Hrísey is renowned for its abundant and diverse birdlife. The island is home to large colonies of Arctic terns and eiders, along with many species of ducks and shorebirds. Around 40 species of birds nest on the island, but Hrísey is especially known for its ptarmigan.
The Ptarmigan in Hrísey
The ptarmigan (Rjúpa in Icelandic) is the signature bird of Hrísey, even appearing on the island’s coat of arms. These birds are remarkably tame, especially in autumn when they can be seen strolling in flocks through the streets and gardens of the island. Research on ptarmigans has been conducted in Hrísey for 50 years. The ptarmigan population fluctuates, with peaks and troughs occurring roughly every 10 years. The breeding population is assessed early in spring by counting the male ptarmigans (known as “karri”) as they perch on elevations in their territories, defending them against other males. These territorial battles often result in dramatic displays of feathers and calls. Males retain their white plumage much longer than females, sometimes up to a month later, before switching to their summer camouflage.
The ptarmigan population can vary by as much as tenfold between peak and low years, with male counts ranging from as few as 30 to as many as 270. Hrísey native Thorsteinn Thorsteinsson, affectionately known as “Steini Rjúpa,” has participated in these research efforts since the beginning..
Ptarmigans nest all over the island, even in residents’ gardens. They remain on Hrísey year-round, with the population peaking in late summer and autumn when the young birds are fully fledged and gathering in flocks. The only natural predator of the ptarmigan in Hrísey is the gyrfalcon, which finds ample prey on the island. During the breeding season, falcons from the mainland may visit the island to hunt ptarmigans, but in winter, only a few falcons typically remain.
Diverse Birdlife
Fánan í Hrísey er fjölbreytt og þar verpa nærri 40 fuglategundir. Kríuvarpið í Hrísey er talið eitt hið stærsta á landinu og telur það þúsundir fugla. Stórt æðarvarp er í Ystabæjarlandi, norðan til í Hrísey. Landið er í einkaeign. Jaðrakan og stormmáfur eru meðal athyglisverðra varpfugla í eynni.
One reason for Hrísey’s exceptional birdlife is that hunting and egg collection are prohibited, and there are no foxes, minks, mice, or rats on the island. The landscape, covered in low-growing heathland and providing abundant food for seabirds like Arctic terns, fulmars, black-headed gulls, common gulls, and other gull species, as well as black guillemots, offers ideal conditions for nesting birds.
Although wetlands only make up about 4% of Hrísey, they are highly diverse and crucial for species like diving ducks, such as mallards, tufted ducks, and pochards, as well as waders like the black-tailed godwit, common redshank, and whimbrel. The greylag goose grazes more on the island’s dry land, while the pink-footed goose has been known to nest in the northern part of the island, an unusual occurrence for a bird typically associated with the highlands.
