birding...

White Stork Ciconia ciconia ©Sue & Andy Tranter http://www.suesbirdphotos.co.uk/

Lithuania is rich with diverse landscapes, unique works of nature and a variety of habitats - a lot of marshes, meadows, old and wet forests, lakes and fishponds all of which are suitable for birdwatching. Lithuania`s amber coast - Curonian Spit with rolling sand dunes - make an indelible impression on many visitors. Also there are a lot of marshes and wet forest with old trees, suitable for rare species of woodpeckers.

Until recently, Lithuania was unknown territory to most Europeans. Before the 1990s, most ornithologists and conservationists certainly knew very little about it. They have only just begun to realize that Lithuania is wonderfully rich in bird fauna, including internationally significant populations of many species. Extensive areas of important wildlife habitats of outstanding importance in a European context are scattered throughout the country.

About 30% of Lithuania is forested, with over half of the forests containing middle-aged to old, mature timber. There are large tracts of wet forest, one of Europe`s scarcest habitats. With pine, birch and spruce being the dominant species, these mixed and coniferous forests hold a wonderful variety of birds. Well over 500 pairs of Black Storks nest in them and similar numbers of Lesser-Spotted Eagles. Black Grouse, Hazel hens, Black and Three-toed Woodpeckers are common in the appropriate habitat. The White-backed Woodpecker, which is declining over much of its European range, is still quite numerous. Northern forests are famous for their owls and those in Lithuania are no exception. Ural, Tengmalm`s and Pygmy Owls all breed.

A big part of Lithuania is farmed, but generally not in the intensive, highly mechanized way that is familiar to most of Western Europe. This means, for example that a third of the agricultural landscape consists of meadows and pastures; prime habitat for several thousand pairs of Corncrakes. White Storks are also a familiar sight in the countryside. They survive in areas of traditional farming, especially where these are close to wetlands. A recent estimate puts their population at 12,000 nesting pairs (some even breed in small colonies).

Two very rare European birds breed in the open sedge fens, these are the Aquatic Warbler (250-300 pairs) and the Great Snipe (200-300 pairs). Open fens and bogs are also home to the spectacular Crane, whose wild trumpeting calls are a prominent feature of this landscape. Lithuania has several hundred breeding pairs, and in autumn migrating flocks up to 3,000 cranes are regularly observed in some places. Plenty of old and wet forests create suitable conditions for rare species of woodpeckers (Three-toed, White-backed, Middle Spotted, Grey-headed and others, 9 species altogether). Birds such as Bitterns (800-1,000 pairs); Marsh Harries (2,500-3,500 pairs); and Black Terns (2,000-4,000) are abundant in more open marshland. Ospreys fish many lakes (30-40). White-tailed Eagle is increasing at 40-50 breeding pairs and up to 12 seen at one moment in winter.

Thirteen globally threatened bird species are found in Lithuania, five of them breed - Ferruginous Duck, White-tailed Eagle, Corncrake, Great Snipe and Aquatic Warbler. Regular flocks of Steller`s Eider over winter in the Baltic Sea.

The White Stork truly deserves its place as Lithuanian`s national bird. Whilst it has been declining rapidly in Western Europe during this century, the 5th European White Stork survey revealed that approximately 13,000 pairs bred in Lithuania. This is the highest known density of the species in the world.

The best periods for observations are:

Early spring (March, April) which is good for Steller`s Eider, Long-tailed Duck and other seabirds, as well as for owls, woodpeckers and grouse.

The Breeding season (May, June) which has the highest number (150-200) of species - at the end of May all the songbirds arrive.

In autumn (September, October) and spring (March, April) migration brings huge concentrations of geese, swans, ducks, cranes and other waterfowl, waders and passerines. Especially strong autumn migration is on the seacoast of Lithuania which forms a bottle-neck.