The Jæren coastline

Grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) and harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) on the Kjørholmane islands. Photo: Roy Mangersnes

From Tungenes in the north to Ogna in the south, the Jæren coastline and seas offshore represent a large and unique natural habitat. The sandy and rocky beaches, sand dunes, islands and skerries are home to a unique bird and plant life, not found anywhere else in Norway.

Rott, Håstein and Buøy

Historical sources from the 1700s describe thousands of seabirds on the island of Rott. However, an invasion of rats a century ago led to a massive decline in bird populations. Although the rats have now been exterminated and the bird life protected, the island is a shadow of its former self. Conditions are better on Håstein and Buøy, which remain important nesting localities for seabirds such as fulmar, lesser black-backed gull, shag and black guillemot. Eight of the islands are special bird conservation sites, and it is prohibited to go onshore in the nesting season. Many seabirds are currently in decline due to food shortages, climate change and a lack of nesting localities. Protection is an important measure for ensuring their survival.

Islands such as Håstein have a colourful flora because of all the bird droppings. The photo shows sea campion (Silene uniflora), sea thrift (Armeria maritima) and red campion (Silene dioica). Photo: Per Kristian Austbø

Kjørholmane

The Kjørholmane islands were the first nature reserve established in Rogaland in 1970. Thousands of cormorants live here, together with auks such as the guillemot, black guillemot and razorbill. In the past, puffins also nested here, but these have declined along much of the Norwegian coast due to food shortages and the effects of overfishing and climate change.

The fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) spends almost all its life on the wing, flying over the oceans. It only sets foot on land to nest, as it does on Håstein. Photo: Thor Due, Natur og Ungdom

Børaunen

Børaunen is a Ramsar site in Randaberg municipality, displaying a thousand-year-old cultural landscape with traces of human activity stretching back to the Stone Age. All plants and birds in the area are protected. The birds were safeguarded from hunting and egg collecting as early as in the 1940s when Friends of the Earth Rogaland and the landowners agreed to protect the bird populations.

Børaunen is a well-recognised landmark made up of a 300-metre tongue of storm beach extending out into Sandebukta bay. Photo: Per Kristian Austbø