List of birds of Svalbard

This list of birds of Svalbard includes 243 species as of October 2025, of which at least three are introduced.

Svalbard is an archipelago of islands in the North Sea. It currently is an unincorporated area of Norway. The largest island, Svalbard or Spitzbergen, is home to about 2,500 people. Other islands include Nordaustlandet, Bjørnøja and Edgeøya.

Breeding status

• Abundant breeder (AB) – breeds annually, with >10,000 breeding pairs
• Common breeder (CB) – breeds annually, with <10,000 breeding pairs
• Irregular breeder (IB) – does not breed annually, and only a few pairs
• Dispersed breeder (DB) – breeds annually, but dispersedly
• Winter visitor (WV) – spends the winter months in Svalbard
• Annual (A) – found in small numbers every year
• Occasional (O) – rare, occasional visitor, not every year
• Vagrant (V) – rare, less than 20 records
• Rare vagrant (RV) – rare, less than 5 records
• Introduced (I) – either introduced purposely or accidentally by humans, or a bird that came to Svalbard with the assistance of humans

Ducks, geese, swans, and eiders

Order: Anseriformes   Family: Anatidae

English name	Norwegian name	Scientific name	Breeding status	Yearly abundance (if any)	Photo
Brent goose	Ringgås	Branta bernicla	CB	April–September
Red-breasted goose	Rødhalsgås	Branta ruficollis	RV
Canada goose	Kanadagås	Branta canadensis	I V
Cackling goose	Polargås	Branta huchinsii	V
Barnacle goose	Hvitkinngås	Branta leucopsis	AB WV?	May–October
Bar-headed goose	Stripegås	Anser indicus	I V
Snow goose	Snøgås	Anser caerulescens	A
Greylag goose	Grågås	Anser anser	A, possibly IB	May–August, seen year-round
Taiga bean goose	Taigasædgås	Anser fabalis	V
Pink-footed goose	Kortnebbgås	Anser brachyrhynchus	AB
Tundra bean goose	Tundrasædgås	Anser serrirostris	O
Greater white-fronted goose	Tundragås	Anser albifrons	A
Mute swan	Knoppsvane	Cygnus olor	RV
Tundra swan	Dvergsvane	Cygnus columbianus	V
Whooper swan	Sangsvane	Cygnus cygnus	A, IB (Bjørnøya)	June–July, seen year round
Common shelduck	Gravand	Tadorna tadorna	V
Ruddy shelduck	Rustand	Tadorna ferruginea	RV
Mandarin duck	Mandarinand	Aix galericulata	I RV
Baikal teal	Gulkinnand	Sibirionetta formosa	RV
Garganey	Knekkand	Spatula querquedula	RV
Blue-winged teal	Blåvingeand	Spatula discors	RV
Northern shoveler	Skjeand	Spatula clypeata	V	Year round, usually May–August
Gadwall	Snadderand	Mareca strepera	V
Eurasian wigeon	Brunnakke	Mareca penelope	O, probably IB	May–August
Mallard	Stokkand	Anas platyrhynchos	A, probably IB
Northern pintail	Stjertand	Anas acuta	A IB	May-August
Common teal	Krikkand	Anas crecca	A IB	May-September
Green-winged teal	Amerikakrikkand	Anas carolinensis	RV
Common pochard	Taffeland	Aythya ferina	RV
Ring-necked duck	Ringand	Aythya collaris	RV
Tufted duck	Toppand	Aythya fuligula	A	May-September
Greater scaup	Bergand	Aythya marila	V
Steller's eider	Stellerand	Polysticta stelleri	O	May-July
Spectacled eider	Brilleærfugl	Somateria fischeri	RV
King eider	Praktærfugl	Somateria spectabilis	CB	April-September
Common eider	Ærfugl	Somateria mollissima	AB	March-September, seen year round
Harlequin	Harlekinand	Histrionicus histrionicus	V
Velvet scoter	Sjøorre	Melanitta fusca	V
White-winged scoter	Amerikasjøorre	Melanitta deglandi	RV
Common scoter	Svartand	Melanitta nigra	A, probably CB	May-July
Long-tailed duck	Havelle	Clangula hyemalis	CB	April-September, seen year round
Common goldeneye	Kvinand	Bucephala clangula	O
Barrow's goldeneye	Islandsand	Bucephala islandindica	RV
Smew	Lappfiskand	Mergellus albellus	RV
Goosander	Laksand	Mergus merganser	RV
Red-breasted merganser	Siland	Mergus serrator	O, probably DB

