Bucephala islandica · Icelandic: Húsönd

A glossy diving duck found almost nowhere else in Europe.

Habitat: Volcanic lakes, especially Lake Mývatn | Season: All year

Identification

• Male glossy black-and-white with a purplish head and crescent-shaped white face patch
• Female grey-brown with a golden eye

Behaviour

Dives for insect larvae. Nests in holes in lava, riverbanks, or old buildings — hence its Icelandic name, meaning "house duck."

Did you know?

Iceland holds the only regularly breeding population of Barrow's Goldeneye in Europe, almost all centred on Lake Mývatn.

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