Drivers warned as plump fulmar chicks face deadly roads

Drivers on the South Coast Road around Mýrdal and beneath Eyjafjöll are being urged to take care as fulmar fledgling season begins, mbl.is reports. The bird protection organisation Fuglavernd says some chicks do not make it all the way to the sea.

When their parents have fed them well, the chicks can be large and heavy, while their wings are not yet strong enough to carry them in flight. Most eventually reach the sea on their own, losing weight and strengthening their wings over several days before usually managing to fly or flutter away.

However, the chicks can encounter obstacles including ditches, fences and fast-moving traffic. Some end up on paved roads, where they face a serious risk of being hit by cars.

Fuglavernd says many drivers mistake the chicks for gulls and expect them to fly away as a vehicle approaches. Because the fulmars are often too heavy to fly, they may need drivers to show consideration and, in some cases, help them reach the sea. The organisation says this is particularly important on the South Coast Road around Mýrdal and beneath Eyjafjöll, where there are many fulmars.