Collaboration
Birds Of Koltur
The birdlife on Koltur is quite rich and diverse considering the small size and somewhat uniform surface of the island. The steep cliffs in the north and the west hold numerous seabirds, the eastern shores attract eiders (Somateria mollissima) and black guillemots (Cepphus grylle), and the old farmland is teeming with snipes (Gallinago gallinago) and oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus). On the central and southern hills and slopes, herring gulls (Larus argentatus) and meadow pipits (Anthus pratensis) make their nests. A pair of great skua (Stercorarius skua) occupy the tallest peak on the island, while another pair dwells on the field of Høvdahagi in the north. At least 21 species breed consistently on Koltur; all common for the Faroe Islands. But historical records also exist of opportunistic breeding by some rarer species, including Northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), purple sandpiper (Calidris maritima) and common redshank (Tringa totanus).
Seabirds
There are several seabird species populating Koltur. Quite a few Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) make their home burrows in the rim of the northern slopes, as well as in the grass patches of the tall western cliffside, which also holds a number of Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) pairs. The current size and distribution of these populations is not well known. Breeding Northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) are also scattered along the western cliffs, in the crags and gorges in the north east, with a few pairs nesting just down from the farmhouses Norðuri í Gerði.
A colony of Arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea) is located just north of the river of Mýrabergsá. Historically, hundreds of Arctic tern pairs nested here, but this number has greatly diminished in recent years as the breeding seasons have failed repeatedly. However, screeching terns remain a prominent feature along the shore in Koltur in the summer.
On the old farms, the stone houses and fences teem with European storm-petrels (Hydrobates pelagicus). At night, their purring calls can be heard in the walls, and they can even be felt darting in between the houses. As is typical for this night-active species, the storm-petrels are entirely hidden in their burrows or far out at sea during the day. There is no current estimate of the number of breeding pairs on the island, but it is assumed to be at least in the hundreds.
Inland birds
One of the first birds you will notice when arriving in Koltur is the garrulous and conspicuous Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus). Some 10-20 pairs are loosely distributed along the shore and over the southern lowland. A small handful of whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) pairs are present in the island’s central area, where common redshanks (Tringa totanus) may also breed on occasion. But by far the most abundant wader species breeding on Koltur is the common snipe (Gallinago gallinago). Though they occur all over the island, snipes breed in unusually high density in the abandoned barley field next to the southern settlement Heima í Húsi. Here, cocks can be seen locked in lengthy territorial fights throughout the summer, as well as heard doing their distinctive territorial tail-humming high in the air.
No raptors breed on the island, and the predatorial niche is mostly filled by a few great skuas (Stercorarius skua) and great black-backed gulls (Larus marinus), and perhaps to some degree by a few pairs of Northern ravens (Corvus corax). Although there are overlaps, these large opportunists tend occupy different environments. The great skua spends much time at sea, great black-backed gulls frequent the shorelines, and the ravens often rove over the highlands. In the summer, all three species hunt for eggs, chicks, and – in the case of great skuas – adult birds in the seabird cliffs.
A few passerine species breed on the island. Most abundant in the outfield are meadow pipits (Anthus pratensis), who make their nests in the low grasslands on the island’s southern half. On the other hand, the closely related rock pipits (Anthus petrosus) spend the majority of their time on the island’s shores, cliff tops and large gullies. European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) favour the farmhouses in the settlement Norðuri í Gerði, which is also frequented by a Eurasian wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) pair.
Shorebirds
Both common eiders (Somateria mollissima) and black guillemots (Cepphus grylle) dot the shoreline in considerable numbers throughout the year. Koltur’s eiders make their downy nests mostly on or near the shore, but a few choose to breed quite far up the mountain slopes. Due to their uniformly dark brown colour, the brooding eider females camouflage their nests well in dark or mottled terrain.
The black guillemots – also known as tysties – nest in crevices and stone piles on the rocky beach, and in some cases they even utilize the stone structures in the village. In July, they can be seen shuttling to and from their burrows throughout the day, providing their chicks with food. In the evening, they will gather in small groups just offshore from their nesting grounds, calling with their mild and high-pitched whistle.
Great black-backed gulls (Larus marinus) are a scarce but at times dominating presence along the eastern shore, with a few pairs nesting on rocky ridges. Also common here are European shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis), black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla), and small waders such as ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres), dunlin (Calidris alpina), purple sandpiper (Calidris maritima), and sanderling (Calidris alba). None of these species are known to maintain a breeding population on Koltur, but the island nonetheless appears to hold ecological significance for them.
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