Электронная библиотека
публикации о музее-заповеднике «Кижи»

In the course of the latest research about 180 bird species of 15 orders were regis-tered on the islands of the Kizhi skerries. They make up to 90 % of the total number of species that nest in the republic of Karelia. Numerous flocks of geese, swans, cranes, ducks, sandpipers, snowflakes and Lapland longspurs usually rest on the islands of the Kizhi skerries as they fly north. Various species of ducks and gulls concentrate on the islands before they leave for North. Zaonezhie is the southern limit of distribution for magpie diver and a red-throated loon, while for nightingale, linnet, golden oriole, crake, great-crested grebe, bittern and a number of other “southern” species this is the northern limit of their distribution.

A great diversity of plant, animal and bird species has always impressed travelers and explorers who visited these lands. A. Bordzynsky, a teacher of geography and natural history in Petrozavodsk upper secondary schools, accompanied K. Kessler, the chief executive of the Saint Petersburg Society of Natural Scientists and a professor of the Saint Petersburg University, in one of his trips to the land. A. Bordzynsky has done the following writing about the Kizhi Archipelago during this trip. “The Kizhi skerries are home to an amazing wealth of wildlife. We have seen a great variety of birds. Flocks of ducks, curlews and loons were flying and swimming between the islands. Sandpipers and waterbirds flew out of the shoreline greenery. Huge northern looms were diving in close proximity to the boat. Caravans of cranes circled above us. We were floating along the shore covered with thick reed beds, and flocks of birds flew out of them one by one”.

Gulls and terns have almost become the visiting card of the Archipelago. No local summer scenery can be imagined without these birds.

The prevailing gull species is a mew gull. Another rather common bird is a tern. These species are very unpretentious in selecting nest sites. A herring gull and a lesser black-backed gull that is easily recognized by dark velvet wings are less common here. A small black-headed gull and a little gull that is pale gray in breeding plumage with a black hood, dark underwings and often a pinkish flush on the breast are a very rare occurrence in these parts.

All of the above mentioned birds nest in Moshguba swamp situated on the Island of Kizhi.[текст с сайта музея-заповедника "Кижи": http://kizhi.karelia.ru]

45 bird species have been reported to nest on the island.

The birds listed in the Red Data Book of the USSR are of special interest. In summer one can see a golden eagle, a white-tailed eagle, a peregrine falcon and a fish hawk here. In addition to these birds there is a gray crane, a pigeon hawk, a common kestrel, an eagle owl and a Siberian gray owl. These birds are listed in the Red Book of Endangered Species of the Republic of Karelia.

Snakes. Is it true that there are plenty of them on Kizhi Island? What fish species are there in Onego Lake? For more information see Poster №8.