News & Stories

If a kittiwake chick falls from its nest, its parents will no longer feed it. Without help, it has no chance of surviving. This article is a practical first-aid guide for fallen kittiwake chicks, based on what I learned while helping Rissa Citizen Science rescue chicks in Tromsø.

The egg-laying season is now over for Tromsø's endangered kittiwakes, and breeding pairs are busy incubating their eggs. As a result, the city's kittiwake hotels have reached their peak occupancy. This update is made possible thanks to the commitment of the Kittiwalkers, who monitor the nests in Tromsø and submit their observations through the Rissa Citizen Science app.

Kittiwakes bring phosphorus from sea to land through their digestive tract, while urchins are rich in calcium and nitrogen. Can these two species help us boost vegetation growth during the short Arctic summer? Can conservation efforts play a role in strengthening food security? This summer in Tromsø, we will be exploring these questions through an exciting new side project, in collaboration with DYRK and ViNN.

Despite the kittiwake’s alarming conservation status in Norway, the destruction of nests has continued this year in Tromsø. Since the previous breeding season, out of the 178 kittiwake nests mapped by the Kittiwalkers in Tromsø city center, 93 have been removed or made inaccessible. The question remains whether the "kittiwake hotels" can offset the ongoing push to keep kittiwakes away from buildings.

Behind Traasdhal, a net was recenlty installed onto a cliff used as a breeding site by several species of seabirds. However, the net is not properly sealed against the rock face and the mesh is too large, resulting in gulls repeatedly becoming trapped.

Until now, only people in Tromsø could take an active role in protecting the endangered kittiwake. From now on, anyone, anywhere in the world, can support this community effort by adopting a kittiwake nest or a rescued chick. Here’s how it works: In 2025, Dora was everyone's favorite. A strong personality, curious and always eager to explore her surroundings. A concrete way to support the conservation of the endangered kittiwake in Tromsø! What is a kittiwake and why is it in

As the breeding season approaches, illegal destruction of kittiwake nesting sites remains a recurring issue in Tromsø. In efforts to protect them, the 2021 Hammerfest ruling is a useful reminder of what the law says and how it should be interpreted.

On 15 March, the endangered kittiwake brought people together as two kittiwake hotels had to be relocated. The Kittiwalkers turned out in force, following the lead of Kjeld Nash and Lawrence Malstaf, under the watchful eye of photographer Adrian Valentin Roibu.

Kittiwake hotels are alternative breeding sites used to lure kittiwakes away from buildings where they are unwelcome. What is the situation with the kittiwake hotels in Tromsø? Here is a short summary.

Designing and installing kittiwake hotels requires effort and financial resources, so understanding what truly attracts the birds is essential. The data collected by the Kittiwalkers during the 2025 season in Tromsø can help provide valuable insights into these questions.

What happened to kittiwakes this year in Tromsø? It has been a busy summer for the Kittiwalkers, who monitored kittiwakes and rescued chicks in Tromsø city center and Skattøra. As kittiwakes have now left Tromsø, it is time to report!

For the second year in a row, Rissa Citizen Science and the Kittiwalkers rescued kittiwake chicks that had fallen from their nests. We also set up a live cam and streamed the chicks on YouTube. Now is the time to reflect on these rescue efforts and consider how we can improve them next year.

Between the 9th and the 22d of August, Rissa Citizen Science streamed the rescued kittiwake chicks on YouTube. This initiative is a first in Tromsø, and aims to foster empathy for this endangered species, and promote coexistence. Here's a quick recap!

Jacqueline Kärcher, Florentine Schäfermeier and Martha Steinmetz formed the Creative Pack, experiencing Rissa Citizen Science’s work through their artistic lens. They’ve now gathered the material they need, and it will take some time before we see what emerges from their creative minds. In the meantime, the three artists kindly share a glimpse of their story with us.

Welcome to Rissa’s first live broadcast! On Friday, August 8th, we launched the broadcast we had been talking about for months. Just after 6 PM CET that day, the kittiwake “rescue shelter” went live for viewers around the world! Follow every moment of the chicks we’re raising until they’re ready to leave.

Midway through the breeding season, we’re sharing an update based on the dedicated efforts of the Kittiwalkers.

The Strandvegen 8 case highlights how a poorly considered decision ended up worsening the very issue it aimed to resolve (getting rid of the endangered kittiwake). Now, for kittiwakes and for people using or living the neighborhood, an alternative breeding site is urgently needed.

Kittiwake rescue season is back! Last year, we saved 12 chicks thanks to incredible community support. It’s happening again soon, and we need help coordinating logistics now. Here's how you can help.

I am Megan Starr, travel blogger and kittiwake lover. I am sharing my experience volunteering for Rissa Citizen Science in June 2025.

Megan Starr and her partner traveled to Tromsø to spend a week volunteering with Rissa Citizen Science.