Iceland winter Garden Bird Survey begins, inviting all to monitor local species

The Icelandic Society for the Protection of Birds launched its annual winter Garden Bird Survey today, Sunday 25 October 2026, according to Bæjarins besta. The survey, now starting its 2026–27 season, invites people across Iceland to observe and record which bird species visit their gardens during the winter months.

The Garden Bird Survey will run until 24 April 2027. Participants can send their completed survey results by email to gardfugl@gmail.com or by post to Fuglavernd at Hverfisgata 105, 101 Reykjavík, the Society says.

Anyone in Iceland can take part in the survey. The Society aims to gather data on which bird species are present and how many birds occupy gardens during winter, while also encouraging people to watch and appreciate local birdlife.

Since it began in 1994, the Garden Bird Survey has taken place every winter. The Society notes that 83 bird species have been recorded since the first survey in 1994–95, and 17 species have been seen every year. Several registration form formats for the survey, such as pdf, docx, and xlsx, will soon be available on the Society’s website, although as of today they are not yet online.

Background

The Icelandic Society for the Protection of Birds, known in Icelandic as Fuglavernd, is a non-governmental organisation devoted to bird conservation and spreading knowledge about birds and their habitats in Iceland. The Society, founded in 1963, is the Icelandic partner organisation of BirdLife International. Its headquarters are in Reykjavík, the capital and largest city of Iceland.

TopicsBird conservationFuglaverndGarden Bird SurveyIcelandic Society for the Protection ofReykjavík