List of birds of Iceland

This list of birds of Iceland has 370 bird species as listed below. Iceland is an island and country in the north Atlantic. Its birds are typical of northwestern Europe, but there are few breeding landbirds because the hard winters make it difficult for resident species, and the remoteness limits the range of summer migrants. However, the island has recorded an impressive array of American vagrants due to its location. This list includes one extinct species, one globally threatened species, and one introduced species.

Anatidae

• Mute swan, Cygnus olor (rare/accidental)
• Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus (rare/accidental)
• Whooper swan, Cygnus cygnus
• Bean goose, Anser fabalis (rare/accidental)
• Pink-footed goose, Anser brachyrhynchus
• Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons
• Greylag goose, Anser anser
• Snow goose, Chen caerulescens (rare/accidental)
• Canada goose, Branta canadensis (rare/accidental)
• Cackling goose, Branta hutchinsii (rare/accidental)
• Barnacle goose, Branta leucopsis
• Brent goose, Branta bernicla
• Red-breasted goose, Branta ruficollis (rare/accidental)
• Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea (rare/accidental)
• Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna (rare/accidental)
• Wood duck, Aix sponsa (rare/accidental)
• Mandarin duck, Aix galericulata (rare/accidental)
• Eurasian wigeon, Anas penelope
• American wigeon, Anas americana (rare/accidental)
• Gadwall, Anas strepera
• Eurasian teal, Anas crecca
• Green-winged teal, Anas carolinensis (rare/accidental)
• Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
• American black duck, Anas rubripes (rare/accidental)
• Northern pintail, Anas acuta
• Garganey, Anas querquedula (rare/accidental)
• Blue-winged teal, Anas discors (rare/accidental)
• Northern shoveler, Anas clypeata (rare/accidental)
• Common pochard, Aythya ferina (rare/accidental)
• Redhead, Aythya americana (rare/accidental)
• Canvasback, Aythya valisineria (rare/accidental)
• Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris (rare/accidental)
• Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula
• Greater scaup, Aythya marila
• Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis (rare/accidental)
• Common eider, Somateria mollissima
• King eider, Somateria spectabilis (rare/accidental)
• Steller's eider, Polysticta stelleri (rare/accidental) (vulnerable)
• Harlequin duck, Histrionicus histrionicus
• Long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis
• Common scoter, Melanitta nigra
• Surf scoter, Melanitta perspicillata (rare/accidental)
• Velvet scoter, Melanitta fusca (rare/accidental)
• Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola (rare/accidental)
• Barrow's goldeneye, Bucephala islandica
• Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula (rare/accidental)
• Hooded merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus (rare/accidental)
• Smew, Mergellus albellus (rare/accidental)
• Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator
• Goosander, Mergus merganser
• Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis (rare/accidental)

Tetraonidae

• Rock ptarmigan, Lagopus muta

Phasianidae

• Common quail, Coturnix coturnix (rare/accidental)

Gaviidae

• Red-throated diver, Gavia stellata
• Great northern diver, Gavia immer

Podicipedidae

• Pied-billed grebe, Podilymbus podiceps (rare/accidental)
• Little grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis (rare/accidental)
• Great crested grebe, Podiceps cristatus (rare/accidental)
• Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena (rare/accidental)
• Slavonian grebe, Podiceps auritus

Diomedeidae

• Black-browed albatross, Thalassarche melanophris (rare/accidental)

Procellariidae

• Northern fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis
• Great shearwater, Ardenna gravis (rare/accidental)
• Sooty shearwater, Ardenna griseus (rare/accidental) (near-threatened)
• Manx shearwater, Puffinus puffinus

Hydrobatidae

• Wilson's storm petrel, Oceanites oceanicus (rare/accidental)
• European storm petrel, Hydrobates pelagicus
• Leach's storm petrel, Oceanodroma leucorhoa

Sulidae

• Northern gannet, Morus bassanus

Phalacrocoracidae

• Great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo
• European shag, Phalacrocorax aristotelis

Ardeidae

• Great bittern, Botaurus stellaris (rare/accidental)
• American bittern, Botaurus lentiginosus (rare/accidental)
• Least bittern, Ixobrychus exilis (rare/accidental)
• Little bittern, Ixobrychus minutus (rare/accidental)
• Black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax (rare/accidental)
• Green heron, Butorides virescens (rare/accidental)
• Squacco heron, Ardeola ralloides (rare/accidental)
• Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis (rare/accidental)
• Snowy egret, Egretta thula (rare/accidental)
• Little egret, Egretta garzetta (rare/accidental)
• Great white egret, Ardea alba (rare/accidental)
• Grey heron, Ardea cinerea (rare/accidental)
• Purple heron, Ardea purpurea (rare/accidental)

