Data Zone
Country/territory: Iceland
IBA criteria met: A4i, B1i, B3 (2015)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 11,500 ha
Site description (2000 baseline)
A wetland to the north of the Kjölur area, in the central highlands of Iceland. There are extensive marshes/mires of sedge (Carex, Eriophorum) overlying permafrost, and eroded gravel areas. The ownership of the highlands is not resolved, but farmers hold grazing and fishing rights. The main land-use is grazing.
Key biodiversity
Hundreds of Anser brachyrhynchus moult in álfgeirstungur. Not much information on birds is available for the area.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gudlaugstungur-Alfgeirstungur (Iceland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gudlaugstungur-alfgeirstungur-iba-iceland on 27/11/2024.