In addition to breeder and migrants, winter visitors include thousands of Bean Geese (both Tundra & Taiga forms), White-fronted Geese and Wallcreeper.
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no doubt about it the Czech Republic has some great birds lying in store
for visiting birders. The following selection of breeding birds should
give an indication of the diversity of species in the country. Red-crested
Pochard, Red Kite, Eastern Imperial Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Saker Falcon,
Black Grouse, Hazel Grouse, Corncrake, Pygmy Owl, Ural Owl, Tengmalm's
Owl, Yellow-legged Gull, Nutcracker, Alpine Accentor, Red-breasted Flycatcher,
Bluethroat, Common Rosefinch, and ALL ten European woodpecker species.
In addition to breeder and migrants, winter visitors include thousands of Bean Geese (both Tundra & Taiga forms), White-fronted Geese and Wallcreeper. |
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second to none! These will be raptor, wildfowl, owl and woodpecker spectaculars. For details: click here. |
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BREEDING
BIRDS
For a land-locked country of less than 79,000 km sq. (about half the size of England) the Czech Republic has a VERY impressive list of breeding birds. This is largely due to the wide diversity of habitats (upland and lowland, boreal and Mediteranean) that are found in the country. These habitats include extensive areas of forest of all kinds and at various elevations (fine old-growth forest, dwarf pine stands, floodplain woodlands, parkland, farmland copses, conifer plantations etc), natural and man-made wetlands (including many natural-like fishpond systems), karst, peatbogs, orchards, vineyards, pastures, meadows and other farmland. From April through to August the best sites are alive with breeding birds. Warblers which are common in much of the country include Savi’s, River, Great Reed, Marsh, Icterine and Barred and Greenish Warbler has been found breeding in small pockets in the Czech Republic. All ten European woodpeckers breed in the country and with a little logistical planning all can be seen in one day. Breeding raptors include Red & Black Kites, White-tailed Eagle, Peregrine, Saker, Eastern Imperial Eagle and Lesser Spotted Eagle. |
| MIGRANTS
Bean Geese numbers (mainly the Tundra form) at the Nove Mlyny reservoirs in South Moravia in autumn are of international importance, often many tens of thousands. Carefully scrutiny of the flocks here can result in a few of the Taiga race and usually a sprinkling of Red-breasted Geese, too. Throughout the country both natural wetlands, fishponds and reservoirs see passage wildfowl and waders in spring and autumn. Spring migration mainly starts in April and in the autumn peaks in August for waders. Many waders, such as Black-tailed Godwit, are moving back south as early as July. |
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WINTERING
BIRDS
The Czech Republic is dotted with important wintering wildfowl sites. In this often harsh (for birds and birders) season wetlands and woodlands throughout Bohemia and Moravia are still worth exploring. Many geese overwinter in all but the hardest years. Sites with wildfowl have their wintering raptors, too, like White-tailed Eagle, Goshawk, Hen Harrier and Rough-legged Buzzard. Ducks like Smew, Goldeneye and Velvet Scoter also winter on the River Vltava in the capital Prague. Of Europe’s woodpeckers only the migratory Wryneck is absent in winter and this family is often at its most confiding and viewable. Other birds which are present in winter include resident passerines like Crested Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper, PendulineTit and Hawfinch. In recent years more and more Great White Egrets are wintering, too. So though winter may not be the easiest season in which to travel and bird in this part of Europe it is far from barren of birds and if one is already in the region on business, then it would be a major mistake not to take along the binoculars. |
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| Red-throated
Diver (Red-throated Loon) Gavia stellata
Black-throated Diver (Arctic Loon) Gavia arctica Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Great-crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus Red-necked Grebe, Podiceps griseigena Slavonian Grebe (Horned Grebe) Podiceps auritus Black-necked Grebe (Eared Grebe) Podiceps nigricollis Cormorant (Great Cormorant) Phalacrocorax carbo Bittern (Great Bittern) Botaurus stellaris Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus Night Heron (Black-crowned Night-Heron) Nycticorax nycticorax Little Egret Egretta garzetta Great White Egret (Great Egret) Egretta alba Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Black Stork Ciconia nigra White Stork Ciconia ciconia Mute Swan Cygnus olor Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus Bean Goose (Taiga Bean Goose) Anser fabalis Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons Greylag Goose Anser anser Shelduck (Common Shelduck) Tadorna tadorna Wigeon (Eurasian Wigeon) Anas penelope Gadwall Anas strepera Common Teal (Green-winged Teal) Anas crecca Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Pintail (Northern Pintail) Anas acuta Garganey Anas querquedula Shoveler (Northern Shoveler) Anas clypeata Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina Pochard (Common Pochard) Aythya ferina Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula Scaup (Greater Scaup) Aythya marila Common Scoter (Black Scoter) Melanitta nigra Velvet Scoter (White-winged Scoter) Melanitta fusca Goldeneye (Common Goldeneye) Bucephala clangula Smew Mergellus albellus Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator Goosander (Common Merganser) Mergus merganser Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus Black Kite Milvus migrans Red Kite Milvus milvus White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus Hen Harrier (Northern Harrier) Circus cyaneus Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus Goshawk (Northern Goshawk) Accipiter gentilis Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus Common Buzzard Buteo buteo Rough-legged Buzzard (Rough-legged Hawk) Buteo lagopus Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos Osprey Pandion haliaetus Kestrel (Common Kestrel) Falco tinnunculus Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus Merlin Falco columbarius Hobby (Eurasian Hobby) Falco subbuteo Saker Falcon Falco cherrug Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus Hazel Grouse Bonasa bonasia Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus Grey Partridge (Common Partridge) Perdix perdix Quail (Common Quail) Coturnix coturnix Pheasant (Common Pheasant) Phasianus colchicus Water Rail Rallus aquaticus Spotted Crake Porzana porzana Little Crake Porzana parva Corncrake Crex crex Moorhen (Common Gallinule) Gallinula chloropus Coot (Eurasian Coot) Fulica atra Common Crane Grus grus Oystercatcher (Eurasian Oystercatcher) Haematopus ostralegus Avocet (Pied Avocet) Recurvirostra avosetta Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius Ringed Plover (Greater Ringed Plover) Charadrius hiaticula Dotterel Charadrius morinellus Golden Plover (European Golden Plover) Pluvialis apricaria Grey Plover (Black-bellied Plover) Pluvialis squatarola Lapwing (Northern Lapwing) Vanellus vanellus Knot Calidris canutus Sanderling Calidris alba Little Stint Calidris minuta Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea Dunlin Calidris alpina Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus Ruff Philomachus pugnax Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago Woodcock (Eurasian Woodcock) Scolopax rusticola Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Curlew (Eurasian Curlew) Numenius arquata Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus Redshank (Common Redshank) Tringa totanus Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis Greenshank (Common Greenshank) Tringa nebularia Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola Common Sandpiper Tringa hypoleucos Turnstone (Ruddy Turnstone) Arenaria interpres Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus Little Gull Larus minutus Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus Common Gull (Mew Gull) Larus canus Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis Caspian Tern Sterna caspia Common Tern Sterna hirundo Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus Black Tern Chlidonias niger White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus Feral Pigeon (Rock Dove) Columba livia Stock Dove (Stock Pigeon) Columba oenas Woodpigeon, Columba palumbus Turtle Dove (European Turtle Dove) Streptopelia turtur Collared Dove (Eurasian Collared Dove) Streptopelia decaocto Cuckoo (European Cuckoo) Cuculus canorus Barn Owl Tyto alba Eagle Owl (Eurasian Eagle Owl) Bubo bubo Pygmy Owl Glaucidium passerinum Little Owl Athene noctua Tawny Owl Strix aluco Ural Owl Strix uralensis Long-eared Owl Asio otus Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus Tengmalm's Owl Aegolius funereus Nightjar (Eurasian Nightjar) Caprimulgus europaeus Swift (Common Swift) Apus apus Kingfisher (Common Kingfisher) Alcedo atthis Bee-eater (European Bee-eater) Merops apiaster Hoopoe (Eurasian Hoopoe) Upupa epops Wryneck (Northern Wryneck) Jynx torquilla Grey-headed Woodpecker (Gray-faced Woodpecker) Picus canus Green Woodpecker (European Green Woodpecker) Picus viridis Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus Crested Lark Galerida cristata Woodlark Lullula arborea Skylark (Eurasian Skylark) Alauda arvensis Sand Martin (Bank Swallow) Riparia riparia Swallow (Barn Swallow) Hirundo rustica House Martin Delichon urbica Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus Yellow Wagtail (Blue-headed Wagtail) Motacilla flava Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea White Wagtail Motacilla alba Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus Dipper (White-throated Dipper) Cinclus cinclus Wren (Winter Wren) Troglodytes troglodytes Dunnock Prunella modularis Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris Robin (European Robin) Erithacus rubecula Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia Nightingale (Common Nightingale) Luscinia megarhynchos Bluethroat Luscinia svecica Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros Redstart (Common Redstart) Phoenicurus phoenicurus Whinchat Saxicola rubetra Stonechat (Common Stonechat) Saxicola torquata Wheatear (Northern Wheatear) Oenanthe oenanthe Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus Blackbird (Eurasian Blackbird) Turdus merula Fieldfare Turdus pilaris Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Redwing Turdus iliacus Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis Savi's Warbler Locustella luscinioides Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris Reed Warbler (European Reed Warbler) Acrocephalus scirpaceus Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis Garden Warbler Sylvia borin Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Goldcrest Regulus regulus Firecrest Regulus ignicapillus Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca Bearded Tit (Bearded Reedling) Panurus biarmicus Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Marsh Tit Parus palustris Willow Tit Parus montanus Crested Tit Parus cristatus Coal Tit Parus ater Blue Tit Parus caeruleus Great Tit Parus major Nuthatch (Eurasian Nuthatch) Sitta europaea Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria Common Treecreeper Certhia familiaris Short-toed Treecreeper Certhia brachydactyla Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio Great Grey Shrike (Northern Shrike) Lanius excubitor Jay (Eurasian Jay) Garrulus glandarius Magpie (Black-billed Magpie) Pica pica Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes Jackdaw (Eurasian Jackdaw) Corvus monedula Rook Corvus frugilegus Hooded/Carrion Crow Corvus corone Raven (Common Raven) Corvus corax Starling (European Starling) Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus Tree Sparrow Passer montanus Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Brambling Fringilla montifringilla Serin (European Serin) Serinus serinus Greenfinch (European Greenfinch) Carduelis chloris Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Siskin (Eurasian Siskin) Carduelis spinus Linnet (Common Linnet) Carduelis cannabina Twite Carduelis flavirostris Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea Crossbill (Red Crossbill) Loxia curvirostra Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus Bullfinch (Common Bullfinch) Pyrrhula pyrrhula Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra |
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