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St Kilda
is a haven for wildlife with 210 different species of bird – some one million
seabirds – having been recorded. Here you'll find an estimated 300,000 pairs of
puffins
(that’s 50% of the
entire UK population), 60,000 pairs of gannets, 40,000 pairs of fulmars,
20,000 pairs
of guillemots, 10,000 pairs of kittiwakes, plus Manx
shearwaters,
storm petrels, Leach’s petrels and great skuas. Great skuas are also known as
Bonxies, from their tendency to swoop down and "bonk" visitors
on the head. Waving your arms around is said to be an effective deterrent.
They are large and aggressive birds, sometimes called "pirates of
the sky", and will attack and eat smaller birds such as kittiwakes and puffins.
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gannet |
St
Kilda wren |
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puffin |
snowy
owl on Hirta |
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Another island - well, rock
really - in the group is Boreray, home to the largest gannet colony in Europe,
about 50,000 pairs. That’s 37% of the total UK populous and 25% of the world’s.
Watch out for these stunning birds as they dart at great speed into the sea for
fish. |
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dolphins
near St Kilda |
Soay
sheep lambs |
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St
Kilda has its own species of four-horned Soay sheep, St Kilda wren and
St Kilda mouse. The mice are
descended from wood mouse because the house mouse became extinct after the
houses were abandoned. Dolphins, minke
whales and
sometimes killer whales accompany vessels as they make their way out to these
remote islands. The feral Soay sheep (the most primitive domestic breed in
Europe) have been investigated by scientists since 1959. The continuation of
this survey has produced one of most detailed population studies in the world. |
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Soay
sheep |
Soay
sheep |
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The geology
of the archipelago may also be of interest to you. Some of the rock is highly
magnetic. The coastline contains many caves and the sharp, jagged skylines exist
because the Ice Age bypassed the St Kilda islands and thus the rocks are unworn.
Scientists believe that many years ago St Kilda was just one large
volcano. The volcano exploded and rising tides have caused the appearance of
many smaller islands and sea stacks. |
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