Top 10 Birdwatching Spots in Iceland
Iceland is not a country of high species diversity — its total bird list of around 380 species includes many visitors, vagrants, and non-breeders. What it offers instead is scale: seabird colonies of genuine grandeur, the world's largest concentration of Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) outside Russia, Atlantic Puffin colonies in the millions, and the concentrated drama of a landscape where geological processes are visible and active. For birders from the Northern Hemisphere, Iceland also provides year-round access to winter species like Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus), Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus), and Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) that are difficult elsewhere.
1. Látrabjarg, Westfjords
The 14-kilometre cliff face at Látrabjarg is the largest seabird cliff in the North Atlantic and one of the most spectacular in the world. Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica, Vulnerable) nests in the largest accessible colony in Iceland; in late June and July, hundreds of thousands of puffins sit within arm's reach of the cliff top. Razorbill (Alca torda), Common Murre (Uria aalge), Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia), and Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) fill the cliff ledges. The remoteness of the Westfjords — a 3.5-hour drive from Reykjavik on rough roads — keeps visitor numbers modest relative to the spectacle.
2. Mývatn, North Iceland
Mývatn is a shallow geothermal lake famous for its extraordinary duck diversity. The lake holds breeding populations of Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica), Harlequin Duck, Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis), Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca), Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula), and several other diving ducks simultaneously. Slavonian Grebe (Podiceps auritus, Vulnerable) breeds on the lake islands. The hot springs at Námaskarð and the lava fields around the lake provide habitat for Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) and Merlin (Falco columbarius).
3. Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar)
The Westman Islands hold the world's largest Atlantic Puffin colony — estimated at around 800,000 to one million breeding pairs — alongside a substantial Leach's Storm Petrel (Hydrobates leucorhous) colony at Elliðaey. The islands can be reached by ferry from Þorlákshöfn in about four hours. In August, grounded young puffins — drawn to town lights and unable to launch from flat ground — are collected by local children and launched from the harbor. The eBird hotspot for the Westman Islands is one of the most visited in Iceland.
4. Snæfellsnes Peninsula
The Snæfellsnes peninsula west of Reykjavik provides accessible seabird and coastal birding within two hours of the capital. The glacier-capped Snæfellsjökull and the basalt coastline hold Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) colonies, Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus), Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima), and Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus). The tip of the peninsula at Arnarstapi produces good seawatch conditions in rough weather.
5. Þjórsáver, South Iceland
Þjórsáver on the Þjórsá River floodplain in the Icelandic highlands holds one of the world's most important Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) breeding populations. Up to 10,000 pairs breed in the mossy marshlands of the interior plateau. The remoteness of the site — accessible only by 4WD on unpaved highland roads in summer — keeps it relatively undisturbed.
6. Dyrhólaey and Vík, South Iceland
The basalt sea arch at Dyrhólaey near Vík holds nesting Puffin on the clifftop, Arctic Tern colonies on the lowland spit, and offshore concentrations of Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) and Great Skua (Catharacta skua) on the sea. The black sand beach below Dyrhólaey is one of the most photographed coastal landscapes in Iceland.
7. Breiðafjörður, West Iceland
The island-studded Breiðafjörður bay holds thousands of nesting seabirds on its rocky islets, including European Shag (Gulosus aristotelis), Black Guillemot, and Common Eider (Somateria mollissima). White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) — reintroduced to Iceland in the 2000s from Norwegian stock — breeds in the fjord's mature coastal woodland.
8. Lake Þingvallavatn
The national lake of Iceland at the rift valley national park holds Barrow's Goldeneye and Arctic Char (the fish that gives the lake its clarity) in combination with nesting Slavonian Grebe and Golden Plover on the surrounding lava plains. The location at Þingvellir is accessible and well-visited.
9. Hornbjarg, Westfjords
The remotest seabird cliff in Iceland, Hornbjarg at the tip of the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, is accessible only by boat from Ísafjörður. The cliff holds Thick-billed Murre in large numbers alongside the same community as Látrabjarg, in an entirely unspoiled setting with no road access.
10. Reykjanes Peninsula
The geothermal Reykjanes Peninsula near Reykjavik provides accessible birding of Arctic Tern, Purple Sandpiper, Snow Bunting, and Eider from early spring onward. The Bridge Between Continents at Þeistareykir and the Krísuvíkurbjarg cliffs hold nesting Razorbill and Common Murre within an hour of the airport.
Planning an Iceland birding trip
Iceland is the most specialized birding destination in Western Europe — the species list is relatively short (around 340 species) but the spectacle of the seabird colonies and the purity of the volcanic wilderness produce an experience impossible elsewhere. The key planning decision is which season to prioritize and which part of the Ring Road circuit to include.
Summer (May to August) is the only practical season for the seabird colonies and the lake-country breeding birds. The puffin colonies at the Westfjords (Látrabjarg), the Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar), and the Snæfellsnes Peninsula are the most visited; Látrabjarg's sea cliff holds over a million breeding seabirds and is considered the largest seabird colony in the North Atlantic. The Westman Islands require a ferry from Þórshöfn, a 40-minute crossing; the summer ferry schedule from mid-April to September is well-documented.
The golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria) spring migration to Iceland, when birds funnel in from West Africa and Iberia during April and early May, is one of the spectacles that marks the arrival of an Icelandic spring. Greylag Goose (Anser anser) and Whooper Swan are conspicuous breeders on the lowland lake systems.
Winter (November to March) produces the Snowy Owl, which wanders to Iceland from the Arctic tundra in low-lemming years. Harlequin Duck (Histrionix histrionicus) winters in the fast-flowing rivers, particularly at Laxá í Kjós near Reykjavik; Gyrfalcon is resident year-round in the volcanic highlands.
Reykjavik is the only practical entry point, with direct flights from most European capitals and North America. The Ring Road (Route 1) circumnavigates the island and is accessible by rental car throughout the summer season. A complete Ring Road circuit with birding stops takes seven to ten days; a focused seabird circuit combining the Snæfellsnes, Westfjords, and Myvatn can be done in five days.
Island-specific logistics
Látrabjarg, the westernmost point in Europe and home to the largest seabird colony in the North Atlantic, is accessible only by the Westfjords ferry from Stykkishólmur (three-hour crossing) and then a two-hour drive to the cliffs. The Westfjords road system is unpaved for long sections; a 4WD or high-clearance vehicle is recommended outside the main tourist summer season. The cliffs are accessible from June to August when Puffin, Razorbill, and Guillemot are present; outside this window, the cliff-nesting birds have departed. The combination of Látrabjarg and the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in a five-day Westfjords circuit covers the most productive sections of western Iceland.