EUROPE BIRD WATCHING ADVENTURES

Are you itching to get twitching? Europe has an amazing variety of destinations which are perfect for bird-watching adventures!

Europe has a wealth of great destinations to choose from, from sunny Spain to chilly Finland, and from France to the fringes of Asia. There are locations that are great for lots of species, some showcase migration spectacles, some seek out iconic species and yet others are about the atmosphere.  

Book a long weekend adventure of Bird-watching or tag it on to another adventure in the region.  For more ideas see our destinations pages

Just some of the destination choices for great bird-watching:

• Pripyat River, Belarus - The Pripyat River is Europe’s “Amazon.” - You’re not going to see an Azure Tit in Europe anywhere else, and Belarus also homes the whole gamut of European woodpeckers, most of the owls, and multitudes of species that are rare or declining such as Aquatic Warbler, Spotted Crake, Great Snipe and Greater Spotted Eagle.
• Danube Delta, Romania - For vast concentrations of breeding birds, and for seeing seemingly endless long lines of commuting flocks of large fish-eaters.  With colonies of Dalmatian Pelicans and Pygmy Cormorants, as well as Whiskered Terns, egrets, herons and Glossy Ibises.
• Lake Myvatn, Iceland - Possibly the best place in the world for breeding ducks, with 15 species recorded: both Barrow’s Goldeneye and Harlequin Duck breed here in the geothermal waters.  Also found here are Common Scoter, Scaup, Long-tailed Duck, Red-necked Phalarope, Slavonian Grebe, Great Northern Diver and Ptarmigan.
• Svartadalen, Sweden - The biggest draw is reliable Great Grey Owl, but the Ural, Tengmalm’s and Pygmy Owls can also be seen – and even Hawk Owl in winter, alongside all the trickiest woodpeckers, even Three-toed and Grey-headed. The area is a network of forest, lakes and marshes, hosting a superb range of breeding birds such as Black Tern, Little Gull, Common Rosefinch, Spotted Crake, Capercaillie and Black-throated Diver.  
• Sierra de Guara, Spain - The thinly populated patchwork of high slopes, fortified villages, sunny maquis and oak scrub is alive with bone-eating Lammergeiers, squeaking Rock Sparrows, Bee-eaters, Ortolan Buntings, Blue Rock Thrushes and Subalpine Warblers. In the winter the area transforms into Europe’s Wallcreeper capital, with the colourful birds seen easily in several local villages.
• Oulu, Finland – The owl capital of Europe including Tengmalm’s, Pygmy, Great Grey, Ural and Hawk Owls. The vast forests nearby also harbour an excellent range of other birds, such as Black Grouse, Parrot Crossbill and Waxwing, and the wetlands hold Common Cranes, divers and grebes. Not far away is Kuusamo, with the lure of Rustic Bunting, Siberian Jay and Red-flanked Bluetail!
• Extremadura, Spain - The best grassland birding in Western Europe. Great Bustards strut their stuff, Little Bustards make flatulent noises, Black-bellied and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse fly in tight flocks, and raptors soar lazily. Rollers use holes for their nests, Great Spotted Cuckoos stalk Iberian Magpies, and Calandra Larks sing from cloudless skies. Nearby are Spanish Imperial Eagles, Black Storks, Alpine Swifts and Egyptian Vultures.
• Lesbos, Greece - In the Aegean Sea: think impressive migration, the lure of rarities, with almost anything possible from crakes in virtual puddles to flocks of Pelicans dropping down from the sky. The island also hosts some major specialities, such as the very rare Cinereous Bunting and the Krüper’s Nuthatch, searched for on migrant-quiet days.
• The Camargue, France - One of the largest wetlands in Europe, with massive reedbeds, lagoons and ponds, as well as salt marshes and woodlands. Easy encounters with colourful birds, such as Greater Flamingoes, Purple Herons, Bee-eaters, Rollers, Hoopoes, Golden Orioles and Black-winged Stilts. 

World Class Adventures has access to the best tour operators and will tailor the perfect holiday just for you.

Book the perfect Adventure - Complete an enquiry form or call us on 0117 452 1159 to get started!

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Contact us today to start planning your exciting itinerary.  Complete an enquiry form or call us on 0117 452 1159!