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Birds in Iceland

Summer Holiday, 1st to 16th July, 2011

Mývatn, 28K Jpeg      

Iceland is located at the northern end of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The island is of volcanic origin and volcanic processes are still very active. The main purpose of our trip was to experience the unique nature of Iceland, including the birds.

We - a group of 8 Danes - started from Reykjavík, travelled northwards to Snæfellsnes and Vestfirðir ("The Westfjords"), then eastwards to the Mývatn area. After a couple of days we crossed the highland, visiting Landmannalaugar, Hekla, and Heimaey, before we returned to Reykjavík.

The trip was a great success that far exceeded my expectations. I can only recommend everyone to visit Iceland and its nature wonders.

 

<- Mývatn in late evening.

Major sites visited

We saw birds almost everywhere, however two sites deserve to be mentioned separately.

Látrabjarg
Látrabjarg is the western-most point of Iceland. It is Iceland's - and probably Europe's - largest bird cliff. It hosts presumably several million birds, including Fulmars, Kittiwakes, Guillemots, Razorbills, and Puffins.
Mývatn
Mývatn is a lake in northern Iceland. It is world-famous for its unique and rich flora and fauna. It lies in the middle of an active and barren volcanic area - a great contrast to the lake. Several species of ducks - both Eurasian and North American species - breed at the lake.

Itinerary

01/7  Arrival
02/7Reykjavík - Stykkishólmur
03/7Around Snæfellsnes
04/7Stykkishólmur - Breiðafjörður - Látrabjarg - Breiðavík
05/7Breiðavík - Flókalundur
06/7Flókalundur - Laugarbakki
07/7Laugarbakki - Grettislaug - Glaumbær - Hólar
08/7Hólar - Akureyri - Guðafoss - Mývatn
09/7Mývatn - Námafjall Hverir - Krafla - Dettifoss - Ásbyrgi - Mývatn
10/7Mývatn - Húsavík (whale watching) - Mývatn
11/7Mývatn - Kjölur highland road (F35) - Gullfoss - Strokkur - Hrauneyjar
12/7Hrauneyjar - Landmannalaugar - Hrauneyjar
13/7Hrauneyjar - Hekla - Stöng - Heimaey
14/7Heimaey - Þingvellir - Reykjavík
15/7Reykjavík
16/7Departure

Systematic list

English, Scientific, and Icelandic names follow List of Icelandic Bird Species by Yann Kolbeinsson and Gunnlaugur Pétursson.

Birds seen/heard by others in our group but not seen/heard by me are marked in yellow.

English name, Scientific name, Icelandic name, Danish name ...

  1. Whooper Swan, Cygnus cygnus, Álft, Sangsvane
    Common
     
  2. Pink-footed Goose, Anser brachyrhynchus, Heiðagæs, Kortnæbbet Gås
    15/7 1 Tjörnin, Reykjavík
     
  3. Greylag Goose, Anser anser, Grágæs, Grågås
    Common
     
  4. Eurasian Wigeon, Anas penelope, Rauðhöfðaönd, Pibeand
    Common Mývatn, 09/7 Ásbyrgi
     
  5. Gadwall, Anas strepera, Gargönd, Knarand
    08/7 1 male Mývatn
     
  6. Eurasian Teal, Anas crecca, Urtönd, Krikand
    10/7 2 Mývatn
     
  7. Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos, Stokkönd, Gråand
    Common
     
  8. Northern Pintail, Anas acuta, Grafönd, Spidsand
    10/7 2 Mývatn
     
  9. Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula, Skúfönd, Troldand
    Common Tjörnin, Reykjavík, 03/7 Snæfellsnes, abundant Mývatn
     
  10. Greater Scaup, Aythya marila, Duggönd, Bjergand
    Abundant Mývatn, 12/7 2 Landmannalaugar
     
  11. Common Eider, Somateria mollissima, Æðarfugl, Ederfugl
    Abundant in coastal areas
     
  12. Harlequin Duck. 20K Jpeg Harlequin Duck, Histrionicus histrionicus, Straumönd, Strømand
    04/7 15 males Látrabjarg, 05/7 1 male Flókalundur, 10/7 1 female Laxá River, Mývatn
    Photo 04/7 Látrabjarg >
     
