WHERE TO SEE PUFFINS IN ICELAND: YOUR COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE

Iceland is home to approximately 60% of the world’s Atlantic puffin population. Surrounded by water in the chilly reaches of the mid-Atlantic, conditions here are ideal. So if you have your heart set on a puffin encounter, then making it happen in Iceland is a definite possibility, so long as you know where to find them and when they’ll be around.

The number of puffins is assessed using a count based on what’s known as “apparently occupied burrows”. According to the Guinness Book of Records, Vestmannaeyjar (the Westman Islands) off Iceland’s south coast seasonally hosts the largest colony. Recent estimates put the figure at 830,000 breeding pairs – representing one in five of all Atlantic puffins on the planet.

Puffins are part of the auk family. With a typical lifespan of 20-25 years, they are creatures of habit. They live out at sea for much of the year, returning to the same place each summer to nest in cliffside burrows dug by the male where they can feel safe from predators. From around the age of three, with the same mate, the female usually lays a single egg. A fluffy chick, known as a puffling, hatches after about 40 days.

It remains in the nest for six weeks or so while its attentive parents bring it herring, capelin, sand eels, sprats and other small fish multiple times during the day. They’re easy to spot in the air, beating their wings incredibly fast – up to 400 times a minute – as they shuttle back and forth with food.

When in the water, their wings propel them efficiently through the water while their feet act as a rudder. Puffins are accomplished divers, and though they don’t stay under the surface for long, perhaps 30 seconds at a time, they can reach depths of 60 metres or more.

Puffins are found in various locations across Iceland, so it’s usually pretty easy to slot a few hours of bird watching into your itinerary alongside an Icelandia tour or two.

Akurey

You won’t see puffins onshore in Reykjavik, but hop on a boat trip through Faxaflói Bay and see them on one of the nearby islands without stepping ashore. Not to be confused with the similarly named Akureyri, this small island lies off the northern shore close to Reykjavik. Puffins are the most common type of bird found on Akurey, but you can also glimpse lesser black-backed gulls, eider ducks and black guillemots here.

Lundey

Lunda means puffin in Icelandic, and this uninhabited island in Faxaflói Bay is well-named. Migratory sea birds such as puffins make their home here, as do fulmars, arctic terns and guillemots. Book a whale watching tour departing during the summer months from Reykjavik’s Old Harbour and there’s a good chance of seeing such birds too as you pass one of these islands.

Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands)

A few miles from the dock at Heimaey you’ll find a spacious bird hide. Peer out of its windows and you can see numerous puffins in their cliffside burrows and watch them coming and going. For a short time each August, islanders assist confused young puffins on their journey back to the ocean in what’s dubbed the Puffling Parade.

Ingólfshöfði

This southerly headland comprises a private nature reserve to which tours are available in season. To reach it, visitors must travel across tidal mudflats pulled by a tractor. From the beach, climb a steep black sand dune to the grassy cliff top to observe puffins, great skuas, kittiwakes and guillemots. The views back to the mainland are impressive on a fine day.

Dyrhólaey

This south coast promontory is another prime spot for puffin sightings as well as other birds such as fulmars, terns and skuas. As a managed nature reserve, the area is off-limits overnight, but during the day its viewing areas are accessed via marked trails where you have a good chance of an encounter. Due to its proximity to tourist-friendly Vik and Reynisfjara Beach, it’s a popular spot with puffin watchers.

Borgarfjörður Eystri

Ringroaders, consider a detour to the village of Borgarfjörður Eystri in East Iceland, which dubs itself the “Puffin Capital of Iceland”. Approximately 10,000 breeding pairs are regular visitors here during the season and the islet of Hafnarhólmi is the best place to observe puffins. Above the marina, there are shelters and wooden platforms from which you can safely view this accessible colony from as little as two metres away. Watch the live stream here.

Papey Island

Tours used to run from Djúpivogur in the East Fjords but to reach tiny Papey Island now you’ll need a private boat. No one has lived here since 1948 and even at its peak in the 18th century there were only 16 residents. But that isolation is probably the reason there’s a thriving puffin colony here – even if it is largely inaccessible.

Tjörnes Peninsula

The cliffs that line the fjords of the Tjörnes Peninsula are an ideal place to scout for puffins. Situated within easy reach of Húsavík, this area boasts a number of bird watching spots, such as Hringsbjarg, where there’s a family-friendly viewing platform, and Voladalstorfa, where you’ll need to hike out to an orange lighthouse that’s as brightly coloured as a puffin’s feet.

Grímsey Island

Located within the Arctic Circle, Grimsey is easy to reach from Akureyri. It’s a peaceful place, boasting only around 70 human inhabitants but a much greater population of birds, including puffins, kittiwakes, razorbills and guillemots. Stay overnight to make the most of the Midnight Sun.

Látrabjarg

Europe’s largest sea bird cliff is situated in the Westfjords at Iceland’s westernmost point. Here you’ll usually find puffins in their burrows between late April and July. It’s one of the country’s larger puffin colonies and the birds are not fazed by the proximity of humans, making this a popular spot with visitors to this region despite the long journey to reach it and the steep, rocky landscape.

Vigur Island

Travellers staying in Ísafjörður could consider a visit to Vigur Island, the home of a local family and their neighbours – a colony of around 100,000 puffins. Book a boat trip in summer to get you over to the island. Visitors are also welcome to tour the historic Viktoríuhús, which dates from 1860. Also, watch the eiderdown harvest as it’s being processed.

Puffins aren’t found on land year-round, so if you hope to see these comical birds, then you’ll need to time your visit carefully for puffin season in Iceland. The best time of year to see puffins is during late spring and summer.

From late April or early May, the birds return from the ocean to nest and rear their young. They still spend a fair amount of time out at sea, so time your visit for early morning or later in the evening to improve the likelihood of a sighting.

Typically puffins depart from Icelandic shores in mid-August, sometimes earlier, with most birds leaving at more or less at the same time. Within a few days, there are none left, though you might catch sight of the stragglers on a boat trip into September. Of course, as with wildlife in general, the exact dates vary according to weather and other factors.

If you’re a wildlife enthusiast, it’s important that you observe puffins responsibly and without disturbing their natural habitat. Do act respectfully at all times and make sure that your actions don’t interfere with puffins’ natural behaviours. Don’t ever attempt to feed wild birds such as puffins or do anything to entice them closer to you.

Dress warmly – even though it’s summer, the coastline of Iceland can be windy and the air chilly. Make sure you pack a long lens and a sturdy tripod if you’re serious about photography. Videos will capture the comedy in puffins’ clumsy take offs and landings. Binoculars are also handy for observing plumage, behaviour and movement.

Should you eat puffin in a restaurant?

As we’ve already seen, large numbers of puffins can be found in Iceland during the summer months. However, the puffin population is still considered vulnerable.

Numbers are in decline, partly through an increase in sea temperatures and the resultant decrease in food. Hunting puffins to eat has therefore become a controversial subject and as a consequence, visitors may prefer not to choose the bird off a restaurant menu.