Birds to See in Iceland in October
104 bird species on our list for Iceland are recorded regularly in October
Of these, the most often recorded are Redwing, Common Redpoll, Mallard, Common Raven and Blackbird. New this month: Snow Bunting, Fieldfare, Blackcap and Bohemian Waxwing and 14 more.
On the move in October
GBIF · OctArriving
At their peak
From Iceland’s bird records, 2019–2024: arriving birds are regular this month but not last; leaving birds are regular this month but not next.
Other months
All 104 birds in October
104 birds
RedwingTurdus iliacusResidentCommon20–24 cmRecorded all year · 8.95% in Oct
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 4.95% in Oct
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 4.89% in Oct
Common RavenCorvus coraxWinter visitorCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 4.86% in Oct
BlackbirdTurdus merulaWinter visitorCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 4.38% in Oct
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 4.12% in Oct
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 3.83% in Oct
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 3.62% in Oct
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 3.60% in Oct
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 3.29% in Oct
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.00% in Oct
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusResidentCommon140–165 cmRecorded all year · 2.96% in Oct
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorCommon52–60 cmRecorded all year · 2.80% in Oct
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorCommon37–60 cmRecorded all year · 2.65% in Oct
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusResidentCommon62–68 cmRecorded all year · 2.52% in Oct
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboWinter visitorCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 2.51% in Oct
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorResidentCommon52–58 cmRecorded all year · 2.19% in Oct
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeResidentCommon42–51 cmRecorded all year · 2.05% in Oct
GoldcrestRegulus regulusWinter visitorCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 1.91% in Oct
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesWinter visitorCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 1.69% in Oct
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 1.67% in Oct
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaSummer visitorCommon26–29 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 1.32% in Oct
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.16% in Oct
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoSummer visitorCommon25–27 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 1.11% in Oct
Eurasian TealAnas creccaResidentCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 1.10% in Oct
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.05% in Oct
RedshankTringa totanusSummer visitorCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.92% in Oct
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaResidentCommon20–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.90% in Oct
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.90% in Oct
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.89% in Oct
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresResidentCommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.87% in Oct
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusSummer visitorCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 0.82% in Oct
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorCommon24–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in Oct
FulmarFulmarus glacialisResidentCommon45–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in Oct
Rock PtarmiganLagopus mutaResidentCommon34–36 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Oct
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaWinter visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.56% in Oct
Common LoonGavia immerResidentCommon66–91 cmRecorded all year · 0.55% in Oct
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataResidentCommon53–69 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Oct
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaPassage migrantUncommon10–12 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.43% in Oct
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaSummer visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.42% in Oct
Grey HeronArdea cinereaWinter visitorUncommon90–98 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.42% in Oct
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRegularly Dec–Oct · 0.39% in Oct
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Oct
BramblingFringilla montifringillaPassage migrantUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.35% in Oct
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.35% in Oct
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusSummer visitorCommon60–75 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.34% in Oct
GadwallMareca streperaResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Oct
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusSummer visitorCommon31–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Oct
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorCommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.31% in Oct
European RobinErithacus rubeculaWinter visitorUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.31% in Oct
FieldfareTurdus pilarisWinter visitorCommon22–27 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.30% in Oct
Brent GooseBranta berniclaPassage migrantCommon55–66 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.30% in Oct
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.30% in Oct
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsisSummer visitorCommon58–70 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.29% in Oct
Greater ScaupAythya marilaSummer visitorCommon39–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Oct
Yellow-browed WarblerPhylloscopus inornatusPassage migrantUncommon10–11 cmRegularly Sep–Oct · 0.25% in Oct
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaSummer visitorUncommon58–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Oct
WheatearOenanthe oenantheSummer visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.24% in Oct
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorCommon19–23 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.24% in Oct
CurlewNumenius arquataWinter visitorUncommon50–60 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.23% in Oct
DunlinCalidris alpinaSummer visitorCommon16–22 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.23% in Oct
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Oct
Northern PintailAnas acutaResidentUncommon59–76 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Oct
White-tailed Sea-eagleHaliaeetus albicillaResidentUncommon66–94 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Oct
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosWinter visitorUncommon20–23 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.15% in Oct
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraSummer visitorUncommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Oct
Sooty ShearwaterArdenna griseaPassage migrantUncommon40–51 cmRegularly Jul–Oct · 0.12% in Oct
RazorbillAlca tordaResidentCommon38–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Oct
Red KnotCalidris canutusSummer visitorCommon23–26 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.11% in Oct
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.09% in Oct
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.09% in Oct
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsPassage migrantUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.09% in Oct
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusSummer visitorUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.09% in Oct
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorUncommon40–51 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.08% in Oct
Lesser WhitethroatCurruca currucaPassage migrantUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Sep–Oct · 0.08% in Oct
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.07% in Oct
SanderlingCalidris albaSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.06% in Oct
WhinchatSaxicola rubetraPassage migrantUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Sep–Oct · 0.06% in Oct
CootFulica atraSummer visitorUncommon36–42 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.06% in Oct
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoWinter visitorUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Oct
Garden WarblerSylvia borinPassage migrantUncommon14–15 cmRegularly Sep–Oct · 0.06% in Oct
Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimusWinter visitorUncommon17–19 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.06% in Oct
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusResidentUncommon34–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Oct
Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticolaSummer visitorUncommon33–38 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.05% in Oct
King EiderSomateria spectabilisWinter visitorUncommon46–64 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Oct
Red-flanked BluetailTarsiger cyanurusScarceRare13–14 cmRegularly Oct · 0.04% in Oct
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusPassage migrantUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.04% in Oct
RuffCalidris pugnaxPassage migrantUncommon20–32 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.04% in Oct
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusSummer visitorUncommon40–42 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.04% in Oct
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorUncommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.04% in Oct
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsPassage migrantUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.04% in Oct
European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleucaPassage migrantRare12–14 cmRegularly Oct · 0.04% in Oct
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaPassage migrantUncommon17–20 cmRegularly Oct–Dec · 0.04% in Oct
Little GullHydrocoloeus minutusSummer visitorUncommon25–30 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.04% in Oct
Canada GooseBranta canadensisSummer visitorRare76–110 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.03% in Oct
Little EgretEgretta garzettaPassage migrantRare55–65 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.02% in Oct
Common RosefinchCarpodacus erythrinusPassage migrantRare13–15 cmRegularly Sep–Oct · 0.02% in Oct
Little AukAlle alleWinter visitorUncommon18–21 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.02% in Oct
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantRare19–23 cmRegularly Oct · 0.02% in Oct
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusPassage migrantUncommon15–16 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.02% in Oct
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaPassage migrantRare27–30 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.01% in Oct
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusPassage migrantUncommon28–31 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Oct
HawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustesPassage migrantRare17–18 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.01% in Oct
Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibilatrixPassage migrantRare11–13 cmRegularly Oct · 0.01% in Oct
Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made