Adopt a kittiwake & support the conservation of this endangered species in Tromsø
- Delphin Ruché
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
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.
But first, what is a kittiwake and why is it in trouble?
The black-legged kittiwake is a species of seabird, and it is endangered (EN) on Norway's Red List.
In 2014, scientists warned that Norwegian kittiwake colonies could disappear sometime between 2024 and 2062 (Sandvik et al. 2014). The situation has not improved since 2014, and the kittiwake is more threatened than ever.
Some of the surviving kittiwakes find refuge in cities (more info about kittiwakes in Tromsø here). But coexistence is not easy. Kittiwakes are gulls, and that alone is sometimes enough to trigger negative reactions.
Two wrong ideas about kittiwakes
Contrary to what many people believe, kittiwakes do not steal our food (they feed only at sea) and they do not attack when someone comes close to their nests (instead, they quietly fly in circle).
What kittiwakes are looking for is a place to nest, and that is often on buildings that remind them of cliffs (their natural nesting habitat).
A kittiwake nesting on a building in Tromsø.
In Tromsø, kittiwakes both divide and bring people together. Some people want the kittiwakes gone, while others believe that coexistence is possible. The Kittiwalkers belong to the latest category: they are citizen scientists, sentinels and whistleblowers (more info about the Kittiwalkers here).
Adopt a kittiwake!
In 2026, ten nests and ten rescued chicks can be adopted, via a donation of 1,000 NOK (about EUR 85, or USD 100).
Adopt a nest
After adopting a nest, you will receive weekly updates with photos and highlights, from the moment you adopt the nest until the last chick leaves. Usually, kittiwakes lay eggs in May, the eggs hatch in June and chicks leave their nests in July and August.
A rather crowded kittiwake nest in Tromsø.
Adopt a rescued chick
Kittiwake chicks who fall off the nests have no chance to survive, as parents ignore their chick if they are not in the nest. Kittiwalkers rescue these doomed chicks, bring them to the Rissa orphanage and feed them until they are old enough to fly (more about the rescuing of kittiwakes here).
After adopting a rescued chick, you will receive weekly updates with photos and highlights, from the moment you adopt the chick until they are released by one of the Kittiwalkers. You may follow your chick 24/7 on YouTube thanks to our livecam.
You’ll also have the chance to name your chick. To do so, we encourage you to adopt early, before chicks begin falling from the nests, sometimes as early as June. The last chicks usually fledge before the end of August.
Rissa Citizen Science's livecam at the Tromsø kittiwake orphanage in 2025.
What is your donation used for?
Your donation is earmarked specifically to support our work with kittiwakes:
To coordinate the Kittiwalker program
To build and maintain the kittiwake chick orphanage
To buy fish to feed the rescued chicks
To run the livecam on Rissa's YouTube channel
To buy binoculars for the Kittiwalkers
To improve the Kittiwalkers mobile app
Adopt a nest or a rescued chick now: a concrete way to support the conservation of the endangered kittiwake in Tromsø!
A rescued kittiwake chick is released by a Kittiwalker in Tromsø.
In Tromsø, coexistence with the endangered kittiwakes faces considerable resistance, driven by the belief that wildlife should not be in cities. Alongside this opposition, a growing community is working for their preservation. Beyond Rissa Citizen Science and the Kittiwalkers, this community includes scientists from NINA, some representatives from Tromsø municipality, a committed architect, engaged artists, many residents and tourists. It is through cooperation that solutions take shape.
The Hurtigruten Foundation is supporting Rissa Citizen Science conservation work with the kittiwakes in Tromsø. Nordic Focus is supporting our effort by helping us acquire high-quality binoculars that the Kittiwalkers can borrow.
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