Norway
Norway occupies the mountainous western side of the Scandinavian Peninsula, with an exceptionally long coastline shaped by fjords, islands and steep coastal mountains. The interior contains high plateaus, glaciers, boreal forests and broad valleys, while the far north transitions into open Arctic tundra. Thousands of offshore islands and skerries provide extensive marine habitats, and Norway also includes the remote Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. Despite its northern latitude, the coast has relatively mild winters due to the North Atlantic Current, while inland and northern areas experience much colder conditions.
Overview
Norway is one of Europe's premier destinations for Arctic birds and seabird colonies. The far north, especially Varanger Peninsula, is famous for Steller's Eider, King Eider, Gyrfalcon, Brünnich's Guillemot and numerous Arctic waders, while tundra habitats hold Long-tailed Jaeger, Lapland Longspur and Rock Ptarmigan. Spectacular seabird cliffs such as Hornøya support huge colonies of puffins, guillemots, razorbills and kittiwakes. Southern mountains and forests add Golden Eagle, Capercaillie and boreal species. Svalbard provides even more distinctly Arctic birding, including Ivory Gull and Little Auk. Excellent roads and infrastructure make most mainland sites accessible, although distances are enormous and northern travel can be expensive. Norway's combination of Arctic tundra, seabird colonies and dramatic coastal scenery makes it particularly distinctive.
Top 10 target species
| Species | Annual frequency | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hooded Crow Corvus cornix | 45.2% | 47.8% | 50.7% | 53.9% | 48.1% | 41.9% | 33.3% | 35.4% | 40.9% | 45.4% | 48.4% | 49.2% | 47.8% |
| Great Tit Parus major | 36.4% | 42.9% | 45.1% | 43.5% | 40.9% | 31.3% | 18.7% | 19.6% | 25.2% | 35.9% | 44.3% | 45.0% | 44.5% |
| Eurasian Magpie Pica pica | 34.0% | 41.8% | 40.7% | 37.7% | 33.5% | 27.0% | 21.3% | 24.2% | 28.0% | 33.5% | 36.8% | 41.4% | 42.5% |
| European Herring Gull Larus argentatus | 32.6% | 35.1% | 35.2% | 37.7% | 31.2% | 28.3% | 28.6% | 29.3% | 33.3% | 31.4% | 34.7% | 33.8% | 32.8% |
| Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus | 31.6% | 38.3% | 40.1% | 37.6% | 34.5% | 25.5% | 12.8% | 15.2% | 21.1% | 30.6% | 40.0% | 42.7% | 40.7% |
| Mallard Anas platyrhynchos | 25.8% | 27.8% | 27.2% | 31.7% | 35.7% | 29.6% | 18.5% | 16.4% | 22.8% | 24.2% | 25.5% | 25.0% | 25.4% |
| Common Gull Larus canus | 24.4% | 8.9% | 9.2% | 14.4% | 40.0% | 42.2% | 42.1% | 44.9% | 32.8% | 20.3% | 17.3% | 11.5% | 9.1% |
| Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula | 24.3% | 23.9% | 17.1% | 25.3% | 34.6% | 32.6% | 21.1% | 18.9% | 13.9% | 20.1% | 31.7% | 26.0% | 25.9% |
| European Greenfinch Chloris chloris | 22.2% | 19.1% | 25.8% | 33.1% | 31.4% | 25.2% | 16.7% | 18.2% | 15.1% | 18.1% | 22.6% | 21.3% | 19.3% |
| House Sparrow Passer domesticus | 19.2% | 18.2% | 18.8% | 19.8% | 20.5% | 22.2% | 21.2% | 21.2% | 18.8% | 16.8% | 18.9% | 17.6% | 16.3% |