What’s That Wild & Crazy Bird?

Icelanders call it the Lundi, but to the rest of the planet it’s the colorful little Puffin. In most of its range, the birds are rarely seen. But in Iceland, you have a good chance to meet a whole colony during the summer chick-raising season.

Of the approximately 12 million Puffins worldwide, about 60% live on or around the North Atlantic island. Around mid to late April, the birds return from their winter domicile and settle on the grass-covered upper ledges of Iceland’s sea cliffs. Each pair returns to the same den they inhabit each year.

Visitors can observe the cute birds until mid-August at the latest, although it should be noted that many of the observation sites are closed during the breeding season from May to June. The best time to see as many puffins as possible is early in the morning or the evening because the birds are usually out at sea fishing during the day.

Fun Facts About Puffins:

• A group of puffins is also called a colony, circus, or assembly.
• Thanks to a unique joint on their beaks, puffins are among the few bird species that can carry several small fish across their beaks at once.
• Puffins can fly up to 56 miles per hour.
• The oldest known puffin was 36 years old.
• Scientists can’t explain how the puffins find their way back to their breeding hole every year.

Let Iceland ProTravel plan your perfect puffin watching expedition to Iceland.

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