Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Animal Life, by James A. Grieg
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Along our west and north coasts, there are numerous colonies
of swimming birds, gulls, terns, guillemots, razorbills, puffins,
kittiwakes, cormorants and eider ducks. The farther north we go,
the more numerous become the colonies, and in the north of
Norway whole cliffs are covered with them, and whole islands are
occupied by their nesting-places, bringing no small profit to their
owners. The most notable of these cliffs are at Lovunden in
Helgeland, inhabited by puffins, and at Sværholtklubben, inhabited
bv kittiwakes. Other characteristic coast birds are the sheldrake,
the goosander, the heron, the lapwing, the curlew, the
oyster-catcher, [[** sjk bindestrek]] the shore pipit, the sea-eagle, etc.
The bird fauna of the lowlands, which is most abundant
in the valleys of the east country, is similar to that of Europe
in general. That of the mountains, on the other hand, is more
characteristic. We here find several species that are seldom found
south of Norway, such as the Lapland bunting (Plectrophanes
laponica), whose most southerly abode is on the Dovre Mountains,
and the snow bunting (Plectrophanes nivalis). On the mountains
we also meet with the alpine ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus), and
the snowy owl (Nyctea scandiaca), whose principal food is the
lemming. In the so-called lemming-years, this species appears in
great numbers, and follows the lemming in its migration towards
the lowlands. We have, moreover, the rough-legged buzzard
(Archibuteo lagopus), and some other birds of prey. By the lakes
broods the black duck (Oidemia), and on the marshes we find the
dotterel (Eudromias morinellus), the golden plover (Charadrius
pluvialis), the ruff (Machetes pugnax), etc. The favourite haunts
of most of our waders, are in the northern parts of the country.
When we descend to the sub-alpine region, birds are more
abundant. Here is the haunt of Norway’s most valuable game-bird,
the willow-grouse (Lagopus albus). Here too we meet with the
wood-cock (Scolopax rusticola) and the snipe (Gallinago major).
The willow-grouse is the commonest of all the gallinaceous birds,
but black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) is the most widely distributed,
being found both in the pine forests of the east, and in the barren
islands of the west. The capercailzie, on the other hand, has a
more limited distribution, being found especially in the pine forests
of the east and north, more rarely in the west. This may also
be said of the hazel grouse, whose home is the spruce-woods; for
it is altogether absent from the west country.
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