Poland
Poland stretches from the Baltic Sea to the Carpathian Mountains, with broad lowlands covering most of the country. Northern Poland contains glacial lakes, forests, dunes and Baltic coastline, while extensive river valleys and agricultural plains dominate the centre. The south rises through wooded uplands to the Sudetes and Carpathians, including the Tatra Mountains. Poland retains some exceptional natural landscapes, most famously the ancient lowland forest of Białowieża and the vast marshes of the Biebrza Valley. The climate is temperate, transitioning from maritime influences in the west to increasingly continental conditions towards the east.
Overview
Poland is one of Central Europe's premier destinations for wetland and old-growth forest birds. Biebrza Marshes are famous for Aquatic Warbler, Great Snipe, Spotted Eagle and large numbers of breeding wetland birds, while Białowieża Forest offers outstanding woodland birding for White-backed and Three-toed Woodpeckers, Pygmy Owl and Hazel Grouse. The eastern wetlands also support Common Crane, Black Stork and numerous raptors, while the Baltic coast is productive for migration and wintering waterbirds. The Carpathians add montane forest species and Ural Owl. Poland has an established birding-tourism sector, particularly around Biebrza and Białowieża, with specialist guides and accommodation available. Its combination of extensive marshes and some of Europe's finest remaining lowland forest makes it especially distinctive.
Top 10 target species
| Species | Annual frequency | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Tit Parus major | 48.7% | 55.1% | 56.6% | 58.6% | 53.8% | 41.1% | 35.0% | 31.5% | 32.1% | 44.8% | 58.5% | 59.1% | 58.4% |
| Mallard Anas platyrhynchos | 40.6% | 39.5% | 36.3% | 44.9% | 48.6% | 42.0% | 34.4% | 34.9% | 38.7% | 38.2% | 41.3% | 45.1% | 43.1% |
| Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus | 39.5% | 45.7% | 45.1% | 47.9% | 43.7% | 29.7% | 27.6% | 26.6% | 29.9% | 39.6% | 45.2% | 45.7% | 47.4% |
| Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula | 37.3% | 34.3% | 31.6% | 46.7% | 54.1% | 53.0% | 53.1% | 35.7% | 16.8% | 24.3% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 33.1% |
| Common Wood-Pigeon Columba palumbus | 34.7% | 3.8% | 9.2% | 48.1% | 60.0% | 52.2% | 53.0% | 55.3% | 51.8% | 45.3% | 27.5% | 5.6% | 4.1% |
| Hooded Crow Corvus cornix | 32.4% | 35.3% | 34.2% | 38.5% | 36.1% | 31.0% | 29.7% | 23.4% | 19.4% | 28.5% | 40.0% | 36.7% | 36.6% |
| Eurasian Magpie Pica pica | 31.8% | 37.1% | 35.6% | 36.3% | 32.2% | 26.5% | 27.9% | 24.1% | 20.4% | 28.4% | 34.3% | 37.9% | 40.5% |
| Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs | 30.5% | 18.3% | 15.5% | 37.3% | 50.3% | 45.6% | 46.7% | 27.4% | 16.8% | 28.4% | 37.4% | 22.8% | 19.1% |
| Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus | 28.6% | 24.2% | 21.8% | 33.7% | 32.2% | 28.8% | 29.4% | 28.2% | 24.3% | 27.1% | 33.1% | 32.2% | 28.3% |
| European Starling Sturnus vulgaris | 27.5% | 4.0% | 11.9% | 45.7% | 50.1% | 49.0% | 35.5% | 26.0% | 25.9% | 35.9% | 30.9% | 10.8% | 4.4% |