Estonia
Estonia is the smallest and northernmost of the three so-called Baltic states. It borders
Latvia to the south, Russian to the east, the Gulf of Finland lies to the north and the Baltic Sea
and the Gulf of Riga are to the west. Inland Estonia is dominated by vast forests of pine, spruce,
birch, aspen and alder where good numbers of grouse, owls and woodpeckers are resident. The
biggest forests lie in the north-east and the heart of the country and many are boggy if not very
wet. There are also over 1400 lakes, natural and man-made, and innumerable fens, marshes, mires
and peat-bogs. In Europe only Finland has a higher percentage of bogs. Some river flood-plains,
particularly in the east, are in an almost natural state and are important places for Great Snipe
and passage wildfowl and waders. Much of Estonia's farmland is good for birdlife, too, as
traditional methods of working the land often prevail. Pastures and wet-meadows are breeding and
feeding habitats for White Stork, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Corncrake and Ruff. Taiga and Tundra Bean
Geese and Common Cranes use such places on migration. On the Baltic coast the shallow waters,
sandy beaches and coastal meadows offer some great birding. In particular the pools, inlets, hay
meadows and pastures around Matsalu Bay are home to both breeding birds and act as refuges and
refueling station for masses of birds on passage. Indeed, for such a small country Estonia has a
very rich blend of coastal, taiga and boreal breeding birds and many other species that nest in
the Arctic pass through the country.
Breeding birds include Black Stork, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Corncrake, Common Crane, Hazel and
Black Grouse, Pygmy and Ural Owls, White-backed and Three-toed Woodpeckers, Blyth's Reed and
Greenish Warblers, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Common Rosefinch and Ortolan Bunting. Most of these
are widespread. Though not as common Slavonian Grebe, Greater Spotted Eagle, Capercaillie, Citrine
Wagtail and Parrot Crossbill also breed. A breeding species for which Estonia is internationally
important is the threatened Great Snipe. Up to 100 leks may well exist and 600-800 males have
been estimated. The bulk of the population is found in meadows and mires in the Soomaa National
Park and further east in the flood-plains of the Kasari, Suur-Emajõgi and Mustajõgi rivers.
Estonia's geographical location on a key migration flyway means that millions of birds pass
through in both spring and autumn. Very impressive movements of divers, grebes, wildfowl, terns,
waders and passerines take place along Estonia's coastline in autumn. Inland, too, lakes, bogs and
fish-ponds see flocks of migrants. In spring internationally important numbers of Red-throated and
Black-throated Divers, Bewick's and Whooper Swans, Barnacle and Greater White-fronted Geese,
Greater Scaup, Common and Velvet Scoters and Long-tailed Ducks move along the Bay of Riga. In some
years 100,000 Barnacle Geese are estimated to pass through and some remain to breed, mainly on
offshore islands. In late summer up to 200,000 Common Scoter moult off Estonia and 1000s of
Steller's Eiders winter offshore.
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Good Reasons to Visit Estonia
Steller's Eider
Long-tailed Duck
Great Snipe
Greater Spotted Eagle
Ural Owl
Pygmy Owl
Black Grouse
White-backed Woodpecker
Three-toed Woodpecker
Citrine Wagtail
Greenish Warbler
Parrot Crossbill
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