Common guillemot

Short abstract from the book:
Common guillemot breeds in large numbers in the Faroes and is a common winter visitor. The breeding population is estimated to be 100,000 pairs. Until recently the common guillemot has been an important food source in some communities. The eggs were harvested and adults were caught or shot. 6,327 common guillemots have been ringed in the Faroes, many from boats around Stóra Dímun (4,010). The first was ringed in 1927. In the late 1960s a ringing campaign was initiated to gain knowledge about the winter grounds. Most birds were ringed in 1970 (2,092). Common guillemots have been ringed between 8 June and 5 August, 18% as chicks. 802 (12.6%) have been recovered. Most recoveries are from the Faroes, but 87 are from abroad. Ten common guillemots ringed as chicks were recovered within the first half year, all along the Norwegian coast. The average autumn position is ENE of the Faroes along the Norwegian coast. The average position then moves south into the North Sea during winter, with a few recoveries in the Faroes and Iceland. During the breeding season, common guillemots tend to stay close to their breeding colony. There may be some interchange with populations in Scotland, as two common guillemots ringed in Scotland have been shot in the Faroes during the breeding period. A large proportion of the recoveries are from shooting. Many recoveries are from oiled birds, mostly from the North Sea. The longest-living Faroese-ringed common guillemot was recovered after 28 years and 6 months.

Read more about the species in the chapter from The Faroese Bird Migration Atlas here