244 migratory birds in Germany

table of contents

What are migratory birds?
Long-distance migrant
Migratory bird species from A to O.
From P to Z
Short and medium distance migrants
Migratory bird species from A to L.
From M to Z
Mixed forms
Migratory birds in Germany: Partial migrants
Migratory birds as winter guests in Germany
frequently asked Questions

All the birds are already there... but which birds actually fly away in winter? We introduce you to 244 known migratory birds in Germany.

In a nutshell

move to another place for a certain period of time
short-haul migrants depending on the distance; Long-distance migrants and partial migrants
Germany as winter quarters for some migratory birds from the north

What are migratory birds?

There are an estimated 50 billion migratory birds worldwide. These are all birds that leave their breeding areas after the breeding season, move to another place and fly back to their breeding area for the new breeding season. When and where the migratory birds leave depends on the species. Migratory birds in Germany usually fly to warmer regions in the south at the beginning of the cold season. The migratory birds cover different distances. A distinction is made depending on the distance

Resident birds
Stroke birds
Partial puller
Long-distance migrants (about 2/3 of the migratory birds in Germany)
Short- and medium-distance migrants (about 1/3 of the migratory birds in Germany)

Note: In order to save energy, the birds often fly in the typical V-formation. Weaker members fly in the slipstream and thus receive a small boost.

Long-distance migrant

Long-distance migrants are migratory birds that travel particularly long distances, often several thousand kilometers. Besides, they fly

mostly at night
alone, rarely in flocks
at fixed flight times (to the exact day)

Because of the long distance that is covered, long-distance riders move south in late summer or early autumn and only come back late in spring. Typical representatives of this group are:

Migratory bird species from A to O.

Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba)
Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostraleguss)
White wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Tree falcon (Falco subbuteo)
Tree pipit (Anthus trivialis)
Common Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
Scallops (Aythya marila)
Mountain Finch (Fringilla montifringilla)
Mountain Warbler (Phylloscopus bonelli)
Tasmanian tit (Remiz pendulinus)
Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)
Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)
Common pipit (Anthus campestris)
Whinchat (saxicola rubetra)
Blackcap (Sylvia communis)
Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus)

Great Reed Warbler on branch — The reed warbler often covers long distances in autumn.

Dark Shearwater (Puffinus griseus)
Dark water strider (Tringa erythropus)
Hawk sku (Stercorarius longicaudus)
Feldschwirl (Locustella naevia)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Little ringed plover (Charadrius dubius)
Common tern (Sterna hirundo)
Garden warbler (Sylvia borin)
Common redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)
Yellow-brown warbler (Phylloscopus inornatus)
Yellow-headed wagtail (Motacilla flava)
Yellow Mockers (Hippolais icterina)
Gray-breasted Sandpipers (Calidris melanotos)
Graycatcher (Muscicapa striata)
Green Warbler (Phylloscopus trochiloides)
Ruff (Philomachus pugnax)
Carrion Pickle (Carpodacus erythrinus)
Lapwing Ringed Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
Rattlecap (Sylvia curruca)
Little Moorhen (Porzana parva)
Teal duck (Anas querquedula)
Knutt (Calidris canutus)
Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)
Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea)
Salmon tern (Gelochelidon nilotica)
Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Common Swift (Apus apus)
House martin (Delichon urbica)
Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos)
Night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio)
Odin's Grouse (Phalaropus lobatus)
Orpheusspötter (Hippolais polyglotta)
Ortolan (Emberiza hortulana)

flying swift as a migratory bird species — Common swifts are seen in Germany.

From P to Z

Common godwit (Limosa lapponica)
Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus)
Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)
Predatory tern (Sterna caspia)
Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
Brent Goose (Branta bernicla)
Rohrschwirl (Locustella luscinioides)
Red-footed falcon (Falco vespertinus)
Red necked goose (Branta ruficollis)
European red-throated pipit (Anthus cervinus)
Red headed shrike (Lanius senator)
Redshank (Tringa totanus)
Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
Sanderling (Calidris alba)
Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
Schlagschwirl (Locustella fluviatilis)
Arctic Skua (Stercorarius parasiticus)
Lesser Spotted Eagle (Aquila pomarina)
Black kite (Milvus migrans)
Black stork (Ciconia nigra)
Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)
Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola)
Swallow Gull (Xema sabini)
Spatula sku (Stercorarius pomarinus)
Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)

Sparrowhawk on tree trunk — Sparrowhawks are also migratory birds.

