STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION 



249 



times more numerous than those which remain to nest. The disparity 

 in numbers of rock ptarmigan {Lag opus mutus nelsoni) present in 

 winter and summer is not as great, but the migrants are perhaps ten 

 times as numerous as the nesting individuals. Accordingly, in case 

 a species is differently represented during the year at Anaktuvuk we 

 cannot conclude whether a specialized sedentary habit distinguishes 

 a resident from a migratory section of the populations. 



Table 5, — Winter birds in the valleys at Anaktuvuk Pass, north of the forests 





Nesting 



Migra- 



Winter 







tory 



visitor 



Faloo rasticwlus obsoletus 



X 







Lagopus lagopus alascensis 



X 



X 





Lagopus rupestrls nelsonl 



X 



X 





Nyctea scandlaca 







X 



Perlsoreus canadensis pacificus 



X 







Corvus corax principalis 



X 







Dendrocopos pubescens nelsoni 







X 



Paras atrlcapillus tumeri 







X 



Cinclus mericanus unlcolor 



X 







Pinlcola enucleator alascensis 







X 



Acanthis bomemannl exilipes 



X 



X 





Because of their secretive nesting at a time when softening snow 

 impedes travel we are also uncertain as to whether the few jays 

 {Perisoreus canadensis pacificics) which are seen in winter remain to 

 nest on the tundra. It would be only a guess to suggest that jays 

 circulate back and forth to some extent between forest and tundra. 

 But although they are only occasionally seen they have always been 

 familiar to the Nunamiut and there is no indication that in recent 

 years the numbers or activities of jays on the tundra have changed. 



Gyrfalcons (Falco rusticoliLS ohsoletus) appear to occupy the coun- 

 try around their nesting sites throughout the year as resident birds. 

 Although they are in a degree isolated from the rest of the population 

 of gyrfalcons, they can reach the territory of adjacent pairs quickly. 



At certain arctic sites where open water persists in winter, dippers 

 {Cinclics mexicanus unicolor) have been seen at various times through- 

 out the year. I believe that they are residents in these small areas 

 which for more than 8 months in winter are surrounded by such dis- 

 tances of frozen country as would seem to form barriers completely 

 isolating each pair of dippers from the rest of their population. Yet 

 their numbers seem to remain about the same and their dwelling sites 

 are known to have been occupied for many years. In spite of their 

 apparent isolation it is evident that they are coherent members of a 

 population of dippers. 



