Iceland bird checklist
424 bird species in 67 families have been recorded in Iceland, according to eBird; about 311 of them are seen regularly, and the rest are rarities, vagrants and escaped or introduced birds. Download the full list as a PDF, or tick birds off on your phone, with counts and notes, even without signal.
Species data: eBird.org, updated · How these lists are made
The most common birds in Iceland right now
1Graylag Goose
2Common Eider
3Mallard
4Horned Grebe
5Long-tailed Duck
6Tufted Duck
7Greater Scaup
8Eurasian Wren
9Red-breasted Merganser
10Goldcrest
Iceland bird checklist
424 species · loading the checklist tools…
Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl
- Bar-headed Goose
- Emperor Goose
- Snow Goose
- Ross's Goose
- Graylag Goose
- Greater White-fronted Goose
- Taiga Bean-Goose
- Tundra Bean-Goose
- Pink-footed Goose
- Brant
- Barnacle Goose
- Cackling Goose
- Canada Goose
- Red-breasted Goose
- Mute Swan
- Black Swan
- Tundra Swan
- Whooper Swan
- Ruddy Shelduck
- Common Shelduck
- Wood Duck
- Mandarin Duck
- Garganey
- Blue-winged Teal
- Northern Shoveler
- Gadwall
- Eurasian Wigeon
- American Wigeon
- Mallard
- American Black Duck
- Northern Pintail
- Green-winged Teal
- Canvasback
- Redhead
- Common Pochard
- Ring-necked Duck
- Ferruginous Duck
- Tufted Duck
- Greater Scaup
- Lesser Scaup
- Steller's Eider
- King Eider
- Common Eider
- Harlequin Duck
- Surf Scoter
- Velvet Scoter
- White-winged Scoter
- Stejneger's Scoter
- Common Scoter
- Black Scoter
- Long-tailed Duck
- Bufflehead
- Common Goldeneye
- Barrow's Goldeneye
- Smew
- Hooded Merganser
- Common Merganser
- Red-breasted Merganser
- Ruddy Duck
Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies
- Rock Ptarmigan
- Common Quail
Pigeons and Doves
- Rock Pigeon
- Stock Dove
- Common Wood-Pigeon
- European Turtle-Dove
- Oriental Turtle-Dove
- Eurasian Collared-Dove
- African Collared-Dove
- Mourning Dove
Cuckoos
- Yellow-billed Cuckoo
- Black-billed Cuckoo
- Common Cuckoo
Nightjars and Allies
- Common Nighthawk
- Eurasian Nightjar
Swifts
- Alpine Swift
- Common Swift
- Pacific Swift
Rails, Gallinules, and Coots
- Water Rail
- Corn Crake
- Sora
- Spotted Crake
- Eurasian Moorhen
- Eurasian Coot
- American Coot
- Purple Gallinule
Cranes
- Sandhill Crane
- Common Crane
Thick-knees
- Eurasian Thick-knee
Stilts and Avocets
- Black-winged Stilt
- Pied Avocet
Oystercatchers
- Eurasian Oystercatcher
Plovers and Lapwings
- Black-bellied Plover
- European Golden-Plover
- American Golden-Plover
- Pacific Golden-Plover
- Eurasian Dotterel
- Killdeer
- Common Ringed Plover
- Semipalmated Plover
- Little Ringed Plover
- Northern Lapwing
- Greater Sand-Plover
Sandpipers and Allies
- Upland Sandpiper
- Eurasian Whimbrel
- Eurasian Curlew
- Bar-tailed Godwit
- Black-tailed Godwit
- Short-billed Dowitcher
- Long-billed Dowitcher
- Jack Snipe
- Eurasian Woodcock
- Common Snipe
- Wilson's Snipe
- Wilson's Phalarope
- Red Phalarope
- Red-necked Phalarope
- Common Sandpiper
- Spotted Sandpiper
- Green Sandpiper
- Solitary Sandpiper
- Gray-tailed Tattler
- Wood Sandpiper
- Common Redshank
- Lesser Yellowlegs
- Spotted Redshank
- Common Greenshank
- Greater Yellowlegs
- Ruddy Turnstone
- Red Knot
- Ruff
- Broad-billed Sandpiper
- Curlew Sandpiper
- Stilt Sandpiper
- Temminck's Stint
- Red-necked Stint
- Buff-breasted Sandpiper
- Sanderling
- Dunlin
- Purple Sandpiper
- Baird's Sandpiper
- Little Stint
- White-rumped Sandpiper
- Least Sandpiper
- Pectoral Sandpiper
- Western Sandpiper
- Semipalmated Sandpiper
Pratincoles and Coursers
- Collared Pratincole
- Black-winged Pratincole
Skuas and Jaegers
- Long-tailed Jaeger
- Parasitic Jaeger
- Pomarine Jaeger
- Great Skua
- South Polar Skua
Auks, Murres, and Puffins
- Atlantic Puffin
- Crested Auklet
- Black Guillemot
- Razorbill
- Great Auk
- Dovekie
- Thick-billed Murre
- Common Murre
- Ancient Murrelet
Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
- Little Gull
- Ross's Gull
- Black-legged Kittiwake
- Ivory Gull
- Sabine's Gull
- Bonaparte's Gull
- Black-headed Gull
