Icelandic bird species

Iceland is home to a diverse array of bird species, both resident and migratory. Here’s an extensive list of bird species that can be found around Iceland:

## Seabirds

**Auks and Puffins**
- Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica)
- Razorbill (Alca torda)
- Common Guillemot (Uria aalge)
- Brünnich’s Guillemot (Uria lomvia)
- Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle)
- Dovekie (Alle alle)

**Gulls and Terns**
- Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)
- Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla)
- Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
- Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus)
- Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)
- Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

**Other Seabirds**
- Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis)
- Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
- Great Skua (Stercorarius skua)
- Leach’s Storm-petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa)

## Waterfowl

**Swans and Geese**
- Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)
- Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
- Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus)
- White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
- Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis)
- Brent Goose (Branta bernicla)

**Ducks**
- Common Eider (Somateria mollissima)
- Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus)
- Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)
- Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
- Scaup (Aythya marila)
- Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
- Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope)
- Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
- Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
- Common Teal (Anas crecca)
- Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra)
- Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica)

**Mergansers and Divers**
- Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)
- Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)
- Red-throated Diver (Gavia stellata)
- Great Northern Diver (Gavia immer)

## Waders and Shorebirds

- European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)
- Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)
- Grey Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius)
- Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
- Red Knot (Calidris canutus)
- Sanderling (Calidris alba)
- Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima)
- Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
- Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)
- Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
- Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)
- Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)
- Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)

## Birds of Prey

- White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)
- Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) - Iceland’s national bird
- Merlin (Falco columbarius)

## Other Land Birds

- Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta)
- Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
- White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
- Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)
- Redwing (Turdus iliacus)
- Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
- Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)
- Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea)
- Common Raven (Corvus corax)
- Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)

This list includes many of the most common and notable bird species found in Iceland[1][2][3][4]. It’s worth noting that while about 85 species nest regularly in Iceland, around 330 species have been recorded since the settlement of the island[5]. The country’s unique position in the North Atlantic makes it an important stopover for migratory birds, and its varied habitats - from coastal cliffs to wetlands and uplands - provide homes for a diverse array of bird species[2][6].

Sources
[1] Birds of Iceland - Natural History of Iceland www.iceland-nh.net/birds/
[2] Birds in Iceland - Perlan Museum perlan.is/articles/birds-in-iceland
[3] List of birds of Iceland - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_birds_of_Iceland
[4] Birds of Iceland - Iceland Car Rental www.icelandcarrental.is/explore-iceland/birds-of-iceland
[5] Birds of Iceland www.icelandtours.is/blog/bird-life-in-iceland/
[6] Birds | Náttúrufræðistofnun Íslands www.ni.is/en/fauna/birds