From the Magazine Fuglar, published by BirdLife Iceland, in courtesy of BirdLife Iceland and Tómas G. Gunnarsson Tómas Grétar Gunnarsson is an ornithologist and works at the University of Iceland. His main academic focus has been on the study of Icelandic waders. His research into the Black-tailed Godwit is part of an international project in […]
From the Magazine Fuglar, published by BirdLife Iceland, in courtesy of BirdLife Iceland and Tómas G. Gunnarsson Two new species were added to the list of Icelandic breeding birds in 2011: Canada Goose and Bohemian Waxwing. In addition a Willow Warbler with young was found, a species which at least on one previous occasion was […]
From the Magazine Fuglar, published by BirdLife Iceland, in courtesy of BirdLife Iceland and Tómas G. Gunnarsson Icelandic Gyr Falcons are grey but there is great individual variation. Some Gyr Falcons are pale, others dark. The palest birds were known as “silver” in the days when they were captured for export and categorized and priced […]
From the Magazine Fuglar, published by BirdLife Iceland, in courtesy of BirdLife Iceland and Sindri Skúlason The loud, shrill alarm of a Merlin pierces the afternoon calm. I come to a stop in the ravine we are climbing up and take in the surroundings. It is the first confirmation that this old Merlin territory, which […]
From the Magazine Fuglar, published by BirdLife Iceland, in courtesy of BirdLife Iceland and Sindri Skúlason A Gyr Falcon sits on a rocky outcrop in a steep ravine and gazes intensely over its surroundings. It is cloudy but now and again the sun breaks through the clouds and casts some light over the barren landscape. […]
From the Magazine Fuglar, published by BirdLife Iceland, in courtesy of BirdLife Iceland and Ólafur Karl Nielsen The main prey of the Gyr Falcon (Falco rusticolus) in Iceland is the Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta). The size of the Icelandic Rock Ptarmigan population is highly variable and changes follow a rather regular pattern. It rises and […]
