanic birds. Nature Communications 14, 3665 (2023). 

Smith, R.A., Fort., J., Legagneux, P., Chastel, O., Mallory, M., Bustamante, P., Danielsen, J., Hanssen, S.A., Jónsson, J.E., Magnúsdóttir, E., Moe, B., Parentau, C., Parkinson, K.J.L., Parsons, G.L., Tertitski, G., Love. O.  2023. Do foraging ecology and contaminants interactively predict parenting hormone levels in common eider? General and Comparative Endocrinology 337: 114261 

Gass Jr. J.D.,  Dusek, R.J., Hall, J.S., Hallgrimsson, G.T., Halldórsson, H.P., Vignisson, S.R., Ragnarsdóttir, S.B., Jón Einar Jónsson, Krauss, S., Wong, S.-S., Wan, X.-F., Akter, S., Sreevatsan, S., Trovão, N.S., Nutter, F.B., Runstadler, J.A., Hill, N.J. 2023. Global dissemination of Influenza A virus is driven by wild bird migration through arctic and subarctic zones. Molecular Ecology 32: 198-213.

2022

Ejsmond, A., Ejsmond, M.J. 2022. Food resource uncertainty shapes the fitness consequences of early spring onset in capital and income breeding migratory birds. Ecology and Evolution 12:e9637.

Chastel, O., Fort, J., Ackerman, J.T., Albert, C., Angelier, F. et al. 2022. Mercury contamination and potential health risks to Arctic seabirds and shorebirds. Science of The Total Environment 844(1):156944 

Smith, R.A. David J. Yurkowski, Kyle J.L. Parkinson, Jérôme Fort, Holly L. Hennin, H. Grant Gilchrist, Keith A. Hobson, Mark L. Mallory, Sveinn A. Hanssen, Jóhannis Danielsen, Svend E. Garbus, Jón Einar Jónsson, Christopher J. Latty, Børge Moe, Christian Sonne, Grigori Tertitski, and Oliver P. Love. 2022. Environmental and life-history factors influencing inter-colony and multidimensional niche metrics of breeding common eider. Science of the total environment 796: 148935 

2021

Jón Einar Jónsson. 2021. Fuglakólera í villtum fuglum og áhrif hennar á æðarvörp. Náttúrufræðingurinn 91:46-55.

Ejsmond, A, Forchhammer, M.,Varpe, Ø, Jón Einar Jónsson, Jørgensen, C. 2021. Early arrival of spring reduces nesting synchrony and clutch size but not offspring quality in capital breeding birds. American Naturalist 198: E122-E135.

Rune Dietz, Jérôme Fort, Christian Sonne, Céline Albert, Jan Ove Bustnes, Thomas Kjær Christensen, Tomasz Maciej Ciesielski, Jóhannis Danielsen, Sam Dastnai, Marcel Eens, Kjell Einar Erikstad, Anders Galatius, Svend-Erik Garbus, Olivier Gilg, Sveinn Are Hanssen, Björn Helander, Morten Helberg, Veerle LB Jaspers, Bjørn Munro Jenssen, Jón Einar Jónsson, Kaarina Kauhala, Yann Kolbeinsson, Line Anker Kyhn, Aili Lage Labansen, Martin Mørk Larsen, Ulf Lindstøm, Tone K Reiertsen, Frank F Rigét, Anna Roos, Jakob Strand, Hallvard Strøm, Signe Sveegaard, Jens Søndergaard, Jiachen Sun, Jonas Teilmann, Ole Roland Therkildsen, Thorkell Lindberg Thórarinsson, Rune Skjold Tjørnløv, Simon Wilson, Igor Eulaers. 2021. A risk assessment of the effects of mercury on Baltic Sea, Greater North Sea and North Atlantic wildlife, fish and bivalves. Environment International 146: 106178.
 
