Germany Ramsar wetland
Vogelschutzgebiet 'Unterer Niederrhein'
211 bird species recorded; the most in May.
Steffen Schmitz ( more photos ) · CC BY-SA 4.0
This month here
115 species in January.109 species in February.127 species in March.143 species in April.166 species in May.139 species in June.124 species in July.111 species in August.132 species in September.113 species in October.98 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.

































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- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
211 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).
- 211Speciesrecorded more than once
- 99Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 9ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 22,068Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 16Raptors
- 5Owls
- 27Waders
- 13Gulls & seabirds
- 38Ducks & geese
- 10Herons, ibises & grebes
- 2Storks & cranes
- 79Songbirds
- 21Other 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 211 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors16 species
- Common BuzzardButeo buteo
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- White-tailed EagleHaliaeetus albicilla
- Red KiteMilvus milvus
- Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
- Black KiteMilvus migrans
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- European HobbyFalco subbuteo
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Eurasian GoshawkAccipiter gentilis
- Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus
- MerlinFalco columbarius
- European Honey-buzzardPernis apivorus
- Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargus
- Rough-legged BuzzardButeo lagopus
Owls5 species
- Little OwlAthene noctua
- Long-eared OwlAsio otus
- Tawny OwlStrix aluco
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
- Western Barn OwlTyto alba
Waders27 species
- Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
- RedshankTringa totanus
- Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusNT
- Little ringed ploverCharadrius dubius
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- RuffCalidris pugnax
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- Spotted RedshankTringa erythropus
- Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta
- Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
- European Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria
- Temminck's StintCalidris temminckii
- Little StintCalidris minuta
- Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis
- Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus
Gulls & seabirds13 species
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- European Herring GullLarus argentatus
- Common GullLarus canus
- Common TernSterna hirundo
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Yellow-legged GullLarus michahellis
- Pontic gullLarus cachinnans
- Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
- Black TernChlidonias niger
- Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus
- Red-throated LoonGavia stellata
- Common LoonGavia immer
- Black-throated DiverGavia arctica
Ducks & geese38 species
- Greylag GooseAnser anser
- Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons
- Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Mute SwanCygnus olor
- Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
- GadwallMareca strepera
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
- Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis
- Ruddy ShelduckTadorna ferruginea
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna
- SmewMergellus albellus
- Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- GoosanderMergus merganser
- Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula
- GarganeySpatula querquedula
- Red-breasted GooseBranta ruficollisVU
- Tundra Bean GooseAnser serrirostris
- Velvet scoterMelanitta fuscaVU
- Black swanCygnus atratus
- Taiga Bean GooseAnser fabalis
- Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus
- Common EiderSomateria mollissimaNT
- Red-crested pochardNetta rufina
- Brent GooseBranta bernicla
- Long-tailed duckClangula hyemalisVU
- Mandarin DuckAix galericulata
- Bar-headed GooseAnser indicus
- Ferruginous DuckAythya nyrocaNT
- Greater ScaupAythya marila
- Lesser white-fronted gooseAnser erythropusVU
- Bewick's SwanCygnus columbianus
- Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
- White-faced Whistling-duckDendrocygna viduata
Herons, ibises & grebes10 species
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
- Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Eared GrebePodiceps nigricollis
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Horned GrebePodiceps auritusVU
- Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegena
Storks & cranes2 species
- White StorkCiconia ciconia
- Common CraneGrus grus
Songbirds79 species
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- Great titParus major
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
- Eurasian Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- European RobinErithacus rubecula
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- Western JackdawColoeus monedula
- Eurasian MagpiePica pica
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- Eurasian JayGarrulus glandarius
- Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaea
- Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- European GreenfinchChloris chloris
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanus
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- Common LinnetLinaria cannabina
- Short-toed treecreeperCerthia brachydactyla
- Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- Marsh TitPoecile palustris
- Northern RavenCorvus corax
- FieldfareTurdus pilaris
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
- WhitethroatSylvia communis
- Garden WarblerSylvia borin
- Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
- Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
- European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
- Coal TitPeriparus ater
- HawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustes
- Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus
- European Crested TitLophophanes cristatus
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleuca
- Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
- Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
- Willow TitPoecile montanus
- YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
- Tree PipitAnthus trivialis
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
- Lesser whitethroatSylvia curruca
- Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra
- BramblingFringilla montifringilla
- Marsh warblerAcrocephalus palustris
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Icterine warblerHippolais icterina
- Common Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia
- WoodlarkLullula arborea
- WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
- Water PipitAnthus spinoletta
- TwiteLinaria flavirostris
- Eurasian Golden OrioleOriolus oriolus
- Eurasian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus
- European SerinSerinus serinus
- Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibillatrix
- Eurasian TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
- Common FirecrestRegulus ignicapilla
- Red-backed ShrikeLanius collurio
- Shore LarkEremophila alpestris
- Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulus
- Crested larkGalerida cristata
- Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalis
- Willow titParus montanus
- Common RedpollAcanthis flammea
Other birds21 species
- Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
- CootFulica atra
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- Stock DoveColumba oenas
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- European SwiftApus apus
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- Common CuckooCuculus canorus
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- Black WoodpeckerDryocopus martius
- Grey PartridgePerdix perdix
- Common QuailCoturnix coturnix
- Middle Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocoptes medius
- Lesser Spotted WoodpeckerDryobates minor
- European Water RailRallus aquaticus
- Grey-headed WoodpeckerPicus canus
- European Turtle DoveStreptopelia turturVU
- WryneckJynx torquilla
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.
- Jan4°/-1°84 mm
- Feb6°/-1°67 mm
- Mar10°/1°61 mm
- Apr15°/4°45 mm
- May19°/8°65 mm
- Jun22°/12°68 mm
- Jul24°/14°78 mm
- Aug23°/13°82 mm
- Sep20°/10°62 mm
- Oct15°/6°67 mm
- Nov9°/3°77 mm
- Dec5°/0°86 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Vogelschutzgebiet 'Unterer Niederrhein'.
Special protection area in the EU defined by the birds directive in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Vogelschutzgebiet 'Unterer Niederrhein' is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in Germany.
It is also a Special Protection Area under the EU Birds Directive.
211 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 22,068 open records.
The most recorded are the Greylag Goose, the Greater White-fronted Goose and the Carrion Crow.
65 species come for the summer, 31 for the winter and 3 only pass through.
9 are threatened worldwide, including Common Pochard, Red-breasted Goose and Curlew Sandpiper.
The most species are recorded in May.

