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Norway Norway Ramsar wetland

Rørvikvågen Wildlife Sanctuary

202 bird species recorded; the most from April to May and in September.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec143at the peak
Species recorded in each month · tap a month

Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 by EOX IT Services GmbH (contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data), CC BY 4.0, with relief shading from Copernicus WorldDEM-30

This month here

100 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.

Common Loon
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorJohn Picken from Chicago, USA · CC BY 2.0
Eurasian Woodcock
Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticolaWinter visitorStephan Sprinz · CC BY-SA 4.0
Common Goldeneye
Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCalibas · CC BY-SA 3.0
Eurasian CurlewNT
Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataResidentAndreas Trepte · CC BY-SA 2.5
Whooper Swan
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorPascal Aleixandre · CC BY-SA 3.0
Great tit
Great titParus majorWinter visitorPeterRohrbeck · CC BY-SA 4.0
Red-throated Loon
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorÓmar Runólfsson · CC BY 2.0
Redwing
RedwingTurdus iliacusWinter visitorAndreas Trepte · CC BY-SA 2.5
Rook
RookCorvus frugilegusWinter visitorKim Hyun-tae · CC BY 4.0
Eurasian Chaffinch
Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebsWinter visitorGilles San Martin from Namur, Belgium · CC BY-SA 2.0
European Water Rail
European Water RailRallus aquaticusWinter visitorAlexis Lours · CC BY 4.0
House Sparrow
House SparrowPasser domesticusWinter visitorDiliff · CC BY-SA 3.0
Eurasian Blue Tit
Eurasian Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusWinter visitorSławek Staszczuk · CC BY-SA 3.0
European Robin
European RobinErithacus rubeculaWinter visitorCharles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0
Purple Sandpiper
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorpeterichman · CC BY-SA 2.0
Great Cormorant
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboWinter visitorJJ Harrison ( https://www.jjharrison.com.au/ ) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusWinter visitorMeneer Zjeroen · CC BY 2.0
Velvet scoterVU
Velvet scoterMelanitta fuscaWinter visitorVince · CC BY 2.0
Eurasian Wren
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesWinter visitorAlexis Lours · CC BY 4.0
European Rock Pipit
European Rock PipitAnthus petrosusWinter visitorMPF · CC BY-SA 3.0
Jack Snipe
Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimusWinter visitorDûrzan cîrano · CC BY-SA 3.0
Long-tailed duckVU
Long-tailed duckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorWolfgang Wander · CC BY-SA 3.0
Greylag Goose
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentImran Shah from Islamabad, Pakistan · CC BY-SA 2.0
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusWinter visitorMatt Tillett from Cumberland, MD, USA · CC BY 2.0
  • Resident all year
  • Summer visitor comes to breed
  • Winter visitor comes for the winter
  • Passage migrant in spring and autumn

In numbers

202 species, counted.

86out 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).

  • 202Speciesrecorded more than once
  • 126Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
  • 10ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
  • 14,468Recordsopen records within 6 km
  • 13Raptors
  • 4Owls
  • 30Waders
  • 26Gulls & seabirds
  • 30Ducks & geese
  • 9Herons, ibises & grebes
  • 2Storks & cranes
  • 75Songbirds
  • 13Other 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 202 species.

