Eight new bird species breeding in Denmark

Warmer climate and protection attracting them to settle in the Danish countryside

The ed-crested pochard, caspian tern, great egret, peregrine falcon, bee-eater, white-wing crossbill, golden eagle and Egyptian goose can be spotted breeding in the Danish countryside.

According to the Danish ornithological society (DOF), these species were recorded during the first phase of the Atlas III project.

Its aim is to provide completely updated documentation of the current circulation of all bird species breeding in the country.

Equipped with notebooks and binoculars, 1,040 ornithologists have been scrutinising Danish woods, lakes and cities mapping local bird-life since early spring. 

Better climate conditions
The new species are quite different, so it is not clear why they have all decided to move to Denmark. 

However, a DOF biologist, Iben Hove Sørensen, believes that some of them moved north because of the climate changes that have created more suitable conditions for the birds.

"We believe that, for instance, the caspian tern moved to Denmark because it did not have a very successful breeding season in Scania. So, it decided to give it a go here instead," Sørensen explained to Jyllands-Posten.

Raptors are more protected
The peregrine falcon, on the other hand, used to live in the country in the past. The last breeding pair was spotted in the early 1970s.

"In recent decades, birds of prey have been much more protected here than before," Sørensen noted.

Although eight new bird species have been recorded, it is still unclear how many species Denmark might have actually lost. 





  • How internationals can benefit from joining trade unions

    How internationals can benefit from joining trade unions

    Being part of a trade union is a long-established norm for Danes. But many internationals do not join unions – instead enduring workers’ rights violations. Find out how joining a union could benefit you, and how to go about it.

  • Internationals in Denmark rarely join a trade union

    Internationals in Denmark rarely join a trade union

    Internationals are overrepresented in the lowest-paid fields of agriculture, transport, cleaning, hotels and restaurants, and construction – industries that classically lack collective agreements. A new analysis from the Workers’ Union’s Business Council suggests that internationals rarely join trade unions – but if they did, it would generate better industry standards.

  • Novo Nordisk overtakes LEGO as the most desirable future workplace amongst university students

    Novo Nordisk overtakes LEGO as the most desirable future workplace amongst university students

    The numbers are especially striking amongst the 3,477 business and economics students polled, of whom 31 percent elected Novo Nordisk as their favorite, compared with 20 percent last year.