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Germany Germany Special Protection Area for birds

Mittlere Schwäbische Alb

107 bird species recorded; the most from May to June.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec80at the peak
Species recorded in each month · tap a month

Franzfoto · CC BY-SA 3.0

This month here

60 species in January.

The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.

Eurasian Nuthatch
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaWinter visitorChme82 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Great tit
Great titParus majorResidentPeterRohrbeck · CC BY-SA 4.0
Eurasian Blue Tit
Eurasian Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentSławek Staszczuk · CC BY-SA 3.0
Eurasian Blackbird
Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentKahvilokki · CC BY-SA 4.0
Eurasian Collared Dove
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoWinter visitorDr. Raju Kasambe · CC BY-SA 4.0
Eurasian Magpie
Eurasian MagpiePica picaResidentAlexis Lours · CC BY 4.0
European Robin
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCharles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0
House Sparrow
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentDiliff · CC BY-SA 3.0
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentПлешков Алексей · CC BY-SA 3.0
Yellowhammer
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaSummer visitorÓmar Runólfsson · CC BY 2.0
Eurasian Chaffinch
Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentGilles San Martin from Namur, Belgium · CC BY-SA 2.0
European Greenfinch
European GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentDidier Descouens · CC BY-SA 3.0
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentMatt Tillett from Cumberland, MD, USA · CC BY 2.0
Marsh Tit
Marsh TitPoecile palustrisResidentStephan Sprinz · CC BY 4.0
Carrion Crow
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentAlexis Lours · CC BY 4.0
Eurasian Jay
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusResidentZeynel Cebeci · CC BY-SA 4.0
Common Kestrel
Common KestrelFalco tinnunculusSummer visitorAndreas Trepte · CC BY-SA 2.5
European Goldfinch
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisSummer visitorPierre Dalous · CC BY-SA 3.0
Bullfinch
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaWinter visitorFrancis C. Franklin · CC BY-SA 3.0
Eurasian Siskin
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusWinter visitorCharles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0
Rook
RookCorvus frugilegusWinter visitorKim Hyun-tae · CC BY 4.0
Goldcrest
GoldcrestRegulus regulusWinter visitorMissy Osborn from New Forest, England · CC BY-SA 2.0
Willow Tit
Willow TitPoecile montanusWinter visitorUnknown author · CC BY-SA 3.0
Green Woodpecker
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridisResidentAlexis Lours · CC BY 4.0
  • Resident all year
  • Summer visitor comes to breed
  • Winter visitor comes for the winter
  • Passage migrant in spring and autumn

In numbers

107 species, counted.

51out of 100

Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).

  • 107Speciesrecorded more than once
  • 56Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
  • 0ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
  • 5,139Recordsopen records within 6 km
  • 767 mAltitudeabove the sea
  • 12Raptors
  • 1Owls
  • 2Waders
  • 3Ducks & geese
  • 2Herons, ibises & grebes
  • 2Storks & cranes
  • 71Songbirds
  • 14Other birds

From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.

The checklist

All 107 species.

By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.

Raptors12 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Red KiteMilvus milvus
  • Common BuzzardButeo buteo
  • Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
  • Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
  • Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
  • Black KiteMilvus migrans
  • Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus
  • European Honey-buzzardPernis apivorus
  • Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
  • Eurasian GoshawkAccipiter gentilis
  • MerlinFalco columbarius
  • European HobbyFalco subbuteo
Owls1 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Tawny OwlStrix aluco
Waders2 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
  • Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticola
Ducks & geese3 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • MallardAnas platyrhynchos
  • Greylag GooseAnser anser
  • Cairina moschataCairina moschata
Herons, ibises & grebes2 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Grey HeronArdea cinerea
  • Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
Storks & cranes2 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Common CraneGrus grus
  • Black storkCiconia nigra
Songbirds71 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Great titParus major
  • Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
  • Eurasian Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
  • Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
  • Carrion CrowCorvus corone
  • Eurasian MagpiePica pica
  • Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaea
  • House SparrowPasser domesticus
  • European RobinErithacus rubecula
  • YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
  • European GreenfinchChloris chloris
  • Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
  • Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
  • BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
  • Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanus
  • FieldfareTurdus pilaris
  • Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
  • Marsh TitPoecile palustris
  • European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
  • Eurasian JayGarrulus glandarius
  • Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
  • White WagtailMotacilla alba
  • Northern RavenCorvus corax
  • Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
  • BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
  • Barn swallowHirundo rustica
  • Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
  • SkylarkAlauda arvensis
  • Coal TitPeriparus ater
  • HawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustes
  • Collared FlycatcherFicedula albicollis
  • Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
  • DunnockPrunella modularis
  • Western JackdawColoeus monedula
  • Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus
  • Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
  • WallcreeperTichodroma muraria
  • Common LinnetLinaria cannabina
  • Short-toed treecreeperCerthia brachydactyla
  • Garden WarblerSylvia borin
  • WhitethroatSylvia communis
  • Red-backed ShrikeLanius collurio
  • GoldcrestRegulus regulus
  • European Crested TitLophophanes cristatus
  • RookCorvus frugilegus
  • European SerinSerinus serinus
  • BramblingFringilla montifringilla
  • Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
  • Willow TitPoecile montanus
  • Eurasian TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
  • Common FirecrestRegulus ignicapilla
  • Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
  • Tree PipitAnthus trivialis
  • Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
  • WoodlarkLullula arborea
  • Lesser whitethroatSylvia curruca
  • RedwingTurdus iliacus
  • Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
  • Common crossbillLoxia curvirostra
  • Marsh warblerAcrocephalus palustris
  • White-throated DipperCinclus cinclus
  • Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
  • Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
  • Ring OuzelTurdus torquatus
  • Eurasian Golden OrioleOriolus oriolus
  • WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
  • Common Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia
  • Common RedpollAcanthis flammea
  • Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
  • Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos
  • Lanius excubitorLanius excubitor
Other birds14 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
  • Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
  • Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
  • Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
  • Rock DoveColumba livia
  • Black WoodpeckerDryocopus martius
  • WryneckJynx torquilla
  • Middle Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocoptes medius
  • Grey-headed WoodpeckerPicus canus
  • Stock DoveColumba oenas
  • European SwiftApus apus
  • Lesser Spotted WoodpeckerDryobates minor
  • Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops
  • Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis

Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.

