BIRDS OF BELGIUM

VOGELS VAN BELGIË

National bird: Kestrel

Birds of Belgium coded for abundance, breeding, migration, wintering, endemic, rare, etc.; 2000 pages on birds, nature, birdwatching, where to go birding, birds and nature pictures, nature conservation, equipment, bird feeding, etc. Welcome to the bird list of Belgium.

Belgium is home to an impressive number of species of birds that vary from residents, that stay all year around, to breeding birds, that spend a good part of the growing season in Belgium to raise their young, migrants who pass through Belgium with the seasons, to wintering birds who like to spend a good part of the winter in Belgium to escape colder conditions up north. While many species of birds are relatively common as they are part of the ecosystems of the state, it is always a thrill to stumble upon a rare bird or vagrant, that does not really form part of any the Belgium ecosystems. Maybe it got lost during its travels between its summer and winter residence or it got displaced by bad weather.

Among the species of the checklist of the birds of Belgium you can find waterfowl and wading birds, a large suite of song birds, raptors, game birds, swifts and nighthawks, etc., many of which occupy several ecosystems simultaneously, as they fly to and from forests, meadows, shorelines of waters, cities and and urban green spaces. At Birdlist, we have developed a coding system that can help you predict when you may expect a certain species, with a code for seasonality, such as resident, nesting, wintering, etc. A code for abundance will give you a clue on the likelihood that you may actually see a certain species of bird. As we progressed with the coding, we realized that there should be a differentiation in the coding for "common", such as less common, common and very common birds. However, this would require reliable quantative data, which for most states, are not revealed by the commission of bird records. We hope to provide those in the future. In the meantime, enjoy the current checklist of the birds of Belgium.

For years, I kept this website rather anonymous. But then it occurred to me that maybe, you, the visitor, would actually enjoy knowing who and what is behind all this. I am Daan Vreugdenhil, have a PhD in conservation ecology, and dedicated my career of 4 decades to the conservation of nature, for which I visited some 80 countries and learned 6 foreign languages, my native language being Dutch. I have always felt that conservation is a passion, not a profession.

As a child, my father would take me on the back of his bicycle into the meadows in Holland, where he taught me to identify birds and plants. I caught frogs, butterflies and lizards as pets (yes, most of those poor critters died shortly after). As a teenager, I joined a youth club for nature study, riding my bike every weekend with my fellow club members to nature reserves in the Netherlands where I grew up. Little wonder, when time came I studied ecology and natural resources management.

I guess, I never got over my love for nature, wild places, forests, deserts and wild animals. I still love hitting the trail, kayaking down a river, the wind in my ears when skiing down a slope or riding my speed bike. Often people ask me if I don't get tired of traveling. But how can one ever get tired of the beauty of the bright colours of Indian Fall, the thrill of an eagle soaring the sky, the thunder of Iguaçu Falls, the fragrance of a spring flower, a Sky Lark announcing spring, a herd of elephants roaming the plains. My entire life has been dedicated to the conservation of nature.

This website is my gift to you, so you can follow me in my passion and carry on the flame of conservation, the result of more than a decade of work for which I never got paid or never received any subsidy. If this website in any way was useful to you, then I invite you to make a donation to the Adopt A Ranger Foundation. The Adopt A Ranger Foundation is my latest contribution in my quest to save 10% of our planet as a home for animals and plants.

Welcome to Nature worldwide with the birds of this country or territory. You will find 2 tables. the first table explains the abundance and presence codes; the second table is the checklist of the birds. To learn about how we acquired the information, see our Methodology page. We have about 2000 pages, not only on birds but also on, mammals and national parks as well as nature related links by country. For the list of mammals or national parks of this country or for the links, press the link above. National Parks in developing countries need YOUR help. Learn more about the most important rescue effort ever made to rescue nature and about our crusade to rescue nature in the tropics from annihilation!.