  13. Barrow's Goldeneye, Bucephala islandica, Húsönd, Islandsk Hvinand
    Common Mývatn
     
  14. Red-breasted Merganser, Mergus serrator, Toppönd, Toppet Skallesluger
    03/7 Snæfellsnes, 05-06/7 Vestfirðir, 10/7 Mývatn
     
  15. Rock Ptarmigan, Lagopus muta, Rjúpa, Fjeldrype
    06/7 2 ad and 1 1cy Skálanes, Vestfirðir (65.5074 N, 22.4540 W), 07/7 >1 Laugarbakki, 09/7 1 dead Krafla
     
  16. Red-throated Diver (Loon), Gavia stellata, Lómur, Rødstrubet Lom
    05/7 1 in a lake at the bottom of Ósafjörður, 1 Flókalundur, 07/7 3 Laugarbakki
     
  17. Great Northern Diver (Loon), Gavia immer, Himbrimi, Islom
    Fairly common, common Mývatn
     
  18. Slavonian (Horned) Grebe, Podiceps auritus, Flórgoði, Nordisk Lappedykker
    10/7 Mývatn
     
  19. Northern Fulmar. 17K Jpeg Northern Fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis, Fýll, Mallemuk
    Abundant in coastal areas and at Ásbyrgi
    Photo 04/7 Látrabjarg >
    Larger photo
     
  20. Manx Shearwater, Puffinus puffinus, Skrofa, Almindelig Skråpe
    13/7 2-3 seen from the ferry to Heimaey
     
  21. Northern Gannet, Morus bassanus, Súla, Sule
    01/7 1 Grindavík, common Heimaey
     
  22. Great Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo, Dílaskarfur, Skarv
    03/7 Snæfellsnes, 04/7 Breiðafjörður
     
  23. European Shag, Phalacrocorax aristotelis, Toppskarfur, Topskarv
    04-05-06/7 Vestfirðir
     
  24. White-tailed Eagle, Haliaeetus albicilla, Haförn, Havørn
    06/7 1 ad Flókalundur
     
  25. Eurasian Oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus, Tjaldur, Strandskade
    Common in coastal areas
     
  26. Ringed Plover, Charadrius hiaticula, Sandlóa, Stor Præstekrave
    Common
     
  27. European Golden Plover, Pluvialis apricaria, Heiðlóa, Hjejle
    Common
     
  28. Dunlin, Calidris alpina, Lóuþræll, Almindelig Ryle
    05/7 ~14 Vestfirðir
     
  29. Common Snipe, Gallinago gallinago, Hrossagaukur, Dobbeltbekkasin
    Common
     
  30. Black-tailed Godwit, Limosa limosa, Jaðrakan, Stor Kobbersneppe
    Fairly common
     
  31. Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus, Spói, Småspove (Lille Regnspove)
    Common
     
  32. Common Redshank, Tringa totanus, Stelkur, Rødben
    Common
     
  33. Red-necked Phalarope. 24K Jpeg Red-necked Phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus, Óðinshani, Odinshane
    03/7 >5 Snæfellsnes, 04/7 2 Vestfirðir, 07/7 >3 Grettislaug, 10/7 abundant Mývatn, 12/7 abundant Landmannalaugar
    Photo 10/7 Mývatn >
     
  34. Grey (Red) Phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius, Þórshani, Thorshane
    1
     
  35. Arctic (Parasitic) Skua, Stercorarius parasiticus, Kjói, Almindelig Kjove
    Fairly common
     
  36. Great Skua, Stercorarius skua, Skúmur, Storkjove
    04/7 1 Látrabjarg, 13/7 1 seen from the ferry to Heimaey
     
  37. Black-headed Gull, Larus ridibundus, Hettumáfur, Hættemåge
    Common
     
  38. Mew Gull, Larus canus, Stormmáfur, Stormmåge
    08/7 Akureyri
     
  39. Lesser Black-backed Gull, Larus fuscus, Sílamáfur, Sildemåge
    Common
     
  40. Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, Silfurmáfur, Sølvmåge
    Fairly common in coastal areas
     
