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Ukraine

Ural owl Strix uralensis ©Oleksandr Ruchko Website

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, covering over 603,500 km2 (c.233,000 square miles). It  borders Russia to the east and northeast;  Belarus to the north; Poland and Slovakia to the west; Hungary, Romania and Moldovato the southwest; with a coastline along the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov to the south and southeast. Kyiv is the nation’s capital and largest city, followed by Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Odesa. Ukraine’s official language is Ukrainian.

The landscape of Ukraine consists mostly of fertile steppes (plains with few trees) and plateaus, crossed by rivers such as the Dnieper (Dnipro), Seversky Donets, Dniester and the Southern Bug as they flow south into the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. To the southwest, the Danube Delta forms the border with Romania. Ukraine’s regions have diverse geographic features, ranging from the highlands to the lowlands. The country’s only mountains are the Carpathian Mountains in the west, of which the highest is Hoverla at 6,762 feet, and the Crimean Mountains, in the extreme south along the coast. It also has a number of highland regions such as the Volyn-Podillia Upland (in the west) and the Near-Dnipro Upland (on the right bank of the Dnieper). To the east there are the south-western spurs of the Central Russian Upland over which runs the border with Russia. Near the Sea of Azov are the Donets Ridge and the Near Azov Upland. The snow melt from the mountains feeds the rivers and their waterfalls.

Kozachij island, Dnipro River – ©Ввласенко CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Significant natural resources in Ukraine include lithium, natural gas, kaolin, timber and an abundance of arable land leading to the soubriquet ‘Europe’s Bread Basket’. It is ranked as the sixth largest wheat exporter, accounting for nine percent of world wheat trade. The country is also a major global exporter of maize (12%), barley (12%) and rapeseed (14%). It is even more important for Sunflower seed and oil accounting for 50% of world production! Ukraine has many environmental issues. Some regions lack adequate supplies of potable water. Air and water pollution affect the country, as well as deforestation, and radiation contamination in the northeast from the 1986 accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The environmental damage caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been described as an ecocide, the destruction of Kakhovka Dam caused severe pollution and millions of tonnes of contaminated debris is estimated to cost over USD 50 billion to repair.

Ukraine is in the mid-latitudes, and generally has a continental climate, except for its southern coasts, which have cold semi-arid and humid subtropical climates. Average annual temperatures range from 7 °C in the north, to 13 °C in the south. Precipitation is highest in the west and north and lowest in the east and southeast. Western Ukraine, particularly in the Carpathian Mountains, receives around 47 inches of precipitation annually, while Crimea and the coastal areas of the Black Sea receive around 16 inches.

Polys’kyi Nature Reserve – ©Ecoturyst CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The country has six terrestrial ecoregions: Central European mixed forests, Crimean Submediterranean forest complex, East European forest steppe, Pannonian mixed forests, Carpathian montane conifer forests, and Pontic steppe. There is somewhat more coniferous than deciduous forest. The most densely forested area is Polisia in the northwest, with pine, oak, and birch. There are 45,000 species of animals (mostly invertebrates), with approximately 385 endangered species listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine. Internationally important wetlands cover over 7,000 square kilometres (2,700 square miles), with the Danube Delta being important for conservation.

Birding Ukraine

Ukraine is among the largest countries in Europe and it is a territory where it is possible to see 400 bird species, among which 154 belong to the SPEC categories. Important Bird Areas (IBA) in Ukraine support the existence of such SPEC 1 bird species as Pelecanus crispus, Anser erythropus, Brantha ruficollis, Aythya nyroca, Aquila clanga, Aquila heliaca, Falco naumanni, Crex crex, Otis tarda, Numenius tenuirostris, Acrocephalus paludicola, Oxyura leucocephala and such SPEC 2 ones as Phalacrocorax pygmeus, Tetrax tetrax, Gallinago media, Platalea leucorodia, Accipiter brevipes, Limosa limosa, Tringa tetanus, Sterna sandvicensis, Otus scops, Caprimulgus europaeus, Coracias garrulus, Picus viridis, Phoenicurus phoenicurus, Lanius minor, Emberiza hortulana and Emberiza melanocephala, to name only a few.