F. Amélineau, B. Merkel, A. Tarroux, S. Descamps, T. Anker-Nilssen, O. Bjørnstad, V.S. Bråthen, O. Chastel, S. Christensen-Dalsgaard, J. Danielsen, F. Daunt, N. Dehnhard, M. Ekker, K.E. Erikstad, A. Ezhov, P. Fauchald, M. Gavrilo, G.T. Hallgrímsson, E.S. Hansen, M.P. Harris, M. Helberg, H.H. HelgasonM.K. Johansen, J.E. Jónsson, Y. Kolbeinsson, Y. Krasnov M. Langset, S.-H. Lorentsen, E. Lorentzen, M.V. Melnikov, B. Moe, M.A. Newell, B. Olsen, T. Reiertsen, G.H. Systad, P. Thompson, T.L. Thórarinsson, E. Tolmacheva, S. Wanless, K. Wojczulanis-Jakubas, J. Åström, H. Strøm. 2021. Six pelagic seabird species of the North Atlantic engage in a fly-and-forage strategy during their migratory movements. Marine Progress Series 676: 127-144.
 
Dupuis, B., Amélineau, F., Tarroux, A., Bjørnstad, O., Bråthen, V.S., Danielsen, J., Descamps, S., Fauchald, P., Hallgrimsson, G.T., Hansen, E.S., Helberg, M., Helgason, H.H., Jónsson, J.E., Kolbeinsson, Y., Lorentzen, E., Thompson, P., Thórarinsson, T.L., Strøm, H. 2021 Light-level geolocators reveal spatial variations in interactions between northern fulmars and fisheries. Marine Progress Ecology Series 676:159-172.
 
Albert, C., Moe, B., Bråthen,V.S., Anker-Nilssen, T., Cherenkov, A., Christensen-Dalsgaard, S., Danielsen, J., Descamps,S.,  Erikstad, K.E., Gavrilo,M., Hanssen,S.A., Helgason, H.H., Jónsson, J.E., Kolbeinsson, Y., Krasnov,Y., Langset, M., Lorentzen, E., Olsen,B., Reiertsen,T.K., Strøm, H., Systad,G.H., Tertitski,G., Thompson,P.M., Thórarinsson, T.L., Bustamante,P., Fort, J. 2021. Interannual variations in winter distribution impact individual seabird exposure to mercury. Marine Progress Ecology Series Series 676: 243-254.
 
Per Fauchald, Arnaud Tarroux, Françoise Amélineau, Vegard Sandøy Bråthen, Sébastien Descamps, Morten Ekker, Halfdan Helgi Helgason, Malin Kjellstadli Johansen, Benjamin Merkel, Børge Moe, Jens Åström, Tycho Anker-Nilssen, Oskar Bjørnstad, Olivier Chastel, Signe Christensen-Dalsgaard, Jóhannis Danielsen, Francis Daunt, Nina Dehnhard, Kjell Einar Erikstad, Alexey Ezhov, Maria Gavrilo, Gunnar Thor Hallgrimsson, Erpur Snær Hansen, Mike Harris, Morten Helberg, Jón Einar Jónsson, Yann Kolbeinsson, Yuri Krasnov, Magdalene Langset, Svein-Håkon Lorentsen, Erlend Lorentzen, Mark Newell, Bergur Olsen, Tone Kristin Reiertsen, Geir Helge Systad, Paul Thompson, Thorkell Lindberg Thórarinsson, Sarah Wanless, Katarzyna Wojczulanis-Jakubas, Hallvard Strøm. 2021. The year-round distribution of Northeast Atlantic seabird populations: Applications for population management and marine spatial planning. Marine Progress Ecology Series 676: 255-276.

2020

Nielsen, Ó.K. et al. 2020. Host sex and age typically explain variation in parasitism of rock ptarmigan: implications for identifying determinants of exposure and susceptibility. Journal of Avian Biology 2020: e02472

2019

Gardarsson A, Jónsson JE. (2019). Numbers and distribution of the Great Cormorant in Iceland: Limitation at the regional and metapopulation level. Ecol Evol. 2019;00:1–17. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5028

Stenkewitzh, U, & Nielsen, Ó.K. (2019). The summer diet of the snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) in Iceland. Journal of Raptor Research 53: 98-101.

