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Wild Birds Breeding in Switzerland

Almost 200 different species of birds are breeding in Switzerland, some more species stay in the country only during winter, while a group of migrant species leave the country during winter to survive in warmer areas (Italy, Southern France, Spain, Africa). The variety of species depends on the altitude: along lakes and rivers at moderate heights up to 130 different species may be found while only very few are able to survive in higher alpine regions covered by eternal ice and snow.

The map below gives an impression of the major types of landscape in Switzerland:

The alpine (dark grey) and prealpine (light grey) mountains reach up to 4634 m [14154 ft] above sea level, and are scarcely populated (except for the major valleys)
The Mittelland region stretching from southwestern Lake Geneva to northeastern Bodensee is a plateau with soft hills on 400 m [1300 ft] to 600 m [2000 ft], overcrowded with people and infrastructure. Intense farming adds to the pressure on wildlife.
The Jura heights along the western border reach up to 1600 m [5200 ft].
Regarding birdlife, the alpine sections of the deep valleys of rivers Rhône, Rhine and Aare provide excellent conditions for many species.
Engadin, a high valley (1800 m / 6000 ft) in southeastern Switzerland has a special climate and some lakes attracting birds that would otherwise prefer regions below half this altitude.

The most common birds in Switzerland are chaffinch and black redstart (both can be found on over 90% of the territory), followed by blackbird, blackcap, great tit, robin and wren. Sparrow, crow and pigeon are abundant in almost all Swiss villages and towns; seagull, swan, mallard, and common coot can be found along many lakes. Other species like the great spotted woodpecker may be found in the forests.

Water-Fowl in Switzerland

Switzerland's many lakes and rivers provide ideal habitats for many species of aquatic birds in principle. Apart from the great lakes (Lake Geneva, Lake Neuchâtel, Lake Biel, Lake Murten, Lake Thun, Lake Brienz, Lake Lucerne, Lake Zurich, Walensee, Bodensee) the small storage lake of Klingnau in northern Switzerland (situated right before river Aare flows into river Rhine) must be mentioned here as a real paradise for water-fowl and bird-watchers.

Common Aquatic Birds in Switzerland

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Little grebe	Tachybaptus ruficollis	Mittelland, Jura, Engadin	r	b,m,w
Great crested grebe	Podiceps cristatus	Mittelland, Jura	f	b,m,w
Little bittern	Ixobrychus minutus	Mittelland, Rhône valley, Ticino	e	m
Mute swan	cygnus olor	Mittelland, Jura, Ticino	r	b
Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	all over the country except at very high altitudes	f	b,w
Red-crested pochard	Netta rufina	great Mittelland lakes	r	b, w
Tufted duck	Aythya fuligula	Mittelland, Engadin	r	b, w
Goosander	Mergus merganser	Mittelland prealpine lakes	r	b, w
Common coot	Fulica atra	Mittelland, Jura, Rhône and Rhine valleys, Ticino	f	b,m,w
Black-headed gull	Larus ridibundus	Bodensee, Lake Neuchâtel Lake Klingnau, Lake Zurich	f	b,m,w
Common gull	Larus canus	great lakes	r	w, (b)
Yellow-legged gull	Larus cachinnans	Lake Neuchâtel, Bodensee	r	w, b
Common tern	Sterna hirundo	Bodensee, Lake Neuchâtel Lake Klingnau, Lake Zurich, Lake Geneva	r	b,m,w

¹ Abundance in regions where species find habitats:
   e = endangered
   r = rare (less than 2 couples per km²)
   f = frequent (between 1 - 5 couples per km²)
   a = abundant (more than 6 couples per km²)
² Type:
   b = species breeding in Switzerland
   m = migrant birds breeding in Switzerland but absent during winter
   w = winter guests (breeding in northern or eastern Europe)

