Birds


Birds in Iceland

Status: Local breeder and migrant
Residence: Arrives in April and departures in Aug-Sept.
Clotch size: Lays 1 egg
Nesting place: Makes a nest underground with two rooms, one "living room" and another one for the waste
Population: 3 million pairs in Iceland
Fledging period: 35-56 days
PUFFIN
(Fratercula)
 

   
Status: Common breeder and partial migrant
Residence: arrives in Jan-Feb and departures in Sep
Clotch size: lays 1 egg
Nesting place: on cliffs and rocks by the sea or inland, sometimes on rocky islands or pillars
FULMAR
(Fulmarus glacialis)

   
Status: Common breeder and migrant
Residence: The Arctic-Tern migrates more farther than any other bird on the Earth. It spends the winters in the S-Atlantic and in the Antarctic Ocean. It arrives in Iceland in Apr-May and departures in Aug-Sep
ARCTIC TERN
(Sterna paradisaea)
 
 

   
Residence: Breeds and is resident on suitable coasts of Iceland
Habitat: Coasts, especially sheltered bays and estuaries. Rare inland
The Nest: The eiderdown they use in their nest is often used for bed sheets and is very expensive. When the female has laid the eggs it does not leave the nest, not even for feeding, for about 26 days
EIDER
(Somateria mollissima)
 
 
 
 

   
Clotch size: Lays 2-3 eggs
Nesting place: Breeds in various habitats close to the sea but also inland on islands in lakes
The nest: A largish pile of twings, seaweed, grass and feather
Population: 15-30 thousand pairs
Fledging period: 42-56 days
Characteristic: Largest of the gulls, very graceful bird, flies with slow, powerful wingbeats
GREAT BLACK BACKED GULL
(Larus marinus)
   
 

   
Status: Local breeder and largely migrant
Residence: Arrives in Feb-Mar and departiurs in Aug.
Clotch size: Lays 1 egg
Nesting place: Nests in large colonies on birdcliffs or on the top of rock pullars or rocky islands
The nest: Lays egg on bare ledge, no nest
Population: 1 million pairs
Fledging period: 49-70 days
Characteristic: "Bridled" variety has a white ring around the eye and white line running backwards and down
COMMON GUILLEMOT
(Uria aalge)
 

 
Status: Common breeder and largely migrant
Residence: Arrives in Apr and departures in Oct.
Clotch size: Lays 2-3 eggs
Nesting place: Breeds in colonies in various habitats in lowland. Prefers wetland.
The nest: a pile of dry vegetation may be large in wetlands.
Population: 25-30 thousund pairs
BLACK-HEADED GULL
(Larus ridibundus)
 
 
 

   
Status: Local breeder and largely migrant
Residence: arrives in Feb and departures in Oct-Dec. Migrates down the coast of W-Europe as far as W-Africa
Clotch size: Lays 1 egg
Nesting place: In dense colonies on steep-sided islands, rock pillars and on cliffs
The nest: Large, made of seaweed and kelp, using droppings and mud as adhesive
Population: 25,500 pairs
GANNET
(Morus bassanus)
 
 

   
Status: A common bird
Residence: The kittywake is a local bird near Iceland
Feeds on: Fish and galleyscrap near the surface
Nesting place: Nests in birdcliffs and islands all around Iceland
Characteristic: The kittiwake is one of the smallest seagulls. The first year black stripes are on the neck and wings.
KITTIWAKE
(Rissa tridactyla)
 
 

   
Status: It is a local breeder and migrant
Clotch size: Lays 2 eggs
Nesting place: It breeds mainly in dispersed colonies on gravel flats near the sea or outwash plains of glacial rivers
Population: About 54.000 pairs in Iceland.
GREAT SKUA
(Catharacta skua)
 
 

   
Status: Local breeder and resident
Clotch size: Lays 1-6 eggs
Nesting place: on low islands, W-Iceland
The nest: Pile of seaweed, lined with feathers and grass
Population: 7 thousand pairs
Fledging period: about 53 days
SHAG
(Phalacrocorax)