Pheasants, grouse, and partridges

Order: Galliformes   Family: Phasianidae

English name	Norwegian name	Scientific name	Breeding status	Yearly abundance (if any)	Photo
Svalbard rock ptarmigan	Svalbardrype	Lagopus muta hyperboreus	CB WV	January-December

Swifts

Order: Apodiformes   Family: Apodidae

English name	Norwegian name	Scientific name	Breeding status	Yearly abundance (if any)	Photo
Common swift	Tårnseiler	Apus apus	V

Cuckoos

Order: Cuculiformes   Family: Cuculidae

English name	Norwegian name	Scientific name	Breeding status	Yearly abundance (if any)	Photo
Common cuckoo	Gjøk	Cuculus canorus	RV

Doves and pigeons

Order: Columbiformes   Family: Columbidae

English name	Norwegian name	Scientific name	Breeding status	Yearly abundance (if any)	Photo
Feral pigeon	Bydue	Columba livia (feral)	RV
Common wood pigeon	Ringdue	Columba palumbus	V
European turtle dove	Turteldue	Streptopelia turtur	RV
Eurasian collared dove	Tykerdue	Streptopelia decaocto	RV

Rails and crakes

Order: Gruiformes   Family: Rallidae

English name	Norwegian name	Scientific name	Breeding status	Yearly abundance (if any)	Photo
Water rail	Vannrikse	Rallus aquaticus	RV
Corn crake	Åkerrikse	Crex crex	RV
Common moorhen	Sivhøne	Gallinula chloropus	RV
Eurasian coot	Sothøne	Fulica atra	RV

Cranes

Order: Gruiformes   Family: Gruidae

English name	Norwegian name	Scientific name	Breeding status	Yearly abundance (if any)	Photo
Common crane	Trane	Grus grus	V

Grebes

Order: Podicipediformes   Family: Podicipedidae

English name	Norwegian name	Scientific name	Breeding status	Yearly abundance (if any)	Photo
Red-necked grebe	Gråstrupedykker	Podiceps grisegena	RV
Slavonian grebe	Horndykker	Podiceps auritus	RV

Oystercatchers

Order: Charadriformes   Family: Haematopodidae

English name	Norwegian name	Scientific name	Breeding status	Yearly abundance (if any)	Photo
Eurasian oystercatcher	Tjeld	Haematopus ostralegus	A	March-August

Plovers and lapwings

Order: Charadriformes   Family: Charadriidae

English name	Norwegian name	Scientific name	Breeding status	Yearly abundance (if any)	Photo
Northern lapwing	Vipe	Vanellus vanellus	O
European golden plover	Heilo	Pluvialis apricaria	DB	Late April- September
Pacific golden plover	Sibirlo	Pluvialis fulva	V IB
American golden plover	Kanadalo	Pluvialis dominica	RV
Grey plover	Tundralo	Pluvialis squatarola	V
Common ringed plover	Sandlo	Charadrius hiaticula	DB	May- September
Eurasian dotterel	Boltit	Charadrius morinellus	RV
Eurasian whimbrel	Småspove	Numenius phaeopus	A	May- August
Eurasian curlew	Storspove	Numenius arquata	V
Bar-tailed godwit	Lappspove	Limosa lapponica	RV
Icelandic black-tailed godwit	Svarthalespove	Limosa limosa islandica	O V	May - June
Ruddy turnstone	Steinvender	Arenaria interpres	DB	May- September
Red knot	Polarsnipe	Calidris canutus	A DB	May- September
Ruff	Brushane	Calidris pugnax	V
Curlew sandpiper	Tundrasnipe	Calidris ferruginea	V