Skúvoy

Skúvoy (/ˈskʉuːwɪ/ or Skúgvoy Faroese pronunciation: [ˈskɪkvɪ], Danish: Skuø) is an island in the central Faroe Islands, located to the south of Sandoy.

Skúvoy
Skúgvoy
Skuø (Danish)
Island
Skúvoy, as seen from Sandoy
Skúvoy, as seen from Sandoy
Location within the Faroe Islands
Location within the Faroe Islands
Coordinates: 61°46′N 6°49′W
State Kingdom of Denmark
Constituent country Faroe Islands
Area
 • Total10 km2 (4 sq mi)
Population
 (7 January 2020[1])
 • Total40
 • Density4.0/km2 (10/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (WEST)
Calling code298
Designations
Official nameSkuvoy
Designated31 May 2012
Reference no.2053[2]

It is named after the large number of great skua present on the island (who have a habit of attacking intruders). There is only one settlement on the island: Skúvoy on the east coast. There are two mountains: Knúkur (392 m) and Heyggjurin Mikli (391 m).

History

The Black Death in the 14th century killed all the inhabitants except one woman; her cottage can still be seen. Skúvoy was also the home of Sigmundur Brestisson, the hero of the Færeyinga saga (Saga of the Faroese).

Bird habitat

There are 300–400 m cliffs along the west coast, which are home to many guillemots. Egg harvesting takes place in early June, though this occurs in the first week only so as to allow the guillemots to lay again. The island has been identified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International because of its significance as a breeding site for seabirds, especially northern fulmars (50,000 pairs), Manx shearwaters (10,000 pairs), European storm petrels (20,000 pairs), great skuas (25 pairs), Atlantic puffins (40,000 pairs), common guillemots (135,000 pairs) and black guillemots (150 pairs), as well as 40 breeding pairs of Eurasian whimbrels.[3]

References
  1. "Tales from the far-flung Faroes".
  2. "Skuvoy". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  3. BirdLife International. (2012). Important Bird Areas factsheet: Skúvoy. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 2012-02-23.
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