According to the most recent data from the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources of Ukraine, 15 areas are designated as natural heritage sites. The area of all reserves and protected areas is nearly 4% of Ukraine territory. There are currently 30 nature and biosphere reserves and national parks in Ukraine.

Carpathains near Rakhiv – Antonio Terra CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Four main areas are of most interest to birders. It is the area comprising the Ukrainian Carpathians, the Upper part of the Dnister River, and the Volyn region in the west; Polys’kyi Nature Reserve in the north; the Dnipro River in the east; and the Crimea peninsula, as well as the deltas of the Dnister and Dnipro rivers, numerous lemans and bays of the Azov, and the Black Sea in the south.

The West: The Carpathians is an area where it is possible to watch various Woodpeckers, including Three-toed Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Golden Eagle, Eagle Owl, Ural Owl, Tengmalm’s Owl, Alpine Accentor, Woodlark, Firecrest, Dipper, Corncrake, Nutcracker, Marsh Tit, Rock Trush, and Black Stork. During Autumn migration, Pylypets village is a great spot, where there is a strong chance to watch hundreds of Common Cranes in the last decade of September.

The upper part of the Dnister River’s wet meadows and marshes support Montagu’s Harrier, and Short-Eared Owl, as well as a variety of plovers and warblers. the river is a good place for wintering Goldeneye. The Volyn region is famous for its Shatsky Lakes National Nature Park, which is included in the Natural Heritage list. The area is a kingdom of Woodpeckers and Owls and is extremely interesting during migration periods. During those times it is possible to watch thousands of aquatic bird species such as Geese, Ducks (mainly Pochard), and Cranes. Black Stork, White-Tailed Eagle, Ferruginous Duck, Little Crake, and Aquatic Warbler breed there. Quite close to the park is a Prypiat-Stohid National Park, where Azure Tit, Great Snipe, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, and various Terns and Warblers breed.

Shatsky Lakes National Nature Park – ©Александр Топилин CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The North: In the territory of Polys’kyi Nature Reserve, which consists of forests, marshes, small rivers and bushes, it is possible to see 180 bird species, 47 of which are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine. In this area, you can watch Capercaillie, Ring Ouzel, Black Grouse, and a Great Grey Owl. If you are lucky you will see Imperial and Short-toed Eagles. Wolves and lynx live in this area too.

The East: The Dnipro River is the largest in Ukraine, 23 areas along the river have special status. The most interesting of these are Kahovske Reservoir and Kozak Islands. This is a habitat where a lot of aquatic bird species breed. Among them are Red-breasted Goose, Greylag Goose, White-tailed Eagle, Common Crane, Little Bittern and Bee-Eater. The area is very attractive during periods of migration. Geese, Cranes, Ducks [Mallard, Wigeon, Teal, & Pintail], Coot, and Red-footed Falcons cross the territory during these times. Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine has many spots for birdwatchers who like to combine business and their hobby. Trukhaniv Island and the botanical garden of the Science Academy of Ukraine are recommended spots to keep an eye on. A very special spot is the Chornobyl zone, the best-protected area with an amazing bird variety, but you need to have special permission and a certified guide to go there.

