Isosaari - Great Island

Bird Check List -
made available by Anssi K. Kullberg .... akkullbe@itu.cc.jyu.fi

- A little bird paradise in Finnish Bay -

Part I: Introduction to the Island and total list of species

Isosaari in Finnish means "Great Island". The island is not great by size, but very well a great place for birds - unfortunately not for birders, because the island is a military fortress island and not allowed for visitors. I had the extreme pleasure to spend there one year, and the following observations are made by Anssi K. Kullberg and Mikko I. Marttala from autumn 1994 till summer 1995.

The situation of the island is in the Finnish Bay, about 10 kilometres south from Helsinki coast, and about 80 kilometres north from Estonian coast. The island is very rich of different habitats which have remained quite untouched and natural because of the military presence. Also the fact that beach tourists are missing makes the island a good place for birds. Besides, it is situated in crossroads of migrating routes - the arctic and Siberian migrators are passing it along the bay and the Finnish passerines use the island as a resting point when crossing the bay from the Baltic countries in spring. Maybe our observations give you some picture of what you can see on available islands off South Coast of Finland as well as they give a repport from area not usually reported.

At first, here you can find the total list of the 144 species of birds that we saw on the island. Note that such species like House Sparrow, Feral Pigeon and Magpie are missing and Jackdaws we only saw once, passing the island.

