The Urban Birder Visits - Wuppertal Germany

Scanning for Eagle Owl from a service station forecourt is the norm in the German city of Wuppertal, home to an array of great birds

If some cities have just one or two known urban birding hotspots, Wuppertal is a place where there is probably not even an urban birder, let alone recognised sites. For the uninitiated, Wuppertal lies in and around the Wupper Valley, east of Düsseldorf and south of the Ruhr.

It is home to about 350,000 people and has gleaned international fame as being the birthplace of Aspirin and for its globally unique suspension railway. Within Germany, the city is best known for its steep slopes, woods and parks. Indeed, it takes the accolade for being country’s greenest city, with two-thirds of it being under the cover of trees.

So, the scope for finding great woodland species is high. Along with Hamburg, Wuppertal experiences the most amount of rainfall in Germany. That fact goes a long way to explaining the city’s greenness. It is said that the people of Wuppertal are born holding umbrellas.

A visit during the summer will certainly guarantee numerous Buzzards drifting over the tops of the copious woodlands. These birds are the classic raptors of the western German skies. A summertime walk through any stretch of urban woodland will be aurally rewarding with a range of singers present, including Short-toed Treecreeper, Blackcap, Icterine Warbler and also Spotted Flycatcher.