Iceland is a country of seabirds, ducks and waders, with puffins the best known.
When to plan a bird watching trip in Iceland
Puffins come ashore in Iceland in late April or early May. The best time to see puffins is from May to mid-August, and most have left by September. Use the Daylight Calculator to help plan your trip.
Puffins, gannets and the seabirds you can expect to see
Seabirds, ducks and waders dominate Iceland's breeding birds, and there are few songbirds. The puffin is Iceland's most common bird, but it is listed as critically endangered on the national red list. Most of the world's Atlantic puffins breed in Iceland.
Vestmannaeyjar has Iceland's largest puffin colony. In late summer, local children rescue lost pufflings and release them at sea. Arctic terns are common along the coasts and can be seen at Tjornin pond in central Reykjavik.
Bird watching on the Reykjanes Peninsula
Thousands of seabirds, including kittiwakes, guillemots and razorbills, nest on the cliffs at Krysuvikurberg. A lava field topped with green-grey moss covers much of the Reykjanes Peninsula.
Iceland's most famous bird cliffs beyond Reykjanes
The Latrabjarg cliffs are about 14 km long. Latrabjarg is Europe's largest bird cliff and Iceland's biggest seabird colony. Flying low over Latrabjarg is banned during the nesting season. Climbing or rappelling there needs a permit.
Other puffin sites include Dyrholaey, Ingolfshofdi, Grimsey, Hafnarholmi at Borgarfjordur eystri, and Akurey and Lundey off Reykjavik.
Few places in the world have as many duck species together as Lake Myvatn, because the lake is shallow enough for diving ducks to feed on the bottom. Barrow's goldeneye is Myvatn's signature bird and is found nowhere else in Europe.
Tips for watching birds responsibly in Iceland
Birdwatchers should not wander off the marked trails, as nests can be anywhere. Disturbing a nest is strictly forbidden. It is illegal to go near a white-tailed eagle's nest during the nesting season.
Compare bird watching and wildlife tours in Iceland
You can compare Reykjanes tours to see the current options.