- Laughing Gull
- Franklin's Gull
- Mediterranean Gull
- Common Gull
- Ring-billed Gull
- Caspian Gull
- American Herring Gull
- European Herring Gull
- Yellow-legged Gull
- Great Black-backed Gull
- Glaucous Gull
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Glaucous-winged Gull
- Slaty-backed Gull
- Iceland Gull
- Sooty Tern
- Little Tern
- Gull-billed Tern
- Caspian Tern
- Whiskered Tern
- Black Tern
- White-winged Tern
- Forster's Tern
- Arctic Tern
- Common Tern
- Roseate Tern
- Sandwich Tern
Flamingos
- Chilean Flamingo
Grebes
- Little Grebe
- Pied-billed Grebe
- Horned Grebe
- Red-necked Grebe
- Great Crested Grebe
- Eared Grebe
Loons
- Red-throated Loon
- Arctic Loon
- Common Loon
- Yellow-billed Loon
Albatrosses
- Black-browed Albatross
Southern Storm-Petrels
- Wilson's Storm-Petrel
Northern Storm-Petrels
- European Storm-Petrel
- Leach's Storm-Petrel
Shearwaters and Petrels
- Northern Fulmar
- Great Shearwater
- Sooty Shearwater
- Manx Shearwater
Storks
- Black Stork
- White Stork
Boobies and Gannets
- Northern Gannet
- Brown Booby
Cormorants and Shags
- Great Cormorant
- European Shag
Ibises and Spoonbills
- Glossy Ibis
- Eurasian Spoonbill
Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns
- Eurasian Bittern
- American Bittern
- Least Bittern
- Black-crowned Night Heron
- Snowy Egret
- Little Egret
- Green Heron
- Squacco Heron
- Western Cattle-Egret
- Great Egret
- Gray Heron
- Great Blue Heron
- Purple Heron
Osprey
- Osprey
Hawks, Eagles, and Kites
- European Honey-buzzard
- Booted Eagle
- Eurasian Sparrowhawk
- Western Marsh Harrier
- Hen Harrier
- Northern Harrier
- Pallid Harrier
- Montagu's Harrier
- Red Kite
- Black Kite
- White-tailed Eagle
- Rough-legged Hawk
- Common Buzzard
Owls
- Eurasian Scops-Owl
- Snowy Owl
- Long-eared Owl
- Short-eared Owl
Hoopoes
- Common Hoopoe
Bee-eaters
- European Bee-eater
Kingfishers
- Common Kingfisher
- Belted Kingfisher
Rollers
- European Roller
Woodpeckers
- Eurasian Wryneck
- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
- Great Spotted Woodpecker
Falcons and Caracaras
- Eurasian Kestrel
- Red-footed Falcon
- Merlin
- Eurasian Hobby
- Gyrfalcon
- Peregrine Falcon
Tyrant Flycatchers
- Acadian Flycatcher
- Alder Flycatcher
- Least Flycatcher
- Eastern Kingbird
Vireos, Shrike-Babblers, and Erpornis
- Yellow-throated Vireo
- Philadelphia Vireo
- Red-eyed Vireo
Old World Orioles
- Eurasian Golden Oriole
Shrikes
- Red-backed Shrike
- Great Gray Shrike
- Woodchat Shrike
Crows, Jays, and Magpies
- Eurasian Jackdaw
- Rook
- Carrion Crow
- Hooded Crow
- Common Raven
Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice
- Great Tit
Larks
- Eurasian Skylark
- Greater Short-toed Lark
Reed Warblers and Allies
- Sykes's Warbler
- Eastern Olivaceous Warbler
- Melodious Warbler
- Icterine Warbler
- Sedge Warbler
- Paddyfield Warbler
- Blyth's Reed Warbler
- Marsh Warbler
- Common Reed Warbler
Grassbirds and Allies
- Lanceolated Warbler
- River Warbler
- Common Grasshopper Warbler
Swallows
- Bank Swallow
- Tree Swallow
- Barn Swallow
- Western House-Martin
- European Red-rumped Swallow
- Cliff Swallow
Leaf Warblers
- Wood Warbler
- Yellow-browed Warbler
- Hume's Warbler
- Willow Warbler
- Common Chiffchaff
- Greenish Warbler
- Arctic Warbler
Sylviid Warblers and Allies
- Eurasian Blackcap
- Garden Warbler
- Barred Warbler
- Lesser Whitethroat
- Eastern Subalpine Warbler
- Greater Whitethroat
Kinglets
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet
- Goldcrest
Nuthatches
- Red-breasted Nuthatch
Wrens
- Eurasian Wren
Starlings
- European Starling
- Rosy Starling
Thrushes and Allies
- White's Thrush
- Varied Thrush
- Gray-cheeked Thrush
- Swainson's Thrush
- Hermit Thrush
- Wood Thrush
- Mistle Thrush
- Song Thrush
- Redwing
- Eurasian Blackbird
- Fieldfare
- Ring Ouzel
- Black-throated Thrush
- American Robin
Old World Flycatchers
- Dark-sided Flycatcher
- Spotted Flycatcher
- European Robin
- Thrush Nightingale
- Common Nightingale
- Bluethroat
- Siberian Rubythroat
- Red-flanked Bluetail
- Red-breasted Flycatcher
- European Pied Flycatcher