Ciconiidae

• Black stork, Ciconia nigra (rare/accidental)
• White stork, Ciconia ciconia (rare/accidental)

Threskiornithidae

• Glossy ibis, Plegadis falcinellus (rare/accidental)
• Eurasian spoonbill, Platalea leucorodia (rare/accidental)

Accipitridae

• European honey buzzard, Pernis apivorus (rare/accidental)
• Black kite, Milvus migrans (rare/accidental)
• Red kite, Milvus milvus (rare/accidental) (near-threatened)
• White-tailed eagle, Haliaeetus albicilla
• Eurasian marsh harrier, Circus aeruginosus (rare/accidental)
• Hen harrier, Circus cyaneus (rare/accidental)
• Montagu's harrier, Circus pygargus (rare/accidental)
• Eurasian sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus (rare/accidental)
• Eurasian buzzard, Buteo buteo (rare/accidental)
• Rough-legged buzzard, Buteo lagopus (rare/accidental)
• Booted eagle, Hieraaetus pennatus (rare/accidental)

Pandionidae

• Osprey, Pandion haliaetus (rare/accidental)

Falconidae

• Common kestrel, Falco tinnunculus (rare/accidental)
• Red-footed falcon, Falco vespertinus (rare/accidental) (near-threatened)
• Merlin, Falco columbarius
• Eurasian hobby, Falco subbuteo (rare/accidental)
• Gyrfalcon, Falco rusticolus
• Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus (rare/accidental)

Rallidae

• Water rail, Rallus aquaticus (rare/accidental)
• Spotted crake, Porzana porzana (rare/accidental)
• Corn crake, Crex crex (rare/accidental) (near-threatened)
• Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus (rare/accidental)
• Purple gallinule, Porphyrio martinica (rare/accidental)
• Common coot, Fulica atra (rare/accidental)
• American coot, Fulica americana (rare/accidental)

Gruidae

• Common crane, Grus grus (rare/accidental)

Haematopodidae

• Eurasian oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus

Recurvirostridae

• Pied avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta (rare/accidental)

Burhinidae

• Stone-curlew, Burhinus oedicnemus (rare/accidental)

Glareolidae

• Collared pratincole, Glareola pratincola (rare/accidental)
• Black-winged pratincole, Glareola nordmanni (rare/accidental) (near-threatened)

Charadriidae

• Ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula
• Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus
• Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus (rare/accidental)
• Greater sand plover, Charadrius leschenaultii (rare/accidental)
• Eurasian dotterel, Charadrius morinellus (rare/accidental)
• American golden plover, Pluvialis dominica (rare/accidental)
• Eurasian golden plover, Pluvialis apricaria
• Grey plover, Pluvialis squatarola (rare/accidental)
• Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus (rare/accidental)

Scolopacidae

• Red knot, Calidris canutus
• Sanderling, Calidris alba
• Semipalmated sandpiper, Calidris pusilla (rare/accidental)
• Western sandpiper, Calidris mauri (rare/accidental)
• Little stint, Calidris minuta (rare/accidental)
• Least sandpiper, Calidris minutilla (rare/accidental)
• White-rumped sandpiper, Calidris fuscicollis (rare/accidental)
• Baird's sandpiper, Calidris bairdii (rare/accidental)
• Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos (rare/accidental)
• Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea (rare/accidental)
• Stilt sandpiper, Calidris himantopus (rare/accidental)
• Purple sandpiper, Calidris maritima
• Dunlin, Calidris alpina
• Broad-billed sandpiper, Limicola falcinellus (rare/accidental)
• Buff-breasted sandpiper, Tryngites subruficollis (rare/accidental) (near-threatened)
• Ruff, Philomachus pugnax (rare/accidental)
• Jack snipe, Lymnocryptes minimus (rare/accidental)
• Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago
• Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus (rare/accidental)
• Eurasian woodcock, Scolopax rusticola (rare/accidental)
• Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa (near-threatened)
• Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica (rare/accidental)
• Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus
• Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata (rare/accidental)
• Upland sandpiper, Bartramia longicauda (rare/accidental)
• Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus (rare/accidental)
• Common redshank, Tringa totanus
• Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia (rare/accidental)
• Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca (rare/accidental)
• Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes (rare/accidental)
• Solitary sandpiper, Tringa solitaria (rare/accidental)
• Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus (rare/accidental)
• Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola (rare/accidental)
• Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos (rare/accidental)
• Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularia (rare/accidental)
• Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres
• Wilson's phalarope, Phalaropus tricolor (rare/accidental)
• Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus
• Grey phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius

