Germany Ramsar wetland
Steinhuder Meer
240 bird species recorded; the most in May.
Igge · CC BY-SA 4.0
This month here
127 species in January.115 species in February.138 species in March.169 species in April.189 species in May.158 species in June.149 species in July.151 species in August.169 species in September.141 species in October.117 species in November.113 species in December.
The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.
NT
NT
NT
NT
NT
- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
240 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 240Speciesrecorded more than once
- 145Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 10ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 34,875Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 17Raptors
- 5Owls
- 34Waders
- 18Gulls & seabirds
- 39Ducks & geese
- 11Herons, ibises & grebes
- 3Storks & cranes
- 90Songbirds
- 23Other birds
From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.
The checklist
All 240 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors17 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common BuzzardButeo buteo
- Red KiteMilvus milvus
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- White-tailed EagleHaliaeetus albicilla
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
- Black KiteMilvus migrans
- Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus
- European HobbyFalco subbuteo
- European Honey-buzzardPernis apivorus
- Eurasian GoshawkAccipiter gentilis
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- MerlinFalco columbarius
- Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargus
- Rough-legged BuzzardButeo lagopus
- Golden EagleAquila chrysaetos
Owls5 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Tawny OwlStrix aluco
- Long-eared OwlAsio otus
- Western Barn OwlTyto alba
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
- Tengmalm's OwlAegolius funereus
Waders34 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- RuffCalidris pugnax
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- RedshankTringa totanus
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
- Spotted RedshankTringa erythropus
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Little StintCalidris minuta
- Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusNT
- Black-winged PratincoleGlareola nordmanniNT
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Little ringed ploverCharadrius dubius
- Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- Temminck's StintCalidris temminckii
- Broad-billed SandpiperCalidris falcinellusVU
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticola
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Great SnipeGallinago mediaNT
- Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta
- European Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria
- Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
- Buff-breasted SandpiperCalidris subruficollisVU
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
- Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatus
- Grey (Red) PhalaropePhalaropus fulicarius
Gulls & seabirds18 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- European Herring GullLarus argentatus
- Common TernSterna hirundo
- Pontic gullLarus cachinnans
- Common GullLarus canus
- Black TernChlidonias niger
- Little GullHydrocoloeus minutus
- Yellow-legged GullLarus michahellis
- Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia
- Whiskered TernChlidonias hybrida
- White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterus
- Red-throated LoonGavia stellata
- Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus
- Arctic SkuaStercorarius parasiticus
- Iceland GullLarus glaucoides
- Pomarine SkuaStercorarius pomarinus
Ducks & geese39 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Greylag GooseAnser anser
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Mute SwanCygnus olor
- GadwallMareca strepera
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
- Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- GoosanderMergus merganser
- Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
- Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
- Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna
- GarganeySpatula querquedula
- Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
- SmewMergellus albellus
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- Ferruginous DuckAythya nyrocaNT
- Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula
- Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- Taiga Bean GooseAnser fabalis
- Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
- Tundra Bean GooseAnser serrirostris
- Baikal TealSibirionetta formosa
- Ruddy ShelduckTadorna ferruginea
- Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus
- Bewick's SwanCygnus columbianus
- Greater ScaupAythya marila
- Ring-necked DuckAythya collaris
- Falcated DuckMareca falcata
- Lesser white-fronted gooseAnser erythropusVU
- Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus
- Red-crested pochardNetta rufina
- Velvet scoterMelanitta fuscaVU
- Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatus
- Common ScoterMelanitta nigra
- Long-tailed duckClangula hyemalisVU
- Common EiderSomateria mollissimaNT
- Red-breasted GooseBranta ruficollisVU
Herons, ibises & grebes11 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Eared GrebePodiceps nigricollis
- Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia
- Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegena
- Eurasian BitternBotaurus stellaris
- Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
Storks & cranes3 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common CraneGrus grus
- White StorkCiconia ciconia
- Black storkCiconia nigra
Songbirds90 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
- Great titParus major
- Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- Eurasian Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- European RobinErithacus rubecula
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Eurasian MagpiePica pica
- Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- European GreenfinchChloris chloris
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- Northern RavenCorvus corax
- European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- WhitethroatSylvia communis
- European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- Eurasian JayGarrulus glandarius
- Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
- Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
- Common LinnetLinaria cannabina
- Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaea
- Red-backed ShrikeLanius collurio
- BluethroatLuscinia svecica
- Short-toed treecreeperCerthia brachydactyla
- Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
- FieldfareTurdus pilaris
- Western JackdawColoeus monedula
