Words by

Bjørn Penk

Photo by

Bjørn Penk

A one-man panel on best locations for the best hobby

Every year, The Reykjavík Grapevine defines the city by featuring its favourite bars, bakeries and boutiques. This year, I suggested we try something slightly different: what if we also crowned the best birding spots in and around the capital?  

Reykjavík sits directly along the migratory highway of dozens of species. Every spring and autumn, thousands of birds pass through. Some stay to breed, some over winter, some just refuel and move on. The editors liked the idea. So here we are: the first (hopefully annual) Best of Birding. 

The one-man-panel’s considerations were simple: accessibility, reliability of birdlife, seasonal variation, and a dash of cultural context. The categories reflect different levels of commitment, from quick urban scans to full weekend escapes. 

Without further ado, here are the winners of 2026. 

Best During Migration: Bakkatjörn 

At the tip of Seltjarnarnes, Bakkatjörn claims this year’s migration crown. Few places combine accessibility and action so well. Bus stops, bike paths and parking are all nearby, and the wooden hide on the western side allows for comfortable viewing in almost any weather. 

During spring and autumn, the shallow pond becomes a staging ground for shorebirds at high tide, alongside ducks, gulls, geese and swans. The freeze-thaw rhythm of the pond even works as a seasonal clock: when it melts, migration is already underway; when it freezes, winter has settled in. 

Bakkatjörn has hosted its share of headline rarities over the years, but it wins not because of mythic one-offs, it wins because it consistently delivers.

Runners-up: Fossvogur Bay, Grafarvogur Bay 

Best Mythology: Tjörnin 

You’ve walked past it. You’ve fed the swans. But Tjörnin is more than Reykjavík’s postcard pond, it is the capital’s most storied birding site.  

Surrounded by political institutions, museums and late-night foot traffic, this small urban lake sustains remarkable year-round birdlife. There are tales of overenthusiastic photographers testing the ice, of experimental duck introductions gone sideways, and of improbable rarity reports filed after long nights out.  

Generations of Reykjavík residents remember “Beyglaði Svanurinn”, the whooper swan with the crooked neck. This winter, the pond hosted confidently reported wintering lesser black-backed gulls, another first for Iceland. 

Tjörnin wins because no other birding site in the capital carries this much cultural gravity. It is where casual feeding turns into curiosity, and curiosity into birding. If you’re new, start here. Walk slowly. Keep the sun behind you.

Runners-up: Hólavallagarður Cemetery, Engey 

Best Detour: Vatnsmýri 

Tucked between the University of Iceland and the domestic airport, Vatnsmýri feels like a secret, despite being central. Warm-water outflow keeps parts of the wetland active year-round, attracting ducks, geese, swans, and waders.  

It works as a lunch-break loop, a Sunday stroll, or a deliberate visit. In recent years, the area has hosted a Tufted Duck × Greater Scaup hybrid, an identification challenge for the detail-oriented birder. Look for subtle gradients on the back and wings, a rounded greenish head, and a suspicious hint of a tuft. 

In winter, frosty mornings and low mist offer atmospheric photography. In summer, the paths close as Arctic Terns return from Antarctica to breed. Respect the closures unless you enjoy aerial reprimands. 

Vatnsmýri wins because it transforms routine movement through the city into encounter.

Runners-up: Fossvogur Cemetery, Örfirisey  

Best Weekend Trip: Flatey 

For those willing to leave the capital, Flatey in Breiðafjörður takes the weekend category. Reachable via Stykkishólmur in summer, the journey itself can produce landbirds, seabirds, and the occasional whale. 

On arrival on the “flat island”, Arctic Terns (pictured) and Black-legged Kittiwakes provide the soundtrack. Snow Buntings flit between colourful houses, Red-necked Phalaropes spin on sheltered ponds, and along the shore you’ll find puffins, Black Guillemots and roaming waders. A Gyrfalcon passing overhead is not out of the question. 

Flatey rewards slow birding. Stay overnight. Camp, rent a room, read in the tiny library, eat well, and let the island work at its own pace.

Runners-up: Eyrarbakki & Flói Nature Reserve, Garður

This concludes the inaugural Best Of Birding. The hope is simple: that birding becomes as natural a part of Reykjavík’s self-definition as coffee, culture and swimming pools.  

See you out there.