It lies between the southwest point of Bolshoy Shantar and Cape Bol'shoy Dugandzha on the mainland.

It is a little over 1.6 km (1 mi) in length and rises to a height of 290 m (951 ft).

[1] Between 1857 and 1889, American whaleships cruised for bowhead whales off Ptichiy.

[5][6][7] Ships also anchored under it during strong winds[8] and boat crews spent the night on the island after cruising for whales all day.

[9] In the summer there is a large colony of spectacled guillemots on the island, as well as a smaller nesting colony of thick-billed murres.