Kamler JF, Stenkewitz U, Gharajehdaghipour T, Macdonald DW. (2019). Social Organization, Home Ranges, and Extraterritorial Forays of Black-backed Jackals on Benfontein Game Farm, South Africa. The Journal of Wildlife Management 83: 1800–1808.

Ellen Magnúsdóttir, Árni Ásgeirsson og Jón Einar Jónsson. (2019). Litmerkingar á æðarfugli á Breiðafirði. Fuglar 11: 4-5.

Elisabeth Knudsen. (2019). On the origin of the Common Eiders, Somateria mollissima, in the Faroe Islands and Iceland. Masters thesis, Faculty of life and environmental sciences, University of Iceland.

Eyrún Gyða Gunnlaugsdóttir. (2019). Breytileiki á varptíma æðarfugla innan Íslands. Bachelor's thesis, Agricultural University of Iceland.

2018

Carlsen, T.H., Ásgeirsson, Á. & Jónsson, J.E. (2018). Vegetation mapping of islands in Breiðafjörður, West-Iceland. Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy research, rapport vol 4 nr. 21.

Julie Murray. 2018. The effects of eider husbandry on the behaviour and nesting success of the common eider (Somateria mollissima) in the Westfjords of Iceland. Ms thesis, Coastal and Marine Resource Management, University Center of the Westfjords.

2017

D'Alba, L., Carlsen, T.H., Ásgeirsson, Á., Shawkey, M. & Jónsson, J. E. (2017). Contributions of feather microstructure to eider down insulation properties. Journal of Avian Biology early online: DOI: 10.1111/jav.01294

Thomas Holm Carlsen, Árni Ásgeirsson, Jón Einar Jónsson. 2017. Variation in eider down quality among individuals and colonies. Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy research, rapport vol 3. No. 34.

Jón Einar Jónsson, Smári J. Lúðvíksson & Michael D. Kaller. (2017). The early birds and the rest: do first nesters represent the entire colony? Polar Biology 40: 413-421.

Jón Einar Jónsson. (2017). Eru tengsl milli æðarvarps og loðnugengdar? [Are capelin stocks correlated to eider nest numbers?] Náttúrufræðingurinn 87: 45-51. (In Icelandic with an English summary).

Jón Einar Jónsson & Alan D. Afton. (2017). Does organ and muscle plasticity vary by habitat or age in wintering Snow Geese? Wildfowl 67:19-43.

Árni Ásgeirsson & Jón Einar Jónsson. (2017). Kofnatekja og heyskapur í Breiðafirði 1900-1930.  Breiðfirðingur 65: 60-64. (In Icelandic)

2016

Jón Einar Jónsson & Alan D. Afton. (2016). Do foraging methods in winter affect morphology during growth in juvenile snow geese? Ecology and Evolution 6: 7656-7670.

Þórður Örn Kristjánsson, Jón Einar Jónsson & Jörundur Svavarsson. (2016). Variation in nest composition and abundances of ectoparasites between nests in colonially breeding Common eiders (Somateria mollissima). Bird Study, published online 12 May 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2016.1182965

Þórður Örn Kristjánsson. (2016). PhD thesis, University of Iceland. Incubation ecology of Common Eider. September 2016.

Gilles Chen. (2016). Ms student. Universite Paris-Saclay, joint program with the French National Museum of Natural History and the Paris-Sorbonne University. Ethnoecology of eider farmers in Iceland. Typology of a multiform experience.  Co-supervised with Dr. Douglas Nakashima of UNESCO. September 2016.

Aldís Erna Pálsdóttir. (2016). Ms thesis, University of Iceland. Factors affecting nest predation in common eider. January 2016.

2015

Hall, J.S., Russell, R.E., Franson, J.C., Soos, C., Dusek, R.J., Allen, R.B., Nashold, S.W., TeSlaa, J.L., Jón Einar Jónsson, Ballard, J.R., Harms, N.J. & Brown, J.D. (2015). Avian influenza ecology in North Atlantic sea ducks: not all ducks are created equal. PLoS ONE 10(12): e0144524.

