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Germany Brandenburg

The state of Brandenburg lies in the northeast of Germany. Together with Berlin, city-state and federal capital, it is an important national and international metropolis and conurbation.

Brandenburg is among the geographically largest federal states of Germany with a total area of 29,476 km. It also has the longest external border - with an EU partner Poland - with a total length of some 250 km. Lying in the north German lowland, with a maximum height of 201 m ASL, its natural landscape forms were largely determined by the last ice age as is still obvious today. The main countryside characteristics are open lowlands with few large woodland areas. There are some 3,000 lakes, 33,000 km of rivers and canals, and important wetland areas such as the Oder Valley and the Spreewald. RAMSAR wetlands of international importance include the Lower Oder Valley, the Peitz ponds complex and the Lower Havel with Gülper Lake. Despite widespread settlement and urbanisation, mainly in the vicinity of the major towns and cities, Brandenburg still possesses a very diverse natural wildlife. At the end of 1998 state wide nature and landscape reserves covered some 1.2 million hectares.

Good birding areas are described in some detail below but mention should be made here briefly of some special Brandenburg features such as the last Great Bustard population in Northern Europe (currently some 120 individuals), the largest inland Common Crane roost in Europe and the congregation of thousands of Nordic Geese and swans in winter.

contributor

This provisional introduction was compiled and translated by David Conlin
Proact-Campaigns@online.de

useful information

State Bird

Great Bustard Otis tarda

clubs

Arbeitsgemeinschaft Berlin-Brandenburgischer Ornithologen (ABBO) im NABU

http://www.abbo-info.de/index.html
Founded in 1991, the ABBO - Arbeitsgemeinschaft Berlin- Brandenburg Ornithologists‘ Working Society serves as the common specialist committee for the NABU Brandenburg und Berlin state sections...

Federation of German Avifaunists (Dachverband Deutscher Avifaunisten e.V. - DDA)

http://www.dda-web.de
The Dachverband Deutscher Avifaunisten e.V. (DDA) is an umbrella organisation for all German avifaunists. The website contains a wealth of information about the DDA and its monitoring programmes. Here you will find advice and information on bird registration and recording projects, some initial results and completed publications, details of competent local contacts or up to date avifaunistic information and schedules.
(translation by David Conlin translations@david-conlin.de)

Society for the Promotion of Great Bustard Protection

http://www.grosstrappe.de/index.htm
The aim of the society is the initiation and promotion of measures and activities designed to support the conservation of the Great Bustard as breeding bird in a cultivated countryside in Brandenburg, rich in flora and fauna. The site (in German) gives an overview of the distribution,biolocy and relevant literature. It also has up to date news on the breeding population, provides information for visitors and sets out the aims and work of the society. Visitors who want to see the spectacular display at the start of the breeding season are advised to visit from mid-March to mid-May. The summer months are not good for observation as the birds extremely shy at this atage and, despite their size, can scarcelly be found in the high vegetation. In winter, with a little luck, small groups can be found on rapeseed oil fields. There is an information centre in the centre of the region at Buckow near Nennhausen which is annually open from the beginning of April to the end of May on weekends and public holidays (except Easter Sunday) between 10.00-13.00. See map of Eastern Brandenburg. Guided tours for groups can be arranged with sufficient advance notice (Tel.: +49 33878/60257 Fax: +49 033878/60600)

trip reports

Travelling Birder
http://www.travellingbirder.com
The Travellingbirder.com birding trip report search engine guides you to 7,000+ birding trip reports on the Internet. You can search for trip reports from a specific country and time of year. Not all these reports are in English. So, if you can’t find the trip report you want on this Fatbirder page… give them a try!

local guides

Chorin Nature Tours

http://www.chorin.de
National park "Unteres Odertal" - Here is the opportunity to watch rare species of birds or take a walk on the embarkments through the region...

mailing lists

ORNI-BB

http://de.groups.yahoo.com/group/orni-bb/
To post to list:Orni-BB@yahoogroups.de
List contact:Orni-BB-owner@yahoogroups.de
To subscribe to list:Orni-BB-subscribe@yahoogroups.de
This is a forum of the Berlin-Brandenburg and Berlin Ornithological Working Groups. It is designed to serve the exchange of information between ornithologists in the region. Please post information on interesting or unusual sightings, topical conservation themes, events and any other matters of interest to ornithologists and birdwatchers. The aim of the forum is the provision of rapid and up to date information and not the collation and archiving of observation data for later anaysis.

Dies ist ein Forum der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Berlin-Brandenburgischer Ornithologen und der Berliner Ornithologischen Arbeitsgemeinschaft. Es dient dem Informationsaustausch unter Ornithologen in der Region. Erwünscht sind Meldungen über interessante oder besondere Beobachtungen, aktuelle Naturschutzfragen, Veranstaltungshinweise, alles was Ornithologen interessiert. Ziel dieses Forums ist die schnelle Information, nicht die Sammlung und Archivierung von Beobachtungsdaten für die weitere Auswertung.