European Birdwatching Days 2025 this weekend. Join the bird count!

The Polish Society for the Protection of Birds invites everyone to ornithological walks taking place all over Poland between 3–5 October 2025. Organized as part of European Birdwatching Days, the event is not only a wonderful way to spend time in nature, but also an important scientific mission.

European Birdwatching Days – not by chance in autumn

The beginning of October is a particularly active period in the kingdom of Polish birds. Migratory species prepare for their ritual journeys – some travel only a few hundred kilometers, while others fly far beyond the sea. The first flocks can already be seen in the sky, while groups of other travelers are conducting their final drills in summer habitats. This is the best time to observe them and… count them.

European Birdwatching Days (EBD) are a traditional opportunity to collect information on species observed in Poland in autumn. Both guides of ornithological trips and all individual participants of the walks can fill out a special electronic report to share their observations. The Quick Report form and the Electronic Observation Card are available at otop.org.pl.

Why is this important? Counting birds is one of the key elements of monitoring Polish populations. The results are an important bioindicator, showing the state of the natural environment and the changes occurring within it. According to ecologists, birds respond to pollution and habitat degradation faster than many other species, which means that analyzing their numbers in a given area can serve as an early warning system.

Kingfisher in the spotlight

The ambassador of this year’s EBD edition is the kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), one of the most striking Polish birds, found mainly along riverbanks. Spotting it, however, is not easy, as the Polish population is estimated at only 2.5–6 thousand breeding pairs, and harsh winters significantly limit its numbers.

The kingfisher is easy to recognize thanks to its metallic blue back and orange chest. Both sexes wear this plumage, though during the breeding season the female adorns herself further with a “bird lipstick” – her lower bill turns orange-pink. Most of their lives, however, kingfishers spend alone, nesting in the earthen banks of streams. And here is a curiosity – despite appearances, the Polish name “zimorodek” does not refer to winter. It comes from the Old Slavic zemorodek, meaning “the one born in the earth.”

Autumn walks with guides are a wonderful chance to see the blue gentleman hunting. Kingfishers are skilled predators, diving straight into the water to catch their favorite fish. Since they must eat the equivalent of 60 percent of their body weight every day, they fiercely guard their riverside territories and keep intruders away.

Where can you go bird counting?

In OTOP’s online database you can find dozens of events to join from Friday to Sunday in every Polish region. Plans include walks along the Vistula River, visits to key bird sanctuaries, watching departing flocks, and even thrilling treks through wetlands. Some excursions are designed for young children, while others will require more stamina.

Organizers promise the chance to observe kingfishers, white-tailed eagles, great egrets, grey herons, cormorants, gulls, and even such rare species as red-crested pochards or ferruginous ducks. Guides will not only advise where to look and how to listen to bird calls, but in many cases binoculars and spotting scopes will also be available to borrow. All you need to do is dress warmly and get ready for a wonderful adventure.

Full list of proposed walks: https://otop.org.pl/wlacz-sie/europejskie-dni-ptakow/lista-wycieczek/