By Keri Stewart

Throughout Scandinavian countries, the beauty of fall migration offers the opportunity to witness a range of migrants. 

Between popular fall migration tours to traveling on your own at popular hotspots, countries such as Sweden, Norway, and Denmark are the perfect choices for your birding travels. Many of these hotspots are on peninsulas, such as Falsterbo and Lista Lighthouse, where traveling migrants rest before continuing on their journey. These migrants can be found in big groups with lots of species variety. Perfect for a birder’s life list!

A trip to Scandinavian countries during autumn is a wonderful glimpse into the rich migration this season has to offer. There isn’t just one spot to go, but rather a whole road trip’s worth of places to explore!

Where are Scandinavian fall migrants traveling?

Fall migration is captivating to witness, but where do the migrants go after resting at their favorite pitstops? 

After resting at the birding hotspot, Falsterbo, many birds head towards western or southern Europe. However, these migrants could travel even farther than Europe.

In a study by Sissel Sjöberg et al., songbirds from Scandinavia were found to be flying at high altitudes during a migration all the way to Africia. A long but mighty journey for these birds.

So, there isn’t just one destination for migrants in the fall. It depends on the species and their individual preferences. 

How fall migration is changing in Norway

With climate change and other environmental factors impacting wildlife, fall migration isn’t the same as it was many years ago. The timing of when species migrate is shifting.

In a report by Birdlife Norway, early migrants, migrating farther distances, arrived a few days earlier than usual while late migrants, migrating shorter distances, arrived a few days later than usual. The average migration time increased, such that the fall migration period extended longer than prior. From 1990 to 2021, the fall migration period increased by 5.6 days as noted in the report.

As climate change continues to impact the weather and landscapes, fall migration periods may continue changing in unexpected ways.

Where are the birding rest stops during this fall migration?

Before migrating to different areas like Europe or as far as Africa, many migrants rest at stopover sites along their journey. This detour ensures that they are able to replenish their energy by finding sleep, food, and shelter on land, and also gives rise to the chance for you to spot many at once.

Falsterbo, Sweden

At the southern tip of Sweden, Falsterbo visitors dive right into stunning coastlines, meadows, and shrublands that house over 350 species recorded. The town’s famous bird observatory, Falsterbo Fågelstation, sits right beside a 25-meter tall lighthouse that overlooks the Baltic Sea. This dreamy coastal view turns birdwatching into a peaceful moment of gratitude.

Falsterbo is a perfect destination for spotting long-distance migrants (Yellow Wagtail, Tree Pipit, Osprey, Honey Buzzard, etc.) and many species of raptors. Additionally, pipits, chats, thrushes, and other passerines migrate through this wonderland. 

This peninsula offers shelter and rest for thousands of migrants, making fall migration something truly captivating to witness at Falsterbo.

Lista Lighthouse, Norway

Between the views of the Lista Lighthouse against the North Sea and vibrant panoramas of the avian-filled sky, this destination is perfect for sightseeing bountiful grasslands and birdwatching.

During your autumn trip here, you can visit the info kiosk at the lighthouse. Borrow some binoculars there to discover what lies beyond the horizon. Additionally, this site holds the Lista Bird Observatory. This birdringing, counted by BirdLife Norway, encountered 143 species last October, of which the most frequent were the Common Starling, Brambling, and Eurasian Siskin.

Sit back on the grass and admire the coastal elegance of incoming flocks.

Lofoten, Norway

A panoramic view of the mountains and the Norwegian Sea instills extravagance of the natural world for visitors of Lofoten, Norway. Encompassing this lovely fishing island are also vast fjords and captivating waters.

The scenery of this location is breathtaking, making it a wonderful spot for birdwatching. During fall migration, birders can likely find winter gulls, like the Black-legged Kittiwakes, and migrating songbirds, such as the Chiffchaffs and Yellow-browed Warblers.

As migrating birds rest at this archipelago, the skies and lands fill with the beauty of avian wildlife. This blend of time and life paints a majestic picture of the cycle of life that many birdwatchers travel miles just to see.

Lille Vildmose

At the end of your birding migration trip, you should visit Lille Vildmose, a mossy bog, to witness the unique biodiversity of its rich landscape.

Nestled in one of Denmark’s protected areas, this bog is full of not only moose and deer but also a handful of bird species. Check out the Lille Vildmosecenter to see wildlife exhibitions and learn more. The reedbeds and lowland bog environment are perfect for birds such as the Common Crane as many cranes can be found throughout. Migrating geese, such as the Greylag Goose, can also be found exploring this environment.

To complete your birding journey of Scandinavian fall migration, it’s essential to check out Ille Vildemose’s unique wildlife and captivating bog landscape.

Throughout your journey at all of these wonderful hotspots, fall migration will be front and center to showcase the vast range of migrants these Scandinavian areas have to offer. It’s truly a pleasure to witness the change of the seasons and how it affects these avian populations.