Jón Einar Jónsson, Þórður Örn Kristjánsson, Árni Ásgeirsson & Tómas G. Gunnarsson. (2015). Breytingar á fjölda æðarhreiðra á Íslandi. Náttúrufræðingurinn 85: 141–152.

Fox, A.D., Jón Einar Jónsson, Aarvak, T., Bregnballe, T., Christensen, T.K., Clausen, K.K., Clausen, P., Dalby, L., Holm, T.E., Pavón-Jordan, D., Laursen, K., Lehikoinen, A., Lorentsen, S.H., Møller, A.P, Nordström, M., Öst, M., Söderquist, P. & Therkildsen, O.R.  (2015). Current and potential threats to Nordic duck populations – a horizon scanning exercise. Annales Zoologici Fennici 52: 193–220.

Jón Einar Jónsson & Alan D. Afton. (2015). Are wintering areas shifting north? Learning from lesser snow geese banded in Southwest Louisiana. Southeastern Naturalist 14:293-307.

Helgi Guðjónsson, Jón Einar Jónsson, Halldór W. Stefánsson, Aðalsteinn Ö. Snæþórsson, Tómas G. Gunnarsson. (2015). Annual and large-scale variation in breeding output of Greylag Geese Anser anser in Iceland. Bird Study 62: 243-252.

Þórður Örn Kristjánsson & Jón Einar Jónsson. (2015). Cooperative incubation behaviour in a super dense common eider colony. Bird Study 62:146-149.

Jón Einar Jónsson og Árni Ásgeirsson. (2015). Ekki færri en 20 tuttugu þúsund kollur verpa í Breiðafirði. Breiðfirðingur 63:131-133.

Jón Einar Jónsson & Alan D. Afton. (2015). Does the proportion of Snow Geese using coastal marshes in southwest Louisiana vary in relation to light goose harvest or rice production? Goose Bulletin 20: 7-19.

Jón Einar Jónsson. (2015). Hverjar eru sjóendur? Fuglar 10: 26-31

Valtýr Sigurðsson. (2015). Áhrif lífrænnar mengunar á lífríki sjávarbotns í Breiðafirði. Mastersritgerð, Líf- og Umhverfisvísindadeild Háskóla Íslands. Maí 2015.

2014

Jónsson, J.E., Frederiksen, M. & A.D. Afton. (2014). Movements and survival of Lesser Snow Geese Chen caerulescens caerulescens wintering in two habitats along the Gulf Coast, Louisiana. Wildfowl 64: 54–74.

Ellen Magnúsdóttir, Leat, E.H.K., Bourgeon, S., Jón Einar Jónsson, Phillips, R.A., Strom H., Ævar Petersen, Hanssen, S.A., Bustnes, J.O. & Furness, R.W. (2014). Activity patterns of wintering Great Skuas Stercorarius skua. Bird Study 61: 301-308. DOI:10.1080/00063657.2014.940839

Dusek, R.J., Gunnar T. Hallgrimsson, Hon S. Ip, Jón Einar Jónsson, Srinand Sreevatsan, Sean W. Nashold, Joshua L. TeSlaa, Shinichiro Enomoto, Rebecca A. Halpin, Xudong Lin, Nadia Fedorova, Timothy B. Stockwell, Vivien G. Dugan, David E. Wentworth, and Jeffrey S. Hall. (2014). North Atlantic Migratory Bird Flyways Provide Routes for Intercontinental Movement of Avian Influenza Viruses. PLoS ONE 9(3): e92075. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0092075

Helgi Guðjónsson. (2014). Annual and large-scale variation of breeding output of Greylag geese (Anser anser) in Iceland. Mastersritgerð, Líf- og Umhverfisvísindadeild, Háskóli Íslands.