The following is a list of bird species which may be found in Isosaari

ENGLISH NAME  -  SCIENTIFIC NAME  -  FINNISH NAME

Great White-billed Diver   -   Gavia adamsii   -   jääkuikka
Black-throated Diver   -   Gavia arctica   -   kuikka
Red-throated Diver   -   Gavia stellata   -   kaakkuri
Great Crested Grebe   -   Podiceps cristatus   -   silkkiuikku
Red-necked Grebe   -   Podiceps griseigena   -   härkälintu
Slavonian Grebe   -   Podiceps auritus   -   mustakurkku-uikku
Great Cormorant   -   Phalacrocorax carbo   -   merimetso
Grey Heron   -   Ardea cinerea   -   harmaahaikara
White Stork   -   Ciconia ciconia   -   kattohaikara
Mute Swan   -   Cygnus olor   -   kyhmyjoutsen
Whooper Swan   -   Cygnus cygnus   -   laulujoutsen
Brent Goose   -   Branta bernicla   -   sepelhanhi
Barnacle Goose   -   Branta leucopsis   -   valkoposkihanhi
Greylag Goose   -   Anser anser   -   merihanhi
Bean Goose   -   Anser fabalis   -   metsähanhi
Bar-headed Goose   -   Anser indicus   -   tiibetinhanhi
Common Shelduck   -   Tadorna tadorna   -   ristisorsa
Eurasian Wigeon   -   Anas penelope   -   haapana
Eurasian Teal   -   Anas crecca   -   tavi
Mallard   -   Anas platyrhynchos   -   sinisorsa
Northern Pintail   -   Anas acuta   -   jouhisorsa
Northern Shoveller   -   Anas clypeata   -   lapasorsa
Greater Scaup   -   Aythya marila   -   lapasotka
Tufted Duck   -   Aythya fuligula   -   tukkasotka
Long-tailed Duck   -   Clangula hyemalis   -   alli
Common Scoter   -   Melanitta nigra   -   mustalintu
Surf Scoter   -   Melanitta fusca   -   pilkkasiipi
Steller's Eider   -   Polysticta stelleri   -   allihaahka
Common Eider   -   Somateria mollissima   -   haahka
King Eider   -   Somateria spectabilis   -   kyhmyhaahka
Common Goldeneye   -   Bucephala clangula   -   telkkä
Smew   -   Mergellus albellus   -   uivelo
Red-breasted Merganser   -   Mergus serrator   -   tukkakoskelo
Goosander   -   Mergus merganser   -   isokoskelo
White-tailed Sea-eagle   -   Haliaëetus albicilla   -   merikotka
Western Honey Buzzard   -   Pernis apivorus   -   mehiläishaukka
Common Buzzard   -   Buteo buteo   -   hiirihaukka
Steppe Buzzard   -   Buteo vulpinus   -   idänhiirihaukka
Rough-legged Buzzard   -   Buteo lagopus   -   piekana
Northern Sparrowhawk   -   Accipiter nisus   -   varpushaukka
Northern Goshawk   -   Accipiter gentilis   -   kanahaukka
Northern Hobby   -   Falco subbuteo   -   nuolihaukka
Common Merlin   -   Falco columbarius   -   ampuhaukka
Capercaillie   -   Tetrao urogallus   -   koppelo
Eurasian Crane   -   Grus grus   -   kurki
Palearctic Oystercatcher   -   Haematopus ostralegus   -   meriharakka
Eurasian Woodcock   -   Scolopax rusticola   -   lehtokurppa
Greater Snipe   -   Gallinago media   -   heinäkurppa
Common Snipe   -   Gallinago gallinago   -   taivaanvuohi
Western Curlew   -   Numenius arquata   -   isokuovi
Eurasian Whimbrel   -   Numenius phaeopus   -   pikkukuovi
Bar-tailed Godwit   -   Limosa lapponica   -   punakuiri
Common Sandpiper   -   Actitis hypoleucos   -   rantasipi
Green Sandpiper   -   Tringa ochropus   -   metsäviklo
Wood Sandpiper   -   Tringa glareola   -   liro
Common Redshank   -   Tringa totanus   -   punajalkaviklo
Common Greenshank   -   Tringa nebularia   -   valkoviklo
Purple Sandpiper   -   Calidris maritima   -   merisirri
European Dunlin   -   Calidris alpina   -   suosirri
Temminck's Sandpiper   -   Calidris temminckii   -   lapinsirri
Ruddy Turnstone   -   Arenaria interpres   -   karikukko
Northern Lapwing   -   Vanellus vanellus   -   töyhtöhyyppä
Ringed Plover   -   Charadrius hiaticula   -   tylli
Lesser Ringed Plover   -   Charadrius dubius   -   pikkutylli
Grey Plover   -   Pluvialis squatarola   -   tundrakurmitsa
European Golden Plover   -   Pluvialis apricaria   -   kapustarinta
Arctic Jaeger   -   Stercorarius parasiticus   -   merikihu
Greater Black-backed Gull   -   Larus marinus   -   merilokki
Lesser Black-backed Gull   -   Larus fuscus   -   selkälokki
Herring Gull   -   Larus argentatus   -   harmaalokki
Mew Gull   -   Larus canus   -   kalalokki
Black-headed Gull   -   Larus ridibundus   -   naurulokki
Common Tern   -   Sterna hirundo   -   kalatiira
