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The Fauna of Iceland is determined mostly by the climate,physiography and vegetation of the place. The availability of food due to the presence of the water bodies nearby makes Iceland the home of over 300 species of birds.
The most famous moorland birds of Iceland are the golden plover, the meadow pipit and the ptarmigan. Other birds living in Iceland are the red wing, the snow bunting, the red poll, the skua, the gannet, and so on. The Arctic terns and the gulls live near the ocean. The most common and famous birds of Iceland are the Puffin, the red necked Phalarope and the Eider duck. The Gyrfalcon, the largest in the falcon family, is found in Iceland.
The native animal of Iceland is the Arctic fox. Many animals like the reindeer, the American mink and the long-tailed field mice have been imported to Iceland from outside. The reindeer has been declared as endangered due to its rapid decrease in number. The fauna in Iceland is devoid of reptiles, frogs and most of the insects.
Two types of Seals live on the coasts of Iceland. Walruses are also common inhabitants of Iceland. The rivers and lakes of Iceland abound in fishes like cod, herring, salmon, trout, and so on. Fishes like sole, saithe, red fish, halibut are also found. The ocean has in its depth whales and sharks. However the number of whales have decreased considerably due to hunting.
Iceland exhibits a fauna consisting mostly of diverse kinds of birds, along with a few animals and fishes that provide the food for birds.
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