Birds in Wetlands

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Grey heron	Ardea cinerea	Mittelland, Jura	r	b,m
White stork	Ciconia ciconia	northern Mittelland	e	m
Water rail	Rallus aquaticus	Mittelland, Rhône valley, Ticino	r	b,m
Spotted crake	Porzana porzana	Mittelland	e	B
Corn crake	Crex crex	Mittelland	e	B
Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus	Mittelland, Ticino	f	b, m
Little ringed plover	Charadrius dubius	Mittelland	r	B
Northern lapwing	Vanellus vanellus	Mittelland	e	b, m
Common snipe	Gallinago gallinago	isolated Mittelland habitats	e	m
Woodcock	Scolopax rusticola	Jura, northern prealpine hills	f	m
Eurasian curlew	Numenius arquata	Eastern Switzerland	e	m
Common sandpiper	Actitis hypoleucos	Sand and gravel banks of alpine sections of rivers Rhine, Inn, Rhône etc.	e	m
Common kingfisher	Alcedo atthis	Mittelland, Jura, Ticino, Rhône valley	e	b,w
Cormorant		Mittelland lakes	r	w

Birds of Prey

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
European honey-buzzard	Pernis apivorus	all over the country up to 2000 m [6500 ft] except metropolitan areas	r	m
Black kite	Milvus milvus	Mittelland, Jura	r	m
Red kite	Milvus migrans	Mittelland, Jura, Rhône and Rhine valleys, Ticino	r	b,m
Northern goshawk	Accipiter gentilis	all over the country up to 2000 m [6500 ft]	r	b
Eurasian sparrowhawk	Accipiter nisus	all over the country up to 2000 m [6500 ft]	r	b,m,w
Common buzzard	Buteo buteo	all over the country up to 1700 m [5500 ft]	f	b,m,w
Golden eagle	Aquila chrysaetos	Alps, 800 to 2600 m [2600 to 8500 ft]	r	b
Common kestrel	Falco tinnunculus	all over the country up to 2600 m [8500 ft]	f	b,m,w
Peregrine falcon	Falco peregrinus	all over the country up to 1800 m [5900 ft]	e	b,w
Hobby	Falco subbuteo	Mittelland	r	B

Gallinaceous Birds

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Hazel grouse	Bonasa bonasia	Jura, Alps	r	b
Ptarmigan	Lagopus mutus	Alps from 1500 to 2800 m [4900 to 9200 ft]	f	b
Black grouse	Tetrao tetrix	Alps from 1100 to 2400 m [3600 to 8800 ft]	f	b
Capercaillie	Tetrao urogallus	Alps, Jura from 800 to 1200 m [2600 to 4400 ft]	r	b
Rock partridge	Alectoris graeca	southern Alps from 1200 to 2600 m [3900 to 9000 ft]	r	b
Grey partridge	Perdix perdix	Mittelland	e	b
Common quail	Coturnix coturnix	Mittelland, Jura and low alpine valleys	f	m
Common pheasant	Phasianus colchicus	some Mittelland habitats	e	b,m

Pigeons and Doves

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Feral pigeon	Columba livia domestica	Mittelland, Jura, Rhine & Rhône valleys, Ticino abundant in towns and cities	a	b
Stock dove	Columba oenas	Jura, Mittelland	f	m
Wood pigeon	Columba palumbus	Mittelland, Jura, Rhine & Rhône valleys, Ticino	a	m
Collared dove	Streptopelia decaocto	Mittelland, Jura, Rhine & Rhône valleys, Ticino	f	b
Turtle dove	Streptopelia turtur	Mittelland, Rhine & Rhône valleys, Ticino	r	m
Common cuckoo	Cuculus canorus	all over Switzerland more frequent in prealpine and alpine valleys	f ³	m ⁴

³ Cuckoos were once abundant all over Switzerland, today they are only frequent in the Alps,
in some Jura and metropolitan Mittelland areas they are even extinct
⁴ Cuckoos do not breed themselves, they have their eggs breeded by host birds.

Owls

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Barn owl	Tyto alba	Mittelland	r	b
Eurasian scops owl	Otus scops	isolated habitats	e	b
Eagle owl	Bubo bubo	isolated habitats	r	b
Pygmy owl	Glaucidium passerinum	Alps, southwestern Jura	r	b
Little owl	Athene noctua	isolated habitats Geneva, Porrentruy, Basel, Ticino	e	b
Tawny owl	Strix aluco	all over Switzerland below 1800 m [5900 ft]	r	b
Long-eared owl	Asio otus	Mittelland, Jura, Rhine & Rhône valleys, Engadin, Ticino	r	b
Tengmalm's owl	Aegolius funereus	Jura, Alps	r	b

