Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein is a tiny Central European principality situated between Switzerland and Austria. Its western edge lies in the broad Rhine Valley, where most settlements and agriculture are concentrated, while the eastern two-thirds rise steeply into the Rätikon Alps. Despite its small area, elevations range from around 430 metres to peaks above 2,500 metres, creating habitats from riverine wetlands and farmland to deciduous and conifer forests, alpine meadows and rocky mountain slopes. The climate is temperate and strongly influenced by altitude, with relatively mild conditions in the Rhine Valley and colder, snowier winters in the mountains.
Overview
Liechtenstein's birdlife is primarily interesting for Alpine and Central European species rather than unique specialties. Mountain areas around Malbun and the Rätikon support Golden Eagle, Alpine Chough, Alpine Accentor, Ring Ouzel and Wallcreeper, while forests hold woodpeckers, owls and other montane birds. The Rhine Valley adds wetlands, agricultural habitats and an important migration corridor, with waterbirds and passerines using remaining riverine areas. Liechtenstein has no endemic birds and relatively little dedicated birding tourism, but excellent hiking trails, public transport and its extremely compact size make exploration easy. It works particularly well as a short birding extension to Switzerland or western Austria, combining accessible Alpine habitats with the Rhine Valley in a very small area.
Top 10 target species
| Species | Annual frequency | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrion Crow Corvus corone | 65.0% | 80.1% | 54.4% | 71.3% | 79.1% | 68.6% | 60.4% | 56.9% | 57.6% | 57.1% | 66.5% | 57.9% | 69.7% |
| Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula | 50.2% | 61.8% | 59.4% | 51.6% | 66.5% | 67.8% | 66.3% | 46.3% | 24.4% | 20.9% | 53.3% | 39.6% | 45.0% |
| Great Tit Parus major | 43.6% | 64.2% | 52.8% | 53.9% | 52.0% | 41.4% | 23.9% | 27.3% | 26.4% | 45.3% | 37.7% | 41.0% | 56.7% |
| Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs | 40.4% | 46.5% | 46.9% | 48.4% | 51.3% | 35.2% | 52.9% | 26.9% | 31.2% | 24.9% | 41.2% | 32.4% | 46.7% |
| Eurasian Magpie Pica pica | 34.2% | 42.6% | 31.2% | 38.6% | 51.2% | 41.0% | 31.1% | 27.9% | 15.7% | 27.4% | 39.7% | 34.9% | 29.1% |
| House Sparrow Passer domesticus | 33.6% | 27.8% | 21.0% | 48.4% | 47.1% | 46.3% | 49.9% | 44.1% | 32.8% | 24.5% | 21.3% | 23.6% | 17.1% |
| Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus | 31.8% | 55.0% | 53.1% | 34.9% | 44.7% | 18.2% | 9.6% | 12.3% | 19.0% | 18.6% | 37.2% | 38.5% | 40.5% |
| Mallard Anas platyrhynchos | 31.8% | 51.7% | 41.6% | 32.9% | 35.9% | 36.3% | 26.8% | 16.0% | 16.2% | 14.8% | 33.3% | 39.6% | 36.3% |
| Common Buzzard Buteo buteo | 30.8% | 21.0% | 42.0% | 32.1% | 42.5% | 32.7% | 21.7% | 22.1% | 29.4% | 26.4% | 30.5% | 33.8% | 35.1% |
| European Robin Erithacus rubecula | 25.6% | 33.0% | 12.5% | 42.0% | 36.2% | 12.9% | 20.4% | 12.0% | 12.8% | 23.8% | 46.3% | 30.1% | 25.2% |