Stercorariidae

• Pomarine skua, Stercorarius pomarinus (rare/accidental)
• Arctic skua, Stercorarius parasiticus
• Long-tailed skua, Stercorarius longicaudus (rare/accidental)
• Great skua, Stercorarius skua

Laridae

• Laughing gull, Leucophaeus atricilla (rare/accidental)
• Franklin's gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan (rare/accidental)
• Little gull, Hydrocoloeus minutus (rare/accidental)
• Sabine's gull, Xema sabini (rare/accidental)
• Bonaparte's gull, Chroicocephalus philadelphia (rare/accidental)
• Black-headed gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus
• Ring-billed gull, Larus delawarensis (rare/accidental)
• Common gull, Larus canus
• Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus
• Herring gull, Larus argentatus
• Caspian gull, Larus cachinnans (rare/accidental)
• Thayer's gull, Larus thayeri (rare/accidental)
• Iceland gull, Larus glaucoides
• Glaucous gull, Larus hyperboreus
• Great black-backed gull, Larus marinus
• Ross's gull, Rhodostethia rosea (rare/accidental)
• Black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla
• Ivory gull, Pagophila eburnea (rare/accidental) (near-threatened)

Sternidae

• Gull-billed tern, Gelochelidon nilotica (rare/accidental)
• Sandwich tern, Thalasseus sandvicensis (rare/accidental)
• Common tern, Sterna hirundo (rare/accidental)
• Arctic tern, Sterna paradisaea
• Forster's tern, Sterna forsteri (rare/accidental)
• Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscatus (rare/accidental)
• Whiskered tern, Chlidonias hybrida (rare/accidental)
• Black tern, Chlidonias niger (rare/accidental)
• White-winged tern, Chlidonias leucopterus (rare/accidental)

Alcidae

• Common guillemot, Uria aalge
• Brunnich's guillemot, Uria lomvia
• Razorbill, Alca torda
• Great auk, Pinguinus impennis (extinct)
• Black guillemot, Cepphus grylle
• Little auk, Alle alle
• Crested auklet, Aethia cristatella (rare/accidental)
• Atlantic puffin, Fratercula arctica

Columbidae

• Rock pigeon, Columba livia
• Stock pigeon, Columba oenas (rare/accidental)
• Wood pigeon, Columba palumbus (rare/accidental)
• Eurasian collared dove, Streptopelia decaocto (rare/accidental)
• Turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur (rare/accidental)
• Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura (rare/accidental)

Cuculidae

• Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus (rare/accidental)
• Black-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus erythropthalmus (rare/accidental)
• Yellow-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus (rare/accidental)

Strigidae

• European scops owl, Otus scops (rare/accidental)
• Snowy owl, Bubo scandiacus (rare/accidental)
• Long-eared owl, Asio otus (rare/accidental)
• Short-eared owl, Asio flammeus

Caprimulgidae

• Eurasian nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus (rare/accidental)
• Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor (rare/accidental)

Apodidae

• Common swift, Apus apus (rare/accidental)
• Alpine swift, Tachymarptis melba (rare/accidental)

Cerylidae

• Belted kingfisher, Ceryle alcyon (rare/accidental)

Meropidae

• European bee-eater, Merops apiaster (rare/accidental)

Coraciidae

• European roller, Coracias garrulus (rare/accidental) (near-threatened)

Upupidae

• Hoopoe, Upupa epops (rare/accidental)

Picidae

• Eurasian wryneck, Jynx torquilla (rare/accidental)
• Yellow-bellied sapsucker, Sphyrapicus varius (rare/accidental)
• Great spotted woodpecker, Dendrocopos major (rare/accidental)

Tyrannidae

• Acadian flycatcher, Empidonax virescens (rare/accidental)
• Least flycatcher, Empidonax minimus (rare/accidental)
• Alder flycatcher, Empidonax alnorum (rare/accidental)

Alaudidae

• Greater short-toed lark, Calandrella brachydactyla (rare/accidental)
• Sky lark, Alauda arvensis (rare/accidental)
• Horned lark, Eremophila alpestris (rare/accidental)

