Why make a new edition of an old ornithological work? Is it only to finally give Mikkjal á Ryggi’s brilliant illustrations the print they serve? Is it important to pass this work on to a new generation?

Birds are not only found in his book on them, they appear throughout Mikkjal á Ryggi’s writings: in articles, short stories, poems, ballads and hymns. To him they are not simply a part of Faroese nature, they play a pivotal role in the country’s culture. 

Considering the role birds play in his authorship, á Ryggi’s Fuglabókin (Book on Birds) is more than simply ornithology, it is part of his literary output. The more common a bird is, or the more important it was for Faroese livelihood, in folklore or in symbolic significance, the more á Ryggi writes about it. 

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Drawings of the following birds in the book are also available as posters (size: A4): 

Common blackbird
Puffin
Wren
Northern raven
European robin
Common murre
Northern wheatear
Oystercatcher
Goldcrest
European storm petrel