Puffin Tours in Iceland: Best Tours, Where & When to See Puffins

Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) arrive at Icelandic breeding colonies in late April to early May. By early May, most colonies are populated. June and July represent the absolute peak: colonies at full capacity, adults performing courtship "billing" displays, and parents making photogenic fish-laden flights to feed growing chicks.

Early August marks the beginning of departure, with most adults gone by mid-August. Late August brings the famous Westman Islands "Puffling Patrol," where local children rescue disoriented fledglings from town streets. From September through April, puffins live at sea in the open North Atlantic and are essentially invisible to humans.

Iceland's puffin (Fratercula arctica, meaning "little friar") stands just 20 cm tall and weighs 300-500g, roughly the size of a beer can. Their iconic colorful beaks develop elaborate orange-red plates for breeding season, then shed to a duller form for winter. The beak also reflects UV light visible to other puffins but invisible to humans.

These birds are remarkable athletes. They fly at speeds up to 88 km/h with wings beating 400 times per minute, earning comparisons to "overgrown bumblebees." Underwater, they "fly" using their wings as paddles, diving to 60 meters deep and catching up to 83 fish in a single beakful. A specialized grooved tongue and backward-pointing spines on the palate hold fish crosswise while the puffin continues hunting.

Puffins are lifelong monogamists, returning to the same burrow and partner year after year. They dig 1.2-meter burrows in cliff-top turf, lay a single white egg, and share incubation duties for approximately 42 days. Chicks ("pufflings") fledge alone at night after 34-50 days, making their way to sea without parental guidance. Puffins can live 20-25 years, with the oldest confirmed individual reaching 36-39 years.

An estimated 7.4-8.2 million mature Atlantic puffins exist globally. Iceland's population has suffered a 70% decline since 1995, primarily from warming seas disrupting sand eel populations. The IUCN lists Atlantic puffins as Vulnerable, while Iceland's own Red List classifies them as Critically Endangered.

Puffin hunting remains legal in Iceland (the only country where it is still practiced at scale), though the harvest has dropped 91% since 1995 and the Westman Islands have voluntarily ceased all hunting. Several Reykjavik restaurants still serve puffin to tourists, a controversial practice that travel forums increasingly advise against.

When visiting puffin colonies, stay on designated paths, keep noise to a minimum, and never approach burrows too closely. At cliff-top sites like Latrabjarg, stay well back from edges as puffin burrows undermine the ground. Responsible viewing ensures these remarkable birds continue to thrive for future generations.