2013

Jón Einar Jónsson, Arnþór Garðarsson, Jenny G. Gill, Una K. Pétursdóttir, Ævar Petersen & Tómas G. Gunnarsson. (2013). Relationships between long-term demography and weather in a sub-arctic population of common eider. Plos One June 2013, Volume 8, Issue 6, e67093

Jónsson, Jón E., John P. Ryder & Ray T. Alisauskas. (2013). Ross's Goose (Chen rossii), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. doi:10.2173/bna.162

Kristjánsson T.O., Jón Einar Jónsson & Jörundur Svavarsson. (2013). Spring diet of common eiders (Somateria mollissima) in Breiðafjörður, West Iceland indicates non-bivalve preferences. Polar Biology Volume 36: 51-59

Jón Einar Jónsson & Smári J. Lúðvíksson. (2013). A choice between two adjacent islands: is switching nest sites related to weather or nest density in the Common Eider (Somateria mollissima)? Ornis Fennica 90: 73-85.

Burr, Zofia M. (2013). Climate variability, plankton and seabirds: a discussion on trophic interactions in the North Atlantic. Final 10 ECTS report for the course “Research project in biology for foreign students” (LÍF038M), School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland.

2012

Ekroos, J. Anthony D. Fox, Thomas K. Christensen, Ib K. Petersen, Mikael Kilpi, Jón E. Jónsson, Martin Green, Karsten Laursen, Anja Cervencl, Peter de Boer, Leif Nilsson, Włodzimierz Meissner, Stefan Garthe & Markus Öst. (2012). Declines amongst breeding eider numbers in the Baltic/Wadden Sea flyway. Ornis Fennica 89: 81–90.

Hálfdán Helgi Helgason. (2012). Return rates of puffin. Survival of Atlantic Puffins (Fratercula arctica) in Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland during different life stages. Mastersritgerð, Líf- og Umhverfisvísindadeild, Háskóli Íslands. Samstarf með Náttúrustofu Suðurlands.

Ellen Magnúsdóttir. (2012). Migration patterns and foraging activity of wintering Great Skuas. Mastersritgerð, Líf- og Umhverfisvísindadeild, Háskóli Íslands. Samstarf með Háskólanum í Aberdeen, Náttúrufræðistofnun Íslands o.fl.

Kristín Alísa Eiríksdóttir. (2012). Ungaframleiðsla grágæsar á Suðurlandi.  12 ECTS eininga ritgerð til BS prófs við Líf- og umhverfisvísindadeild, Háskóli Íslands. Samstarf með Rannsóknasetri HÍ á Suðurlandi.

Árni Ásgeirsson. (2012). Hefur litur grásleppuneta áhrif á drukknun fugla? Lokaskýrsla til AVS rannsóknasjóðs, 1. Desember 2012, 6 bls.

Arnór Þrastarson. (2012). Fuglaskoðun á Snæfellsnesi og í Dölum. Grunnupplýsingar ætlaðar ferðaþjónustu og ferðamönnum. Náttúrustofa Vesturlands & Rannsóknasetur Háskóla Íslands á Snæfellsnesi. Áfangaskýrsla, 21.mars, 1. mars, 78 bls.

2011

Árni Ásgeirsson. (2011). Breytingar og færsla lunda á suðursvæði Breiðafjarðar. Fuglar 8: 44-46.

Árni Ásgeirsson. (2011). Varpvistfræði lunda á Breiðafirði. BS thesis project, 10 ECTS, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland.

Jón Einar Jónsson. (2011). Brandendur í Andakílsós 2007 og 2008. Bliki 31: 25-30.

Kristjansson T.O., Jónsson J.E. (2011). Effects of down collection on incubation temperature, nesting behaviour and hatching success of common eiders (Somateria mollissima) in west Iceland. Polar Biology 34: 985-994.

2010

Jónsson, J.E. & T.G, Gunnarsson. (2010). Predator chases by breeding waders:  interspecific comparison of three species nesting in Iceland. Wader Study Group Buletin. 117(3): 145–149.

