Category: Icelandic Wildlife and Birds

Iceland’s wildlife is shaped by its isolation. Few land mammals ever reached this remote island on their own — the Arctic fox is the only one native to the country, here long before the first settlers. But what the land lacks, the sea and sky more than make up for, and for many visitors a close encounter with Iceland’s wildlife is a trip highlight.
The birds are the headline act. Iceland is a seabird country, and the puffin is its unofficial mascot — millions nest in cliff colonies around the coast through the summer months. Borgarfjörður eystri in the east and the Westman Islands are among the most reliable places to see them up close. Beyond puffins, the cliffs and wetlands host guillemots, kittiwakes, Arctic terns, and the elegant red-throated diver, making the country a genuine draw for birdwatchers.

Offshore, the whales steal the show. The waters around Iceland are rich feeding grounds, and whale-watching tours — strongest from Húsavík in the north, but also running from Reykjavík and Akureyri — regularly spot humpbacks, minke whales, dolphins, and white-beaked porpoises. On land, you may glimpse an Arctic fox, the wild reindeer of the east, or the seals hauled out along the Vatnsnes peninsula.

For seeing Iceland’s wildlife, timing is everything. Puffins and most seabirds are present roughly from May to August, whale watching is best in summer, though it runs much of the year, and the Arctic fox is a year-round resident. Bring binoculars, dress warm for boat trips, and keep a respectful distance.

In this section, you’ll find our guides to Iceland’s wildlife and birds: what you can see, where to find it, when to go, and the tours worth taking — the honest, practical advice we’d give a friend planning the same trip.