Birds in Iceland: Puffins, Seabirds, and Where to Find Them

The headliners are puffins: summer visitors that are a common sight along Iceland’s shores during the warmer months. But there’s plenty more besides this comical and endearing little bird: a wide variety of resident and migratory species can be seen here.

In this guide we’ll take a look at some of the best places in the country to indulge in this rewarding pastime. We’ll explore how to be an ethical birdwatcher in Iceland, covering when to come and what you can expect to see. This guide also offers practical advice and tips on gear, travel and guided tours.

Puffins might not be Iceland’s national bird – that honour goes to the gyrfalcon – but you’d never know it from the plethora of soft toys and souvenirs of this colourful bird in shops throughout the country. Puffins are well-represented: an estimated 60% of the world population of Atlantic puffins reside here in Iceland. If you’re wondering where to see puffins in Iceland, then we have good news: from spring to late summer they pop up in numerous locations across the country.

Of all the birds in Iceland, they’re the most comical, particularly as they attempt a clumsy landing on the side of a cliff. Their antics endear them to everyone who has an encounter. In flight, they flap their wings incredibly fast; their tail acts as a rudder as they enter the water and dive for fish. As they come and go to their burrows, you might catch sight of silver-hued sand eels crammed into their colourful beaks.

While puffin sightings get most travellers excited, there are a wide range of other avian species that are resident in Iceland or regular seasonal visitors. Here are some of the best places in Iceland to indulge in birdwatching and what to expect when you get there:

Látrabjarg

Located in the Westfjords region, Látrabjarg is Iceland’s largest seabird cliff. Comprising several sections of vertiginously steep and rocky cliffs, this wild and unforgiving place has been a protected reserve since 2021. Many species of seabirds can be seen here, depending on the season.

Look out for birds such as puffins, kittiwakes, fulmars, guillemots, gannets and razorbills, all of whom are represented here in large numbers. As the sheer drop-offs are unfenced, this isn’t a suitable place for small children or those with reduced mobility. Instead, use Reykjavik’s Hop on Hop Off bus to visit Perlan where an augmented reality version means you can enjoy the place without any risk of falling over the edge.

Arnarstapi

Arnarstapi is a popular stop on our carbon-neural Wonders of Saefellsnes Peninsula guided tour . You’ll encounter the Arctic tern here, a feisty bird known for the aggressive way it protects its chicks if it feels threatened. Keep a safe distance and they are a joy to watch. Other birds that utilise the nooks and crannies in the cliff include kittiwakes, fulmars and shags.

Close by, you’ll have the opportunity to see other kinds of birds, including purple sandpipers, sanderlings, ringed plovers and red shanks. Many species here are migratory, so if there’s a particular bird you’re hoping to see it’s worth doing some research to make sure you’re here at the right time of year.

Drangey

Drangey boat tours depart from Sauðárkrókur in the north west of Iceland. It’s an excellent choice for anyone interested in birds as the island is a nesting colony for a plethora of seabirds. These include gannets, guillemots, kittiwakes, fulmar, shearwaters and of course puffins. Gyrfalcons are also found here.

Boat trips usually depart from June to August, though depending on how the weather is you might be able to get over to the island in May and September as well. Though it’s not as convenient as some other Icelandic birdwatching spots, it’s a rewarding trip for anyone keen to get off the beaten track.

Tjörnes

Over in the north east of Iceland the Tjörnes peninsula is another relatively far-flung destination that will appeal to anyone with a passion for birding. In summer, there’s a good sized colony of puffins. The cliffs of the Tjörnes peninsula also attract purple sandpipers, red knots, dunlins, black guillemots, ruddy turnstones and great cormorants, as well as a healthy population of rock ptarmigans.

To the east, the sands and wetlands of Öxarfjörður are ideal for birds such as shovelers and common gulls. People also come here in the hope of seeing greylag geese, horned grebes and great skuas. Slightly inland, you’ll find that Lake Skjálftavatn is a good place to see whooper swans.

It’s worth noting, however, that you can see the latter on Tjörnin, the lake in downtown Reykjavik, which is likely to be a whole lot more convenient for most tourists. Arctic terns, gadwalls, greylag geese, eider ducks, mallards (who come here in large numbers for their summer moult) and scaups also frequent the same body of water.

Borgarfjörður eystri

Borgarfjörður eystri’s webcam, trained on the small marina, is a handy tool for visitors here early in the season who are keen to make sure the puffins have arrived before schlepping out here. They typically arrive in significant numbers; somewhere in the region of 10000 pairs is typical. Birdwatching is easy here thanks to a wooden boardwalk and shelter – a brilliant family-friendly option.

Come here to see fulmars, kittiwakes and common eider as well. The latter has long been prized by Icelanders for its soft down and the process of collecting it is carefully managed to ensure that the harvest is a sustainable one, harmless to the birds. One kilogram of down requires a visit to at least fifty nests, which goes some way to explaining why it’s such an expensive commodity.

Dyrhólaey

Located close to Reynisfjara Beach, the Dyrhólaey peninsula is one of the south coast’s premier birdwatching spots. This 120 metre high promontory has volcanic origins and boasts a huge wave-cut arch. It has been a protected reserve for more than four decades. Controls on where you can drive, park and walk ensure that nature remains the top priority.