Abundance Codes
D	Distribution range deducted from map, not actual record.
P	Present, abundance not determined.
C	Within its range, varying from common to occasional
O	Rare, wandered outside of its normal range but still may be expected from time to time. Normally between 10 - 100 records.
V	Vagrant, accidental, species far out of its normal distribution range. >10 observations.
I	Introduced species.
Q	Not verified.
X	Extinct.
XL	Extinct in country
Status of Permanence Codes
R	Resident, present year around.
N	Nests in the area but absent during part of the year.
M	Migrant, non-breeding. May spend a short period or the entire winter.
W	Wintering; stays in the area, while its primary nesting range is elsewhere.
E	National endemic.
*	National bird.
How to safe and print a list

BIRDS OF BELGIUM

OISEAUX DE LA BELGIQUE

VOGELS VAN BELGIË

XX	Species full name	Birds	Oiseaux	BE
	Coturnix coturnix	Common Quail	Caille des blés	D
	Perdix perdix	Grey Partridge	Perdrix grise	D
	Phasianus colchicus	Common Pheasant	Faisan de Colchide	D
	Tetrao tetrix	Black Grouse	Tétras lyre	D
	Anas acuta	Northern Pintail	Canard pilet	D
	Anas clypeata	Northern Shoveler	Canard souchet	D
	Anas crecca	Common Teal	Sarcelle d'hiver	D
	Anas penelope	Eurasian Wigeon	Canard siffleur	D
	Anas platyrhynchos	Mallard	Canard colvert	D
	Anas querquedula	Garganey	Sarcelle d'été	D
	Anas strepera	Gadwall	Canard chipeau	D
	Anser albifrons	Greater White-fronted Goose	Oie rieuse	D
	Anser anser	Greylag Goose	Oie cendrée	D
	Anser brachyrhynchus	Pink-footed Goose	Oie à bec court	D
	Anser fabalis	Bean Goose	Oie des moissons	D
	Aythya affinis	Lesser Scaup	Petit Fuligule	D
	Aythya ferina	Common Pochard	Fuligule milouin	D
	Aythya fuligula	Tufted Duck	Fuligule morillon	D
	Aythya marila	Greater Scaup	Fuligule milouinan	D
	Branta bernicla	Brent Goose	Bernache cravant	D
	Branta canadensis	Canada Goose	Bernache du Canada	D
	Branta leucopsis	Barnacle Goose	Bernache nonnette	D
	Bucephala clangula	Common Goldeneye	Garrot à oeil d'or	D
	Clangula hyemalis	Long-tailed Duck	Harelde kakawi	D
	Cygnus cygnus	Whooper Swan	Cygne chanteur	D
	Cygnus olor	Mute Swan	Cygne tuberculé	D
	Melanitta fusca	White-winged Scoter	Macreuse à ailes blanches	D
	Melanitta nigra	Black Scoter	Macreuse noire	D
	Mergellus albellus	Smew	Harle piette	D
	Somateria mollissima	Common Eider	Eider à duvet	D
	Tadorna tadorna	Common Shelduck	Tadorne de Belon	D
	Dendrocopos major	Great Spotted Woodpecker	Pic épeiche	D
	Dendrocopos minor	Lesser Spotted Woodpecker	Pic épeichette	D
	Dryocopus martius	Black Woodpecker	Pic noir	D
	Jynx torquilla	Eurasian Wryneck	Torcol fourmilier	D
	Picus viridis	Eurasian Green Woodpecker	Pic vert	D
	Alcedo atthis	Common Kingfisher	Martin-pêcheur d'Europe	D
	Cuculus canorus	Common Cuckoo	Coucou gris	D
	Apus apus	Common Swift	Martinet noir	D
	Tyto alba	Barn Owl	Effraie des clochers	D
	Asio flammeus	Short-eared Owl	Hibou des marais	D
	Asio otus	Long-eared Owl	Hibou moyen-duc	D
	Athene noctua	Little Owl	Chevêche d'Athéna	D
	Strix aluco	Tawny Owl	Chouette hulotte	D
