BIRDWATCHING IN THE FAROE ISLANDS

Thousands and thousands of puffins flying over your head; black sea cliffs painted white by the sheer number of birds breeding there; the constant and powerful roar of thousands of kittiwakes calling at the same time; the power of a gannet as it dives and penetrates the water like a torpedo in the hunt for fish. These are all but a few of the things you can experience when watching the birds of the Faroe Islands.

The first thing you might notice when coming to the Faroe Islands during the summer is many breeding birds. Thousands of birds come to the Faroe Islands each summer to breed.

A total of 305 bird species have been recorded in the Faroe Islands as of January 1, 2012. Of these, around 50 species regularly breed on the islands and another 60 are regular visitors, while almost 200 of the recorded bird species are either scarce or rare visitors to the Faroe Islands.

Birdwatching is, of course, seasonal. Most visitors come to the Faroe Islands during summer, which is the breeding season for Faroese birds.

BIRDWATCHING BOOKLET

We have produced a booklet named Birds of the Faroe Islands to help you enjoy the rich birdlife of our country, focusing on both seabirds and land birds. The booklet includes helpful information, guidelines, and an overview of many various types of birds found in the Faroe Islands.

Read the Birds of the Faroe Islands booklet online.