Bird Island, South Georgia

Bird Island is 4.8 km (3 mi) long and 800 metres (0.5 mi) wide, separated from the western end of South Georgia by Bird Sound. It is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, also claimed by Argentina as part of Tierra del Fuego province.

History

It was discovered in 1775 by a British expedition under James Cook, who so named it "on account of the vast numbers [of birds] that were upon it".

In the late 1950s, the island was the subject of a number of US funded projects. Between 1959-62, a great number of the island's wandering albatross were ringed, which gave startling data about their range - one bird was found in Australia.

The island has been a station for Antarctic research since 1963, and is currently a biological research station of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) at Jordan Cove, with 4 resident biologists. The main focus of the research is the ecology and population of the island's seabirds and seals.

While the British Magistrate and other civilians and military present in Grytviken were removed from South Georgia during the Argentine occupation of South Georgia in 1982, another 15 Britons remained beyond Argentine reach. The losses suffered at Grytviken prevented Argentina from occupying the rest of the island, with Bird Island base, and field camps at Schlieper Bay, Lyell Glacier and St. Andrews Bay remaining under British control.

The island is currently a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and so there are no landings allowed without permission.

The summit of the island, Roché Peak is named for the Englishman Anthony de la Roché who discovered South Georgia in 1675.

Wildlife

The island is home to:
* 65,000 Antarctic Fur Seals (around 1 for every 6 m² of the island)
* 50,000 Macaroni penguins
* 15,000 pairs of black-browed albatross
* 12,000 pairs of grey-headed albatross
* 1000 pairs of wandering albatross
* 500 pairs of southern Giant Petrels (10% of South Georgia's total)

This is in addition to several hundred thousand other seabirds, including gentoo penguins, and the South Georgia pipit. 27 of South Georgia's 31 breeding species are found here.

The island is rat-free, unlike the main island of South Georgia.

External links

* [http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/living_and_working/research_stations/bird_island/ BAS Bird Island page]
* [http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/living_and_working/research_stations/ Map]