Forest Birds

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
European nightjar	Caprimulgus europaeus	Rhône valley, Ticino	e	B
Common swift	Apus apus	all over Switzerland below 1600 m [5200 ft], Engadin	a	m
Alpine swift	Apus melba	Scattered colonies all over Switzerland	r	m
Hoopoe	Upupa epops	isolated habitats: Rhône valley, Lake Geneva, Ticino, Grisons, Thurgau	e	m
Wryneck	Jynx torquilla	alpine and prealpine valleys, almost extinct in Mittelland	r	m
Grey-headed woodpecker	Picus canus	northern Mittelland	e	B
Green woodpecker	Picus viridis	all over Switzerland below 2200 m [7200 ft] used to be frequent, now rare	r	b
Black woodpecker	Dryocopus martius	all over Switzerland below 2200 m [7200 ft]	r	b
Great spotted woodpecker	Dendrocopus major	all over Switzerland below 2200 m [7200 ft]	f	b
Middle spotted woodpecker	Dendrocopus medius	northern and western Switzerland below 700 m [2300 ft]	r	b
Lesser spotted woodpecker	Dendrocopus minor	Mittelland, Rhine & Rhône valleys	r	b
Three-toed woodpecker	Picoides tridactylus	northern rim of Alps	r	b

Singing Birds

Larks

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Crested lark	Galerida cristada	once Mittelland, now extinct	-	-
Wood lark	Lullula arborea	Jura, Rhône valley	r	m
Sky lark	Alauda arvensis	all over Switzerland	a	m

Swallows

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Sand martin	Riparia riparia	Mittelland, crowded colonies in gravel pits	r	m
Crag martin	Ptyonoprogne rupestris	Alps, Jura	r	m
Barn swallow	Hirundo rustica	Mittelland, Jura, Rhône & Rhine valleys, Ticino	a	m
House martin	Delichon urbica	Mittelland, Jura, Rhône & Rhine valleys, Ticino	a	m

Pipits and Wagtails

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Tree pipit	Anthus trivialis	Alps, Jura	a	m
Meadow pipit	Anthus pratensis	Jura, northern Alps	r	m
Water pipit	Anthus spinoletta	Alps	a	b,m,w
Yellow wagtail	Motacilla flava	Mittelland & Rhône valley isolated colonies	r	m
Grey wagtail	Motacilla cinerea	all over Switzerland	f	b,m,w
White wagtail	Motacilla alba	all over Switzerland below 2000 m [6500 ft]	a	m

Wrens

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Wren	Tryglodytes tryglodytes	all over Switzerland below 2200 m [7200 ft]	a	b

Accentors

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Hedge accentor	Prunella modularis	all over Switzerland below 2200 m [7200 ft]	a	b,w
Alpine accentor	Prunella collaris	Alps	f	b

Warblers

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Grasshopper warbler	Locustella naevia	Mittelland	r	m
Savi's warbler	Locustella luscinioides	Mittelland	r	m
Marsh warbler	Acrocephalus palustris	Mittelland	r	m
Reed warbler	Acrocephalus scirpaceus	Mittelland	f	B
Great reed warbler	Acrocephalus arundinaceus	Mittelland, Ticino	r	B
Icterine warbler	Hippolais icterina	Mittelland, Rhine valley	r	m
Melodious warbler	Hippolais polyglotta	Lake Geneva, Rhône valley, Ticino	r	m
Lesser whitethroat	Sylvia curruca	Alps, northern Switzerland	r	B
Common whitethroat	Sylvia communis	southwestern & northern Switzerland	r	B
Garden warbler	Sylvia borin	all over Switzerland below 2000 m [6500 ft]	f	m
Blackcap	Sylvia atricapilla	Mittelland, Ticino, Rhine & Rhône valleys	a	m
Bonelli's warbler	Phylloscopus bonelli	Jura, pre-Alps, alpine valleys, Ticino	f	m
Wood warbler	Phylloscopus sibilatrix	Jura, Mittelland, Ticino, Rhine & Rhône valleys	f	m
Common chiffchaff	Phylloscopus collybita	Jura, Mittelland, Ticino, Rhine & Rhône valleys	a	m
Willow warbler	Phylloscopus trochilus	Jura, Mittelland, Rhine valley	f	m

Crests

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Goldcrest	Regulus regulus	all over Swizerland below 2000 m [6500 ft]	a	b
Firecrest	Regulus ignicapillus	all over Swizerland below 1800 m [5900 ft]	a	m

