Birds Thriving in the Viikki Fields

Fields and meadows in Viikki are buzzing with bird life, especially in spring and autumn, when thousands of migrating birds stop here for a while. For example, skylarks, pipits, starlings and wagtails can be seen in large numbers in early spring. A keen observer may also spot species like the golden plover or the snow bunting that rest and feed on open fields on their way to the northern breeding areas. Also ducks, pigeons, geese and swans are yearly sighted in Viikki fields during their migration.

A variety of birds species also nest on Viikki fields and meadows, the skylark being the most common. As a matter of fact, the density of skylarks at Viikki is among the highest in Finland. Another common species is the lapwing, which nests in small groups in ploughed fields. Thus, lark song and the zigzagging flight of the lapwing are very characteristic to the Viikki landscape in the breeding season. The open fields of Viikki are also important as feeding grounds for the various species of ducks and gulls, that nest in Vanhankaupunginlahti bay reed beds and wetlands.

A different set of bird species favour living along the ditches and in the bushes. The most usual include the wagtail and the whitethroat. The whinchat and the yellowhammer are also commonly seen in the patches of forest and the edges of the fields. The red-backed shrike is less frequently observed, as are the artistic nocturnal singers, the marsh warbler and Blyth’s red warbler. The ortolan bunting that used to be part of the steady bird population in Viikki, no longer nests in the area.