Iceland is known for many things that most people agree are flat out Instagram worthy. One thing that Iceland has that you won’t find outside of the Arctic Cirlce is puffins. On my two trips to Iceland, I witnessed and (reluctantly) at the Icelandic puffin.
Today I’ll share with you everything you need to know about puffins in Iceland.
What Is a Puffin?
Puffins are super cute birds that you’ll have the best chance of seeing in Iceland. Interestingly, you’ll likely never see one outside of their breeding season.
The Atlantic Puffin Home
You may see them in North Iceland, or you may find them around the south coast. Either way, Iceland is the premier breeding spot for 60 percent of the world’s Atlantic puffins. The best time to see puffins in Iceland is between early April and September.
Where Do Iceland Puffins Nest?
Expect to find puffins nesting in and around rocky cliffs. This is where you’ll get to see baby puffins, which are known as pufflings. Westfjords, Dyrhólaey, which is in south Iceland along the coastal region, is one of the best places to see one of these bird cliffs.
Breeding Season Is Land Season
Once it’s not breeding season, don’t expect a large puffin colony to show up. Instead, puffins spend most of their lives on the open seas. This is why you will find that puffin tours tend to only be available during certain times. Nevertheless, as someone who is into adventure, I’m pretty used to the idea of having to plan around weather, animal habits, etc.
These Atlantic Puffins Change Color
Puffin-watching tours won’t usually allow you to see the winter aesthetic these birds have, but they do go through quite the wardrobe shift. When the breeding season ends, they molt, which means that much of their eye-catching aesthetic goes away.
The white feathers take on a dark grey hue, and their beaks even get narrower and end up with a bright tip. When springtime comes around, all the brilliant colors return.
Puffins in Iceland Life Span
While one female puffin will only have one puffling annually, these birds have impressive lifespans when you consider bird standards. The oldest recorded one was a 38-year-old puffin that was ringed in the Westman Islands. On average, they will live 20-25 years.
The Best Places to See Puffins in Iceland
If you’re going puffin watching, you will likely be visiting one or more of these locations:
- Reykjavík
- Vestmannaeyjar
- Dyrhólaey Stone Arch
- Ingólfshöfði Nature Reserve
- Papey Island
- Skrúður Island
- Borgarfjörður Eystri
- The Tjörnes Peninsula
- Grímsey Island
- Flatey Island
- Hornstrandir Nature Reserve
- Breiðafjörður
- Látrabjarg Cliffs
- Vigur Island
Did you know that they also eat puffin in Iceland? It’s one of the Icelandic foods you must try if you visit!
In Summary
Iceland is the puffin watching capital of the world! With 8 to 10 million of the Icelandic puffins, you will not find a better place to visit than Iceland if you want to observe them in nature.
About Tim Schmidt
Tim Schmidt is a 20+ year Entrepreneur and Digital Marketer. A Fort Lauderdale-based "Digital Nomad," he enjoys traveling as much as possible with family and friends. AllWorld is his escape to document all of his adventures, including being a hardcore "foodie." He has property in Costa Rica and visits several times each year and is happy to offer his expert advice for planning your trip. Make sure to download the AllWorld Travel Hacks FREE ebook.
