It would be very sad if the Atlantic puffin disappeared from Iceland. If it disappears there, then the more southerly colonies are in trouble. These birds do breed in the US. A breeding population exists on four islands off the coast of Maine.
Also, the Westmen Islands were named because of the Westmen (Vestmenn) who lived there. The Vestmenn were Irish who were either brought over as slaves (the traditional view) or settled Iceland on their own (the nontraditional view, which is very popular among people of Irish ancestry).
Yes, Ireland is to the east of Iceland, but the Norse who settled Iceland were from Scandinavia, which is to the east of Ireland. Thus, the Irish are “Westmen” to the Norse and Danes. It’s kind of like how we North Americans call China “theFar East,” when it’s actually to the far west in relation to us.
