Birds of the Woodlands

The trees of the Vanhankaupunginlahti bay alder woodlands provide a suitable habitat for even the most demanding bird populations. As the groves grow older, particularly birds nesting in tree cavities have an advantage. During the last decade, 6-12 pairs of the lesser spotted woodpecker have annually nested in the groves. The very rare white-backed woodpecker has also tried to nest in Vanhankaupunginlahti alder groves. It has not yet succeeded but stays at the nature reserve over most winters.

One of the most interesting species nesting in cavities and bird boxes is the stock dove, which is among the first migrant species to appear in spring. The cooing call of the stock dove can be heard in the southern part of the farmlands. Stock dove populations have recovered well along the southern coast of Finland. In Viikki, too, their numbers have expanded during the last decades. This is partly because the number of nesting boxes has increased.