Check out why birdwatching in Falsterbo is some of the best in Europe!
[Updated April 2020]
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For dedicated birders, birdwatching in Falsterbo, Sweden is a must-do.
Falsterbo is a small town located on the southernmost tip of Sweden, just on the edge of the Øresund separating Denmark and Sweden.
In summer, the town is a popular vacation destination for boaters, beach-goers, and especially golfers. There are a handful of golf clubs right on the water’s edge and actually make for some good nearby birding.
Just on the edge of the spit of land jutting out into the Øresund is the Falsterbo Fagelstation, or bird observatory. The observatory is one of the greatest destinations for autumn bird migration in Europe! The Fagelstation is located at the Falsterbo Lighthouse, providing a beacon for birds moving overhead.
Click the Google Maps image to see all the sites listed in this post.
Why is birdwatching in Falsterbo so great?
As birds migrate south in search of warmer weather and overwintering sites, they funnel down the spit that makes up Falsterbo and halt at the large body of water in front of them.
Birds can often take a bit of time before they make the big move across the extensive sound. This means birds will end up congregating for a period of hours to days in this one location.
In a day, it’s possible to see hundreds, or thousands, of the same species, leaving you with a total bird count in the thousands by the end of the day! Talk about amazing!
When watching wildlife, remember to keep these tips to ethical wildlife watching in mind!
Along Falsterbo’s marshes and waterways are hundreds to thousands of birds during migration. Photo by Nathan Rolls
More about the Bird Observatory
The bird observatory has been active for over 60 years. During that time they’ve been leading ringing, or banding, stations for birds migrating through, counting birds during migration. They also host plenty of community events to get everyone involved in bird education and conservation.
Initially, the Observatory’s ringing efforts got a sense of bird migration patterns through re-sightings and re-captures. Now, around 25,000 birds are ringed every year for the added purpose of establishing environmental indicators for any fluctuations in contaminants, food availability, and more.
As you walk around the Lighthouse and Observatory area, you’ll see mist nets set up around the trees and bushes. Mist nets are used to safely capture birds as they fly through to collect information about them. Be sure not to disturb the nets or any of the birds you might see in the nets.
The biologists and technicians who are in charge of extracting the birds come around every 30 minutes. They’re lightning-fast and efficient at safely removing the birds before bringing them to the Fagelstation for ringing and examinations before getting let go again.
Top places to go birdwatching in Falsterbo
Falsterbo Lighthouse and surrounding area
Falsterbo Lighthouse is home to the Falsterbo Fagelstation and is situated perfectly to see birds as they migrate south. If you go right next to the lighthouse and look northeast, you’re bound to see a continuous flow of a variety of birds.
Walk the sandy trail south to the end of the spit to catch other birds flitting in the reeds or taking refuge in Nabben, around the small inlets.
For parking, stick to the public Falsterbo parking area just near the entrance of the Falsterbo Golf Club. Do not park in the Golf Club parking area. You’ll see people driving to the Lighthouse, but we recommend parking and walking the ten minutes to the Lighthouse. You’re walking through an active Golf Club, so be respectful of those who are playing and look both ways before crossing an open green.
If you plan on photographing the birds you see, first read up on our top tips to wildlife photography!
Falsterbo Bird Observatory Lighthouse at sunrise. Those small dots in the sky are dozens of birds flying overhead! Photo by Christa Rolls
Falsterbo Visitor’s Center and Beach
The Visitor’s Center is also called the Naturum Falsterbo because it is a nature center and has information about the local area. The building has a cafe, gift shop, and art gallery. Head to the roof-top deck, where you can go to watch birds fly over. Then, take the quick walk to the beach, which proves to be a wonderful place to see shorebirds, sea birds, and birds flying overhead.
Skanörs Beacon and surrounding area
Park down at the Skanörs north shore parking area. Take the sandy trails north along the bogs, waterways, marshes, fir trees, and other miniature habitats found on this spit leading up to the Beacon. Because of the trees and bushes found along the marshes and sound, you’ll spot other birds you might not see down at the lighthouse.
This is also simply another beautiful place to take a stroll.
Galgplatsen
As you drive into the town of Falsterbo, you’ll hit a round-about. It’s likely you’ll see a handful of birdwatchers with their scopes out and chairs set up along the farm field off to the left. Park in the free lot near the Falsterbo Campground entrance, just next to the trees – the entrance into the field is through the gate.
You can’t roam from the edge of the field, as this is grazing land, but there is a trail off to the right that goes to another viewing platform. We recommend staying near the pine trees and watching the birds from there.
This is one of the best places to see raptors in the area!
You might also like to check out our other top birding destinations in Europe!
Galgplatsen is one of the best areas to spot raptors swirling in the air vortices off the coast. Photo by Nathan Rolls
Best time to go Birdwatching in Falsterbo
Starting around the end of September, the numbers will really begin picking up at the Falsterbo Bird Observatory. By the first weekend in October, you’ll be amazed at the numbers of birds you’ll see.
Birds will continue migrating and moving into the area overnight. From dawn until dusk, you’ll see a never-ending number of birds flying overhead, moving south!
The numbers begin to dissipate by the end of October, though, this is largely dependent on weather conditions.
