From Iceland — Number Of Birdwatchers Growing In Northeast Iceland

Number Of Birdwatchers Growing In Northeast Iceland

Published August 23, 2022

Photo by
Art Bicnick

The number of birdwatching tourists in Iceland is increasing as more shelters are established.

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Five high-quality birdwatching shelters have already been set up in the Northeast, the newest of which is on the Langanes Peninsula, reports RÚV. The shelters are ideal for interested people who can get up close and personal with birds and other natural phenomena.

Arnheiður Jóhannsdóttir, managing director of the Visit North Iceland, says the purpose of the shelters is to draw attention to good birdwatching spots in the Northeast.

The Norwegian architectural firm Biotope was hired to identify a bird watching area and drew up proposals for 22 different shelters.

When designing the shelters, weather conditions, sun, and wind conditions were all taken into account. The designers also examined the best ways to get to the shelters and enter them without disturbing the birds.

Arnheiður says the houses are a new attraction, since people can view nature and the northern lights from the houses. There is still a lot of work ahead, as the project is quite expensive.

The goal is to reach foreign bird enthusiasts who are willing to travel a long way to see their dream bird.

“This is such a dream traveler. They want to stay with us for a long time, for many days. They use a lot of services, buy a guide and food, accommodation. And they respects nature,” she says

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