Sparrowhawk Warbler (Sylvia nisoria)
Spurhammer (Calcarius lapponicus)
Spur pipit (Anthus richardi)
Sprout (Luscinia luscinia)
Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)
Stilt (himantopus himantopus)
Marsh Sandpiper (Limicola falcinellus)
Marsh Warbler (Acrocephalus palustris)
Reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
Pond sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis)
Temminck sandpiper (Calidris temminckii)
Thor's Grouse (Phalaropus fulicarius)
Pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca)
Black Tern (Chlidonias niger)
Spotted Moorhen (Porzana porzana)
Turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur)
Sand martin (Riparia riparia)
Quail (Coturnix coturnix)
Corn Corn (Crex crex)
Wood warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix)
Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Whiskered tern (Chlidonias hybrida)
White-winged tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)
White stork (Ciconia ciconia)
Wave runner (Oceanodroma leucorhoa)
Reversible neck (Jynx torquilla)
Honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus)
Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
Meadow pipit (Anthis pratensis)
Montagu's Harrier (Circus pygargus)
Goat milker (Caprimulgus europaeus)
Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
Little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)
Little goose (Anser erythropus)
Little tern (Sternula albifrons)
Pygmy sandpiper (Calidris minuta

Chiffchaff on branch — The little chiffchaff also flies south in winter.

Short and medium distance migrants

Short-distance migrants, on the other hand, rarely cover more than 2000 kilometers. They spend most of their winters in

Southern Europe
Western Europe
Mediterranean areas

Migratory birds of this type depend on the climate. The milder the winter, the later they move south. Because of the comparatively short distance, short-distance migrants can be found in Germany earlier in spring than long-distance migrants.

Note: If the winter is particularly mild, some short-range migratory birds do not even move south. Like cranes, they simply stay in Germany.

Short-distance migrants are:

Migratory bird species from A to L.

Alpenbraunelle (Prunella collaris)
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
Bearded tit (Panurus biarmicus)
Northern gannet (Morus bassanus
Mountain Pipit (Anthus spinoletta)
Coot (Fulica atra)
Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Jackdaw (Corvus monedula)
Eider (Somateria mollissima)
Long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis)
Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Rock tern (Ptyonoprogne rupestris)
Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)

Crossbill on spruce — Crossbills are more likely to be found in the south in winter.

Goosander (Mergus merganser)
Gray wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)
Serinus serinus
Goldenhammer (Emberiza citrinella)
Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)
Greylag goose (Anser anser)
Gray heron (ardea cinerea)
Curlew (Numenius arquata)
Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
Dunnock (Prunella modularis)
Woodlark (Lullula arborea)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Stock dove (Columba oenas)
Great tit (Parus major)
Pochard (Netta rufina)
Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Hen harrier (Circus cyaneus)
Crane (grus grus)
Short-billed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus)

flying crane as a migratory bird living in Germany — Cranes are typical short-range migrants.

From M to Z

Common buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Sandpiper (Calidris maritima)
Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
Mediterranean seagull (Larus michahellis)
Middle saw (Mergus serrator)
Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
Black ringed plover (Charadrius morinellus)
Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)
Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Black-throated diver (Gavia arctica)
Gray shrike (Lanius excubitor)
Ring Thrush (Turdus torquatus)
Bittern (botaurus stellaris)
Redwing (Turdus iliacus)
Red kite (Milvus milvus)
Velvet duck (Melanitta fusca)
Common golden-headed duck (Bucephala clangula)
Gadder Duck (Anas strepera)
Tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)
Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
Black-headed gull (Larus melanocephalus)
White-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Song thrush (Turdus philomelos)
Golden Grouse (Regulus ignicapilla)
Pintail (anas acuta)
Red-throated diver (Gavia stellata)
Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)
Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Coal Tit (Periparus ater)
Guillemot (Uria aalge)
Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)
Zippammer (Emberiza cia)
Little Gull (Larus minutus)
Dwarf slayer (Mergellus albellus)
Miniature Flycatcher (Ficedula parva)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

black and red little grebe in the water — The conspicuous little grebe is also one of the migratory birds in Germany.