Flycatchers, Redstarts, Chats and Trushs

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Spotted flycatcher	Muscicapa striata	all over Swizerland below 1500 m [4900 ft]	f	m
Collared flycatcher	Ficedula albicollis	Ticino	e	m
Pied flycatcher	Ficedula hypoleuca	Mittelland	f	m
Black redstart	Phoenicurus ochruros	all over Switzerland below 2600 m [8500 ft]	a	m
Common redstart	Phoenicurus phoenicurus	Mittelland, Jura, Rhône & Rhine valleys, Ticino	f	m
Whinchat	Saxicola rubetra	Alps, pre-Alps, Jura	f	m
Common stonechat	Saxicola torquata	Lake Geneva, Jura, Rhône & amp; Rhine valleys, Ticino	r	m
Northern wheatear	Oenanthe oenanthe	Alps above 1600 m [7200 ft], Jura heights	a	m
Robin	Erithacus rubecula	Mittelland, Jura, Rhône & Rhine valleys, Ticino	a	b,m,w
Rufous nightingale	Luscinia megarhynchos	Mittelland, Rhône valley	f	m
Rock thrush	Monticola saxatilis	Alps	r	m
Blue rock thrush	Monticola solitarius	Ticino	r	b,m
Ring ouzel	Turdus torquatus	Alps, Jura heights	a	m
Blackbird	Turdus merula	all over Swizerland below 1800 m [5900 ft]	a	b
Fieldfare	Turdus pilaris	all over Swizerland below 1800 m [5900 ft] except southern Ticino	f	b,m,w
Song thrush	Turdus philomelos	all over Swizerland below 2200 m [7200 ft]	a	m
Mistle thrush	Turdus viscivorus	all over Swizerland below 2200 m [7200 ft]	a	b,m

Tits

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Long-tailed tit	Aegithalos caudatus	Jura, Mittelland, Ticino, Rhine & Rhône valleys	r	b
Marsh tit	Parus palustris	Jura, Mittelland, Ticino, Rhine & Rhône valley	f	B
Willow tit	Parus montanus	Jura, pre-Alps & Alps	f	B
Crested tit	Parus cristatus	all over Swizerland below 2200 m [7200 ft]	f	b
Coal tit	Parus ater	all over Swizerland below 2000 m [6900 ft]	a	b
Blue tit	Parus caeruleus	Jura, Mittelland, Ticino, Rhine & Rhône valleys	a	b
Great tit	Parus major	Jura, Mittelland, Ticino, Rhine & Rhône valleys	a	b

Nuthatchs

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
European nuthatch	Sitta europaea	Jura, Mittelland, Ticino, Rhine & Rhône valleys	f	b

Creepers

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Wallcreeper	Tichodroma muraria	Jura, Alps	r	b,w
Eurasian treecreeper	Certhia familiaris	all over Swizerland below 2200 m [7200 ft]	f	B
Short-toed treecreeper	Certhia brachydactyla	Mittelland, Jura, Ticino	f	b

Dippers

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Dipper	Cinclus cinclus	all over Switzerland	r	b,w

Orioles

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Golden oriole	Oriolus oriolus	Mittelland, Ticino, Rhône & Rhine valleys	r	m

Shrikes

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Red-backed shrike	Lanius collurio	all over Swizerland below 1800 m [5900 ft]	f	B
Woodchat shrike	Lanius senator	once Mittelland, Ticino, Rhône & Rhine valleys now almost extinct	e	m
Great grey shrike	Lanius excubitor	once Mittelland now extinct	-	b,m,w

Buntings

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Yellowhammer	Emberiza citrinella	all over Swizerland below 1400 m [4600 ft]	a	b,m
Cirl bunting	Emberiza cirlus	selected habitats near great Lakes or rivers	r	m
Rock bunting	Emberiza cia	Valais, Ticino and Poschiavo	r	m
Ortolan bunting	Emberiza hortulana	Valais	r	m
Reed bunting	Emberiza schoeniclus	Mittelland	r	m
Corn bunting	Miliaria calandra	selected habitats near great Lakes or rivers	r	m