Little Auk   -   Alle alle   -   pikkuruokki
Black Guillemot   -   Cepphus grylle   -   riskilä
Wood Pigeon   -   Columba palumbus   -   sepelkyyhky
Stock Pigeon   -   Columba oenas   -   uuttukyyhky
Short-eared Owl   -   Asio flammeus   -   suopöllö
Long-eared Owl   -   Asio otus   -   sarvipöllö
Common Swift   -   Apus apus   -   tervapääsky
Little Spotted Woodpecker   -   Dendrocopos minor   -   pikkutikka
Great Spotted Woodpecker   -   Dendrocopos major   -   käpytikka
Great Black Woodpecker   -   Dryocopus martius   -   palokärki
Common Skylark   -   Alauda arvensis   -   kiuru
Barn Swallow   -   Hirundo rustica   -   haarapääsky
House Martin   -   Delichon urbica   -   räystäspääsky
Tree Pipit   -   Anthus trivialis   -   metsäkirvinen
Meadow Pipit   -   Anthus pratensis   -   niittykirvinen
Eastern Water Pipit   -   Anthus littoralis   -   luotokirvinen
Tawny Pipit   -   Anthus campestris   -   nummikirvinen
Yellow Wagtail   -   Motacilla flava   -   keltavästäräkki
White Wagtail   -   Motacilla alba   -   västäräkki
Bohemian Waxwing   -   Bombycilla garrulus   -   tilhi
Great Grey Shrike   -   Lanius excubitor   -   isolepinkäinen
Winter Wren   -   Troglodytes troglodytes   -   peukaloinen
Hedge Accentor   -   Prunella modularis   -   rautiainen
River Grasshopper Warbler   -   Locustella fluviatilis   -   viitasirkkalintu
Sedge Warbler   -   Acrocephalus schoenobaenus   -   ruokokerttunen
Garden Warbler   -   Sylvia borin   -   lehtokerttu
Blackcap   -   Sylvia atricapilla   -   mustapääkerttu
Lesser Whitethroat   -   Sylvia curruca   -   hernekerttu
Common Whitethroat   -   Sylvia communis   -   pensaskerttu
Icterine Warbler   -   Hippolais icterina   -   kultarinta
Wood Warbler   -   Phylloscopus sibilatrix   -   sirittäjä
Willow Warbler   -   Phylloscopus trochilus   -   pajulintu
Spruce Chiffchaff   -   Phylloscopus collybita   -   tiltaltti
Greenish Warbler   -   Phylloscopus trochiloides   -   idänuunilintu
Goldcrest   -   Regulus regulus   -   hippiäinen
Spotted Flycatcher   -   Muscicapa striata   -   harmaasieppo
Pied Flycatcher   -   Ficedula hypoleuca   -   kirjosieppo
Whinchat   -   Saxicola rubetra   -   pensastasku
Northern Wheatear   -   Oënanthe oënanthe   -   kivitasku
European Robin   -   Erithacus rubecula   -   punarinta
Orange-spotted Bluethroat   -   Luscinia svecica   -   sinirinta
Common Redstart   -   Phoenicurus phoenicurus   -   leppälintu
Redwing    -   Turdus iliacus   -   punakylkirastas
Song Thrush   -   Turdus philomelos   -   laulurastas
Mistle Thrush   -   Turdus viscivorus   -   kulorastas
Fieldfare   -   Turdus pilaris   -   räkättirastas
Blackbird   -   Turdus merula   -   mustarastas
Bearded Timal   -   Panurus biarmicus   -   viiksitimali
Willow Tit   -   Parus montanus   -   hömötiainen
Great Tit   -   Parus major   -   talitiainen
Blue Tit   -   Parus caeruleus   -   sinitiainen
Long-tailed Tit   -   Aegithalos caudatus   -   pyrstötiainen
Northern Treecreeper   -   Certhia familiaris   -   puukiipijä
Chaffinch   -   Fringilla coelebs   -   peippo
Brambling   -   Fringilla montifringilla   -   järripeippo
Western Greenfinch   -   Chloris chloris   -   viherpeippo
Eurasian Goldfinch   -   Carduelis carduelis   -   tikli
Spruce Siskin   -   Spinus spinus   -   vihervarpunen
Linnet   -   Linaria cannabina   -   hemppo
Northern Redpoll   -   Acanthis flammea   -   urpiainen
Scarlet Rosefinch   -   Carpodacus erythrinus   -   punavarpunen
Northern Bullfinch   -   Pyrrhula pyrrhula   -   punatulkku
Reed Bunting   -   Emberiza schoeniclus   -   pajusirkku
Yellowhammer   -   Emberiza citrinella   -   keltasirkku
Ortolan Bunting   -   Emberiza hortulana   -   peltosirkku
Starling   -   Sturnus vulgaris   -   kottarainen
European Jay   -   Garrulus glandarius   -   närhi
Spotted Nutcracker   -   Nucifraga caryocatactes   -   pähkinähakki
Jackdaw   -   Corvus monedula   -   naakka
Hooded Crow   -   Corvus corone cornix   -   varis
the Raven   -   Corvus corax   -   korppi

"Anssi K. Kullberg"

Return to Bird Lists page.

Return to Birding Canada home page.


Send contributions, comments, corrections or suggestions to Gord Gallant

Last updated on Monday, August 26, 1996 - 20:41:57.