Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.2004, Side 246

244 A HISTORY OF COLONIZATION AND CURRENT STATUS OF THE HOUSE SPARROW
(.PASSER DOMESTICUS) IN THE FAROEISLANDS
Table 1. Estimated number ofbreeding pairs
of hoitse sparrow in the Faroe Islands (six
islands, viz. Mykines, Koltur, Hestur, Stóra
Dímun, Lítla Dímun, and Fugloy, were devoid
of breeding pairs).
Ycar
Island 2001 2002
Suðuroy 443 453
Skúvoy 26 15
Sandoy 86 133
Vágar 201 156
Streymoy 1143 1186
Nólsoy 26 40
Eysturoy ■ 482 551
Kalsoy 19 17
Kunoy 3 10
Borðoy 68 96
Viðoy 7 18
Svínoy 27 25
Total 2531 2700
ously adds to the compiexity of the pattern.
The cumulative number of settlements col-
onized (not necessarily permanently) has
increased steadily up to the present time
(Fig. 2), i.e. to about 95 in 2002 depend-
ing on how some of the closely adjacent
settlements (e.g. along Skálafjørður and
around Tórshavn and Tvøroyri) are delin-
eated. There are 23 (of 118) settlements
that are considered potentially suitable for
house sparrows but that have so far not
been colonized. However, most of these so
far empty habitations are small with only a
few houses.
During the early phase of the colonization
(i.e. 1940 to about 1960), when the house
sparrow was still relatively uncommon and
therefore paid attention to and reported, all
the larger settlements became occupied but
also many smaller ones (Fig. 3). From 1940
to 1962, c. one-forth (27%) of the presently
colonised settlements had been colonized
and in 1972, the house sparrow had spread
to about one-third of them (35%). In 1982 c.
65% and in 1992 c. 68% of the settlements
had been colonized; the abrupt increases in
1981 and 2001-02 (Fig. 2) reflect years of
intensive fíeld work (Bengtson and Bloch,
1983; present study).
Censuses in 2001 and 2002
The total number of house sparrows in the
Faroes was estimated at 2,531 pairs in 2001
and 2,700 in 2002 (Tab. 1). A small increase
in 2002 (7.3%) was true for most of the is-
lands with a reasonable number of pairs,
except for Skúvoy and Vágar where there
was a decline of 42% and 22%, respective-
ly. The geographical distribution in 2002,
as depicted in Fig. 4, shows that the largest
concentrations of pairs were to be found in
the Tórshavn area, around Skálafjørður (es-
pecially along the eastern shores at Toftir
and Runavík), in Klaksvík, Fuglafjørður,
Vestmanna, and on Suðuroy (Vágur and
Tvøroyri). These areas together accounted
for about 60% of the current Faroese popu-
lation. Tórshavn (including Argir) alone
had an estimated number of 878 pairs (890
in 2001), or very nearly one-third (35%)
of the total population. In 2002, the house
sparrow was absent on some of the outlying
islands (Mykines and Fugloy) and in some
relatively small and isolated settlements on
the northern islands and northern Streymoy
(e.g. Saksun and Tjørnuvík).
As to breeding density, and disregard-
ing some small-sized settlements with one
dense colony of house sparrows, the high-