Jón Einar Jónsson. (2010).  Sex ratios of Eurasian wigeon, mallard and common eider in Iceland. Kynjahlutföll rauðhöfða, stokkandar og æðarfugls á Íslandi. Nátturufræðingurinn 79:111-117.

2009

Humphries E.M., J.L. Peters, Jónsson J.E., R. Stone, A.D. Afton and K.E. Omland. (2009). Genetic differentiation between sympatric and allopatric wintering populations of Snow Geese. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 121(4): 730-738

Jón Einar Jónsson, Ævar Petersen, Arnþór Garðarsson og Tómas G. Gunnarsson (2009). Population overview of eider ducks. Æðarendur: Ástand og stjórnun stofna. Náttúrufræðingurinn 78 (1-2): 46-56 2009.

Jónsson, J.E. and A. D. Afton. (2009). Time budgets of Snow Geese Chen caerulescens and Ross’s Geese Chen rossii in mixed flocks: implications of body size, ambient temperature and family associations. Ibis 151: 134-144.

Jón Einar Jónsson, Arnþór Garðarsson, Jenny G. Gill, Ævar Petersen, Tómas G. Gunnarsson. (2009). Seasonal weather effects on a subarctic capital breeder: common eiders in Iceland over 55 years. Climate Research 38:237-248.

2008

Jón Einar Jónsson (2008).  Greater Snow Geese breed in Iceland. Snjógæs verpur á Íslandi sumarið 2007. Bliki 29: 45-48

Jónsson, J.E. and A. D. Afton. (2008). Lesser Snow Gesse and Ross's Gesse form mixed flocks during winter but differ in family maintenance and social status.  Wilson Journal of Ornithology 120: 725-731

Tómas G. Gunnarsson (2008). Búsvæði fugla á Íslandi: sérstaða og framtíð. Fuglar 4, nóvember 2008.

Tómas G. Gunnarsson, G.F. Appleton, Arnþór Garðarsson, Hersir Gíslason og J.A. Gill (2008). Búsvæðaval og stofnvernd grágæsa á láglendi. Bliki 29: 11-18.

Ratikainen, I.R., Gill, J.A., Gunnarsson, T.G., Sutherland, W.J & Kokko, H. (2008). When density-dependence is not instantaneous: theoretical developments and management implications. Ecology Letters 11: 184-198.

2007

Jennifer A. Gill, Rowena H.W. Langston, José Alves, Pierrick Bocher, Nuno Cidraes Vieira, Nicola Crockford, Guillaume Gélinaud, Niko Groen, Tómas G. Gunnarsson, Becca Hayhow, Jos Hooijmeier, Rosemarie Kentie, David Kleijn, Pedro Lourenço, José Masero, Francis Meunier, Peter M. Potts, Maja Roodbergen, Hans Schekkerman, Eddy Wymenga, Theunis Piersma (2007). Contrasting trends in two populations of black-tailed godwit: a review of causes and recommendations. International Wader Study Group Bulletin 114:43-50.

Jón Einar Jónsson (2007). Á vetrarslóðum snjógæsa. Fuglar 4, Desember 2007.

Jónsson, J.E., A.D. Afton, and R. T. Alisauskas. (2007). Does body size influence nest attendance? A comparison of Ross’s geese (Chen rossii) and the larger, sympatric lesser snow geese (C. caerulescens caerulescens). Journal of Ornithology 148:549-555.

Tómas G. Gunnarsson,  G.F. Appleton, Hersir Gíslason, Arnþór Garðarsson, P.W. Atkinson & J.A. Gill (2007). Búsvæðaval og stofnstærð þúfutittlings á láglendi. Bliki 28: 19-24.

Tómas G. Gunnarsson, Höskuldur Búi Jónsson, Böðvar Þórisson og Hersir Gíslason (2007). Lundavarp í Grímsey á Steingrímsfirði. Bliki 28: 51-55.

Tómas G. Gunnarsson og Jón Einar Jónsson (2007). Rannsóknir á æðarfugli við Háskólasetur Snæfellsness: vísindi og hlunnindi. Greinargerð fyrir landbúnaðarráðherra, vor 2007. 7 bls.

