Inhabited by a sparse population for millennia, its people scrounged a living from the island's seabirds, often scaling sheer cliffs to catch their prey.

For much of the year, the sparse population - just 11,000 - exists in an icy twilight zone, with only seals and whales to talk to.

While conscientious opt-outs might appear attractive, the implementation of these, especially in areas of sparse population, would be seriously problematic.

Like the few other whistled languages that exist around the world, bird language developed in a region where steep terrain and sparse population hinder normal communication.

It describes an area of sparse population, wild landscape and a rudimentary road network.