The South: The estuaries and bays of the Black and Azov seas, the Dnipro and Dnister deltas, and the Crimea peninsula are very attractive for birders both in times of migration as well as wintering and breeding seasons. During migration and wintering Arabat Spit of Syvash (Crimea) together with Karkinits’ka and Dzharylgats’ bays are the spots to watch thousands of birds. Cormorants, Egrets, Swans & Geese as well as a large number of Pelicans, Glossy Ibis, Shelduck, Ruff, Black-winged Stilts, Avocets, Collared Pratincoles, Plovers, Sandpipers, Godwits, Turnstones, Little Gulls and all kinds of Terns will rest here on their journey. The total number of nesting birds in Yagorlyts’ka and Tendrivs’ka bays (The Black Sea) exceeds 70,000 pairs. Also very attractive during the breeding season are the Obytichna peninsula and Molochnyj Estuary of the Azov Sea. The Dnipro and Dnister deltas are very important for breeding Cormorants, Purple, Grey, Squacco and Night Herons, Great White Egrets, and Glossy Ibis. Special mention should be made of the Danube River and surrounding areas, it is the country of Pelicans, Terns, Geese, Ducks, Gulls, and Swans. A few hundred pairs of Pygmy Cormorants breed there, as well as Lesser and Great Grey Shrikes.

Ukraine has about 14,000 birdwatchers and ornithologists. Each area has local branches of the Ukrainian Society for Bird Conservation, which is a Birdlife International partner. The Ukrainian Rarities Committee, Ukrainian Ornithological Society, Union of Young Ornithologists, Ukrainian Society of Teriologists, Raptors Fund, Western Ukrainian Ornithological Society, Ukrainian Birdwatching Centre other conservation societies are trying to raise the profile of nature protection to new levels. In recent years, many centres of bird rehabilitation have been founded thanks to the support of the government and private initiatives. For example, Halytsky National Park has founded a centre that helps wounded raptors and other birds to recover and return them to nature. Free Wings Bird Rehabilitation Centre founded by Victor Shelvinsky, the ornithologist, acts as a sanctuary for birds wounded because of anthropogenic pressure.

Nowadays, Birdwatching in Ukraine for visitors and residents is not safe, because of the war that Russia started in 2014. Unfortunately, many of the best birding spots are inaccessible today. I hope, that one day Crimea, the estuaries of the Azov Sea near Mariupol, The Dnipro River Delta, the east and north of Ukraine will be safe for birdwatchers from all over the world.

Contributors
Number of Species

  • Number of bird species: 454

    (As at November 2024)
Checklist

  • Avibase

    PDF Checklist
    Fatbirder Associate iGoTerra offThis checklist includes all bird species found in Ukraine , based on the best information available at this time. It is based on a wide variety of sources that I collated over many years. I am pleased to offer these checklists as a service to birdwatchers. If you find any error, please do not hesitate to report them.

  • Birdwatch Ukraine

    Annotated List
    Checklist of the birds of Ukraine

  • Wikipedia

    Annotated List
    This is a list of the bird species recorded in Ukraine. The avifauna of Ukraine include a total of 454 species, of which 3 have been introduced by humans. 27 species are globally threatened.

  • eBird

    PDF Checklist
    This checklist is generated with data from eBird (ebird.org), a global database of bird sightings from birders like you. If you enjoy this checklist, please consider contributing your sightings to eBird. It is 100% free to take part, and your observations will help support birders, researchers, and conservationists worldwide.
Useful Reading

  • A Guide to Finding Birds in Odessa Region, Ukraine

    | By Paul D Goriup | NatureBureau | 2015 | Paperback | 73 pages, colour photos, colour maps | ISBN: 9781874357704 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Ecocide in Ukraine

    | The Environmental Cost of Russia's War | By Darya Tsymbalyuk | Polity | 2025 | Paperback | 188 Pages | ISBN: 9781509562503 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Useful Information

  • BirdLife

    Ukrainske Tovaristvo Okhoroni Ptakhiv (UTOP) is the BirdLife Partner Designate

  • National Bird

    Different sources claim two different birds as Uktraine's national bird: White Stork and Nightingale.
Observatories

  • Western-Ukrainian Ornithological Station

    Observatory WebsiteSatellite View
    Part of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv (Zoological Museum) this observatory has a new website [February 2009] soon to be in English too…
Museums & Universities

  • Zoological Museum of Ivan Franko - National University of Lvi

    Webpage
    Zoological Museum of Ivan Franko - National University of Lviv is one of the oldest university museums in Europe. It was started as the Cabinet of Natural History (1784). The scientific collections of the museum include more than 180,000 exhibits of which about 10,000 form the exposition. The museum funds represent fauna of all continents and all water areas of the World.
Organisations

  • Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Birds (USPB)

    Webpage
    Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Birds (USPB) is an independent, membership-based NGO established in April 1994 as a BirdLife International partner in Ukraine.

  • Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Birds (USPB)

    Webpage
    Mission: To conserve the biodiversity of Ukraine by saving birds, sites and biotopes.
Reserves

Abbreviations Key

  • BR Askaniya-Nova

    WebpageSatellite View
    If you have already discovered the natural beauty of Ukraine but want to see even more, the Askaniya-Nova Biosphere Reserve is the ideal reserve to visit.

  • BR Chornomorskyi

    WebpageSatellite View
    The Chornomorskyi is a reserve that was formed in 1983. The Choronomorskyi Biosphere Reserve, or Black Sea Biosphere Reserve is the largest reserve in Ukraine and is situated in the region of Mykolaiv and Kherson and is run by the National Academy of Sciences. The 14,148 hectares of land that makes up the Biosphere reserve in Ukraine are made up of areas of forests, which include the warty birch, alder, common oak and the violet willow. The rest of the 100,000 hectare reserve is made up of the Tendrivska and Yagorlytska Bays that make up the open sea zone. The reserve plays an important role in conserving bird species that are under threat and bird species that are considered rare. Take for instance the black-headed gull: over ninety percent of these gulls live in the vicinity of the Chornomorskyi reserve, very few can be found elsewhere. There are over 305 species of birds that can be found here.

  • BR NP Karpatskyi

    WebpageSatellite View
    The massif enjoys several vegetation zones and so a lot of varied vegetation can be found here. You will find pure beech, mixed beech, spruce, fir, ash, elm, sycamore maple and maple forests as well as rock pine, green alder and Siberian juniper trees all on this massif alone.

  • NP Bieszczady

    WebsiteSatellite View
    Bieszczady National Park straddles the borders of Slovakia, Poland and the Ukraine.

  • NP Desnyano-Starogutskyi

    WebpageSatellite View
    The Desnyano-Starogutskyi National Park is a combination of two different vegetation zones. This gives the park added significance and makes a visit all that much more interesting. The floodplain vegetation is interspersed by large patches of forest. The second vegetation zone is the Staroguts’ka vegetation zone. This is characterized mainly by fairly old pine forests with large quantities of sphagnum moss – the moss variety which is used to form peat and which is sometimes even used for packaging purposes. This vegetation zone also has a lot of boggy areas.

  • NP Podilski Tovtry

    WebpageSatellite View
    With some of the lovely reserves in Ukraine, the Podilski Tovtry National Park has an abundance of vegetation which covers a vast array of scenic surroundings, from the light and playful meadows to the patches of grasslands, which contain a small amount of Stipa spp., to the old oak and beach forests, and not forgetting the mixed hornbeam-oak-ash.

  • NP Shats’kyi

    WebpageSatellite View
    This magnificent national park was made a protected natural environment in 1983 and eventually became a designated Biosphere Reserve in 2002. It is situated roughly 160 kilometers northwest of Lutsk and borders the Polesie Biosphere Reserve in Poland.

  • NR Cape Martyan Reserve

    WebpageSatellite View
    There are few coastal nature reserves in Ukraine which hold greater value than the Cape Martyan Reserve. Situated near the city of Yalta, this valuable reserve was established in 1973 and encompasses some 240 hectares of land.