Hirundinidae

• Sand martin, Riparia riparia (rare/accidental)
• Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica (rare/accidental)
• Red-rumped swallow, Cecropis daurica (rare/accidental)
• American cliff swallow, Petrochelidon pyrrhonota (rare/accidental)
• Common house martin, Delichon urbicum (rare/accidental)

Motacillidae

• Tawny pipit, Anthus campestris (rare/accidental)
• Olive-backed pipit, Anthus hodgsoni (rare/accidental)
• Tree pipit, Anthus trivialis (rare/accidental)
• Pechora pipit, Anthus gustavi (rare/accidental)
• Meadow pipit, Anthus pratensis
• Rock pipit, Anthus petrosus (rare/accidental)
• Water pipit, Anthus spinoletta (rare/accidental)
• American pipit, Anthus rubescens (rare/accidental)
• Yellow wagtail, Motacilla flava (rare/accidental)
• Citrine wagtail, Motacilla citreola (rare/accidental)
• Grey wagtail, Motacilla cinerea (rare/accidental)
• White wagtail, Motacilla alba

Bombycillidae

• Cedar waxwing, Bombycilla cedrorum (rare/accidental)
• Bohemian waxwing, Bombycilla garrulus (rare/accidental)

Troglodytidae

• Eurasian wren, Troglodytes troglodytes

Prunellidae

• Dunnock, Prunella modularis (rare/accidental)

Turdidae

• White's thrush, Zoothera dauma (rare/accidental)
• Varied thrush, Ixoreus naevius (rare/accidental)
• Wood thrush, Hylocichla mustelina (rare/accidental)
• Hermit thrush, Catharus guttatus (rare/accidental)
• Swainson's thrush, Catharus ustulatus (rare/accidental)
• Grey-cheeked thrush, Catharus minimus (rare/accidental)
• Ring ouzel, Turdus torquatus (rare/accidental)
• Blackbird, Turdus merula
• Black-throated thrush, Turdus ruficollis (rare/accidental)
• Fieldfare, Turdus pilaris
• Song thrush, Turdus philomelos (rare/accidental)
• Redwing, Turdus iliacus
• Mistle thrush, Turdus viscivorus (rare/accidental)
• American robin, Turdus migratorius (rare/accidental)

Locustellidae

• Lanceolated warbler, Locustella lanceolata (rare/accidental)
• Common grasshopper warbler, Locustella naevia (rare/accidental)
• River warbler, Locustella fluviatilis (rare/accidental)

Acrocephalidae

• Sedge warbler, Acrocephalus schoenobaenus (rare/accidental)
• Paddyfield warbler, Acrocephalus agricola (rare/accidental)
• Eurasian reed warbler, Acrocephalus scirpaceus (rare/accidental)
• Marsh warbler, Acrocephalus palustris (rare/accidental)
• Blyth's reed warbler, Acrocephalus dumetorum (rare/accidental)
• Sykes's warbler, Iduna rama (rare/accidental)
• Icterine warbler, Hippolais icterina (rare/accidental)
• Melodious warbler, Hippolais polyglotta (rare/accidental)

Phylloscopidae

• Arctic warbler, Phylloscopus borealis (rare/accidental)
• Yellow-browed warbler, Phylloscopus inornatus (rare/accidental)
• Wood warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix (rare/accidental)
• Common chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita (rare/accidental)
• Willow warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus (rare/accidental)

Sylviidae

• Eurasian blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla (rare/accidental)
• Garden warbler, Sylvia borin (rare/accidental)
• Barred warbler, Sylvia nisoria (rare/accidental)
• Lesser whitethroat, Sylvia curruca (rare/accidental)
• Common whitethroat, Sylvia communis (rare/accidental)
• Subalpine warbler, Sylvia cantillans (rare/accidental)

Regulidae

• Ruby-crowned kinglet, Regulus calendula (rare/accidental)
• Goldcrest, Regulus regulus (rare/accidental)

Muscicapidae

• European robin, Erithacus rubecula (rare/accidental)
• Thrush nightingale, Luscinia luscinia (rare/accidental)
• Common nightingale, Luscinia megarhynchos (rare/accidental)
• Siberian rubythroat, Luscinia calliope (rare/accidental)
• Bluethroat, Luscinia svecica (rare/accidental)
• Black redstart, Phoenicurus ochruros (rare/accidental)
• Common redstart, Phoenicurus phoenicurus (rare/accidental)
• Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra (rare/accidental)
• European stonechat, Saxicola rubicola (rare/accidental)
• Northern wheatear, Oenanthe oenanthe
• Spotted flycatcher, Muscicapa striata (rare/accidental)
• Red-breasted flycatcher, Ficedula parva (rare/accidental)
• Pied flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca (rare/accidental)