	Caprimulgus europaeus	Eurasian Nightjar	Engoulevent d'Europe	D
	Columba oenas	Stock Pigeon	Pigeon colombin	D
	Columba palumbus	Common Wood-Pigeon	Pigeon ramier	D
	Streptopelia decaocto	Eurasian Collared-Dove	Tourterelle turque	D
	Streptopelia turtur	European Turtle-Dove	Tourterelle des bois	D
	Crex crex	Corn Crake	Râle des genêts	D
	Fulica atra	Common Coot	Foulque macroule	D
	Gallinula chloropus	Common Moorhen	Gallinule poule-d'eau	D
	Porzana porzana	Spotted Crake	Marouette ponctuée	D
	Rallus aquaticus	Water Rail	Râle d'eau	D
	Actitis hypoleucos	Common Sandpiper	Chevalier guignette	D
	Arenaria interpres	Ruddy Turnstone	Tournepierre à collier	D
	Calidris alba	Sanderling	Bécasseau sanderling	D
	Calidris alpina	Dunlin	Bécasseau variable	D
	Calidris canutus	Red Knot	Bécasseau maubèche	D
	Calidris maritima	Purple Sandpiper	Bécasseau violet	D
	Gallinago gallinago	Common Snipe	Bécassine des marais	D
	Limosa lapponica	Bar-tailed Godwit	Barge rousse	D
	Limosa limosa	Black-tailed Godwit	Barge à queue noire	D
	Lymnocryptes minimus	Jack Snipe	Bécassine sourde	D
	Numenius arquata	Eurasian Curlew	Courlis cendré	D
	Philomachus pugnax	Ruff	Combattant varié	D
	Scolopax rusticola	Eurasian Woodcock	Bécasse des bois	D
	Tringa erythropus	Spotted Redshank	Chevalier arlequin	D
	Tringa ochropus	Green Sandpiper	Chevalier cul-blanc	D
	Tringa totanus	Common Redshank	Chevalier gambette	D
	Charadrius alexandrinus	Kentish Plover	Pluvier à collier interrompu	D
	Charadrius dubius	Little Ringed Plover	Pluvier petit-gravelot	D
	Charadrius hiaticula	Common Ringed Plover	Pluvier grand-gravelot	D
	Haematopus ostralegus	Eurasian Oystercatcher	Huîtrier pie	D
	Pluvialis apricaria	European Golden-Plover	Pluvier doré	D
	Pluvialis squatarola	Grey Plover	Pluvier argenté	D
	Recurvirostra avosetta	Pied Avocet	Avocette élégante	D
	Vanellus vanellus	Northern Lapwing	Vanneau huppé	D
	Alca torda	Razorbill	Petit Pingouin	D
	Chlidonias niger	Black Tern	Guifette noire	D
	Fratercula arctica	Atlantic Puffin	Macareux moine	D
	Larus canus	Common Gull	Goéland cendré	D
	Larus fuscus	Lesser Black-backed Gull	Goéland brun	D
	Larus marinus	Great Black-backed Gull	Goéland marin	D
	Larus melanocephalus	Mediterranean Gull	Mouette mélanocéphale	D
	Larus minutus	Little Gull	Mouette pygmée	D
	Larus ridibundus	Black-headed Gull	Mouette rieuse	D
	Rissa tridactyla	Black-legged Kittiwake	Mouette tridactyle	D
	Sterna albifrons	Little Tern	Sterne naine	D
	Sterna hirundo	Common Tern	Sterne pierregarin	D
	Sterna paradisaea	Arctic Tern	Sterne arctique	D
	Sterna sandvicensis	Sandwich Tern	Sterne caugek	D
	Uria aalge	Common Murre	Guillemot marmette	D
	Accipiter gentilis	Northern Goshawk	Autour des palombes	D
	Accipiter nisus	Eurasian Sparrowhawk	Épervier d'Europe	D
	Buteo buteo	Common Buzzard	Buse variable	D
	Buteo lagopus	Rough-legged Hawk	Buse pattue	D
	Circus aeruginosus	Western Marsh-Harrier	Busard des roseaux	D
	Circus cyaneus	Northern Harrier	Busard Saint-Martin	D
	Circus pygargus	Montagu's Harrier	Busard cendré	D
	Milvus milvus	Red Kite	Milan royal	D
	Pernis apivorus	European Honey-buzzard	Bondrée apivore	D