  41. Glaucous Gull, Larus hyperboreus, Hvítmáfur, Gråmåge
    03/7 Snæfellsnes, 04-05/7 Vestfirðir
     
  42. Great Black-backed Gull, Larus marinus, Svartbakur, Svartbag
    Common in coastal areas
     
  43. Black-legged Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla, Rita, Ride
    01/7 Selatangar, 03/7 Arnarstapi, 04/7 abundant Látrabjarg, 05/7 Vestfirðir, 10/7 Skjálfandi (whale watching from Húsavík), abundant Heimaey
     
  44. Arctic Tern. 9K Jpeg Arctic Tern, Sterna paradisaea, Kría, Havterne
    Abundant
    Photo 05/7 Breiðavík >
    Larger photo
     
  45. Common Guillemot (Murre), Uria aalge, Langvía, Lomvie
    03/7 1-2 Arnarstapi, 04/7 abundant Látrabjarg, abundant Heimaey
     
  46. Brünnich's Guillemot (Murre), Uria lomvia, Stuttnefja, Polarlomvie
    04/7 abundant Látrabjarg
     
  47. Razorbill, Alca torda, Álka, Alk
    04/7 abundant Látrabjarg, 14/7 abundant Heimaey
     
  48. Black Guillemot, Cepphus grylle, Teista, Tejst
    01/7 1 Selatangar, 03/7 Snæfellsnes, 04/7 Breiðafjörður and Látrabjarg, 05/7 3 Flókalundur, 06/7 2 Vestfirðir, 14/7 common Heimaey
     
  49. Atlantic Puffin. 15K Jpeg Atlantic Puffin, Fratercula arctica, Lundi, Lunde
    04/7 abundant Breiðafjörður and Látrabjarg, 05/7 2 Flókalundur, 10/7 abundant Skjálfandi (whale watching from Húsavík), abundant Heimaey
    Photo 04/7 Látrabjarg >
    Larger photo
     
  50. Rock Pigeon (Dove), Columba livia, Húsdúfa, Klippedue/Tamdue
    Common Reykjavík
     
  51. Meadow Pipit, Anthus pratensis, Þúfutittlingur, Engpiber
    Common
     
  52. White Wagtail, Motacilla alba, Maríuerla, Hvid Vipstjert
    Common
     
  53. Winter Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes, Músarrindill, Gærdesmutte
    06/7 1 heard Flókalundur, 08/7 1-2 Hólar, 09/7 1 heard Ásbyrgi
     
  54. Northern Wheatear, Oenanthe oenanthe, Steindepill, Stenpikker
    Fairly common
     
  55. Common Blackbird, Turdus merula, Svartþröstur, Solsort
    02/7 1 Reykjavík
     
  56. Redwing, Turdus iliacus, Skógarþröstur, Vindrossel
    Common
     
  57. Common Raven, Corvus corax, Hrafn, Ravn
    Common
     
  58. Common Starling, Sturnus vulgaris, Stari, Stær
    Common Reykjavík area, 07/7 1 south of Sauðárkrókur
     
  59. Mealy (Common) Redpoll, Carduelis flammea, Auðnutittlingur, Gråsisken
    08/7 Hólar, 08/7 common Akureyri Botanical Gardens, 14/7 1 ad male Heimaey
     
  60. Snow Bunting. 17K Jpeg Snow Bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis, Snjótittlingur, Snespurv
    Fairly common, 12/7 abundant Landmannalaugar
    Photo 10/7 Mývatn >
    Larger photo
     

Mammals

Links

Text and photos: Stig Linander, created: 2011-08-03, last revised: 2011-08-09, links corrected: 2014-07-30