Site description (2000 baseline)
A vast wetland area in the highlands, c.30 km north and west of Langjökull glacier, with extensive flat, eroded areas of gravel. Ownership of the highlands has not been resolved, but farmers hold grazing and fishing rights.
Key biodiversity
One of the main breeding areas of Cygnus cygnus in Iceland (e.g. 286 moulting on two lakes in Arnarvatnsheidi in 1976).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Arnarvatnsheidi-Tvidaegra (Iceland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/arnarvatnsheidi-tvidaegra-iba-iceland on 22/11/2024.