When to go

The most species from May to June.

Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.

  1. Jan602°/-4°65 mm
  2. Feb433°/-4°49 mm
  3. Mar588°/-1°58 mm
  4. Apr6814°/3°56 mm
  5. May8018°/8°96 mm
  6. Jun7422°/12°88 mm
  7. Jul5224°/13°98 mm
  8. Aug3724°/13°93 mm
  9. Sep6119°/8°62 mm
  10. Oct7314°/4°68 mm
  11. Nov147°/0°62 mm
  12. Dec223°/-3°68 mm
  • Bar: species recorded that month.
  • Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
  • Rain: monthly total.

The place

Mittlere Schwäbische Alb.

Special Protection Area in Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Mittlere Schwäbische Alb is a Special Protection Area under the EU Birds Directive in Germany, 767 m above the sea.

107 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 5,139 open records.

The most recorded are the Great tit, the Eurasian Blackbird and the Eurasian Blue Tit.

34 species come for the summer, 17 for the winter and 5 only pass through.

The most species are recorded from May to June.

Lenningen - Naturschutzgebiet Schopflocher Moor, Torfgrube
Franzfoto · CC BY-SA 3.0

Get there and watch

Plan the visit

A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.

Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.

From above

The place and its surroundings.

The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.

Mittlere Schwäbische Alb seen from above (Sentinel-2)
Seen from above: Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 (EOX, CC BY 4.0), 6 × 6 km, north up. Points © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Around, in OpenStreetMap

  • 3observation towers within 6 kmRömersteinturm
  • 65marked trails within 4 kmGutenberg - Donntal -Donnstetten - Burkhardshöhle, Gutenberg - Schopfloch - Donnstetten, Weilheim Rundweg 41 and 62 more
  • 1visitor centres within 6 kmTouristinformation im Bürgerbüro
  • 55viewpoints within 5 kmGelber Fels, Kompostfels, Hohgreutfels and 52 more
  • 73car parks within 3 km
  • 11restaurants and cafés within 3 km
  • 16campsites within 10 kmWohnmobilstellplatz Stadt Owen, Weilheim Teck, Wohnmobilstellplätze Schöntal - Wiesensteig and 13 more
  • 176places to stay within 10 kmGasthof Lamm, Alte Bauernstube, Gasthof Adler and 173 more
  • bird hides within 6 km

Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.

In our other atlases

Around Mittlere Schwäbische Alb.

The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.

Peakyas195 mountains within 25 km
Randecker Maar · 1.3 kmBreitenstein811 m · 2.7 kmTeckberg775 m · 4.6 kmRömerstein874 m · 6.1 kmBoßler800 m · 7.5 kmFuchseck761 m · 15 kmSternberg (Gomadingen)844 m · 22 kmHohenstaufen684 m · 25 km
Cavernyas10 caves within 20 km
Gutenberger Höhle · 2.2 kmGußmannshöhle · 2.2 kmSibyllenloch · 4.7 kmSchertelshöhle · 5.8 kmFalkensteiner Cave · 7.3 kmBauerloch · 9.0 kmLaichinger Tiefenhöhle · 16 kmSontheimer Höhle · 19 km
Cascadyas4 waterfalls within 15 km
Neidlinger Wasserfall · 3.2 kmGroßes Gieß · 11 kmUracher Wasserfall37 m · 14 kmGütersteiner Wasserfall · 15 km

Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.

Photographs

The place, as people saw it.

Aktiver Elsachbröller
Schuni79 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Alter Sonnenfels P1210997modif
Vux · CC BY-SA 4.0
Alter Sonnenfels, Calver Bühl, Lindenallee Ost P1210998
Vux · CC BY-SA 4.0

Other places nearby.

Mittlere Schwäbische Alb

Germany

  • 51Birdyas Score
  • 107Species
  • 56Migrants
  • 0Threatened

Mittlerer Rammert

Germany · 42 km

  • 80Birdyas Score
  • 231Species
  • 125Migrants
  • 7Threatened

See the guide

Kochhartgraben und Ammertalhänge

Germany · 45 km

  • 78Birdyas Score
  • 223Species
  • 118Migrants
  • 6Threatened

See the guide

Unteres Remstal

Germany · 37 km

  • 73Birdyas Score
  • 216Species
  • 124Migrants
  • 4Threatened

See the guide

Where these figures come from

Name and typeWikidata (Q21944923) · CC0
Birds5,139 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
See these recordsgbif.org
SpeciesGBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons
AltitudeCopernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA
Temperature and rainNASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2)
What is around© OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL
ImagesEOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons
Sister atlasesPeakyas, Cavernyas, Cascadyas

Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.

The family

Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?

Same idea, other landscapes: field atlases built on open data, in seven languages.