Birds in Iceland

154 species listed · birdwatchers' records, 2019–2024

Our list for Iceland has 154 bird species recorded regularly there: 30 residents, 43 summer visitors, 25 winter visitors, 45 passage migrants and 11 scarce visitors.

The list comes from 910,000 birdwatchers' records from 2019–2024, shared through the eBird Observation Dataset on GBIF. A bird is listed when it was recorded in at least 3 of the 6 years and has a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur here than are listed; the months show when it is recorded most years.

Birds to see in Iceland in September

107 species on our list are recorded regularly this month. These are the ones birdwatchers record most often.

All 107 birds in September

Arriving in September: Common Merganser, Chiffchaff, Grey Heron, European Robin, Greater White-fronted Goose, Goldeneye, Yellow-browed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and 13 more.

Through the year

Species recorded regularly in Iceland each month: most in September (107), fewest in December (65). Choose a month to see its birds.

107
Show as a table
Goldcrest
GoldcrestSmallest · 8.5cm
to
Whooper Swan
Whooper SwanLargest · 165cm
From the Goldcrest (8.5 cm) to the Whooper Swan (165 cm)36 families

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All 154 birds on the list

Showing 116–138 of 154 species

Lapland Longspur

Lapland Longspur

Calcarius lapponicusLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly May–Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Canada Goose

Canada Goose

Branta canadensisLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly Apr–Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Pochard

Pochard

Aythya ferinaVU

Summer visitorRare

Regularly Apr–Aug

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Red-flanked Bluetail

Red-flanked Bluetail

Tarsiger cyanurusLC

ScarceRare

Regularly Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Snow Goose

Snow Goose

Anser caerulescensLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly Apr–Jun

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
American Golden-Plover

American Golden-Plover

Pluvialis dominicaLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black Tern

Black Tern

Chlidonias nigerLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly May–Jul

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Velvet Scoter

Velvet Scoter

Melanitta fuscaVU

Summer visitorRare

Regularly Jan–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

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Garganey

Garganey

Spatula querquedulaLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly May–Jun

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Surf Scoter

Surf Scoter

Melanitta perspicillataLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly Feb–Nov

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
House Martin

House Martin

Delichon urbicumLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly Apr–Jun

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
European Pied Flycatcher

European Pied Flycatcher

Ficedula hypoleucaLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Common Crane

Common Crane

Grus grusLC

ScarceRare
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Pectoral Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper

Calidris melanotosLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Mandarin Duck

Mandarin Duck

Aix galericulataLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly May

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Little Egret

Little Egret

Egretta garzettaLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly May–Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Ruddy Duck

Ruddy Duck

Oxyura jamaicensisLC

ScarceRare

Regularly Mar

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Cattle Egret

Cattle Egret

Ardea ibisLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly Apr

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Lesser Yellowlegs

Lesser Yellowlegs

Tringa flavipesVU

Passage migrantRare

Regularly May

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Mistle Thrush

Mistle Thrush

Turdus viscivorusLC

ScarceRare
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Sand Martin

Sand Martin

Riparia ripariaLC

ScarceRare

Regularly Apr

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Swainson's Thrush

Swainson's Thrush

Catharus ustulatusLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Common Rosefinch

Common Rosefinch

Carpodacus erythrinusLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly Sep–Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
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Frequently Asked Questions

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

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