Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.2001, Side 128

132
BREEDING DISTRIBUTION AND NUMBERS
OF WREN (TROGLODYTES TROGLODYTES) IN THE FAROE ISLANDS
For the individual islands, the highest pro-
portions of pairs within settlements (25-
29%) occur on the largest islands, those
with relatively many settlements, and thus
infields (Eysturoy, Streymoy, Sandoy, and
Vágar), with Suderoy as an exception
(15%). In this context it should be noted
that most of the larger settlements, like Tór-
shavn, Klaksvík, Tróngisvágur, Vágur,
Vestmanna, and the more or less continu-
ous habitation along Skálafjørdur, have re-
markably few pairs. It is noteworthy that
the abundance of wren in the plantations
(especially in Tórshavn and on Suderoy) is
low. Islands with a high proportion (66-
76%) of pairs in the outfields, such as Vi-
doy, Bordoy, and Nólsoy, have few settle-
ments and the two latter have relatively few
pairs on the sea cliffs. On Nólsoy, however,
there is a dense concentration of pairs in the
extensive boulder-field on the E side of the
island at Urdin, among nesting puffins
(Fratercula arcticá) and storm petrels (Hy-
drobates pelagicus). Islands with relatively
many pairs in the sea cliffs are Mykines,
Skúvoy, Stóra Dímun, Suduroy, Svínoy,
and Hestur, all with numerous seabirds. On
Mykines, wrens breed in conspicuous num-
bers in the puffin colonies on the sloping
grasslands W of the village, e.g. in Lamba.
Total population size for the Faroes was
estimated as between 614 and 852 breeding
Table 1. Estimated numbers ofbreeding pairs ofwren in the Faroes in the 1980s and 1990s (see text) given as
a min.pop. - max.pop.estimates and habitat distribution (% based on max.pop. estimate).
Island Area (km2) Habitat (%)
Settlement Infield Outfield Cliffs Pairs (#)
Suduroy 166.3 15 13 35 38 56- 80
Lítla Dímun 0.7 100 6- 10
Stóra Dímun 2.6 6 24 18 53 9- 17
Skúvoy 10.2 14 7 29 50 19- 28
Sandoy 111.3 27 23 32 18 27- 44
Trøllhøvdi 0.2 1 - 1+
Hestur 6.1 9 16 43 31 21 - 32
Koltur 2.4 29 14 29 29 3- 7
Vágarl 78.7 25 19 35 21 50- 72
Mykines 10.6 5 3 34 58 43- 59
Nólsoy 4.4 7 7 76 10 20- 29
Streymoy 374.3 27 8 56 10 97- 126
Eysturoy 286.3 29 4 57 10 76- 97
Kalsoy 30.7 24 16 42 18 35 - 50
Kunoy 35.3 15 9 58 18 24- 33
Bordoy 95.5 22 7 66 6 43- 55
Vidoy 41.3 8 5 67 21 31 - 39
Svínoy 27.4 16 13 38 34 24- 32
Fugloy 11.2 10 10 61 20 29- 41
Total 18-19 9-11 50-47 22-24 614- 852
(min.pop. - max.pup.)