Birds on the Faroe Islands – Trap The Faroe Islands

Two northern fulmars (*Fulmarus glacialis*) have settled on a bird cliff on Sandoy, where they share the ledge with flowering sea thrift. The northern fulmar did not come to the Faroe Islands until the first half of the 19th century, but is now one of the islands’ most numerous breeding birds. Unlike other seabirds, the northern fulmar stays by the Faroe Islands almost all year round, and apart from a few weeks in autumn, they are a regular sight on the cliffs.
MARTIN N. JOHANSEN/BIOFOTO/RITZAU SCANPIX, 2018

No other animal group characterises the Faroese landscape as birds. On the mountains facing the sea, you can see northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) and Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica), along the coast there are flocks of common eiders (Somateria mollissima), in the outfield oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) and whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) live, while common starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) can be found in the villages all year round. Of the 334 bird species that have been observed in the Faroe Islands, the vast majority are random visitors or migratory birds that pass the islands in spring and autumn on their way to and from the breeding grounds further north. Migratory birds such as sanderling (Calidris alba), red knot (Calidris canutus), goldcrest (Regulus regulus) and garden warblers (Sylvia borin) thus come to visit and stay only briefly on the islands before continuing their journey to the north and south. The number of breeding birds is therefore relatively low, and only approx. 60 different species of birds breed fairly regularly on the islands.

A small flock of Atlantic puffin (*Fratercula arctica*) on the grassy coastal slopes of Mykines; easily recognisable by their brightly coloured beak, which has earned them the nickname ‘sea parrot’. The iconic bird from the auk family spends its life at sea but comes to the Faroe Islands in March-April to bring the next generation into the world. They have been vital to the birding activities on the islands, and in 1939 the total catch of Atlantic puffin in the Faroe Islands was estimated at 200,000 birds per year.
OLAVUR FREDERIKSEN, 2008

Several surveys of the Faroe Islands’ breeding birds have been made, but since several species have only been counted once, the numbers are associated with great uncertainty. In addition, the populations of e.g. starlings and rock dove (Columba livia) have never been counted. Not surprisingly, the surveys show that the seabirds dominate birdlife on the islands. Northern fulmar and Atlantic puffin have the largest populations with more than 100,000 pairs each. They are followed by storm petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus) and black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), which also have breeding populations that likely exceed 100,000 pairs. Common guillemot (Uria aalge) and manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) also have populations that can be counted in the tens of thousands. While these six species all breed on the coast, other seabirds breed inland. This is the case for e.g. parasitic jaeger (Stercorarius parasiticus), great skua (Stercorarius skua) and red-throated loon and several gull species, which together make up 10,000‑40,000 pairs.

The outfield also serves as a breeding ground for several different wading birds. They were counted in 1981, at which point the breeding population of oystercatcher was estimated at around 10,000 pairs, whimbrel at around 3,000 pairs, common snipe (Gallinago gallinago) at 1,500‑3,000 pairs and golden plover at around 1,000 pairs. Due to the age of the study, the numbers should be read with a great deal of caution, and there are many indications that the populations have since declined significantly. In addition, the outfield is habitat for small birds such as northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) and meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis). Starlings are also seen in the outfield, although in much smaller numbers than in the villages.

On beaches and salt marshes, you can often see wading birds such as dunlin (Calidris alpina), purple sandpiper (Calidris maritima), common redshank (Tringa totanus) and common ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula). Most are resting migratory birds or overwintering birds, although very few pairs breed in the outfield. The ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres), which is a frequent sight on the salt marshes, does not normally breed in the Faroe Islands. In summer, greylag geese (Anser anser) can be found on the lakes and fjords with a total breeding population of around 100‑500 pairs. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator) also breed in the lakes and have a total population of around 500 pairs. The same applies to the red-throated loon and red-necked phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus). However, these are few and far between, and the total breeding population for the two species is unlikely to exceed 50 pairs. All year round, and especially in winter, flocks of widgeon (Mareca penelope) and tufted duck (Aythya fuligula) can be seen on the lakes, although they do not normally breed in the Faroe Islands.

The Oystercatcher

With its red bill and black-white plumage, the oystercatcher or tjaldur, as it is called in Faroese, is one of the Faroe Islands’ most easily recognisable waders. It can be found on virtually all the islands, but has experienced a significant decline throughout its habitat. The iconic bird is the national bird of the Faroe Islands, which is largely due to Fuglakvæðið (The Bird Ballad) that Nólsoyar-Páll wrote in 1806‑07. In the chorus of the ballad, the oystercatcher is described as the bird that protects the weak from the strong:

Fuglurin í fjøruni
við sínum nevi reyða 
mangt eitt djór og høviskan fugl 
hevur hann greitt frá deyða, 
Fuglurin í fjøruni. 

The bird on the beach 
whose bill is so red 
Without it had many creatures and the proud birds 
met their death, 
The bird on the beach.

With its arrival, the oystercatcher traditionally heralds the coming of spring and is celebrated in connection with Grækarismessa every year on March 12.

Bird hunting

Bird hunter hanging in a line with a net called a *fleygastong*. Á Skarði on Kunoy in 1898.
JOHANNES KLEIN/NATIONAL MUSEUM OF DENMARK

Hunting for both birds and their eggs has been of great importance since ancient times. It has been an important part of traditional Faroese diet, in some places perhaps the most important. The birds were mainly prepared fresh, but have also been salted or air-dried and fermented for later use.

These include seabirds such as Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica), common guillemot (Uria aalge), razorbill (Alca torda), black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) and northern gannet (Morus bassanus), which commonly breed on quite inaccessible bird cliffs. Hunting them requires special equipment and technique, and, in many places, the bird hunters have to climb or be hoisted down the bird cliffs in a line, called a bjargalína. Eggs are collected directly from the ledges or from puffin caves.

Until 1925, common guillemot was hunted on Skúvoy on the cliff ledges using a fyglingarstong with a net at one end. In some places, Atlantic puffin is also hunted by pulling them out of their caves, which is called draga lunda. Northern gannets, which only live on Mykineshólmur, are hunted directly on the cliff ledges, where they are taken one by one. The most common technique is to catch the birds in the air with a fleygastong, which is a long rod with a net at one end. During the 20th century, it gradually became common to also hunt by boat and shoot the birds with a gun, especially common guillemot, razorbill and European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis).

The seabirds’ food in the sea also affects the size of the bird populations, which have declined over many years. Most seabirds today are therefore temporarily protected, but the seabird population is expected to bounce back.

Northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) is still hunted in some places during winter. In August-September, however, it is an annual event that the fat young of the northern fulmar, or nátar, are hunted by boat with a racket as soon as they have flown from the nest and come down to sea. Nátar is a favourite food in autumn that can also be bought at the fish market by the port in Tórshavn. On Mykines, young gannets are still hunted every autumn.

In addition to seabirds, wild geese also used to be hunted, and other birds in the outfield were also eaten. However, this was stopped after a new perspective on nature emerged around 1900 under the slogan »Latið heiðafugler og smáfuglar fáa frið« (Leave the birds that live in the outfield and small birds alone).

The islands of Skúvoy and Mykines have been important places for bird hunting since ancient times and are for the same reason popular tourist spots today.

The Oystercatcher

Bird hunting

Further reading