Puffins at Hafnarhólmi near Borgafjörður Eystri

Iceland is well known for its wildlife, especially the puffins. In the far east of Iceland, a small colony makes the island of Hafnarhólmi its summer home. The island is set behind a small fishing harbour with boardwalks and a viewing hut in the centre of the colony and is one of the best places to see puffins in Iceland.

Quick puffin facts

The Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) boasts striking black and white plumage with bright orange webbed feet. Its most distinctive feature is the brightly coloured, triangular beak marked by a vibrant orange and yellow hue. This prominent beak plays a crucial role in courtship displays and is used for carrying multiple small fish during feeding.

Adapted for a life at sea, puffins are exceptional divers, capable of reaching depths of up to 60 meters in search of their primary prey—small fish such as sand eels and capelin. Their wings function both for flight and as flippers underwater, enabling agile and efficient swimming.

Atlantic puffins are colonial nesters, forming large breeding colonies on coastal cliffs and offshore islands. They excavate burrows in the soil or occupy natural rock crevices for nesting, where they lay a single egg. Puffins are known for their strong fidelity to nesting sites, often returning to the same location year after year.

During the breeding season, puffins engage in elaborate courtship displays involving ritualised behaviours such as mutual billing, where mates rub their beaks together. Puffins are monogamous for the duration of the breeding season, and their intricate displays play a vital role in pair bonding.

Puffins in East Fjords of Iceland

Every summer about 10,000 pairs of puffins make Borgarfjörður their home. They mainly reside on a small rock called Hafnarhólmi tucked behind the scenic working harbour in the East Fjords. The island is protected from the weather and walkways make it safe to watch the puffins without worrying about cliff edges or hidden burrows.

Getting to this small piece of puffin real estate is easy in the Icelandic sense of easy. The road is marked clearly and although it includes a mountain pass and gravel roads these are manageable even in a 2WD motorhome. I never thought I would be saying that driving on a gravel road was easy, but this one was pleasant! The villages on the way as well as the amazing landscapes make the trip a visual adventure.

Pulling up in the car park the island can be seen but it takes a moment or two to realise that all the white dots are puffins. On the sheer faces of the rock are kittiwakes and fulmars with chicks and common eider mill in the calm waters below.

Icelandic puffins were once used in a variety of ways as a source of protein but this is declining. All species are protected during the breeding season and the benefits of tourism are becoming more beneficial than consumption. There is some competition between man and puffins for food, but an equilibrium has been found and the Icelandic puffins are flourishing.

How to see puffins in the East Fjords of Iceland

Stepping onto the island the noise and busy nature of the puffin’s lives becomes apparent. It is easy to waste a few hours just watching their antics, arguments and parenting skills. Each platform brings a new selection of personalities and despite our visit being late in the season with most of the puffins rafting in the bay, preparing to leave for the winter, there were more than enough puffins still enjoying their summer residence.

Having seen puffins in various locations including Shetland and Skomer Island the Icelandic puffins come last for grace. Their landings leave a lot to be desired. Skomer puffins land with dignity on two feet a short distance from their burrows. In contrast, Icelandic puffins crash land in the vicinity of their burrows, sometimes even feet first down the hole which can’t be pleasant for their partner or puffling!!!

when is puffin season in Iceland?

Unless you visit the puffin rescue centre on the Westman Islands, you cannot see puffins all year round. They will arrive in April and stay until early August. Initially, they will be off-shore fishing and nest-building and it isn’t until the eggs hatch that they will start to bring in sand eels and be busy around the island.

The best time of day to visit the colony is sunrise and sunset. Not only will most of the puffins be on land before heading off to sea fishing for the day, but the light is beautiful for photography.

Just before they head back to sea for the winter they will be seen rafting in large numbers off shore. There is no gradual departure, they tend to be there one day and gone the next.

Where Else to Find Puffins in Iceland

Iceland is the summer home to puffins. From April until August, they will be found on clifftops. We spotted them in various locations including the cliffs at Kirkjufjara Beach and just outside Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes peninsula. However, there are three locations that can almost guarantee puffins during the summer months.

Heimaey has the largest puffin colony in Iceland and there is an observatory on the southern end of the island at Stórhöfði. This is easy to get to and is a short distance from Reykjavik on the Westman Islands.

Látrabjarg Cliffs represent the most westerly landmass in Europe and are home to stunning bird cliffs. Here you will find puffins and kittiwakes in their thousands. The cliffs here are wind-swept and have sheer drops so not as family-friendly as Hafnarhólmi but given the location in the West Fjords it is not for those short on time and who see fewer visitors.

Grímsey Island in the north of Iceland is also a good place to see puffins. This again is difficult to reach needing over two hours on a ferry from the mainland, but it is so worth the trip. Puffins are found all over the island and this location more than others will give isolation to enjoy the puffins.

Conservation status of puffins

Despite their iconic status, Atlantic puffin populations face conservation challenges. Factors such as climate change, overfishing leading to food shortages, and human disturbances at breeding colonies contribute to population declines in some regions. Conservation efforts are underway to monitor and protect these charismatic seabirds and their vital habitats.

Getting to Borgafjörður Eystri and Hafnarhólmi

Borgafjörður Eystri and Hafnarhólmi are reached by following Road 94 from Egilsstaðir in the far east of Iceland. The road is mainly tarmac but is relatively easy to drive in the summer months.

There is a mountain pass with viewing points across the valley to the sea which is stunning on a clear day. After passing through Borgafjörður Eystri village continue along the coast until the road runs out.

At the end of the road, you will find Hafnarhólmi where there is a large parking area and mobile toilets just a short walk from the steps and boardwalks onto the island.

• Borgafjörður Eystri , 721 Bakkagerði, Iceland
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