Greenland: Vikingbukta – Ivory Gull
Many super-obsessed birders come to the Arctic with only one objective in mind – to spot the elusive Ivory Gull. The bird lives only in the extreme Arctic regions – northern Greenland, northern Svalbard and the extreme north Canadian Arctic islands like Ellesmere and Devon, and finally the Arctic Russia. The bird is unmistakably unique – pure white with yellow beak and red tip. Some birders travel to the Arctic for weeks just to spot this – it’s like the holy grail of birding. Ivory Gull is endangered, it’s estimated to be around 7,000 left in the world. We got lucky with one sitting on an iceberg in perfect view and quite close proximity. Ivory gulls are often seen following polar bears and scavenging on their kills.
