The Guide to Birdwatching in Brussels

Brussels might be a big, congested city but it is actually one of Europe’s greenest capitals, full of parks and green areas. A lot of birds can be seen here and in places you would not expect. There are many more bird species to be seen than one would imagine.

I’ve been watching and taking photos of birds in Brussels for more than two years. Here is some advice about where to go and which birds that you can see. This is only an introductory article, you can expect more details and photos from different Brussels neighborhoods in the near future.

The Ixelles ponds, for example, are a great place for birdwatching all year round. At the Abbaye de la Cambre close by you can for example see the lively Nuthatch. If you walk a bit further into Ixelles, the lovely Parc Tenbosch awaits you.

The Chiffchaff with its monotonous singing is one of all the birds that can be seen (and heard) here.

The Robin, the Dunnock and the Eurasian Blackcap are much better singers and they can also be seen here.

If you go a bit outside central Brussels, I can really recommend a combined trip to Forêt de Soignes and the Etangs de Boitsfort where you can see and hear (sounds a bit like a rapper!) the reed warbler among others. Rouge-Cloitre is also very good for bird watching – here you can see lots of different ducks and for example the prolific grey heron.

About the author: Gustaf Lundgren is a Swedish amateur bird photographer based in Brussels. For more updates and bird photos, you can follow his Instagram account @birdsbrussels