2006

Gunnarsson, T.G. (2006). Monitoring wader productivity during autumn passage in Iceland. International Wader Study Group Bulletin 109: 21-29.

Gunnarsson, T.G., Gill, J.A., Atkinson, P.W., Gélinaud, G., Potts, P.M., Croger, R. E., Gudmundsson, G.A., Appleton, G.F. & Sutherland, W.J. (2006). Population-scale drivers of individual arrival times in migratory birds. Journal of Animal Ecology 75: 1119-1127.

Kokko, H. Gunnarsson, T.G., Morrell, L.J. & Gill, J.A. (2006). Why do female migratory birds arrive later than males? Journal of Animal Ecology 75: 1293-1303.

T.G. Gunnarsson, J.A. Gill, G.F. Appelton, H. Gíslason, A. Garðarsson, A.R. Watkinson, W.J. Sutherland. (2006). Large-scale habitat associations of birds in lowland Iceland: Implications for conservation. Biological conservation 128: 265-275

Tómas G. Gunnarsson (2006). Íslenskir mófuglar og skógrækt. Fuglar 3, Ársrit Fuglaverndar 2005: 46-52.

Tómas G. Gunnarsson, Vigfús Eyjólfsson & Böðvar Þórisson (2006). Þyngdarbreytingar sandlóa á varptíma. Bliki 27:7-12

This project is entitled 'Nesting site choices of female eider ducks in Breiðafjörður – a long-term population study'. This is an annual long-term observation of tagged female eider ducks on the south side of Breiðafjörður fjord. The data is used to measure survival rates, nesting success and breeding-ground fidelity. Nesting time is evaluated using incubation-stage tests and the number of eggs is recorded. 

A total of 1030 female eider ducks have been tagged as part of this project and 688 of those have been re-captured at least once (2014-2020). Every year 100-200 ducks are captured and tens of coloured tags are read in addition. In 2014, ducks were tagged in Landey and Hjallsey, but in seven locations in 2015-2016 (Landey, Hjallsey, Stakksey, Þorvaldsey, Sellátur, Rifgirðingar and Elliðaey). Finally, four new islands were added in 2017: Bíldsey, Höskuldsey, Gimburey and Þormóðsey. 

The aims are to

1. investigate whether the female eider ducks move between islands, i.e. demonstrate varying breeding ground fidelity between islands and between years.
2. explain individual variability in choice of nesting site and nesting success.
3. compare nesting success, egg-laying dates and incubation between the islands, which differ in terrain, vegetation, predators and other nesting bird species which affect the safety of the eider ducks.
4. investigate whether nest fidelity increases with age in the tagged female birds.

Since February 2007, the UI Research Centre in Snæfellsnes has been studying the population ecology of the eider duck: the impact of climate change and habitat quality on population changes and the stability of farming. The study was originally funded by the Icelandic Centre for Research (RANNÍS), the Agricultural Productivity Fund and the Eider Farming Association of Iceland 2007-2009. It is currently managed by the director of the Research Centre as part of our regular research work. 

The original proposal was to investigate the relationship between climate change and eider duck population size, as well as population changes with regard to varying habitat quality. The project is based on gathering data on the number of nests in eider duck nesting sites across all of Iceland.

Many eider duck farmers have kept records over the years of this data, which show a lot of variation in the number of nesting females from year to year. Around 40 eider duck farmers first took part in the years 2007-2009 and several other nesting grounds were added in 2016.

We try to regularly update the datasets to monitor changes in population size and connect these to changes in the ocean or the population sizes of predators such as mink and Arctic foxes.

Director participated in the Eider Farming Association's work producing a contingency plan for avian cholera.

The Research Centre is also a regular guest at the Eider Farming Association's annual forums, where we present our research.