Make your way along the marked paths and depending on the time of year you have a chance of sighting a wide variety of birds. Bring binoculars to watch them in flight. These include puffins, Arctic terns, European golden plovers, common guillemots, great skuas, fulmars and black-tailed godwits. Nesting season runs from May to September.

Vestmannaeyjar

Vestmannaeyjar (the Westman Islands) is puffin central. Approximately 830,000 breeding pairs – representing one in five of all Atlantic puffins in the world – come to this place to nest each summer. It’s possible you’ll see them if you take a boat tour that hugs some of the rocky coastline.

On land, there’s a sizeable bird hide on the opposite side of Heimaey to the harbour; you’ll enjoy a close encounter with puffins coming into land at their cliffside burrows. Heimaey’s Beluga Sanctuary takes in injured puffins to rehabilitate them; a handful are resident year-round. The island is also known for its puffling patrol. Each August, locals round up any confused or stray puffin chicks and see them safely on their way to the ocean.

Ingólfshöfði

Reachable by organised tour only, Ingólfshöfði is not only a great place for birdwatching, it was also the cape where Iceland’s very first settler Ingólfur Arnarson spent the winter here in 874AD. To reach this isolated headland, you’ll need to board an open-top cart that is pulled by tractor across wet, flat sand at low tide.

On the other side, you’ll scramble up a steep sandy cliff to reach a grassy meadow which is home to various kinds of birds. From mid-May to mid-August – exact dates vary from year to year – you’ll be able to get close to the cape’s puffin colony. Other species here include the great skuas, kittiwakes and fulmars.

The Reykjanes Peninsula

Conveniently close to both the airport and to Reykjavik, the Reykjanes peninsula offers a number of opportunities for birdwatching. For instance, the bird cliff at Krýsuvíkurberg – the area’s largest – promises guillemots, fulmars, shags, kittiwakes, razorbills, gulls and puffins. You might also catch sight of snow buntings and purple sandpipers nesting on the cliff top.

Drive over to Garður for a chance to see Iceland’s national bird, the gyrfalcon, as well as rock ptarmigans, merlins and snow buntings. Gull-billed terns, purple gallinules and American bitterns are sometimes seen at bodies of water such as Útskálasíki, Miðhúsasíki and Gerðasíki, while in summer you might also tick off European storm petrels and Manx shearwater birds.

Birdwatching in Iceland is a pleasure, but it’s also a privilege that comes with certain responsibilities. If you’re planning to incorporate some time observing birds in Iceland then there are certain ground rules and guidelines you’ll want to follow to ensure you’re behaving in an ethical and considerate manner. These include:

Respect the birds and ensure you don’t disturb them or their habitat

Though we might be eager to observe certain behaviour and get a close look at plumage and other characteristics, it’s important that the birds and their habitat are left alone. Interfering with a nest can have catastrophic consequences, so keep your distance.

Don’t stray onto private property without permission

No matter how tempting, if the land where you’ve seen birds is private, then you don’t have the right to wander over it to pursue your hobby. Iceland has many protected reserves and nature hotspots that are public, so this shouldn’t be detrimental to your experience.

Never play recorded bird calls in the vicinity of birds

Playing bird song or other similar recordings in the vicinity of wild birds can cause significant confusion and disrupt important activities such as feeding. Blend into the background when birdwatching in Iceland – keep quiet and wear neutral clothing.

Travel responsibly and leave no trace

As with any fragile environment in Iceland – or anywhere else for that matter – as a visitor you should always travel responsibly. Leave areas in the condition you found them, free of litter and without a trace of your presence, so that future birdwatchers can enjoy the same experience you have had.

Gear

To get the most out of Iceland’s birdwatching possibilities, you’ll need a few specialist items. The most important of these is a good set of binoculars which will enable you to spot, identify and observe the species you encounter. Spotting scopes are worth the investment if you intend to practice your hobby on a regular basis as the level of magnification is considerably greater.

Likewise, you’ll need the best lens that you can afford and carry if you are to take crisp images of birds at a distance or in flight. If you’re happy with a snapshot as a souvenir, even a smartphone is perfectly adequate at some sites where you can get sufficiently close to the birds.

As with all outdoor activities in Iceland, wearing appropriate clothing can have a huge impact on how much you enjoy the experience. If you are hoping to see some birds while out on our whale watching trip from Reykjavik, for instance, even in summer you’ll want warm, waterproof layers, though your tour operator will supply suitable outer gear.

Travel and tours

Depending on how much time you have at your disposal, you can choose to enjoy a birdwatching trip or tour in many different parts of Iceland. While you’ll need a couple of weeks to loop the ring road and fit in a visit to places like Borgarfjörður eystri and Látrabjarg, other locales are considerably closer.

Packaging up your birdwatching activity as part of a day out or themed tour is also an option. For instance, Arnarstapi can be achieved as part of our Wonders of of Snæfellsnes Peninsula guided tour and you’ll need only a few hours for a whale watching tour from the capital.

Whether you opt for one of our tours or make your own arrangements, birdwatching in Iceland is a fun and rewarding way to spend some of your holiday.