A new non-native species has been spotted in Iceland, and a photographer was ready.
RÚV reports that the new arrival – a Lincoln’s sparrow – was spotted at the Þöll nursery in Hafnarfjörður, where birds will often seek out the vast quantities of feed left out for them in the winter.
A nursery employee, Steinar Björgvinsson, said the bird was noticed by observers right away.
“A bird showed up that we didn’t know,” he said. “Then more birds came, photos were taken, and this turned out to be the so-called Lincoln’s Sparrow.”
Lincoln’s Sparrow is not native to Iceland, but rather, to mostly western North America. This bird has never been spotted in Iceland before, and has in fact only been spotted once before in all of Europe.
Steinar told reporters that the bird was alone, and it is unknown how it arrived here.
“Dozens of bird watchers and photographers have come up here yesterday and today,” he said.
As a new non-native species to Iceland, the Lincoln’s Sparrow now joins the ranks of the occasional polar bear, and rabbits – although hopefully the Lincoln’s Sparrow will fare better than either of them.
More of Björgvin Sigurbergsson’s photos can be seen here.
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