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Monday, November 16, 2015

Kihnu island - a hotspot of bird migration and cultural heritage


Estonian Nature Tour's MIGRATION HOTSPOTS TOUR (Fri 30th Sep - Fri 7th Oct, 2016) takes You right in the middle of the East-Atlantic Flyway. One crucial location of this phenomenon is Kihnu island.

In South-East Estonia, in the middle of the Gulf of Livonia You can find Yourself in the Kihnu Island. In autumn this small piece of land is an important landmark foro hundreds ofo thousands of migrating birds. Remarkable number of passerines and birds of pray pass through this place. Daily total counts, recorded during regular migration surveys in 2012 and 2013, would elate any birder, interested in migration. 300 000 Chaffinches, Bramblings, 50 000 Siskins, 9 500 Cranes, 1 000 Sparrowhawks, 17 Merlins, 42 Pine Grosbeaks are just some few daily records to mention. Read more about Kihnu surveys...

Birders observing the autumn migration in the Southern tip
of Kihnu island - internationally important bottleneck
site for land- and waterbirds. / Photo: Mati Kose

This island is also remarkable for its rarities records. Late in the autumn 2012 the first in Estonia Naumann's Thrush was spotted and also Pallas Leaf Warbler, Kentish Plover and Yellow-billed Loon have been recorded in the island in recent years. 

Naumann's Thrush (Turdus naumanni) / Photo: Robin Newlin

Kihnu Island is also very attractive culturally. It is a home to a community of half of thousand people whose cultural traditions have been kept alive over the centuries mostly thanks to the island’s female population. While the men of the Kihnu community were out to sea, either fishing or hunting the seals, the women were farming and maintaining the household. This 'division of labour' has made Kihnu women the custodians of the traditional insular culture, including numerous songs, games, dances, wedding ceremonies and handicrafts. Noteworthy are the music pieces of pre-Christian origin, known as runic or Kalevala-metre songs.
The most attrative visual attribute of Kihnu culture is the woolen handicrafts worn by the women equally in their everyday life and in holidays. The traditional looms and local wool, used by the women for weaving and knitting mittens, stockings, skirts and blouses, are usually expressed by bright colours, vivid stripes and intricate embroidery. Many of the symbolic forms and colours adorning these striking garments are rooted in ancient legends.

Source: maaleht.delfi.ee / Photo: Eivi Lepa

Today, Kihnu culture is threatened by economic hardship, uncontrolled housing development and the intrusion of tourists insensitive to the islands’ traditions and natural environment.

Kihnu women in traditional costumes performing national folk dance
and song around the midsummer bonfire, made of an old fishing boat.
Well preserved ethnical lifestyle and culture of Kihnu people is
nominated as UNESCO world cultural heritage feature.
/ Photo: Mati Kose

 Kihnu Cultural Space has been inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008 (UNESCO). Click to watch video...


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