Eldey

Eldey of the southwest tip of Reykjanes Peninsula

Eldey (Icelandic: Fire Island) is a small island about 10 miles off the coast of the Reykjanes Peninsula, south west Iceland. It covers an area of about 0.03 square kilometres, and rises to a height of 77 metres. Its sheer cliffs are home to large numbers of birds, including the largest gannet colony in the world with some 70,000 members.

The island formerly supported a large population of great auk before the species was hunted to extinction. The last known specimen was killed on Eldey on 4 June 1844.

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