Finches

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Snow finch	Montifringilla nivalis	Alps above 1800 m [5900 ft]	f	b
Common chaffinch	Fringilla coelebs	all over Swizerland below 2200 m [7200 ft]	a	b,m
European serin	Serinus serinus	all over Swizerland below 1400 m [4600 ft]	f	m
Citril finch	Serinus citrinella	Jura, Alps	f	b,m
Green finch	Carduelis chloris	all over Swizerland below 1500 m [4900 ft]	a	b
Gold finch	Carduelis carduelis	all over Swizerland below 1600 m [5200 ft]	f	m
Siskin	Carduelis spinus	Jura, Alps	r	b,m,w
Linnet	Carduelis cannabina	all over Swizerland below 2400 m [7800 ft] except for eastern Mittelland and Ticino	r	B
Common redpoll	Carduelis flammea	Jura, Alps except for eastern Mittelland and Ticino	r	m,w
Common crossbill	Loxia curvirostra	all over Swizerland below 2400 m [7800 ft] except for areas without coniferous forests	r	B
Common bullfinch	Pyrrhula pyrrhula	all over Swizerland below 2200 m [6500 ft]	f	b,w
Hawfinch	Coccothraustes coccothraustes	Mittelland, northern Jura, Rhône & Rhine valleys	r	b,m

Starlings

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Common starling	Sturnus vulgaris	all over Swizerland below 1200 m [3900 ft]	a	m

Sparrows

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
House sparrow	Passer domesticus	all over Swizerland below 1400 m [4600 ft]	a	b
Italian sparrow	Passer hispaniolensis italiae	Ticino	a	b
Tree sparrow	Passer montanus	all over Swizerland below 1000 m [3300 ft]	f	b

Crows, Choughs and Nutcrackers

Species	Latin name	Habitats	Abun- dance¹	Type²
Eurasian jay	Garrulus glandarius	all over Swizerland below 1600 m [5200 ft]	f	b
Magpie	Pica pica	Mittelland, Engadin, Rhône & Rhine valleys	f	b
Nutcracker	Nucifraga caryocatactes	Jura, pre-Alps & Alps	f	b,w
Yellow-billed or alpine chough	Pyrrhocorax graculus	Alps	f	b
Red-billed chough	Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax	Valais	r	b
Eurasian jackdaw	Corvus monedula	Mittelland, Rhine valley	r	b,m,w
Rook	Corvus frugilegus	colonies at Lake Neuchâtel, Aare, Basel	r	b,w
Carrion crow	Corvus corone corone	all over Swizerland below 1600 m [5200 ft]	a	b,w
Hooded crow	Corvus corone cornix	Ticino	f	b,w
Common raven	Corvus corax	all over Swizerland below 2600 m [8500 ft] except for northeastern Mittelland and Geneva	r	b

Environmental Threats to Birds

Many lake shores have been altered by human influence: wetlands and rush areas are much smaller today due to building homes, industrial plants, roads and railway lines. Some species are endangered or even extinct due to scarcity of food or breeding-places. The most popular loser is the white stork, who disappeared from Switzerland in 1950, but has returned thanks to intense efforts.

Hydraulic engineering in the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century aimed at reducing inundations, getting more arable land and using water power to produce electricity. Vast wetland areas along rivers and brooks providing natural habitats for birds have been destroyed. Since the 1970's this tendency has been stopped, some brooks and rivers are given more space again (renaturalization projects).

Intensified livestock breeding (cows, pigs) producing large amounts of dung and increased use of fertilizers in agriculture as well as washing with industrial detergents in households have led to a tremendous increase in phosphate concentration in the 1950's and 1960's up to 500 mg/m³. In many lakes seaweed growth increased dramatically, depriving lower water layers of oxygene and changing life conditions for fish and water birds substantially. In most, but not all Swiss lakes the concentration of phosphates has been reduced again by consequent sewage treatment and strict regulations on dung usage below the critical value of 30 mg/m³ by the end of the 20th century.

While global climate change towards higher temperatures and less intense agriculture due to rural exodus has allowed some species of birds to settle in higher alpine and prealpine regions not so overcrowded by humans (+ 10 species in the Alps and in Jura), up to 10 species have disappeared in the boomtown suburban areas.

Literature

H. Schmid, R. Luder, B. Naef-Daenzer, R. Graf & N. Zbinden: Schweizer Brutvogelatlas. Verbreitung der Brutvögel in der Schweiz und im Fürstentum Liechtenstein 1993-1996. Sempach: Schweizerische Vogelwarte, 1998
C.A.W. Guggisberg, Robert Hainard, Ernst Zimmerli: Unsere Vögel. Bern: Hallwag, 1977

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