Mixed forms

There are also some species of migratory birds that are both short- and long-range migrants. Where the respective birds ultimately settle depends on factors such as temperature or the region. This group includes in particular:

Sandwich tern (Sterna sandvicensis)
Wood sandpiper (Tringa glareola)
Common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
Gray bunting (Emberiza calandra)
Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
Black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
Lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus)
Moor duck (Aythya nyroca)
Marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
Whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus)
Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
Black godwit (Limosa limosa)
Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola)
Wood sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)
Miniature snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus)
Little Swan (Cygnus columbianus bewickii)

Woodcock as a migratory bird in Germany — How far the woodcock flies in autumn depends on the population.

Migratory birds in Germany: Partial migrants

But there are also bird species where only a few specimens move south. Depending on the bird species, region and temperature, these are, for example, only the females or individual groups. The following birds that occur in Germany are among the participants:

European siskin (Acanthis cabaret)
White wagtail (Motacilla alba)
European siskin (Carduelis flammea)
Blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
Siskin (Spinus spinus)
Heckegirlitze (Serinus serinus)
Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)
Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Teal (Anas crecca)
Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus)
Reed bunting (Schoeniclus schoeniclus)
European robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Star (Sturnus vulgaris)
Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)

European robin on tree trunk — Not all robins leave us in winter.

Note: The names arealways only valid regionally. The robin is a short-range migrant in Northern Europe, but is already a resident bird in Central Europe.

Migratory birds as winter guests in Germany

But there are also migratory birds whose destination is Germany. They come mainly from Scandinavia, the Baltic States and Russia. Around 60 species of migratory birds are therefore only native to us during the cold season. These include:

Atlantic scoter (Melanitta nigra)
Mountain Hangfling (Carduelis flavirostris)
White-fronted goose (Anser albifrons)
Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla)
Common loon (Gavia always)
Black guillemot (Cepphus grylle)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
Merlin (Falco columbarius)
Northern European black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Bean goose (Anser fabalis)
Snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)
Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)
Rare: Crab Grebes (All All)
Skua (Stercorarius skua)
Steppe gull (Larus cachinnans)
Beach pipit (Anthus petrosus)
Blue jay (Nucifraga caryocatactes)
Dipper (Cinclus cinclus)
Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis)

Waxwing as a migratory bird in winter in Germany — We can usually only admire the beautiful waxwing as a winter guest.

Note: Some of the short-distance migrants are also winter guests, as northern species of the same population only travel a short distance to Germany.

frequently asked Questions

Why do migratory birds fly to warmer areas?

Migratory birds per se do not mind the cold, but the natural food supply becomes scarcer in winter. This is because most insects hide behind tree bark or in the ground in winter so that the birds can no longer reach them. In order to have enough food, they then have to move to warmer regions where insects can still be found.

How do migratory birds find their way to their winter quarters and back again?

That has not been conclusively clarified. The most popular theory, however, is that migratory birds use their own magnetic sense to orient themselves to the earth's magnetic field. In addition, the birds probably recognize certain points in the landscape. This means that their nests can be found again without any problems after their return.

How long and far do migratory birds fly?

It depends on the type. Flight routes and winter quarters vary between the individual migratory birds. The longest flight was recorded in October 2020. A common godwit covered over 12,000 kilometers.

How do the migratory birds know when it will be warm again in Germany?

Migratory birds inherit this knowledge so that they intuitively know when it will be warmer again in Germany. However, you can also react spontaneously to unexpected weather situations when you are out and about. If the winter lasts a little longer in this country in about a year, the birds stop on the way and wait for warmer days.