Finland Ramsar wetland
Vanhankaupunginselkä
318 bird species recorded; the most in May, from September to October and in December.
Coen · CC BY-SA 4.0
This month here
138 species in January.123 species in February.150 species in March.201 species in April.235 species in May.201 species in June.200 species in July.188 species in August.227 species in September.229 species in October.173 species in November.240 species in December.
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.
NT
NT
NT
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NTNT
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NT- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
318 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 318Speciesrecorded more than once
- 208Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 13ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 657,315Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 18Raptors
- 10Owls
- 37Waders
- 29Gulls & seabirds
- 39Ducks & geese
- 8Herons, ibises & grebes
- 3Storks & cranes
- 142Songbirds
- 32Other 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 318 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors18 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
- White-tailed EagleHaliaeetus albicilla
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- European HobbyFalco subbuteo
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Common BuzzardButeo buteo
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus
- Rough-legged BuzzardButeo lagopus
- MerlinFalco columbarius
- European Honey-buzzardPernis apivorus
- Pallid HarrierCircus macrourusNT
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- Black KiteMilvus migrans
- Greater spotted eagleAquila clanga
- Golden EagleAquila chrysaetos
- Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargus
- Short-toed eagleCircaetus gallicus
Owls10 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Tawny OwlStrix aluco
- Northern Eagle OwlBubo bubo
- Long-eared OwlAsio otus
- Eurasian Pygmy-OwlGlaucidium passerinum
- Tengmalm's OwlAegolius funereus
- Great Grey OwlStrix nebulosa
- Northern Hawk-OwlSurnia ulula
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
- Ural OwlStrix uralensis
- Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusVU
Waders37 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
- Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusNT
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- RuffCalidris pugnax
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- RedshankTringa totanus
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- Spotted RedshankTringa erythropus
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticola
- Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- European Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria
- Temminck's StintCalidris temminckii
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- Little StintCalidris minuta
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus
- Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
- Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
- Broad-billed SandpiperCalidris falcinellusVU
- Great SnipeGallinago mediaNT
- Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotos
- Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatus
- Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta
- Terek SandpiperXenus cinereus
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Buff-breasted SandpiperCalidris subruficollisVU
- Little ringed ploverCharadrius dubius
- Black-winged PratincoleGlareola nordmanniNT
Gulls & seabirds29 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Common GullLarus canus
- European Herring GullLarus argentatus
- Common TernSterna hirundo
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
- Arctic TernSterna paradisaea
- Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia
- Little GullHydrocoloeus minutus
- Black-throated DiverGavia arctica
- Black GuillemotCepphus grylle
- Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreus
- Red-throated LoonGavia stellata
- Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus
- Pontic gullLarus cachinnans
- Common MurreUria aalge
- Black TernChlidonias niger
- Little TernSternula albifrons
- Iceland GullLarus glaucoides
- Black-legged kittiwakeRissa tridactylaVU
- Yellow-billed DiverGavia adamsiiNT
- RazorbillAlca torda
- Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis
- Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
- Little AukAlle alle
- Brünnich's GuillemotUria lomvia
- Pomarine SkuaStercorarius pomarinus
- Arctic SkuaStercorarius parasiticus
- Common LoonGavia immer
Ducks & geese39 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis
- Mute SwanCygnus olor
- GoosanderMergus merganser
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
- Common EiderSomateria mollissimaNT
- Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
- Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- Greylag GooseAnser anser
- GadwallMareca strepera
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
- Long-tailed duckClangula hyemalisVU
- Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
- SmewMergellus albellus
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons
- Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
- GarganeySpatula querquedula
- Common ScoterMelanitta nigra
- Velvet scoterMelanitta fuscaVU
- Greater ScaupAythya marila
- Taiga Bean GooseAnser fabalis
- Brent GooseBranta bernicla
- American WigeonMareca americana
- King EiderSomateria spectabilis
- Tundra Bean GooseAnser serrirostris
- Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna
- Red-breasted GooseBranta ruficollisVU
- Mandarin DuckAix galericulata
- Red-crested pochardNetta rufina
- Bewick's SwanCygnus columbianus
- Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus
- Steller's EiderPolysticta stelleriVU
- Bar-headed GooseAnser indicus
- Blue-winged TealSpatula discors
- Ferruginous DuckAythya nyrocaNT
Herons, ibises & grebes8 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Eurasian BitternBotaurus stellaris
- Horned GrebePodiceps auritusVU
- Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegena
Storks & cranes3 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common CraneGrus grus
- White StorkCiconia ciconia
- Black storkCiconia nigra
Songbirds142 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Great titParus major
- Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
- Eurasian Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
- European GreenfinchChloris chloris
- Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus
- Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
- Common RedpollAcanthis flammea
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
- Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- European RobinErithacus rubecula
- Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
- FieldfareTurdus pilaris
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleuca
- Eurasian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- Eurasian MagpiePica pica
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- WhitethroatSylvia communis
- Western JackdawColoeus monedula
- Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- Garden WarblerSylvia borin
- Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanus
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- Lesser whitethroatSylvia curruca
- YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- Coal TitPeriparus ater
- Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulus
- Common RosefinchCarpodacus erythrinus
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- Red-backed ShrikeLanius collurio
- Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
- Eurasian TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
- Willow TitPoecile montanus
- WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
- Thrush NightingaleLuscinia luscinia
- Northern RavenCorvus corax
- Tree PipitAnthus trivialis
- Marsh warblerAcrocephalus palustris
- Northern NutcrackerNucifraga caryocatactes
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- Eurasian JayGarrulus glandarius
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- Common LinnetLinaria cannabina
- BramblingFringilla montifringilla
- Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
- BluethroatLuscinia svecica
- Bearded ReedlingPanurus biarmicus
- Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibillatrix
- Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- Common crossbillLoxia curvirostra
- Icterine warblerHippolais icterina
- Blyth’s Reed WarblerAcrocephalus dumetorum
- European Crested TitLophophanes cristatus
- Lanius excubitorLanius excubitor
- Pine GrosbeakPinicola enucleator
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- HawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustes
- Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaea
- Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalis
- Great Reed WarblerAcrocephalus arundinaceus
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- Red-throated PipitAnthus cervinus
- Arctic RedpollAcanthis hornemanni
- Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
- White-throated DipperCinclus cinclus
- Common Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia
- White-winged CrossbillLoxia leucoptera
- Red-breasted flycatcherFicedula parva
- Marsh TitPoecile palustris
- TwiteLinaria flavirostris
- Citrine WagtailMotacilla citreola
- Savi's WarblerLocustella luscinioides
- Barred WarblerSylvia nisoria
- Parrot CrossbillLoxia pytyopsittacus
- Ortolan buntingEmberiza hortulana
- Eurasian River WarblerLocustella fluviatilis
- Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
- Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicus
- European SerinSerinus serinus
- Eurasian Penduline TitRemiz pendulinus
- Common FirecrestRegulus ignicapilla
- Black-throated Dark-throated ThrushTurdus atrogularis
- Shore LarkEremophila alpestris
- Azure TitCyanistes cyanus
- Brown ShrikeLanius cristatus
- Greenish WarblerPhylloscopus trochiloides
- Ring OuzelTurdus torquatus
- Isabelline wheatearOenanthe isabellina
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- WoodlarkLullula arborea
- Yellow-browed WarblerPhylloscopus inornatus
- Pallas's Leaf WarblerPhylloscopus proregulus
- Eurasian Golden OrioleOriolus oriolus
- European Rock PipitAnthus petrosus
- Crested larkGalerida cristata
- Hume’s leaf-warblerPhylloscopus humei
- Rustic BuntingEmberiza rusticaNT
- Dusky warblerPhylloscopus fuscatus
- European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
- Double-barred FinchTaeniopygia bichenovii
- Little BuntingEmberiza pusilla
- Collared FlycatcherFicedula albicollis
- Siberian stonechatSaxicola maurus
- Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos
- Lesser Grey ShrikeLanius minor
- Red-faced Crimson-wingCryptospiza reichenovii
- Radde’s warblerPhylloscopus schwarzi
- Plum-headed FinchNeochmia modesta
- Siberian AccentorPrunella montanella
- Blyth’s PipitAnthus godlewskii
- Grey-banded MannikinLonchura vana
- Taiga FlycatcherFicedula albicilla
- Greater Short-toed LarkCalandrella brachydactyla
- Red-flanked BluetailTarsiger cyanurus
- Desert WarblerSylvia nana
- Lanceolated WarblerLocustella lanceolata
- Red-backed MannikinLonchura nigriceps
- Desert wheatearOenanthe deserti
- Booted WarblerIduna caligata
- White-throated CanaryCrithagra albogularis
- Eastern Subalpine WarblerCurruca cantillans
- Siberian TitPoecile cinctus
- Tawny PipitAnthus campestris
- Western Bonelli's WarblerPhylloscopus bonelli
- Red-winged PytiliaPytilia phoenicoptera
- Green-winged PytiliaPytilia melba
- Star FinchNeochmia ruficauda
- Pin-tailed ParrotfinchErythrura prasina
- Black-throated AccentorPrunella atrogularis
- Richard's PipitAnthus richardi
Other birds32 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
- Stock DoveColumba oenas
- European SwiftApus apus
- Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- CootFulica atra
- Lesser Spotted WoodpeckerDryobates minor
- Black WoodpeckerDryocopus martius
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- White-backed WoodpeckerDendrocopos leucotos
- WryneckJynx torquilla
- European Water RailRallus aquaticus
- Grey-headed WoodpeckerPicus canus
- Common CuckooCuculus canorus
- Eurasian Three-toed WoodpeckerPicoides tridactylus
- Corncrake, corn crakeCrex crex
- Black GrouseLyrurus tetrix
- Spotted CrakePorzana porzana
- European NightjarCaprimulgus europaeus
- Grey PartridgePerdix perdix
- Hazel GrouseTetrastes bonasia
- European Turtle DoveStreptopelia turturVU
- Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- Laughing DoveSpilopelia senegalensis
- Western CapercaillieTetrao urogallus
- Porzana parvaPorzana parva
- Willow PtarmiganLagopus lagopus
- Common QuailCoturnix coturnix
- Pallid SwiftApus pallidus
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species in May, from September to October and in December.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan-1°/-4°56 mm
- Feb-2°/-6°45 mm
- Mar0°/-3°42 mm
- Apr5°/1°40 mm
- May11°/6°48 mm
- Jun16°/11°66 mm
- Jul20°/16°59 mm
- Aug19°/15°71 mm
- Sep15°/12°63 mm
- Oct9°/6°80 mm
- Nov4°/2°75 mm
- Dec1°/-2°67 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Vanhankaupunginselkä.