  • NR Cheremskyi

    WebpageSatellite View
    The Cheremskyi Nature Reserve was created both for the protection of the natural habitats within the reserve and for the purpose of study and research. This beautiful reserve was only established in 2001, and while serving as a place where the unique natural ecosystems of the area could be protected and preserved for future generations, it has also been used to a greater level of knowledge and awareness regarding the sustainable use of natural resources

  • NR Kanivs’sky Reserve

    WebpageSatellite View
    Kanivs’kyi Reserve, with most of its area covered in a mixed forest which is inundated with hornbeam or otherwise known as Carpinus spp, oak, bitter lime or Tilia spp and lastly the simple but beautiful maple tree. There is also a great importance played upon the geology and the archeology of the area, with particular fascination found in the common and typical steppe meadows, which can be located on most of the vast rolling hill slopes.

  • NR Karadag Reserve

    WebpageSatellite View
    The Karadag Reserve lies amid two cities known as Feodosia and Sudak, which are situated on a piece of the Crimean peninsula on the south-east coast. It is here that a breathtaking abundance of unique and historical geology can be found in the only solitary rocky shoreline massif of the Jurassic period, of about 150 – 160 million years old, in all of Europe. Not forgetting the variety of delicate flora and fauna arrayed in this little reserve. Thus in 1979 it became vital to established Karadag as a protective area.

  • NR Poliskyi Reserve

    WebpageSatellite View
    If you are an avid bird watcher, the Poliskyi Reserve in Ukraine is a great place to visit. This massive area of protected land spans more than twenty thousand hectares of land and was established in 1968 in order to protect the natural forest-swamp ecosystems that abound here. This wonderful variety of habitats provides the perfect home for a number of birds and mammals. Of the roughly 180 bird species found in the park, some forty-seven species are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine. A number of incredibly rare or endangered bird species can be found here and spotting any one of them will be a highlight for any avid bird watcher. One such species is the globally threatened Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga, of which at least one pair can be found in the Poliskyi Reserve

  • Nature Reserves (Zapovidnyky) in Ukraine

    InformationSatellite View
    List

  • Reserves and National Nature Parks of Ukraine

    WebsiteSatellite View
    Ukraine has a great diversity of natural landscapes and wildlife. For this reason areas of Ukraine have been declared protected areas, nature reserves and National parks. National Parks in Ukraine are vital for preserving large natural areas and provide the country with great opportunities to develop ecotourism. We discuss the protected areas and National Parks of Ukraine under the headings: Mixed Forest area; Forest-Steppe area; Steppe area; Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains and Crimean Mountains.

  • Wetlands

    WebpageSatellite View
    Ukraine currently has 39 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites), with a surface area of 786,321 hectares.
Sightings, News & Forums
Guides & Tour Operators

  • Ukrainian Birdwatching Centre

    Tour Operator
    Some rare birds in Ukraine are common in the world and some common ones in Ukraine are rare outside it, but all of them are sure to be worth watching.
Trip Reports

Other Links

  • Birds of Ukraine

    Website
    All about birds in Ukraine…

  • Important Bird Areas

    Webpage
    Working in partnership with Birdlife International, the Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Birds (USPB) has its headquarters in Kiev, with local branches throughout Ukraine supported by thousands of birdwatchers and ornithologists. The primary aim of the USPB is the preservation of birds and their habitats, thereby conserving the biodiversity of Ukraine. The non-governmental non-profit organization undertakes a number of key activities to achieve their goals, one of which is to identify and monitor Important Bird Areas (IBA) through a network of caretakers and coordinators.

  • Ukrainean Raptors

    Website
    Description of all raptorial birds of Ukraine. The web site is written in Ukrainian…

  • Ukrainian Journal of Ornithology

    Website
    Ukrainian journal of ornithology BERKUT (GOLDEN EAGLE) is published since 1992. It is the first ornithological periodical in Ukraine and one of the most known journals of ornithology in the former USSR. BERKUT has 4 working languages: Ukrainian, Russian, English and German. All communications have English summaries. All the information in tables and figures is duplicated in English. Publications cover the large region from Bulgaria, Poland and Baltic to the Far East of Russia. The journal is published twice-yearly.
Blogs

  • Vitalii Khustochka - Birdwatching in Ukraine

    BLOG
    Personal blog about birdwatching in Ukraine with photo gallery…

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