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Description
There's no suggestion that Strasbourg city centre is an idyllic birdwatching destination for anyone visiting on a given morning or afternoon, and day-trippers should come with fairly low expectations. However, for those able to put in the time and effort, it offers some of the finest and most diverse inner-city birding around.
Various factors make Strasbourg a popular venue for birds. These include: its location on a North-South migration route near the Rhine, between the Vosges and Black Forest mountain ranges; the surrounding water (the city centre being located on an island that also happens to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site); and the large number of church spires and derelict lofts.
Pigeons are obviously ubiquitous but are not limited to Divlji golub. Golub dupljaš can be found nesting in unused chimneys and Golub grivnaš are seen regularly. Vrana are constantly heard marking out their territory and are occasionally joined by a Gačac or two. Gulls are mostly Morski galeb and Obični galeb.
Bela roda are perhaps Alsace's most iconic bird and are commonly seen over the city, largely thanks to the highly successful breeding programme at the nearby Parc de l'Orangerie. Other large birds that can be watched passing overhead - usually following a NE-SW route - are Gluvara, Veliki vranac, Kanadska guska, Nilska guska and Siva čaplja.
Raptors are surprisingly common. Sivi soko can be spotted on the cathedral, where they have a nesting box. Kobac and Vetruška are regular urban hunters. Mišar are often mobbed by crows. And both Riđa lunja and Crna lunja can be seen high up during migration periods.
One species that's easy to find between late April and late July is the Crna čiopa. They're particularly numerous between Place Kléber and Place Broglie.
Common passerines include Obični kos, which can be heard singing in the evening, Velika senica, Plava senica, Vrabac pokućar and Crna crvenrepka, the latter of which nest here. There are also quite a lot of Zelentarka. Occasional sightings include Bela pliska, Crvendać, Potočna pliska, Češljugar and Obični zviždak.
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Access
Come to Strasbourg by any means: bus, train, tram, car... If you're driving, then the Opera car park on Place Broglie is quite useful for motorway access and for not getting caught up in the one-way system.