Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
The site comprises archipelagoes, small islands and stretches of steep coastline that support several seabird colonies, located between 72°36'N and 72°48'N. This area includes six sites that were treated as separate IBAs in the previous international IBA inventory (Grimmett and Jones 1989): Sanderson's Hope (Upernavik Apparsuit), island of Qaersorssuaq (former site GL039), Appatsiaat, island of Qaersorssuaq (former site GL040), Kingittoq Apparsuit, island of Qaersorssuaq (former site GL041), Avannarleq (Nordø) (former site GL048), Aarrussaq (Hvalø) (former site GL049) and Timmiakulussuit, island of Nutaarmiut (former site GL055).
The site also holds breeding
Fulmarus glacialis (>5,000 pairs) and
Rissa tridactyla (3,229 pairs at four colonies) (1994 data). All four
Uria lomvia colonies are decreasing in size (80-90% reduction in size since 1930)˜the largest held 7,000 individuals in 1994.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The effects of hunting and associated disturbance pose a major threat. Helicopter flights close to
Uria lomvia colonies also cause disturbance.
National Partial
International NoneIBA overlaps with Breeding Reserve for Birds (Sanderson's Hope (Upernavik Apparsuit), island of Qaersorssuaq).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Islands and waters south and west of Upernavik town (Greenland (to Denmark)). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/islands-and-waters-south-and-west-of-upernavik-town-iba-greenland-(to-denmark) on 23/12/2024.
