Written by Lina Hindrum
In the spring, billions of migratory birds fly back from their wintering grounds to their breeding grounds here in the north, enriching us with their beautiful appearance and fine song. But they're not just beautiful to look at and hear. They're a reminder of the importance of nature for mental health and well-being, and with precision they tell us about the world and the landscape we create.
Every spring, large flocks of migratory birds fly over Norway, and many use the Oslofjord as a migration route and resting place on their way to their breeding grounds. Migratory birds are an important part of our world view and biodiversity, but many of these birds are threatened by human activity and development. That's why World Migratory Bird Day (World Migratory Bird Day) on the second Saturday in May and the second Saturday in October, to increase knowledge about and the need for protection of migratory birds and their habitats.
We have been lucky enough to have Håkan Billing, head of NOF Oslo and Akershus, and Reidar Hindrum, board member of NOF Trøndelag, tell us a little more about migratory birds and their value. The text follows below.
Most of the birds that breed in Norway during the summer months are migratory. They leave our areas when the cold and darkness sets in during the fall, and return in the spring. During the winter months, they stay in more southerly latitudes in areas where it is warmer and brighter and thus easier to maintain body heat and find the food they need to survive. There is a big difference in how far and where they migrate. Some migrate just a little further south or west on the European continent while others migrate all the way down to the southern hemisphere. The red-billed terns that breed in wetlands and beach areas north of Svalbard in the summer, migrate all the way down to the Southern Ocean for the Antarctic summer.
Migratory birds largely follow the continents between south and north, along coastlines and over land. We call these "flyways". Migratory birds that breed in Norway largely follow what we call the African-Eurasian Flyway, also known as the East Atlantic Flyway. Most migratory bird species need to rest and eat during the long journey between summer and winter stops. For water-associated birds, these are shorelines and shallow water areas that are rich in nutrients. Such areas are often threatened by human activity such as development, pollution, hunting and over-harvesting. In order for the birds to survive, the breeding areas in the north, the network of staging areas along the migration routes and the wintering areas in the south must be preserved. Protecting birds and their habitats in one country does not help if they and their habitats are threatened in other countries along this migration route. It is important that all countries work together on this. World Migratory Bird Day (World Migratory Bird Day) increases knowledge about the need for protection of migratory birds and their habitats.
Norwegian Ornithological Society (NOF) is a voluntary nature conservation organization with an emphasis on city birds and bird conservation in Norway. The challenges faced by migratory birds in Norway are a very important issue for NOF, because migratory birds in Norway are also threatened by encroachment on nature that destroys breeding grounds and resting places. The populations of 57 bird species are in decline, and for some this decline is significant. The situation is particularly worrying for some wading bird species and several seabird species. The ruff, guillemot and kittiwake are among the most threatened species. A clear decline has also been documented in the populations of several species associated with the cultural landscape, including lapwing and curlew.
Oslo and Akershus have many important resting places for migrating birds. The inner Oslofjord acts as a "funnel", and many migratory birds rest at Fornebu with its Storøykilen and Koksa nature reserves in particular. The Nordre Øyeren nature reserve, with northern Europe's largest inland delta, is home to thousands of migrating geese, ducks, waders and small birds. The rich cultural landscape in Aurskog-Høland municipality, with several small lakes, also has several good migration sites, such as Hellesjøvannet, Kjelle and Hemnessjøen. Østensjøvannet, in the middle of Oslo, also has a number of migrating waders and other species. If you want to know more about this, please contact NOF department Oslo and Akershus.
The main island in the inner Oslofjord is a popular nature reserve for birds? Bring binoculars on a KOKCRUISE and you're sure to see an interesting bird or two.
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