Get there and watch
- Grav-Inselcampsite · 3.9 km · 14 within 10 km
- Waldhotel Tannenhäuschenplace to stay · 2.1 km · 61 within 10 km
- Hamminkelnnearest town · 3.8 km in a straight line
- Weeze (Niederrhein) Airport (NRN)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 32 km in a straight lineCar hire at NRN airport (Weeze)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
- 1bird hides within 6 kmVogelniest-Beobachtungsplatz
- 17marked trails within 4 kmKlompenweg, X1 Arnheim - Lippstadt, Diersfordt Rundweg A8 and 14 more
- 1visitor centres within 6 kmStadtinformation
- 12viewpoints within 5 kmVogelniest-Beobachtungsplatz, NaturBeobachtungsStand, Wildbeobachtungspunkt and 9 more
- 137car parks within 3 km
- 13restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 14campsites within 10 kmGrav-Insel, Reisemobilstellplatz Römerwardt, Otto Vorberg Haus-Zeltplatz and 11 more
- 61places to stay within 10 kmWaldhotel Tannenhäuschen, Hotel Haus Duden, Hausboot Niederrhein and 58 more
- observation towers within 6 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around Vogelschutzgebiet 'Unterer Niederrhein'.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
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.

Vogelschutzgebiet 'Rieselfelder Münster'
Germany · 82 km
- 86Birdyas Score
- 253Species
- 141Migrants
- 8Threatened

VSG 'Heubachniederung, Lavesumer Bruch und Borkenberge'
Germany · 46 km
- 68Birdyas Score
- 177Species
- 93Migrants
- 3Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q61040462) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 22,068 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 |
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?
Same idea, other landscapes: field atlases built on open data, in seven languages.