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
- Eurasian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus
- Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanus
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- Willow TitPoecile montanus
- Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos
- Icterine warblerHippolais icterina
- Common Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Marsh TitPoecile palustris
- Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
- Lanius excubitorLanius excubitor
- Garden WarblerSylvia borin
- Lesser whitethroatSylvia curruca
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- Marsh warblerAcrocephalus palustris
- European Crested TitLophophanes cristatus
- Common FirecrestRegulus ignicapilla
- WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
- Water PipitAnthus spinoletta
- Tree PipitAnthus trivialis
- Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
- Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
- HawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustes
- European SerinSerinus serinus
- Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
- Coal TitPeriparus ater
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- BramblingFringilla montifringilla
- Great Reed WarblerAcrocephalus arundinaceus
- Common RedpollAcanthis flammea
- Savi's WarblerLocustella luscinioides
- Eurasian Golden OrioleOriolus oriolus
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleuca
- WoodlarkLullula arborea
- Eurasian TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
- Common RosefinchCarpodacus erythrinus
- Eurasian River WarblerLocustella fluviatilis
- Bearded ReedlingPanurus biarmicus
- Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulus
- African StonechatSaxicola torquatus
- Eurasian Penduline TitRemiz pendulinus
- Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalis
- Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra
- Ring OuzelTurdus torquatus
- Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibillatrix
- Citrine WagtailMotacilla citreola
- Barred WarblerSylvia nisoria
- Common crossbillLoxia curvirostra
- TwiteLinaria flavirostris
Other birds23 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- CootFulica atra
- Common CuckooCuculus canorus
- Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- European SwiftApus apus
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- European Water RailRallus aquaticus
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- Black WoodpeckerDryocopus martius
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- Grey PartridgePerdix perdix
- Lesser Spotted WoodpeckerDryobates minor
- Stock DoveColumba oenas
- Spotted CrakePorzana porzana
- European NightjarCaprimulgus europaeus
- Common QuailCoturnix coturnix
- Corncrake, corn crakeCrex crex
- WryneckJynx torquilla
- European Turtle DoveStreptopelia turturVU
- Middle Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocoptes medius
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species in May.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan3°/-2°69 mm
- Feb5°/-2°50 mm
- Mar9°/0°50 mm
- Apr14°/4°38 mm
- May18°/8°60 mm
- Jun22°/12°62 mm
- Jul24°/14°78 mm
- Aug23°/13°68 mm
- Sep19°/10°55 mm
- Oct14°/6°59 mm
- Nov8°/3°62 mm
- Dec4°/0°68 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Steinhuder Meer.
Lake in Wunstorf, Lower Saxony, Germany
Steinhuder Meer is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in Germany.
240 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 34,875 open records.
The most recorded are the Eurasian Blackbird, the Greylag Goose and the Common Wood Pigeon.
89 species come for the summer, 51 for the winter and 5 only pass through.
10 are threatened worldwide, including Common Pochard, Grey Plover and Curlew Sandpiper.
The most species are recorded in May.
Get there and watch
- Official informationAccess, hours and rules from those who manage the place.Official site↗
- Wohnmobilstellplatz Steinhudecampsite · 2.5 km · 20 within 10 km
- Kranenborgh Hotel & Biergartenplace to stay · 1.8 km · 64 within 10 km
- Hagenburgnearest town · 3.7 km in a straight line
- Hannover Airport (HAJ)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 24 km in a straight lineCar hire at HAJ airport (Hannover)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
Plan the visit
A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.
Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.
From above
The place and its surroundings.
The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- 3bird hides within 6 kmGroßenheidorner Turm
- 5observation towers within 6 kmSkyLoop, Winzlarer Turm, Großenheidorner Turm and 2 more
- 17marked trails within 4 kmPilgerweg Loccum - Volkenroda: Kloster Mariensee, Südvariante, European Long distance path E1 - part Germany, Niedersachsen, Mardorf Rundwanderweg M1 (Dorfpfad) and 14 more
- 5visitor centres within 6 kmInselladen, Naturpark Informationzentrum, Steinhuder Meer Tourismus GmbH and 2 more
- 15viewpoints within 5 kmAussicht "Sehbrücke Mardorf", Aussicht Sehsteg "Lüttjen Mardorf", Aussichtsturm and 12 more
- 70car parks within 3 km
- 40restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 20campsites within 10 kmWohnmobilstellplatz Steinhude, Campingplatz Mardorf, D.K.V.-Campingplatz and 17 more
- 64places to stay within 10 kmKranenborgh Hotel & Biergarten, Gasthaus Kehrwieder, Hus Achterliek Ferienwohnungen and 61 more
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around Steinhuder Meer.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Peakyas49 mountains within 25 kmHaar-Berg · 7.0 kmBrunnenberg161 m · 8.7 kmMühlenberg68 m · 15 kmStemmer Berg123 m · 19 kmBenther Berg173 m · 24 kmBückeberg375 m · 24 kmBurgberg155 m · 24 kmGehrdener Berg · 25 km
Darkskyas1 dark-sky places within 30 kmAnzeiger-HochhausBortle 8 · 29 km
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Photographs
The place, as people saw it.
Other places nearby.
Steinhuder Meer
Germany
- 87Birdyas Score
- 240Species
- 145Migrants
- 10Threatened
Vogelschutzgebiet Weseraue
Germany · 17 km
- 56Birdyas Score
- 131Species
- 54Migrants
- 2Threatened
Vogelschutzgebiet Bastauniederung
Germany · 40 km
- 62Birdyas Score
- 134Species
- 90Migrants
- 1Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q165782) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 34,875 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
| Sister atlases | Peakyas, Lakeyas, Darkskyas |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?
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Every canyon cut to scale: depth to the floor, rim and floor temperatures, trails and viewpoints.Visit 
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Every viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit 
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