Birdwatching in Germany
With more than 480 recorded species of birds Germany is an interesting country for birdwatchers.
To the south in the Alps you will find many raptors and Mediterranean migrants. The Baltic Sea and the Waddenzee to the north is famous for waterfowl and waders. Central Germany with its forested uplands is home to many woodland birds and low-lying land and moors to the north offer birds like Grasshopper Warbler, Black Kite, Cranes, Bearded Tit just to name a few.
Many serious and knowledgeable Birdingpals are listed around the country and willing to help you get the most out of a visit to Germany. To make your birding even more pleasant, you should consider staying in small towns, where you will find many cozy old inns with great food and of course real beer.
Local Birdingpal Contacts
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Local Birdwatchers Please note that most Birdingpals are serious birdwatchers. It is a privilege to contact them, and your message should reflect it. A local Pal does not get paid, but should he/she offer to take you out birding, using their own vehicle, it would be courteous to pay for the fuel. A lunch and/or a small gift would also be appropriate, something as simple as a souvenir of your country, or a pin from your local birding club.
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Initial
| Last Name
| Area
| Available
| Language
|
M
| Moessner
| Denzlingen, Baden-Wuerttemberg
| Anytime
| German/English
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|
| Into birding since childhood years. There are some interesting habitats at nearby Kaiserstuhl area(Hoopoe, Bee-eater). Best time for visit, mid May to June.
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D
| Poley
| Heidelberg, Baden-Wuerttemberg
| Weekend
| German/English
|
V
| Schmidt
| Mannheim, Baden-Wuerttemberg
| Weekend
|
B
| Belknap
| Ansbach, Bavaria
| Weekend
| German/English
|
|
| I work in Ansbach, and am here on weekdays, and even some weekends.
Otherwise, I go to Bad Kreuznach for the weekend. Both places offer birding in typical German/northern European woodland, maquis, field, and meadow. I have seen rarities around Bad Kreuznach, including a Hoopoe, and once, a few years ago in January, a Snowy Owl! Common birds in both Ansbach and Bad Kreuznach are Great Spotted Woodpeckers, several species of finches and titmice, kites, nuthatches, treecreepers, occasional Hen Harriers, cormorants (Kreuznach only), sawbills (Kreuznach only), Gray Herons, and numerous others. I've only been in Ansbach since the end of January 2008, and already I've discovered a wood containing at least one pair of Black Woodpeckers (Dryocopus martius), one of my favorite birds in Europe, and not that
frequently seen. I am American, but can speak enough German to get by.
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W
| Nezadal
| Erlangen, Bavaria
| Anytime
|
A
| Hagenmaier
| Munich, Bavaria
| Anytime
| German/English | Spanish
E
| Witting
| Freising/Munich, Bavaria
| Weekend
| German/English
|
|
| I'm a 42 year old man living in the north of Munich and spending most of the weekend watching birds at the spots mentioned next.
Inside the city of Munich the park at "Schloss Nymphenburg" can be quite productive. Interesting spots around Munich are the "Ismaninger Speichersee" which is about 20km northeast from Munich and good for Terns, Ducks, Gulls, Falcons and sometimes Waders. In the south of Munich there are two big lakes. The "Starnberger See" is especially in winter a good spot for loons, ducks, gulls and all kind of waterbirds. The "Ammersee" is interesting during the whole year and can produce an interesting mix of waders, ducks, gulls, terns, herons or raptors. You find interesting woods as well as reeds and moss-sides there. Little more south from Munich the "Murnauer Moos" is a very interesting moos-area about 60km from Munich. In late spring and early summer it is good for e.g. Corncrake, Montagues Harrier, Red-footed Falcon, Hobby, Stonechat, Scarlet Rosefinch and others. | When there is enough time it is also always a good idea in late spring or summer to visit serveral spots in the alps. I often go birdwatching around Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Mittenwald. From Freising the most interesting spots are the "Ismaninger Speichersee" again and the "Echigner Stausee" about 30km east of Freising. It's a lake with large reeds and good for all kind of waterbirds and somtimes waders. In summer you will have a chance to wacht breeding Night Heron there too.
N
| Model
| Ingolstadt, Bavaria
| Anytime
| German/English | Spanish
T
| Hafen
| Munich, Bavaria
| Weekend
| German/English
|
|
| I was born in 1965 and started birding as a teenager. Apart from birding, I am interested in nature photography, hiking, kayaking and computer stuff (as long as a Mac is involved). I like to travel and
love especially the North. My favourite spots are Canada (B.C., Yukon), Alaska and Scandinavia. You can find some pictures from these places on my website www.natur-fotografieren.de.