Bay in Helsinki, Finland
Vanhankaupunginselkä is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in Finland.
318 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 657,315 open records.
The most recorded are the Great tit, the Sedge Warbler and the Eurasian Blue Tit.
130 species come for the summer, 66 for the winter and 12 only pass through.
13 are threatened worldwide, including Long-tailed duck, Common Pochard and Velvet scoter.
The most species are recorded in May, from September to October and in December.
Get there and watch
- Rastila Camping Helsinkicampsite · 6.7 km · 16 within 10 km
- Park Hotel Käpyläplace to stay · 3.2 km · 116 within 10 km
- Arabianrantanearest town · 1.4 km in a straight line
- Helsinki Vantaa Airport (HEL)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 13 km in a straight lineCar hire at HEL airport (Helsinki)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
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.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- 16bird hides within 6 kmKivinokan lintulava, Lammassaaren esteetön lintulava, Lammassaaren lintutorni and 13 more
- 4observation towers within 6 kmPornaistenniemen lintutorni, Purolahden lintutorni, Näköalatorni and 1 more
- 10marked trails within 4 kmLuontopolku Puumerkkipolku, Longinojan luontopolku, Luonnon syli -luontopolku and 7 more
- 10visitor centres within 6 kmINFO, Helsingin matkailuneuvonta, Italian kulttuuri-instituutti and 7 more
- 76viewpoints within 5 kmMölylän kallio, Viikinkikallio, Sinisen huvilan kahvila and 73 more
- 1,009car parks within 3 km
- 427restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 16campsites within 10 kmRastila Camping Helsinki, Käärmesaaren keittokatos and 14 more
- 116places to stay within 10 kmPark Hotel Käpylä, Holiday Inn Helsinki - Messukeskus, Hilton Helsinki Strand and 113 more
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around Vanhankaupunginselkä.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Peakyas14 mountains within 25 kmTaivaskallio · 3.5 kmSiltavuori · 3.7 kmTähtitorninvuori · 5.1 kmhighest hill in Helsinki62 m · 7.1 kmVuosaarenhuippu61 m · 9.5 kmKonkoonkalliot82 m · 21 kmHummelviksberget · 24 kmPetbergen · 24 km
Lakeyas2 lakes within 15 kmSilvola reservoir0.5 km² · 10 kmPitkäjärvi1.6 km² · 15 km
Darkskyas2 dark-sky places within 30 kmHelsinki University ObservatoryBortle 9 · 5.0 kmUrsa ObservatoryBortle 8 · 5.5 km
Cavernyas1 caves within 20 kmLemminkäinen's Temple · 19 km
Cascadyas1 waterfalls within 15 kmStrömberginkoski3 m · 7.8 km
Riveryasthe river nearbyVantaa River101 kmMätäjoki
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Photographs
The place, as people saw it.
Other places nearby.
Vanhankaupunginselkä
Finland
- 89Birdyas Score
- 318Species
- 208Migrants
- 13Threatened
Haapsalu-Noarootsi Wetland Complex
Estonia · 147 km
- 75Birdyas Score
- 188Species
- 122Migrants
- 5Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q3115516) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 657,315 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
| Sister atlases | Peakyas, Coastya, Lakeyas, Darkskyas, Cavernyas, Cascadyas, Riveryas |
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.
beaches
Find your beach: sea temperature, sun and swimming month by month.Visit lakes
Every lake on Earth: water temperature, ice, depth and the shore.Visit mountains
Every summit in 3D: summit weather, the 0 °C line, huts and trails.Visit waterfalls
Every waterfall: height, flow month by month and when it roars.Visit 
islands
Every island from the sea up: size, sea temperature, ferries and 3D.Visit rivers
Every river from source to sea: the journey, the flow and the basin in numbers.Visit 
canyons
Every canyon cut to scale: depth to the floor, rim and floor temperatures, trails and viewpoints.Visit caves
Every cave with its real depth and length: the rock above, the temperature inside all year, and how to visit.Visit dark skies
Where the night is still dark: the sky of every place, the Milky Way month by month, the Moon, eclipses and auroras.Visit 
viewpoints
Every viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit 
birdwatching
Every bird sanctuary and wetland with the species recorded month by month: who is resident, who comes for the summer, who only passes through.You are here
forests
Every forest with its land-cover rings, what grows and lives in it, and the best months to walk it.Coming soonVisit