Important bird areas

A total of 121 areas in Iceland have been defined as internationally important for the 81 bird species that breed in Iceland or are regular visitors here. These 121 areas have been classified into three categories: (a) seabird colonies, (b) rocky coast and shallow marine waters, and (c) wetlands and other inland areas.

The boundaries of many areas are rather loosely delineated. For species that have a wide breeding range, such as heathland birds and birds of prey, protected areas must inevitably be large if they are to encompass a significant part of the population in question. Seabird colonies, on the other hand, tend to be easily delimited.

For more detailed discussion of the methodology and the selection process for important bird areas, see Mikilvæg fuglasvæði á Íslandi (Fjölrit Náttúrufræðistofnunar No. 55, in Icelandic with English summary, PDF format) and fact sheets on important bird areas on this website.