Number of eider duck nests

Since February 2007, the UI Research Centre in Snæfellsnes has been studying the population ecology of the eider duck: the impact of climate change and habitat quality on population changes and the stability of farming. The study was originally funded by the Icelandic Centre for Research (RANNÍS), the Agricultural Productivity Fund and the Eider Farming Association of Iceland 2007-2009. It is currently managed by the director of the Research Centre as part of our regular research work.

Tagging eider ducks

Work is underway on mapping the variations in size and appearance in eider ducks in Iceland. The inspiration came from several sources, e.g. clues suggesting that eider ducks in Iceland vary in size and DNA data indicating that in Skerjafjörður and Akureyri there are two separate subspecies with different origins (Furness et al. 2010 Bird Study 57: 330-335). The plan is to tag and measure female eider ducks in North Iceland, Melrakkaslétta and the East Fjords.

The Research Centre works in monitoring bird populations, either independently or in collaboration with partners. These projects are all based on annual counts which provide index numbers for the species in question.

Eider ducklings since 2007

Since 2007, eider ducklings have been counted twice over the summer at counting sites off Flatey and from Brjánslækur west towards Reykhólar, as well as the islands around Stykkishólmur. There are always two counts, one at the end of June when the female eider ducks have just returned to the sea with their ducklings and then again at the end of July when the ducklings are at least one or two months old. Eider ducklings fledge when they are between two and two and a half months old.

The ratio of ducklings to adult female (the number of ducklings divided by the number of females) gives an index for the total nesting success of the eider ducks at the counting sites.

Common shelduck

The common shelduck has regularly nested in Iceland since 1992. One of the largest nesting sites is the mudflat at Andakílsós in Borgarfjörður, where several hundreds of the birds can be seen in late summer, pairs with ducklings as well as groups of adult birds who have not nested that year. 

In July each year, 15-20 pairs have been spotted with a total of 50-70 ducklings. In August the numbers of common shelduck have often risen to 400-500, with ducklings making up 40-47% of the birds counted.

There is one count in late summer to calculate the ratio of ducklings to adults. Broods of ducklings are large; there may be 1-2 per pair or 11-16 in one clutch.

Whooper swans

Álftafjörður (Whooper Swan Fjord) on the north side of Snæfellsnes peninsula gets its name from the large numbers of whooper swans living there in the summer. Large stretches of eelgrass can be found in Álftafjörður, which serve as food for whooper swans and brent geese which travel around Breiðafjörður in the spring and autumn.

In milder winters, there are many examples of whooper swans staying all winter in Álftafjörður or nearby Vigrafjörður or Nesvogur near Stykkishólmur. In 2007, regular counts of the number of whooper swans began in these three places. Counts took place twice a month over the summer and once a month over the winter 2007-2014. They have occasionally been repeated, generally around the start of the new year and in late summer.

Monitoring of cliff nesting birds in Iceland

Cliff nesting birds in Iceland are monitored at many sites across the country by nature research centres. The project began in its current form in 2016, managed by the Northeast Iceland Nature Research Centre and funded by the Icelandic hunter’s licence fund.  

The West Iceland Nature Research Center and the Snæfellsnes Research Centre work together on the Snæfellsnes peninsula to monitor cliff nesting birds at Hvítabjarnarey, Vallnabjarg, Svörtuloft (Hvalrauf and Skálasnagi), Þúfubjarg and Arnarstapi. A count is conducted at these sites twice a year, with the number of nests counted at the end of June and nesting success evaluated at the end of July. A counting method established by Arnþór Garðarsson 2006-2009 is used, except at Hvítabjarnarey where transects were established independently in 2007. 

Waterfowl since 2011

The Snæfellsnes Research Centre and the West Iceland Nature Research Centre collaborate to monitor waterfowl on Snæfellsnes peninsula. The inspiration for this project came in 2011, when there was a project developing bird observation sites on Snæfellsnes peninsula, which were built in part on older counting stations from the Icelandic Institute of Natural History on the south side of Snæfellsnes (Staðarsveit and vicinity) as well as lakes on Þórsnes on the north side. The first ten years of data were presented at the Icelandic Biology Conference in 2019.