	Falco columbarius	Merlin	Faucon émerillon	D
	Falco peregrinus	Peregrine Falcon	Faucon pèlerin	D
	Falco subbuteo	Eurasian Hobby	Faucon hobereau	D
	Falco tinnunculus	Common Kestrel	Faucon crécerelle	D
	Podiceps auritus	Horned Grebe	Grèbe esclavon	D
	Podiceps cristatus	Great Crested Grebe	Grèbe huppé	D
	Podiceps grisegena	Red-necked Grebe	Grèbe jougris	D
	Podiceps nigricollis	Black-necked Grebe	Grèbe à cou noir	D
	Tachybaptus ruficollis	Little Grebe	Grèbe castagneux	D
	Morus bassanus	Northern Gannet	Fou de Bassan	D
	Phalacrocorax carbo	Great Cormorant	Grand Cormoran	D
	Ardea cinerea	Grey Heron	Héron cendré	D
	Ardea purpurea	Purple Heron	Héron pourpré	D
	Botaurus stellaris	Great Bittern	Butor étoilé	D
	Ixobrychus minutus	Little Bittern	Blongios nain	D
	Nycticorax nycticorax	Black-crowned Night-Heron	Bihoreau gris	D
	Gavia arctica	Arctic Loon	Plongeon arctique	D
	Gavia immer	Common Loon	Plongeon huard	D
	Gavia stellata	Red-throated Loon	Plongeon catmarin	D
	Fulmarus glacialis	Northern Fulmar	Fulmar boréal	D
	Lanius collurio	Red-backed Shrike	Pie-grièche écorcheur	D
	Lanius excubitor	Northern Shrike	Pie-grièche grise	D
	Corvus corone	Carrion Crow	Corneille noire	D
	Corvus frugilegus	Rook	Corbeau freux	D
	Corvus monedula	Eurasian Jackdaw	Choucas des tours	D
	Garrulus glandarius	Eurasian Jay	Geai des chênes	D
	Oriolus oriolus	Eurasian Golden-Oriole	Loriot d'Europe	D
	Pica pica	Black-billed Magpie	Pie bavarde	D
	Bombycilla garrulus	Bohemian Waxwing	Jaseur boréal	D
	Cinclus cinclus	White-throated Dipper	Cincle plongeur	D
	Erithacus rubecula	European Robin	Rougegorge familier	D
	Ficedula hypoleuca	European Pied Flycatcher	Gobemouche noir	D
	Luscinia megarhynchos	Common Nightingale	Rossignol philomèle	D
	Luscinia svecica	Bluethroat	Gorgebleue à miroir	D
	Muscicapa striata	Spotted Flycatcher	Gobemouche gris	D
	Oenanthe oenanthe	Northern Wheatear	Traquet motteux	D
	Phoenicurus ochruros	Black Redstart	Rougequeue noir	D
	Phoenicurus phoenicurus	Common Redstart	Rougequeue à front blanc	D
	Saxicola rubetra	Whinchat	Tarier des prés	D
	Saxicola torquata	Common Stonechat	Tarier pâtre	D
	Turdus iliacus	Redwing	Grive mauvis	D
	Turdus merula	Eurasian Blackbird	Merle noir	D
	Turdus philomelos	Song Thrush	Grive musicienne	D
	Turdus pilaris	Fieldfare	Grive litorne	D
	Turdus viscivorus	Mistle Thrush	Grive draine	D
	Sturnus vulgaris	Common Starling	Étourneau sansonnet	D
	Sitta europaea	Wood Nuthatch	Sittelle torchepot	D
	Certhia brachydactyla	Short-toed Tree-Creeper	Grimpereau des jardins	D
	Troglodytes troglodytes	Winter Wren	Troglodyte mignon	D
	Cyanistes caeruleus	European Blue Tit	Mésange bleue	D
	Lophophanes cristatus	Crested Tit	Mésange huppée	D
	Parus major	Great Tit	Mésange charbonnière	D
	Periparus ater	Coal Tit	Mésange noire	D
	Poecile montanus	Willow Tit	Mésange boréale	D
	Poecile palustris	Marsh Tit	Mésange nonnette	D
	Aegithalos caudatus	Long-tailed Tit	Mésange à longue queue	D
	Delichon urbica	Northern House-Martin	Hirondelle de fenêtre	D
	Hirundo rustica	Barn Swallow	Hirondelle rustique	D
