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Ecosystem

Keflavik Airport is Iceland's largest airport. Its area does not include any protected areas or designated archaeological remains. However, the Miðnesheiði moor, where the airport is situated, is among the world’s largest nesting grounds for the lesser black-backed gull. The airport area also supports a wealth of moorland birds. Attempts have been made to modify vegetation within the area, including by planting lupins, applying organic fertilisers and sowing.

Airport habitats vary in the diversity of their flora and fauna. We at Isavia actively monitor and record wildlife activity in our airport areas. The level of detail of the records varies between airports, as does the level of wildlife presence, which consists mostly of birds, although occasionally reindeer, foxes or rabbits need to be dispersed from areas where they pose a risk.

An important part of airfield operations is minimising hazards for air passengers, including the risk of animal-aircraft collisions such as bird strikes. This is achieved through wildlife hazard management, which includes scaring, exclusion from the airport area, habitat management and other strategies. A record is kept of our wildlife control actions and general developments of the fauna at each airport. Scaring obviously affects wildlife but is necessary to ensure the safety of aircraft and passengers and therefore an integral part of our wildlife management.

Foxes are the only wild land animals living at and around Keflavik Airport. Their number has dwindled significantly in recent years and fox sightings are rare, although more prevalent in 2016 than in many previous years. While the vast majority of birds in the area are migratory, a small contingent of ptarmigan maintains a year-round presence.

The table below lists the species of wildlife, all of them birds, recorded in our airport areas. It only includes species dispersed by our staff from airport areas, so is far from exhaustive for all species inhabiting them. The species are classified by their status on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Their legal status in Iceland is also indicated. Species’ relative abundance in Iceland can differ from global figures, so the list includes species not under threat according the IUCN list but protected under Icelandic law.


Species

Scientific name

IUCN status

Legal status in Iceland

European rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Not applicable (NA)

Not protected

Cat

Felis silvestris catus

Not applicable (NA)

Not protected

American mink

Mustela vision

Not applicable (NA)

Not protected

Whooper swan

Cygnus cygnus

Least concern (LC)

Protected

Greylag goose

Anser anser

Least concern (LC)

Protected except from 20 Aug  to 15 Mar

Pink-footed goose

Anser brachyrhynchus

Least concern (LC)

Protected except from 20 Aug  to 15 Mar

European golden plover

Pluvialis apricaria

Least concern (LC)

Protected

Black-headed gull

Larus ridibundus

Least concern (LC)

Protected except from 1 Sep to 15 Mar

Common snipe

Gallinago gallinago

Least concern (LC)

Protected

Brant

Branta bernicla

Least concern (LC)

Protected

Arctic fox

Vulpes lagopus

Least concern (LC)

Protected

Common ringed plover

Charadrius hiaticula

Least concern (LC)

Protected

Redwing

Turdus iliacus

Least concern (LC)

Protected

Eurasian whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

Least concern (LC)

Protected

Common starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Least concern (LC)

Protected

Wood mouse

Apodemus sylvaticus

Least concern (LC)

Protected

Black-tailed godwit

Limosa limosa

Least concern (LC)

Protected

Dunlin

Calidris alpina

Least concern (LC)

Protected

White wagtail
Birds

Motacilla alba

Least concern (LC)

Protected

Merlin

Falco columbarius

Least concern (LC)

Protected

Northern wheatear

Oenanthe oenanthe

Least concern (LC)

Protected

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

Least concern (LC)

Protected except from 1 Sep to 15 Mar

Meadow pipit

Anthus pratensis

Least concern (LC)

Protected

Lesser black-backed gull

Larus fuscus 

Data deficient (DD) 

Not protected

Northern fulmar

Fulmarus glacialis

Endangered (EN) 

Protected except from 1 Sep to 15 Mar

Glaucous gull

Larus hyperboreus

Endangered (EN)

Protected except from 1 Sep to 15 Mar

Parasitic jaeger

Stercorarius parasiticus 

Endangered (EN)

Protected except around protected eider-duck nesting sites in the period April 15 - July 14

Purple sandpiper

Calidris maritima

Endangered (EN)

Protected

Great black-backed gull

Larus marinus 

Endangered (EN)

Not protected

Common raven

Corvus corax 

Vulnerable (VU)

Not protected

Arctic tern

Sterna paradisaea 

Vulnerable (VU)

Protected

Black-legged kittiwake

Rissa tridactyla

Vulnerable (VU)

Protected except from 1 Sep to 15 Mar

Snow bunting

Plectrophenax nivalis

Vulnerable (VU)

Protected

Northern gannet

Morus bassanus

Vulnerable (VU)

Protected

Eurasian oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus 

Vulnerable (VU)

Protected

Common eider

Somateria mollissima 

Vulnerable (VU)

Protected

Short-eared owl

Asio flammeus

Near threatened (NT) 

Protected

Rock ptarmigan

Lagopus muta

Near threatened (NT) 

Protected except for a few days in autumn according to regulations

European herring gull

Larus argentatus

Near threatened (NT) 

Not protected

Common redshank

Tringa totanus 

Near threatened (NT) 

Protected