Birds and Wildlife
Birds and Wildlife in the Westfjords of Iceland
This page has a list of birds and mammals local to the Westfjords.
The following is a list of 54 bird species that breed in the West Fjords:
The following is a list of 54 bird species that breed in the West Fjords:
|
Enskt heiti |
Latneskt heiti |
Íslenskt heiti |
|
English name |
Scientific name |
Icelandic name |
|
Whooper Swan |
Cygnus cygnus |
Álft |
|
Greylag Goose |
Anser anser |
Grágæs |
|
Eurasian Wigeon |
Anas penelope |
Rauðhöfðaönd |
|
Eurasian Teal |
Anas crecca |
Urtönd |
|
Mallard |
Anas platyrhynchos |
Stokkönd |
|
Tufted Duck |
Aythya fuligula |
Skúfönd |
|
Greater Scaup |
Aythya marila |
Duggönd |
|
Common Eider |
Somateria mollissima |
Æðarfugl |
|
King Eider |
Somateria spectabilis |
Æðarkóngur |
|
Harlequin Duck |
Histrionicus histrionicus |
Straumönd |
|
Long-tailed Duck |
Clangula hyemalis |
Hávella |
|
Red-breasted Merganser |
Mergus serrator |
Toppönd |
|
Goosander |
Mergus merganser |
Gulönd |
|
Ptarmigan |
Lagopus muta |
Rjúpa |
|
Red-throated Diver |
Gavia stellata |
Lómur |
|
Great Northern Diver |
Gavia immer |
Himbrimi |
|
Northern Fulmar |
Fulmarus glacialis |
Fýll |
|
Cormorant |
Phalacrocorax carbo |
Dílaskarfur |
|
Shag |
Phalacrocorax aristotelis |
Toppskarfur |
|
White-tailed Eagle |
Haliaeetus albicilla |
Haförn |
|
Merlin |
Falco columbarius |
Smyrill |
|
Gyrfalcon |
Falco rusticolus |
Fálki |
|
Oystercatcher |
Haematopus ostralegus |
Tjaldur |
|
Ringed Plover |
Charadrius hiaticula |
Sandlóa |
|
Golden Plover |
Pluvialis apricaria |
Heiðlóa |
|
Red Knot |
Calidris canutus |
Rauðbrystingur |
|
Purple Sandpiper |
Calidris maritima |
Sendlingur |
|
Dunlin |
Calidris alpina |
Lóuþræll |
|
Common Snipe |
Gallinago gallinago |
Hrossagaukur |
|
Black-tailed Godwit |
Limosa limosa |
Jaðrakan |
|
Whimbrel |
Numenius phaeopus |
Spói |
|
Common Redshank |
Tringa totanus |
Stelkur |
|
Red-necked Phalarope |
Phalaropus lobatus |
Óðinshani |
|
Arctic Skua |
Stercorarius parasiticus |
Kjói |
|
Black-headed Gull |
Larus ridibundus |
Hettumáfur |
|
Lesser Black-backed Gull |
Larus fuscus |
Sílamáfur |
|
Glaucous Gull |
Larus hyperboreus |
Hvítmáfur |
|
Great Black-backed Gull |
Larus marinus |
Svartbakur |
|
Iceland Gull |
Larus glaucoides |
Bjartmáfur |
|
Black-legged Kittiwake |
Rissa tridactyla |
Rita |
|
Arctic Tern |
Sterna paradisaea |
Kría |
|
Common Guillemot |
Uria aalge |
Langvía |
|
Brünnich's Guillemot |
Uria lomvia |
Stuttnefja |
|
Razorbill |
Alca torda |
Álka |
|
Black Guillemot |
Cepphus grylle |
Teista |
|
Atlantic Puffin |
Fratercula arctica |
Lundi |
|
Meadow Pipit |
Anthus pratensis |
Þúfutittlingur |
|
Pied Wagtail |
Motacilla alba |
Maríuerla |
|
Wren |
Troglodytes troglodytes |
Músarrindill |
|
Northern Wheatear |
Oenanthe oenanthe |
Steindepill |
|
Redwing |
Turdus iliacus |
Skógarþröstur |
|
Common Raven |
Corvus corax |
Hrafn |
|
Redpoll |
Carduelis flammea |
Auðnutittlingur |
|
Snow Bunting |
Plectrophenax nivalis |
Snjótittlingur |
And these species can occasionally be spotted in the area:
|
Velvet Scoter |
Melanitta fusca |
Korpönd |
|
Northern Gannet |
Morus bassanus |
Súla |
|
Sanderling |
Calidris alba |
Sanderla |
|
Turnstone |
Arenaria interpres |
Tildra |
|
Snowy Owl |
Buto scandiacus |
Snæugla |
|
Short-eared Owl |
Asio flammeus |
Brandugla |
|
Common Goldeneye |
Bucephala clangula |
Hvinönd |
|
Grey Heron |
Ardea cinerea |
Gráhegri |
|
Barn Swallow |
Hirundo rustica |
Landsvala |
|
Bohemian Waxwing |
Bombycilla garrulus |
Silkitoppa |
These are land mammals local in the West Fjords. Of these, only the Arctic Fox is "original" to the area, others have been "imported" with people:
|
Wood mouse |
Apodemus sylvaticus |
Hagamús |
|
House mouse |
Mus musculus |
Húsamús |
|
Brown Rat |
Rattus norvegicus |
Brún rotta |
|
Arctic Fox |
Alopex lagopus |
Heimskautarefur |
|
Mink |
Mustela vision |
Minkur |
Below are the two species of seals that can be found here:
|
Common Seal |
Phoca vitulina |
Landselur |
|
Gray Seal |
Halichoerus grypus |
Útselur |
Twelve species of whales are normally in the waters off North Iceland. On our regular trips we are still most likely to see only Minke Whale, Dolphins and Porpoises.
|
Northern Bottlenose Whale |
Hyperoodon ampullatus |
Andarnefja |
|
Sperm Whale |
Physeter catodon |
Búrhvalur |
|
Long-finned Pilot Whale |
Globicephala melaena |
Grindhvalur |
|
Killer Whale |
Orcinus orca |
Háhyrningur |
|
Harbour Porpoise |
Phocoena phocoena |
Hnísa |
|
Humpback Whale |
Megaptera novaeangliae |
Hnúfubakur |
|
White-beaked Dolphin |
Lagenorhynchus albirostris |
Hnýðingur |
|
Minke Whale |
Balaenoptera acutorostrata |
Hrefna |
|
Atlantic White-sided Dolphin |
Lagenorhynchus acutus |
Leifturhníðir |
|
Fin Whale |
Balaenoptera physalus |
Langreyður |
|
Sei Whale |
Balaenoptera borealis |
Sandreyður |
|
Blue Whale |
Balaenoptera musculus |
Steypireiður |
The following four additional species of whales are rare in Icelandic waters:
|
Common Dolphin |
Delphinus delphis |
Léttir |
|
Bottlenose Dolphin |
Tursiops truncatus |
Stökkull |
|
Sowerby´s Beaked Whale |
Mesoplodon bidens |
Norðsnjáldri |
|
Bowhead Whale |
Balaena mysticetus |
Sléttbakur |