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

Raptors13 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • White-tailed EagleHaliaeetus albicilla
  • Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
  • Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
  • MerlinFalco columbarius
  • Eurasian GoshawkAccipiter gentilis
  • Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
  • Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
  • Golden EagleAquila chrysaetos
  • Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus
  • Rough-legged BuzzardButeo lagopus
  • Gyr FalconFalco rusticolus
  • Black KiteMilvus migrans
  • Common BuzzardButeo buteo
Owls4 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
  • Tawny OwlStrix aluco
  • Northern Eagle OwlBubo bubo
  • Northern Hawk-OwlSurnia ulula
Waders30 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
  • Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusNT
  • Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
  • Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
  • Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
  • Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
  • RedshankTringa totanus
  • DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
  • European Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria
  • RuffCalidris pugnax
  • Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticola
  • Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
  • Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
  • Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus
  • Purple SandpiperCalidris maritima
  • SanderlingCalidris alba
  • Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
  • Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
  • Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
  • Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
  • Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
  • Little StintCalidris minuta
  • Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
  • Spotted SandpiperActitis macularius
  • Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta
  • Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
  • Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
  • Spotted RedshankTringa erythropus
  • Temminck's StintCalidris temminckii
  • Great SnipeGallinago mediaNT
Gulls & seabirds26 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Common LoonGavia immer
  • European Herring GullLarus argentatus
  • Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
  • Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
  • Common GullLarus canus
  • Red-throated LoonGavia stellata
  • Black GuillemotCepphus grylle
  • Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
  • Common TernSterna hirundo
  • Northern gannetMorus bassanus
  • Black-legged kittiwakeRissa tridactylaVU
  • RazorbillAlca torda
  • Arctic SkuaStercorarius parasiticus
  • Iceland GullLarus glaucoides
  • Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreus
  • Black-throated DiverGavia arctica
  • European Storm-PetrelHydrobates pelagicus
  • Yellow-billed DiverGavia adamsiiNT
  • Common MurreUria aalge
  • Arctic TernSterna paradisaea
  • Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
  • FulmarFulmarus glacialis
  • Great skuaStercorarius skua
  • Atlantic PuffinFratercula arcticaVU
  • Little AukAlle alle
  • Pontic gullLarus cachinnans
Ducks & geese30 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Greylag GooseAnser anser
  • MallardAnas platyrhynchos
  • Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna
  • Common EiderSomateria mollissimaNT
  • Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
  • Common ScoterMelanitta nigra
  • Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
  • Velvet scoterMelanitta fuscaVU
  • Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus
  • Long-tailed duckClangula hyemalisVU
  • Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis
  • Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus
  • Eurasian TealAnas crecca
  • Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula
  • Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons
  • Northern PintailAnas acuta
  • Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
  • Brent GooseBranta bernicla
  • GarganeySpatula querquedula
  • Greater ScaupAythya marila
  • Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
  • Red-breasted GooseBranta ruficollisVU
  • Taiga Bean GooseAnser fabalis
  • GadwallMareca strepera
  • Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
  • Mute SwanCygnus olor
  • Canada GooseBranta canadensis
  • Tundra Bean GooseAnser serrirostris
  • Snow gooseAnser caerulescens
  • GoosanderMergus merganser
Herons, ibises & grebes9 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Grey HeronArdea cinerea
  • Horned GrebePodiceps auritusVU
  • Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
  • ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis
  • Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegena
  • Great White EgretArdea alba
  • Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
  • Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
  • Little EgretEgretta garzetta
Storks & cranes2 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Common CraneGrus grus
  • White StorkCiconia ciconia
Songbirds75 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Common LinnetLinaria cannabina
  • Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
  • Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
  • Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
  • Barn swallowHirundo rustica
  • European Rock PipitAnthus petrosus
  • RookCorvus frugilegus
  • Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
  • European GreenfinchChloris chloris
  • White WagtailMotacilla alba
  • Great titParus major
  • Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
  • Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
  • Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanus
  • Eurasian MagpiePica pica
  • FieldfareTurdus pilaris
  • Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
  • Northern RavenCorvus corax
  • House SparrowPasser domesticus
  • Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
  • Eurasian Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
  • Sand MartinRiparia riparia
  • European RobinErithacus rubecula
  • Coal TitPeriparus ater
  • SkylarkAlauda arvensis
  • RedwingTurdus iliacus
  • Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
  • WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
  • Willow TitPoecile montanus
  • TwiteLinaria flavirostris
  • Common RedpollAcanthis flammea
  • Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
  • Common Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia
  • BramblingFringilla montifringilla
  • Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
  • WhitethroatSylvia communis
  • Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
  • Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus
  • Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalis
  • Western JackdawColoeus monedula
  • European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
  • GoldcrestRegulus regulus
  • Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaea
  • BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
  • European Crested TitLophophanes cristatus
  • BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
  • YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
  • DunnockPrunella modularis
  • Common crossbillLoxia curvirostra
  • Parrot CrossbillLoxia pytyopsittacus
  • Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
  • Lesser whitethroatSylvia curruca
  • Paddyfield WarblerAcrocephalus agricola
  • Ring OuzelTurdus torquatus
  • Rosy StarlingPastor roseus
  • White-winged CrossbillLoxia leucoptera
  • Carrion CrowCorvus corone
  • Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicus
  • Marsh warblerAcrocephalus palustris
  • Icterine warblerHippolais icterina
  • Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulus
  • Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
  • Marsh TitPoecile palustris
  • Blyth’s Reed WarblerAcrocephalus dumetorum
  • Eurasian TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
  • European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
  • Tree PipitAnthus trivialis
  • Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
  • Citrine WagtailMotacilla citreola
  • HawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustes
  • Red-backed ShrikeLanius collurio
  • Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
  • European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleuca
  • Yellow-browed WarblerPhylloscopus inornatus
  • Eurasian River WarblerLocustella fluviatilis
Other birds13 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
  • European Water RailRallus aquaticus
  • Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
  • Common CuckooCuculus canorus
  • Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
  • Corncrake, corn crakeCrex crex
  • Common QuailCoturnix coturnix
  • Bee-eaterMerops apiaster
  • European Turtle DoveStreptopelia turturVU
  • European SwiftApus apus
  • Black GrouseLyrurus tetrix
  • Spotted CrakePorzana porzana
  • WryneckJynx torquilla

