Fróðskaparrit - 31.12.2000, Side 25

29
The Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)
as Food in the Northern Circumpolar Region
Snjófuglur (Plectrophenax nivalis) til matna á økinum runt Subarktis
Ingvar Svanberg
Department of East European Studies, Uppsala University, Box 514, SE-751 20 Uppsala, Sweden.
Phone: +46 18 471 16 85, e-mail: ingvar.svanberg@east.uu.se
Úrtak
í ferðafrásøgnini sigur J.C. Svabo, í stuttari viðmerking,
at fyri føroyingar var snjófuglurin (Plectrophenax nival-
is) krásamatur. Fuglurin var at síggja um várið, og tá
varð hann tikin. Prógvini um nýtsluna í Føroyum eru tó
ikki nógv. Harafturímóti var snjófuglurin hildin at vera
ein góður biti, tá ið hann var at síggja á vári, hjá fólki í
Norðurskandinaviu, Russlanđi, Sibiriu, Grønlandi og í
Norðurameriku. Nógvur fuglur varð tikin, ofta við
snaru, og fólkið í subarktiska økinum brúkti fuglin til
matna. Eisini hava fólk havt fuglin í búri. I Grønlandi
nýttu børnini fuglin sum leiku. I einari frásøgn, frá
seinnu helvt av 1800-talinum, verður sagt, at nólsoying-
ar tóku fuglin við einfaldum fellum. Sjálvt um ongar
neyvar lýsingar eru um veiðu av snjófugli í 1700-talin-
um, benda tær fáu upplýsingamar frá Svabo á, at føroy-
ingar tóku snjófugl.
Abstract
According to a brief comment in J.C. Svabo’s travel-
ogue, the snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) was
considered among the Faroese to make a delicious
repast. The snow bunting appeared in abundance during
springtime in the villages; it was probably at this time
that it was captured for food. However, evidence from
the Faroe Islands concerning its use is sparse. Accord-
ing to many records from elsewhere, however, the snow
bunting was considered a fat little bird that could be
caught during its northern springtime migration, when it
passed through northern Scandinavia, Greenland, Rus-
sia, Siberia, and North America. People in the subarctic
region caught it in large numbers (usually in snares) and
used it as food. It was also kept as a cage bird. Children
in Greenland even used it as a kind of toy. According to
an account from Nólsoy at the end of the 19th century,
the snow bunting was captured in primitive enclosure
traps. Although we lack detailed data on the methods
used for trapping this bird in the 18th century, Svabo’s
sparse account is a plausible one.
Introduction
Around 1782, Jens Christian Svabo wrote
as follows about the snow bunting (Plectro-
phenax nivalis) found in the Faroe Islands:
During the winter and spring, when a heavy
snow is falling, it is seen in large flocks, es-
pecially in the infields and near the houses.
In the summer, it lives in the mountains. Its
colour changes in winter from mottled grey
to white. It is considered to make delicious
food. (1959:21)
In those days, it was probably a breeding
bird in the Faroes, or at least in the Norður-
oyggjar (the northernmost islands). Nowa-
days, however, it seems only to be an abun-
dant winter visitor and migrant (Sørensen
Fróðskaparrit 48. bók 2001: 29-40