– There are thousands of birds that sit in the tree here and enjoy themselves in the morning. It’s quite cosy, says Michelle Larsen Berge and adds: – … until you smell it. The electric scooters in the city will be reviewed. Photo: Erik Waage / news Larsen Berge is assistant general manager at Kanelsnurren at Arneageren square in central Stavanger. Lately, up to 3,000 starlings have become aware of a nearby tree outside. – As you come around the corner, the smell hits you, and you have to hold your breath. It is simply really disgusting, says Larsen Berge. She says it is sometimes challenging to run a cafe right next to an unofficial starling toilet. – It can destroy the outdoor seating. Customers who think they are going to sit outside quickly turn around at the door. It’s going well, but it’s a shame they can’t sit outside in the fresh air. It was Stavanger Aftenblad that mentioned the case first. Michelle Larsen Berge finds that customers prefer to eat inside, despite the fine weather. Photo: Hanne Høyland / news Slipping in bird droppings Rolf Endsjø is a merchant at Narvesen, which is located directly across the street from Kanelsnurren. – One morning when I was going to round the corner, I slipped in the bird shit. Luckily I didn’t fall, he says. Endsjø has also noticed that there are a lot of birds in the center and a lot of bird droppings on the ground. Merchant at Narvesen in Stavanger, Rolf Endsjø Photo: Hanne Høyland / news His sense of smell is not quite at its peak, so the smell has not bothered him. – There is a lot that is charming about it too, but everything has its charm. It can be too much of a good thing, says Endsjø. One person who has really let himself be charmed by the birds in the trees is American John Lavette. – This is absolutely fantastic. It’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen in my life! It’s cool to see so much nature in a city. I have never seen anything like it, he says. When he discovered the tree with the birds, he was quick to make a video recording with his phone. – I have to show this unique experience to those at home. – Unique for Stavanger According to hobby ornithologist Øyvind Gjerde, there are now 2-3,000 starlings in Stavanger. – There is a lot, and I think Stavanger is somewhat unique in this context. He believes it is not surprising that the birds seek a tree at night and in the morning Bird enthusiast and hobby ornithologist Øyvind Gjerde. Photo: Erik Waage / news – They like to find protection in the city with artificial light. They don’t see very well at night, and then they sit and rest together. They may feel safer when there are many of them, and there is light around them. This is supported by ornithologist at the University of Bergen, Terje Lislevatn. – If a bird of prey were to arrive, they would be able to detect it more quickly. But it is far from all accommodation places that are in illuminated areas, he says. Lislevatn has researched small birds and street lights. He has found that the lights can make the birds think that it is better to stay than to move south. – There are some who stay, but there are many who go south. Those who remain will extend the 24/7 street lights, and conditions will improve for finding food. news talks to hobby ornithologist Øyvind Gjerde at Arneageren. Under the tree that the starling has grown fond of are five electric scooters. Covered in feces. Bird poop characterizes Arneageren square in Stavanger. Photo: Erik Waage / news – The smell is probably the biggest challenge. And if you’ve dressed nicely for a date, it’s really annoying to get bird poo on your face. My best advice is probably to avoid going under this tree when it’s dark. Increasing cleanliness Petter Mallberg Næsheim is section manager in outdoor environment operations in Stavanger municipality. He says they clean the Arneager every morning all week. – They are migratory birds, and find the trees they find. This means more frequent cleaning when they are here. Vegard Ankarstrand is nature manager in the municipality. He enjoys the visiting birds. – Our aim is to have the best possible natural diversity in Stavanger, and we want a vibrant city. This is a fantastic natural phenomenon and the result of many years of effort to, among other things, plant more trees in the city. But he does not hide the fact that it can be a bit embarrassing. – We apologize for that, but we wash the area every day. The municipality’s employees do an excellent job. They come at 06 in the morning to wash, but when they are back again at 09, it looks dirty. But we have increased cleaning when the birds are here. Are you going to a meeting in Stavanger in the near future? Then you should stay away from this tree. Photo: Erik Waage / news
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Bird poo from several thousand starlings has become a problem in Stavanger – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
