Swans, geese & shelducks

Iceland is the home of the whooper swan (cygnus cygnus). Around 16,000 birds return every spring from their wintering grounds in the UK, although less than half of these are established breeding pairs. They congregate in large numbers on coastal lagoons in spring and autumn but move inland to highland lakes to nest. The whooper swan is easily distinguished from the mute swan by its bright yellow and black bill.

Only two species of grey goose breed in Iceland, the greylag goose (anser anser) ~20,000 pairs and the pink-footed goose (anser brachyrhynchus) ~25,000 pairs, although the white-fronted goose is often seen in spring and autumn on its migration to Greenland. The greylag goose has a broad orange bill, the pink-footed goose a black and pink bill and the whited-fronted goose a white patch on its forehead. None of the black geese nest regularly in Iceland, but barnacle, brent and canada geese can be seen on their migration to their breeding grounds in Greenland and beyond. The snow goose is a rare visitor.

The shelduck (tadorna tadorna) although widely spread in northern Europe is very rare in Iceland ~30 pairs. This large, brightly coloured bird with its stout red bill is a magnificent sight on coastal lagoons and mud-flats. They are now breeding regularly in Eastern Iceland.