Thingvellir National Park

🇮🇸 Iceland

🦆 Where Harlequin Ducks Ride Glacial Currents

🌍 #270 Global · 2.7 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #21 in Europe #60 in Temperate Forest

Iceland, Iceland 104 spp. recorded

Thingvellir National Park is a protected boreal landscape in southwestern Iceland defined by birch woodlands, moss-covered lava fields, and glacial streams. Visitors walk along dirt trails winding through low scrub and open wetlands carved between massive tectonic rifts.

64.282° N 21.102° W

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Redwing

Turdus iliacus

90–100% · Very likely

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

90–100% · Very likely

Harlequin Duck

Histrionicus histrionicus

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Meadow Pipit

Anthus pratensis

70–80% · Very likely

White Wagtail

Motacilla alba

70–80% · Very likely

Common Snipe

Gallinago gallinago

60–70% · Likely

Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

60–70% · Likely

Arctic Tern

Sterna paradisaea

60–70% · Likely

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

60–70% · Likely

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

60–70% · Likely

Red-throated Loon

Gavia stellata

50–60% · Likely

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Larus fuscus

50–60% · Likely

European Golden Plover

Pluvialis apricaria

50–60% · Likely

European Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus

50–60% · Likely

Tufted Duck

Aythya fuligula

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

European Wood Mouse

Apodemus sylvaticus

Insufficient data

Arctic Fox

Vulpes lagopus

Insufficient data

⭐ Iconic Species

Redwing

Turdus iliacus

90–100% · Very likely

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

90–100% · Very likely

Harlequin Duck

Histrionicus histrionicus

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Meadow Pipit

Anthus pratensis

70–80% · Very likely

White Wagtail

Motacilla alba

70–80% · Very likely

Common Snipe

Gallinago gallinago

60–70% · Likely

Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

60–70% · Likely

Arctic Tern

Sterna paradisaea

60–70% · Likely

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

60–70% · Likely

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

60–70% · Likely

Red-throated Loon

Gavia stellata

50–60% · Likely

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Larus fuscus

50–60% · Likely

European Golden Plover

Pluvialis apricaria

50–60% · Likely

European Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus

50–60% · Likely

Tufted Duck

Aythya fuligula

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

📊 Most Spotted

Animal Events

🐦

Spring Breeding Arrival

Apr

As the snow recedes, migratory waders like the Common Snipe return to the marshy grounds, displaying their distinctive aerial drumming courtship flights over the valley.

Common Snipe

Gallinago gallinago

60–70% · Likely

🐦

Midsummer Wetland Activity

Jun

The endless daylight of June brings peak breeding activity, where Whimbrel forage intensively in the dwarf birch scrub and damp meadows.

Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

60–70% · Likely

🐦

Late Summer Shoreline Foraging

Aug

Late summer sees adult gulls and ravens congregating near the lake margins and highlands, taking advantage of abundant seasonal food supplies before autumn sets in.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Larus fuscus

50–60% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

70–80

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

80–90

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

Black-headed Gull

90–100

90–100

90–100

70–80

80–90

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

70–80

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

50–60

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

30–40

60–70

70–80

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

30–40

40–50

70–80

80–90

40–50

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

Red-breasted Merganser

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

40–50

40–50

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

Red-throated Loon

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

Lesser Black-backed Gull

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

European Golden Plover

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

30–40

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

European Oystercatcher

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

60–70

30–40

30–40

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

50–60

50–60

20–30

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

Animal Events

🐦 Spring Breeding Arrival

🐦 Midsummer Wetland Activity

🐦 Late Summer Shoreline Foraging

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Moderate

🦆 Where Harlequin Ducks Ride Glacial Currents

🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

2.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

95

🐒 Mammals

9

🦎 Reptiles

0

🐸 Amphibians

0

104 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

5 Threatened 4 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

2.6 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

68%

📊

Coverage (41 species at ≥5% of 104 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

39%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (12 bird)

47% Global avg

0%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

132 Global avg

33

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

14 Global avg

0

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

17

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