Germany’s Birds of the Year

Every year, since 1971, a Vogel des Jahres (Bird of the Year) is elected. The initiative is sponsored by the NABU (Naturschutz Deutschland e.V., Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union) and the Landesbund für Vogel- und Naturschutz (LBV), and was implemented to draw attention to the endangerment of the birds and their habitats.

Since 2020 the final voting is public. In 2025, over 184.000 people took part and selected the Rebhuhn (partridge) from five previously chosen candidates as the Bird of the Year 2026. The agricultural bird takes over from the 2025 Bird of the Year, the Hausrotschwanz (black redstart).

Here is a list of Vögel des Jahres, and below articles about some of them.

  • 1971: Wanderfalke, Peregrine falcon, Duck hawk (US), Falco peregrinus
  • 1972: Steinkauz, Little owl, Minerva’s owl, Athene noctua
  • 1973 (also 2009): Eisvogel, (European) kingfisher, Alcedo atthis
  • 1974: Mehlschwalbe, House martin, Delichon urbicum
  • 1975: Goldregenpfeifer, European golden plover, Pluvialis apricaria
  • 1976 (also 2022): Wiedehopf, Hoopoe, Upups epops
  • 1977: Schleiereule, Barn owl, Tyto alba
  • 1978: Kranich, Crane, Grus grus
  • 1979: Rauchschwalbe, Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica
  • 1980: Birkhuhn, Black grouse, Blackgame, Blackcock, Lyrurus tetrix
  • 1981: Schwarzspecht, (Great) Black woodpecker, Dryocopus martius
  • 1982: Großer Brachvogel, Western curlew, Numenius arquata
  • 1983: Uferschwalbe, Sand martin, Bank swallow (US), Riparia riparia
  • 1984 (also 1994): Weißstorch, White stork, Ciconia ciconia
  • 1985: Neuntöter, Red-backed shrike, Lanius collurio
  • 1986: Saatkrähe, Rook, Corvus frugelegus
  • 1987 (also 2023): Braunkehlchen, Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra
  • 1988: Wendehals, Wryneck, Jynx torquilla
  • 1989: Teichrohrsänger, (Eurasian) Reed warbler, Acrocephalus scirpeceus
  • 1990: Pirol, (Eurasian) Golden oriole, Oriolus oriolus
  • 1991 (also 2026): Rebhuhn, Partridge, Perdix perdix
  • 1992 (also 2021): Rotkehlchen, European robin, Erithacus rubecula
  • 1993: Flussregenpfeifer, Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius
  • 1994 (also 1984): Weißstorch, White stork, Ciconia ciconia
  • 1995: Nachtigall, Nightingale, Luscinia megarhynchos
  • 1996 (also 2024): Kiebitz, Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus
  • 1997: Buntspecht, Great spotted woodpecker, Dendrocopus major
  • 1998 (also 2019): Feldlerche, (Eurasian) Skylark, Alauda arvensis
  • 1999: Goldammer, Yellowhammer, Emberiza citrinella
  • 2000: Rotmilan, Red kite, Milvus milvus
  • 2001: Haubentaucher, Great crested grebe, Podiceps cristatus
  • 2002: Haussperling, House sparrow, Passer domesticus
  • 2003: Mauersegler, Common swift, Apus apus
  • 2004: Zaunkönig, Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes
  • 2005: Uhu, Eagle owl, Bubo bubo
  • 2006: Kleiber, Nuthatch, Sitta europaea
  • 2007: Turmfalke, Common Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus
  • 2008: Kuckuck, Cuckoo, Cuculus canorus
  • 2009 (also 1973): Eisvogel, (European) kingfisher, Alcedo atthis
  • 2010: Kormoran, Carmorant, Phalacrocorax carbo
  • 2011: Gartenrotschwanz, (Common) Redstart, Phoenicurus phoenicurus
  • 2012: Dohle, (Western/European) Jackdaw, Corvus monedula
  • 2013: Bekassine, Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago
  • 2014: Grünspecht, European green woodpecker, Yaffle, Nickle, Picus viridis
  • 2015: Habicht, Hawk, Accipiter gentilis
  • 2016: Stieglitz, Goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis
  • 2017: Waldkauz, Brown owl, Tawny owl, Strix aluco
  • 2018: Star, Starling, Sturnus vulgaris
  • 2019 (also 1998): Feldlerche, (Eurasian) Skylark, Alauda arvensis
  • 2020: Turteltaube, European turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur
  • 2021 (also 1992): Rotkehlchen, European robin, Erithacus rubecula
  • 2022 (also 2022): Wiedehopf, Hoopoe, Upupa epops
  • 2023 (also 1987): Braunkehlchen, Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra
  • 2024 (also 1996): Kiebitz, Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus
  • 2025: Hausrotschwanz, Black redstart, Phoenicurus ochruros
  • 2026 (also 1991): Rebhuhn, Partridge, Perdix perdix