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D
| Roy
| Penzberg, Munich, Bavaria
| Anytime
| German/English
|
D
| Conlin
| Berlin
| Anytime
| English/German | French
S
| Bode
| Berlin
| Weekend
| German/English
|
R
| Nessing
| Mecklenburg/Vorpommern/Brandenburg
| Anytime
| German/English
|
F
| Mueller
| Frankfurt, Hessen
| Anytime
|
M
| Schleuning
| North Hessen
| Weekend
| German/English
|
H
| Roland
| Reichelsheim/Frankfurt, Hessen
| Anytime
| German/English
|
M
| Deneke
| Gifhorn/Vollbüttel, Niedersachsen
| Anytime
| German/English
|
R
| Wynands
| Hannover, Niedersachsen
| Weekend
| German/English |
French/Italian
|
| Within an hour's driving distance in and around Hannover, a number of different habitats with their respective bird faunas can be found. Natural and artificial freshwater lakes and marshes, deciduous and pine forests, mixed grasslands, dry and moist heathland. Elevation range: 50...400 m above sea leavel.
|
G
| Rotzoll
| Hannover, Niedersachsen
| Anytime
| German/English
|
|
| In the vicinity of Hannover there are several good birding areas that can be reached within 1 hour. To mention two of the best: "Steinhuder Meer" and "Meissendorfer Teiche", both wetland areas with well structured surroundings. For shorebird enthusiasts, even a visit to the coast (ca. 2 hour drive) is possible. Many other smaller sites closer to Hannover can be good as well. If I am in town I can offer to go birdwatching with visiting birders anytime.
|
D
| Gruber
| Hildesheim/Hannover, Niedersachsen
| Anytime
| German/English
|
M
| Neumann
| Westerstede, Niedersachsen
| Anytime
| German/English
|
J
| Beninde
| Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westfalia
| Weekend
|
D
| Beckmann
| Duisburg on Rhine, North Rhine-Westphalia
| Anytime
| German/English | some Dutch
|
| I am a non-professional birder, actively birding in the Natura-2000 sanctuaries on the Rhine and on the Ruhr.
|
A
| Nadirk
| Münster, North Rhine-Westfalia
| Anytime
| German/English | Dutch
J
| Kriegs
| Münster, Nord Rhein-Westfalen
| Weekend
| German/English | little French/Russian
|
| Münster is in the middle of an agricultural area. North of the city there is a large reserve for water birds. Waders roost during migration and many ducks are present throughout the year. Breeding birds include Little Owl and Bluethroat. Some recent observations can be found on our website: www.msorni.de
|
J
| Azzopardi
| Odenthal, North Rhine-Westphalia
| Weekend
| German/English
|
|
| I am doing research on 2 reserves in Germany for a univeristy project. Anyone from Germany visiting these locations please report observations. The site is in English and operational, but still need some enhancements. Please feel free to visit http://www.eurobirding.net/
|
W
| Steiger
| Zülpich (Kreis Euskirchen), North Rhine-Westphalia
| Weekend
|
B
| Belknap
| Bad Kreuznach, Rheinland-Pfalz
| Anytime
| German/English
|
|
| I work in Ansbach, and am here on weekdays, and even some weekends.
Otherwise, I go to Bad Kreuznach for the weekend. Both places offer birding in typical German/northern European woodland, maquis, field, and meadow. I have seen rarities around Bad Kreuznach, including a Hoopoe, and once, a few years ago in January, a Snowy Owl! Common birds in both Ansbach and Bad Kreuznach are Great Spotted Woodpeckers, several species of finches and titmice, kites, nuthatches, treecreepers, occasional Hen Harriers, cormorants (Kreuznach only), sawbills (Kreuznach only), Gray Herons, and numerous others. I am American, but can speak enough German to get by.
|
E
| Gloede-Solbach
| Betzdorf, Rheinland-Pfalz
| Weekend
|
D
| Shirley
| Bitburg, Rheinland-Pfalz
| Weekend
| English
|
A
| Dapkins
| Jettenbach, Rheinland-Pfalz
| Anytime
| English
|
O
| Nuessen
| Bremen, Lower Saxony
| Weekend
| German/English | Spanish
C
| Lange
| Bremen, Saxony
| Anytime
| German/English
|
D
| Orn
| Dresden, Sachsen
| Weekend
| German/English | French
|
| The lakes to the north of Dresden together with the hills to the south make for good and varied birding and hiking.
|
T
| Herfurth
| Luebeck/Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein
| Anytime
| German/English | French
|
| If you plan to visit the North of Germany (for example Hamburg, Luebeck, Kiel or Rostock) you should write to me or give me a ring. I would really like to show you around and help you finding the species you would like to see.
|
C
| Engelhardt
| Luebeck, Schleswig-Holstein
| Anytime
| German/English
|
|
| Luebeck is situated close to the Baltic Sea shore and the Eastern Holstein Lake Area. Both hold a great variety of natural landscapes and birdlife. For more information, see my website www.look-for-birds.de
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| Professional Guides
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| Last Name
| Area
| Available
| Language
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Local Information
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| Name | Description
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| Bayern | Club |
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| Schleswig-Holstein | Club |
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| Bavarian Birds | RBR |
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| Birding Germany | Sites |
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| Müritz | Parks |
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| Vogelruf | Sites |
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| MSOrni | Münster |
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| Birding Hotspots around the world | Sites |
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| Rolf Nessing's | Sites |
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| European Butterflies | Butterflies |
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| Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia | Germany |
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| Local weather | Yahoo |
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| Electronic maps | MapQuest |
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| Find lowest prices for field guides, books, maps etc. | |
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| Field guides recommended by Birdingpals | |
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| Printable bird check list | |
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| Trip Reports from Germany | |
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| Tim Herfurth's guide to Northern Germany | |
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| Read a Birdingpal's Trip Report from Germany |
Last update 21/05/2009