Bird watching and photographing with a bunch of other birders at Galgplatsen. At this moment, we were watching hundreds of buzzards soar overhead. Photos by Christa Rolls
Best places to stay in Falsterbo
Bird Observatory Building Accommodation
If you want an authentic experience, we highly recommend staying in the Bird Observatory Building. This is where the Observatory staff lives during the field season.
The quarters are separated into five small rooms, each with one bunk bed. There is a shared living space, kitchen, toilets, and showers, and there are laundry facilities on the premises you can use for a small fee.
The staff suggests this accommodation for bird watchers because it’s fun to compare notes with fellow birders about what everyone saw at the end of the day. Fellow birders give you the low-down on the best places to spot specific birds they saw during the day.
Bird watchers tend to go to bed earlier and rise earlier. Keep in mind that since this is also the staff’s quarters, they will be sleeping early and heading out early. Thus, be respectful if you usually stay up later.
We found this to be the perfect place to stay during our trip, and we met some really wonderful people who we got to birdwatch with over the weekend.
And, the price can’t be beaten, at only around $20 per bed per night. This doesn’t include linens, which is around $5 total per bed. All arrangements must be made well ahead of time – note that during migration season the bunks will fill up quickly! Also note that check-in isn’t until around 5 pm since this is when the staff starts getting back from working out in the field.
Boardwalk leading over waterways toward Skanörs Beacon, seen on the horizon on the right. Photo by Christa Rolls
Other Falsterbo Accommodations
There are also other wonderful locations in town for you to stay, so don’t fret if there is no more availability or if you want something a little more private.
The Bed & Breakfast Höllviken is a highly recommended local B&B, with cozy accommodation and a wonderful continental breakfast. Another great option is the Hotel Skanörs Gästgifvaregård, which is only about ten minutes from the beach and is right next to the paths that lead to the Beacon. If you’re looking for a top tier dining experience, the Hotel has wonderful food for lunch and dinner!
Getting to Falsterbo
We wanted to explore the rest of the peninsula, so we were really happy renting a car and seeing the area that way. We recommend renting a car from Copenhagen or Malmo for this reason, but it’s not necessary.
There are buses that run nearly every hour from Malmo and Trelleborg, specifically the line 300 and line 100 buses toward Falsterbo. If you’re coming from Copenhagen or a different Swedish city, you can take the train or bus to Malmo or Trelleborg and transfer to a bus from there.
Getting from site to site is challenging without a car in Falsterbo, however, so keep this in mind during your planning process.
Common Crossbills (or Red Crossbills) forage on cones near Skanörs Beacon. Photo by Christa Rolls.
Best places to eat in Falsterbo
October is a pretty quiet time in Falsterbo, since it’s primarily a summer destination for non-birders. However, there’s still plenty open for you to get food.
The small Falsterbopizzan has tasty pizza, which is perfect after a day of hiking around and birding. The prices are incredibly reasonable, and we suggest getting a whole pizza to yourself.
The Stationen I Skanor has a delicious selection of food and drinks (try their burger!!).
One of our favorites, the Kust Café, is cozy and has amazing, locally made food. Large salads, hot soup, loaded baked potatoes, tall toasted sandwiches… everything that calls to my heart when the weather gets cool.
For something a little more upscale and incredibly delicious, check out Skanörs Gästgifvaregård. They serve wonderful meat and fish dishes you can eat on the terrace when the weather is nice.
If you’re staying at the Fagelstation, you’ll have access to the fridge and kitchen, so feel free to pick up your breakfasts and lunches at the ICA grocery store in the middle of town. They have a great selection of fresh produce, local meats and cheeses, as well as local beers.
Other things to do around Falsterbo
Visit the Viking museum. We talked to the locals, and they suggested that this was really more of a touristy thing to do. However, if you’re interested in the history of the region and how it was shaped by Vikings many centuries ago, it’s worth the visit.
Ales Stenar monument sits right at the edge of the sea, almost as if it’s calling to port. Photo by Christa Rolls
We took part of one day to drive the coast road in search of other shore and seabirds. Along the way, we headed toward Ales Stenar for a visit.
This 1,400-year-old monument is made up of monolithic stones in the shape of a ship, pointing out to sea. There’s an incredible display before walking up the hill where it’s located, telling how the stones are perfectly placed to read the seasons. It really was a beautiful historic site to see. The town in which it’s located is small, but there’s a yummy fish shop and café.
For birdwatching, another great place to stop over is the Lange Jan Lighthouse, located on an island off the coast of Sweden about four hours from Falsterbo. There’s a road that connects the mainland and the island. This is another location where birds funnel through during their migration south, and the Ottenby Fagelstation is located at this particular Lighthouse!
Species List to Birdwatching in Falsterbo
We’ve made a downloadable bird species checklist for your convenience when you visit Falsterbo! Pick it up here.
Assortment of Necessary Gear for Birdwatching in Falsterbo
The autumn weather in Falsterbo can be rainy and windy. This is the gear we relied on heavily during our trip!
Are you planning a trip to Falsterbo anytime soon? Let us know in the comments, and we hope you enjoy your trip to Falsterbo!
Happy birding and travels!
Christa and Nathan
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