Belgium
Belgium is a small, densely populated country in Western Europe, with landscapes ranging from the flat North Sea coast and lowlands of Flanders to the forested hills of the Ardennes in the southeast. Agricultural land dominates much of the countryside, interspersed with woodland, heathland, river valleys and wetlands. The coast includes sandy beaches, dunes, polders and estuarine habitats, while former industrial and extraction sites have created additional artificial wetlands. Belgium has a temperate maritime climate, with relatively mild winters, cool summers and rainfall throughout the year.
Overview
Belgium is particularly rewarding for wetland birds, migration and northern European specialties. The Zwin on the North Sea coast is an important site for shorebirds, waterfowl and migrating passerines, while the Scheldt estuary and surrounding wetlands attract large numbers of geese, ducks and waders. Heathlands and forests in eastern Belgium support species such as European Nightjar, Woodlark and Black Woodpecker, while the Ardennes add forest and upland birds. Belgium's position on major migration routes makes spring and autumn especially productive, with coastal sites regularly producing rarities. Birding is straightforward thanks to the country's compact size, dense road and rail networks and numerous accessible nature reserves. Belgium has few unique specialties, but offers excellent migration and wetland birding within easy reach of major cities.
Top 10 target species
| Species | Annual frequency | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Wood-Pigeon Columba palumbus | 63.7% | 57.5% | 62.7% | 66.7% | 67.3% | 64.4% | 68.2% | 72.3% | 72.7% | 65.7% | 57.7% | 51.7% | 57.9% |
| Carrion Crow Corvus corone | 52.4% | 50.4% | 54.3% | 56.2% | 54.5% | 51.0% | 47.7% | 50.1% | 48.9% | 51.4% | 56.2% | 54.7% | 53.4% |
| Great Tit Parus major | 48.9% | 55.9% | 61.7% | 61.3% | 54.5% | 45.5% | 37.1% | 34.9% | 36.6% | 44.5% | 48.9% | 50.7% | 55.2% |
| Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula | 47.3% | 48.3% | 48.5% | 50.1% | 56.4% | 59.9% | 63.3% | 51.7% | 25.3% | 24.7% | 38.4% | 49.5% | 51.0% |
| Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus | 44.1% | 54.7% | 58.0% | 53.2% | 47.1% | 36.0% | 30.4% | 28.2% | 33.9% | 38.5% | 43.1% | 51.1% | 55.3% |
| Eurasian Jackdaw Coloeus monedula | 42.5% | 41.7% | 42.7% | 46.9% | 44.5% | 46.5% | 41.3% | 29.8% | 34.0% | 47.2% | 48.7% | 43.8% | 43.4% |
| Eurasian Magpie Pica pica | 42.0% | 44.4% | 46.6% | 45.3% | 40.1% | 38.2% | 37.7% | 35.2% | 35.8% | 42.1% | 47.3% | 45.4% | 45.8% |
| European Robin Erithacus rubecula | 38.1% | 40.7% | 43.5% | 45.9% | 37.6% | 34.2% | 31.2% | 22.0% | 19.8% | 33.4% | 53.7% | 52.4% | 43.1% |
| Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs | 37.8% | 50.2% | 50.0% | 45.9% | 35.2% | 35.5% | 36.5% | 29.1% | 13.9% | 16.9% | 42.5% | 47.8% | 50.6% |
| Eurasian Wren Troglodytes troglodytes | 32.6% | 24.0% | 30.5% | 43.1% | 45.0% | 42.6% | 38.5% | 33.8% | 22.8% | 21.9% | 28.3% | 32.9% | 27.9% |