Last December, a group of Kittiwalkers identified three buildings in Tromsø city center where kittiwakes were at risk of injury or death during the upcoming breeding season. The anti-bird spikes needed to be removed or replaced with safer alternatives. Biologist Maren Hansen took the lead in addressing this issue, meeting with building owners and proposing alternative solutions to the hazardous spikes. The experience was eye-opening for her, and she agreed to share her insights in a short interview. Meet Maren—an active Kittiwalker and dedicated nature advocate!
Hei Maren, can you introduce yourself?
Hi! I have lived most of my life in Tromsø, and recently completed my Masters' degree in Arctic marine ecology. I have always had a very special connection with the ocean, and after studying biology and getting a broader understanding of how amazing nature is in all its ways, I have become very passionate about protecting and caring for these systems.
You have some good news to share, can you tell us about it?
Absolutely! A few months ago a few of the kittiwalkers went around town to look for spikes on buildings where the kittiwakes previously had nests. By doing so we found three buildings that could potentially be harmful for the birds, and we decided to reach out to the building owners to discuss alternative solutions.
I am happy to share now that these spikes have been replaced with alternative deterrents that we hope will be effective.
Spikes are the worse deterrents for kittiwakes: harmful and ineffective.
How was your experience interacting with the building owners?
To be honest, I was quite nervous about reaching out to them, to encourage them to make changes on their buildings as they are business people and I feel that I don't speak their language. But, it turned out to be a very positive experience where they were open to meet and have discussions about how to deal with kittiwakes.
We had a look at one building together with the owner Arthur Mack and we had productive conversations about what the alternatives could be, and he agreed to test out a new deterrent.
We also had a very nice meeting with Polaris Eiendom where they showed curiosity, interest and were also willing to test out alternative deterrents. We discussed what would be a potential solution for that specific building. I was very happy to be met with openness and the willingness of testing out other systems to learn what works and what doesn't. About the third building, I did not personally interact with the owner, but they were also positive about replacing the spikes and did so quite fast.
Can you tell us a bit more about the types of deterrents that are now being tested on these buildings?
One of the deterrents tested is a "spider scarecrow" which looks like a palm tree. It works by creating an intimidating and irritating effect on birds. It is equipped with flexible wire that is meant to keep the birds from landing on the surface, while providing a visual effect that makes the birds uncomfortable.
Installation of the "spider scarecrow" deterrent on Argenturet building.
The other deterrent being tested is a gel designed to affect the birds natural behaviour in a non-harming way. It is reflects UV light, causing the birds to see it as flames, creating a powerful visual signal that deters them. The gel also contains peppermint oil, which affects the birds' sense of smell and creates a further aversion. This can be a good solution on buildings where there is no space for larger deterrents. These deterrents have proved efficient on pigeons, and in some places on kittiwakes, and I hope they will also work on this building, considering that kittiwakes like to use the same nest year after year.
Polaris Eiendom building equipped with "fire gel" on the window sills.
You are an active Kittiwalker yourself: what is the plan of action for the coming month?
Now that the kittiwakes are back in the city, we will start mapping nests and finally test the new mobile app that Philip Redecker has designed, which will be very interesting!
With the new deterrents being tested, we will document the reaction of kittiwakes, so that will be an important task for us!
While monitoring the nests around the city, we will also keep an eye on illegal nest destruction, as this has happened in several occasions last year. We will report them to the Police if necessary. Not everyone is aware that disturbing kittiwakes during the breeding g season is illegal, which makes it even more important for us to raise awareness about the kittiwake’s conservation status, before destructions occur.
We will also recruit new Kittiwalkers, the more the merrier!
Kittiwalkers monitoring nests on the kittiwake hotels.
How would you respond to people who feel that kittiwakes don't belong in the city?
I would say that people should go out there to observe and learn about the kittiwakes and their behaviours. I clearly see that most of people’s opinions come from a place of not really knowing. I can understand the restistance people can feel because when living in a city, as it is easy to become blind to the fact that we are actually a part of nature and we have the idea that the city is our space. But really, we should remember that we and nature are not separate, we are one and we should have more emphasis on living more sustainably and coexisting with nature.
Spiky Scandic in Tromsø.
On a more personal note, why did you choose to join the Kittiwalkers?
With all I learned during my studies, I want to communicate science by sharing knowledge and raising awareness, and being a Kittiwalker feels very meaningful. I spent one summer on an island studying kittiwakes, and during that time, I got so much insight in their behaviour and how much we can learn from them and environmental changes. I feel it is a misunderstood bird and I want to encourage people to look at it with new eyes and also to be more aware and live more connected with our surroundings.
Kittiwalkers surveying nests in Tromsø city center.
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