	Riparia riparia	Sand Martin	Hirondelle de rivage	D
	Regulus ignicapillus	Firecrest	Roitelet triple-bandeau	D
	Regulus regulus	Goldcrest	Roitelet huppé	D
	Acrocephalus arundinaceus	Great Reed-Warbler	Rousserolle turdoïde	D
	Acrocephalus palustris	Marsh Warbler	Rousserolle verderolle	D
	Acrocephalus schoenobaenus	Sedge Warbler	Phragmite des joncs	D
	Acrocephalus scirpaceus	Eurasian Reed-Warbler	Rousserolle effarvatte	D
	Cettia cetti	Cetti's Warbler	Bouscarle de Cetti	D
	Hippolais icterina	Icterine Warbler	Hypolaïs ictérine	D
	Locustella luscinioides	Savi's Warbler	Locustelle luscinioïde	D
	Locustella naevia	Common Grasshopper-Warbler	Locustelle tachetée	D
	Panurus biarmicus	Bearded Parrotbill	Panure à moustaches	D
	Phylloscopus collybita	Eurasian Chiffchaff	Pouillot véloce	D
	Phylloscopus sibilatrix	Wood Warbler	Pouillot siffleur	D
	Phylloscopus trochilus	Willow Warbler	Pouillot fitis	D
	Sylvia atricapilla	Blackcap	Fauvette à tête noire	D
	Sylvia borin	Garden Warbler	Fauvette des jardins	D
	Sylvia communis	Common Whitethroat	Fauvette grisette	D
	Sylvia curruca	Lesser Whitethroat	Fauvette babillarde	D
	Alauda arvensis	Sky Lark	Alouette des champs	D
	Eremophila alpestris	Horned Lark	Alouette hausse-col	D
	Galerida cristata	Crested Lark	Cochevis huppé	D
	Lullula arborea	Wood Lark	Alouette lulu	D
	Anthus campestris	Tawny Pipit	Pipit rousseline	D
	Anthus petrosus	Rock Pipit	Pipit maritime	D
	Anthus pratensis	Meadow Pipit	Pipit farlouse	D
	Anthus spinoletta	Water Pipit	Pipit spioncelle	D
	Anthus trivialis	Tree Pipit	Pipit des arbres	D
	Motacilla alba	White Wagtail	Bergeronnette grise	D
	Motacilla cinerea	Grey Wagtail	Bergeronnette des ruisseaux	D
	Motacilla flava	Yellow Wagtail	Bergeronnette printanière	D
	Passer domesticus	House Sparrow	Moineau domestique	D
	Passer montanus	Eurasian Tree Sparrow	Moineau friquet	D
	Prunella modularis	Hedge Accentor	Accenteur mouchet	D
	Coccothraustes coccothraustes	Hawfinch	Gros-bec casse-noyaux	D
	Fringilla coelebs	Chaffinch	Pinson des arbres	D
	Fringilla montifringilla	Brambling	Pinson du Nord	D

Thank you for visiting Nature Worldwide on Belgium. In this linked net of country pages you can find lists of birds, nature, mammals and national parks. Birds of Belgium provides a checklist of the birds of Belgium. It is a complete birdlist or bird list listing all the birds of Belgium in ornithological taxonomic order. In Nature of Belgium you can find nature related websites, like on birding, birdwatching, general ornithology, nature, nature conservation, national parks, protected areas, nature reserves, etc. In Mammals of Belgium you can find the list of the mammals of Belgium in taxonomic order. National parks, Nature reserves and Protected areas of Belgium provides you with list of all the national parks and other protected areas of Belgium. Click on the following links for our web pages on Belgium. http://www.birdlist.org/belgium.htm http://www.nature-worldwide.info/belgium.htm http://www.mammals-worldwide.info/belgium.htm http://www.nationalparks-worldwide.info/belgium.htm