Skúvoy

Skúvoy
Skuø
Island
Skúvoy, as seen from Sandoy

Location within the Faroe Islands
Coordinates: 61°46′N 6°49′W / 61.767°N 6.817°W / 61.767; -6.817
State  Kingdom of Denmark
Constituent country  Faroe Islands
Area
 • Total 10 km2 (4 sq mi)
Population (7 June 2018[1])
 • Total 22
 • Density 2.2/km2 (5.7/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+1 (WEST)
Calling code 298
Designations
Official name Skuvoy
Designated 31 May 2012
Reference no. 2053[2]

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

It is named after the large number of 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 whimbrels.[3]

References

  1. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-sh/faroe_islands_postal_service
  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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