Paridae

• Great tit, Parus major (rare/accidental)

Sittidae

• Red-breasted nuthatch, Sitta canadensis (rare/accidental)

Oriolidae

• Eurasian golden oriole, Oriolus oriolus (rare/accidental)

Laniidae

• Red-backed shrike, Lanius collurio (rare/accidental)
• Great grey shrike, Lanius excubitor (rare/accidental)
• Woodchat shrike, Lanius senator (rare/accidental)

Corvidae

• Eurasian jackdaw, Corvus monedula (rare/accidental)
• Rook, Corvus frugilegus (rare/accidental)
• Hooded crow, Corvus cornix (rare/accidental)
• Common raven, Corvus corax

Sturnidae

• Common starling, Sturnus vulgaris
• Rosy starling, Pastor roseus (rare/accidental)

Passeridae

• House sparrow, Passer domesticus (rare/accidental)
• Eurasian tree sparrow, Passer montanus (rare/accidental)

Vireonidae

• Red-eyed vireo, Vireo olivaceus (rare/accidental)

Fringillidae

• Common chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs (rare/accidental)
• Brambling, Fringilla montifringilla (rare/accidental)
• European greenfinch, Chloris chloris (rare/accidental)
• European goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis (rare/accidental)
• Eurasian siskin, Spinus spinus (rare/accidental)
• Common Linnet, Linaria cannabina (rare/accidental)
• Common redpoll, Acanthis flammea
• Arctic redpoll, Acanthis hornemanni (rare/accidental)
• Common crossbill, Loxia curvirostra (rare/accidental)
• Parrot crossbill, Loxia pytyopsittacus (rare/accidental)
• Common rosefinch, Carpodacus erythrinus (rare/accidental)
• Eurasian bullfinch, Pyrrhula pyrrhula (rare/accidental)
• Hawfinch, Coccothraustes coccothraustes (rare/accidental)

Parulidae

• Black-and-white warbler, Mniotilta varia (rare/accidental)
• Tennessee warbler, Oreothlypis peregrina (rare/accidental)
• Northern parula, Setophaga americana (rare/accidental)
• Yellow warbler, Setophaga petechia (rare/accidental)
• Cerulean warbler, Setophaga cerulea (rare/accidental) (vulnerable)
• Black-throated blue warbler, Setophaga caerulescens (rare/accidental)
• Black-throated green warbler, Setophaga virens
• Blackburnian warbler, Setophaga fusca (rare/accidental)
• Magnolia warbler, Setophaga magnolia (rare/accidental)
• Yellow-rumped warbler, Setophaga coronata (rare/accidental)
• Palm warbler, Setophaga palmarum (rare/accidental)
• Blackpoll warbler, Setophaga striata (rare/accidental)
• American redstart, Setophaga ruticilla (rare/accidental)
• Common yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas (rare/accidental)
• Canada warbler, Cardellina canadensis (rare/accidental)

Thraupidae

• Scarlet tanager, Piranga olivacea (rare/accidental)

Calcariidae

• Lapland longspur, Calcarius lapponicus (rare/accidental)
• Snow bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis

Emberizidae

• Fox sparrow, Passerella iliaca (rare/accidental)
• White-crowned sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys (rare/accidental)
• White-throated sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis (rare/accidental)
• Dark-eyed junco, Junco hyemalis (rare/accidental)
• Pine bunting, Emberiza leucocephalos (rare/accidental)
• Yellowhammer, Emberiza citrinella (rare/accidental)
• Ortolan bunting, Emberiza hortulana (rare/accidental)
• Rustic bunting, Emberiza rustica (rare/accidental)
• Little bunting, Emberiza pusilla (rare/accidental)
• Yellow-breasted bunting, Emberiza aureola (rare/accidental) (near-threatened)
• Reed bunting, Emberiza schoeniclus (rare/accidental)
• Black-headed bunting, Emberiza melanocephala (rare/accidental)

Cardinalidae

• Rose-breasted grosbeak, Pheucticus ludovicianus (rare/accidental)
• Indigo bunting, Passerina cyanea (rare/accidental)

Icteridae

• Yellow-headed blackbird, Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus (rare/accidental)
• Baltimore oriole, Icterus galbula (rare/accidental)

References

• List of Icelandic Bird Species up to end of 2003
• Rare birds in 2004
• Rare birds in 2005
• Rare birds in 2006