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 April to May and in September.

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

  1. Jan1002°/-1°172 mm
  2. Feb992°/-1°147 mm
  3. Mar1073°/0°138 mm
  4. Apr1327°/3°105 mm
  5. May14310°/6°102 mm
  6. Jun12913°/9°116 mm
  7. Jul11916°/11°131 mm
  8. Aug12416°/12°155 mm
  9. Sep13313°/9°183 mm
  10. Oct1289°/6°152 mm
  11. Nov1055°/2°172 mm
  12. Dec1033°/0°194 mm
  • Bar: species recorded that month.
  • Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
  • Rain: monthly total.

The place

Rørvikvågen Wildlife Sanctuary.

Protected area in Norway (Naturbase code: VV00001342)

Rørvikvågen Wildlife Sanctuary is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in Norway.

202 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 14,468 open records.

The most recorded are the Eurasian Curlew, the Common Loon and the Eurasian Oystercatcher.

63 species come for the summer, 60 for the winter and 3 only pass through.

10 are threatened worldwide, including Horned Grebe, Velvet scoter and Long-tailed duck.

The most species are recorded from April to May and in September.

Rørvikvågen Wildlife Sanctuary seen from above (Sentinel-2)
Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 by EOX IT Services GmbH (contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data), CC BY 4.0, with relief shading from Copernicus WorldDEM-30

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.

Rørvikvågen Wildlife Sanctuary 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

  • 1viewpoints within 5 km
  • 12car parks within 3 km
  • 2restaurants and cafés within 3 km
  • 4places to stay within 10 kmVigra fjordhotell, Alnes Gård, Gunnarbuda and 1 more
  • bird hides within 6 km
  • observation towers within 6 km
  • marked trails within 4 km
  • visitor centres within 6 km
  • campsites within 10 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 Rørvikvågen Wildlife Sanctuary.

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

Peakyas544 mountains within 25 km
Goaldet490 m · 6.9 kmAksla166 m · 12 kmMyklebosthornet329 m · 12 kmSukkertoppen, Heissa314 m · 13 kmTverrfjellet777 m · 18 kmBergetindane620 m · 20 kmHellandshornet · 21 kmFonnehesten540 m · 22 km
Coastya1 beaches within 10 km
Blimsanden · 2.7 km
Lakeyas2 lakes within 15 km
Alnesvatnet0.5 km² · 12 kmSøvikvatnet0.3 km² · 13 km

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

Other places nearby.

Rørvikvågen Wildlife Sanctuary

Norway

  • 86Birdyas Score
  • 202Species
  • 126Migrants
  • 10Threatened

Rørvikvatnet Nature Reserve

Norway · 3 km

  • 87Birdyas Score
  • 245Species
  • 137Migrants
  • 15Threatened

See the guide

Blindheimsvik Wildlife Sanctuary

Norway · 3 km

  • 87Birdyas Score
  • 242Species
  • 135Migrants
  • 15Threatened

See the guide

Giske Wetlands System

Norway · 1 km

  • 86Birdyas Score
  • 220Species
  • 126Migrants
  • 14Threatened

See the guide

Where these figures come from

Name and typeWikidata (Q11998925) · CC0
Birds14,468 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, Islandyas, Coastya, Lakeyas

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.