- Common Redstart
- Black Redstart
- Whinchat
- European Stonechat
- Siberian Stonechat
- Northern Wheatear
- Pied Wheatear
Waxwings
- Bohemian Waxwing
- Cedar Waxwing
Accentors
- Dunnock
Old World Sparrows
- House Sparrow
- Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Wagtails and Pipits
- Gray Wagtail
- Western Yellow Wagtail
- Citrine Wagtail
- White Wagtail
- Tawny Pipit
- Meadow Pipit
- Tree Pipit
- Olive-backed Pipit
- Pechora Pipit
- Rock Pipit
- American Pipit
Finches, Euphonias, and Allies
- Common Chaffinch
- Brambling
- Hawfinch
- Common Rosefinch
- Eurasian Bullfinch
- European Greenfinch
- Eurasian Linnet
- Redpoll
- Parrot Crossbill
- Red Crossbill
- White-winged Crossbill
- European Goldfinch
- Eurasian Siskin
Longspurs and Snow Buntings
- Lapland Longspur
- Snow Bunting
Old World Buntings
- Black-headed Bunting
- Red-headed Bunting
- Yellowhammer
- Pine Bunting
- Ortolan Bunting
- Reed Bunting
- Yellow-breasted Bunting
- Little Bunting
- Rustic Bunting
New World Sparrows
- American Tree Sparrow
- Fox Sparrow
- Dark-eyed Junco
- White-crowned Sparrow
- White-throated Sparrow
- Lincoln's Sparrow
Troupials and Allies
- Yellow-headed Blackbird
- Bobolink
- Baltimore Oriole
- Brown-headed Cowbird
New World Warblers
- Black-and-white Warbler
- Tennessee Warbler
- Common Yellowthroat
- American Redstart
- Cape May Warbler
- Cerulean Warbler
- Northern Parula
- Magnolia Warbler
- Blackburnian Warbler
- Northern Yellow Warbler
- Blackpoll Warbler
- Black-throated Blue Warbler
- Palm Warbler
- Yellow-rumped Warbler
- Black-throated Green Warbler
- Canada Warbler
Cardinals and Allies
- Scarlet Tanager
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- Indigo Bunting
Most common birds in Iceland
Ranked by how recently and how widely each was reported to eBird in the 30 days to 2026-10-13, and whether it is one of Iceland’s regular birds. The list follows the seasons: migrants rise in spring and autumn.
- Graylag GooseAnser anser
- Common EiderSomateria mollissima
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Horned GrebePodiceps auritus
- Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalis
- Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
- Greater ScaupAythya marila
- Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Green-winged TealAnas crecca
- Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus
- Common ScoterMelanitta nigra
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosa
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Common GullLarus canus
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- European StarlingSturnus vulgaris
Largest bird families in Iceland
Among its regular birds.
- Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl55
- Sandpipers and Allies44
- Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers33
- Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns13
- Hawks, Eagles, and Kites13
- Plovers and Lapwings11
- Old World Flycatchers10
- Finches, Euphonias, and Allies9
Reported in the last 30 days
150 species reported to eBird in Iceland in the 30 days to 2026-10-13. The 40 most recently reported:
Graylag Goose, Rock Ptarmigan, Eurasian Wren, Goldcrest, Horned Grebe, Mallard, Common Eider, Tufted Duck, Long-tailed Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Greater Scaup, Common Scoter, Green-winged Teal, Whooper Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, Great Cormorant, Common Gull, Black-headed Gull, Black-tailed Godwit, Redwing, Fieldfare, Redpoll, Eurasian Blackbird, Common Raven, Merlin, European Starling, Iceland Gull, Glaucous Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Gadwall, Common Redshank, Lesser Yellowlegs, European Golden-Plover, White Wagtail, Barnacle Goose, Brambling, Common Snipe, Rock Pigeon, Pink-footed Goose, Meadow Pipit, …
Get to know some of them
Green-winged Teal
Whooper Swan
Common Scoter
Eurasian Wigeon
Great Cormorant
Black-tailed Godwit
Black-headed Gull
Common Gull
Redwing
European Starling
Great Black-backed Gull
Common Raven
Eurasian Blackbird
Gadwall