Spring bird count 2026

The Spring Bird Count, the City Nature Challenge, or the Dawn Chorus — for me, the months of April and May are dedicated each year to a variety of citizen science projects. I try to take part as regularly as possible and contribute my observations. That is why I once again participated in the spring bird count 2026 this year.

As every year, the event took place on the second weekend of May, this time from 9 to 11 May 2026. The citizen science project is organized by the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) together with its Bavarian partner, the Bavarian Association for the Protection of Birds and Nature (LBV).

For the 22nd time, people were invited to spend one hour observing and counting birds in their gardens, parks, or from their balconies. Although I have not been taking part since the very beginning, I have now participated several times.

This year, my birdwatching walk once again took me to Volkspark Friedrichshain. One of the birds I almost always encounter in this park is the great spotted woodpecker.

This year, however, the focus was less on woodpeckers and more on finches. Over the past few months, the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) has received repeated reports of dead European greenfinches, common chaffinches, Eurasian bullfinches, and European goldfinches. The exact cause has not yet been conclusively determined. However, a connection to trichomonads is suspected, as these parasites can be particularly dangerous for finches. It is also noteworthy that many of the affected birds were found near bird feeders.

Last year, I was able to hear a common chaffinch during the spring bird count. In spring, common chaffinches—like many other bird species—are especially active, and their song is almost impossible to miss.

I photographed this common chaffinch during the winter bird count 2025.

This year, I was particularly curious about the reports concerning sparrows. Although I now rarely spot house sparrows at my observation site in Volkspark Friedrichshain, I still encounter these small birds regularly in other parts of Berlin.

Would I perhaps come across house sparrows during this year’s count after all? Which bird species would be the most frequent visitors to the feeding station, and which would remain more in the background?

In the following section, I share my experiences from the spring bird count 2026 and the observations I made on site.

If I had to describe my participation in this year’s spring bird count 2026 using only three bird species, they would probably be Eurasian blackbirds, common nightingales, and hooded crows. Other birds that are usually common in the park, such as great tits and blue tits, were seen only occasionally or not at all.

My spring bird count 2026 began with the characteristic calls of common swifts. Several birds were soaring high above me in the sky. Their calls are simply part of spring and summer for me—because as soon as the swifts return, summer suddenly feels just around the corner.

One of the first birds I encountered that day was a male blackbird, which seemed to greet me in its own way.

A squirrel also seemed to want to greet me. It looked expectantly in my direction, probably hoping for a nut. In Volkspark Friedrichshain, not only birds but also squirrels are regularly fed by visitors. As a result, the animals there are quite tame and will sometimes even take hazelnuts directly from a person’s hand.

Not far from this little “greeter,” I eventually spotted a great spotted woodpecker. It quickly climbed up the tree trunk, leaving me only a brief moment to try taking a photo. The result was rather mediocre—but I was still able to record another observation for the spring bird count 2026.

Behind a few leaves in the tree, I eventually discovered a hooded crow sitting quietly and watching the activity below.

This hooded crow was noticeably less hectic that day. In Volkspark Friedrichshain, they are generally very common. At times, they gather in larger groups and call loudly to one another.

A few days earlier, I had made a particularly striking observation: an entire group of hooded crows was sitting in a tree and seemed to be cawing without end. It soon became clear why—a raccoon had made itself comfortable up there. The crows did not seem at all pleased about that.

At times, hooded crows almost feel like the park’s hidden “leaders.” They are not only very present in Volkspark Friedrichshain, but also widespread in many other parts of Berlin.

At some point, I found myself asking: where were all the great tits and blue tits?

Normally, these two species are very active, and the area is teeming with them. However, even a few days earlier, I had already observed noticeably fewer tits at the feeding station. I had expected not to see common chaffinches or house sparrows, as they do not regularly visit the feeding spots. This time, though, there was not even a trace of the blue tit.

The great tits were also surprisingly scarce. I eventually spotted just a single one on the ground, briefly foraging through the leaf litter.

What I heard most frequently that day was the Eurasian blackcap. Unfortunately, it remained well hidden in the dense foliage, so I was not able to see any of the birds. I could also only detect the common chiffchaff by its characteristic song, without spotting it among the leaves.

Around the feeding station, the song of nightingales could also be heard everywhere—almost like a small concert in Volkspark Friedrichshain. During my actual observation period, however, I was unable to see them directly, as they stayed further away in the dense greenery. Acoustically, though, they were very present.

Later, during a walk through the park, I was luckier: I was finally able to observe and photograph a nightingale quite well. This is a spot where I have repeatedly encountered well-visible nightingales in previous years.

Nightingales were very present in Volkspark Friedrichshain that day overall.

Eurasian blackbirds and hooded crows also repeatedly appeared at various points throughout the park. Both species likewise felt ubiquitous and were clearly among my most frequently observed birds. At another spot, I even managed to photograph a nightingale again—something that is usually much more difficult, but on that day the nightingales were surprisingly cooperative.

Common nightingale, Eurasian blackbird, and hooded crow—these three bird species ultimately shaped my bird count for the spring bird count 2026.

In the spring bird count 2026, the following species made it to the top spots nationwide: house sparrow, great tit, Eurasian blackbird, starling, and blue tit. The ranking looked very similar the previous year, although Eurasian blackbirds then ranked second and great tits third. Overall, however, a trend is emerging, particularly noticeable in the house sparrow: reported numbers continue to decline.

In Berlin as well, the house sparrow ranked first, followed by the swift, wood pigeon, starling, and hooded crow. The year before, the order was slightly different: house sparrow, starling, swift, wood pigeon, and great tit.

What remains especially concerning is the development of the house sparrow. Although it is still the most frequently reported species, the downward trend continues. While a decline of 28% compared to the previous year was already recorded last year, this year it was as high as 36%. Whether this trend will continue remains to be seen.

Hooded crows seem to be doing quite well in Berlin overall. Compared to the previous year, their numbers there increased by 14%. Nationwide, the hooded crow only ranked 35th, but it still showed an increase of 8%.

I was particularly curious about the results for the nightingale, as I hear them singing very frequently in Berlin in May. Across Germany, it only ranked 43rd, but it also showed a clear increase of 18%. In Berlin, it even reached 14th place and increased by 24%. This matches my personal impression: I have the feeling that I hear nightingales more and more often and occasionally also see them. However, this remains a subjective perception—reliable conclusions can ultimately only be drawn from statistical analyses.

And how did the finches fare in the spring bird count 2026?

Here, the German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) can give the all-clear. Common chaffinches were reported even slightly more frequently than in the previous year. Overall, finch populations appear stable, and there is currently no indication of an outbreak of trichomoniasis.

Another aspect I looked at more closely was the number of bird enthusiasts who took part this year.

According to NABU, 56,012 participants observed and counted over 1,093,305 birds in 38,455 gardens or parks nationwide. The year before, there were 57,960 participants in 39,809 gardens or parks, with a total of 1,130,881 birds counted.

The statistics therefore show a decline in participation compared to the previous year—accordingly, fewer birds were recorded in fewer gardens and parks. In 2024, 58,928 bird enthusiasts had taken part. I very much hope that this trend does not continue. Because birds need people who pay attention to them.