Białowieża National Park
🇵🇱 Poland
🦬 European Bison in the Primeval ForestBiałowieża National Park is a temperate forest straddling the border of Poland and Belarus in Eastern Europe. It protects a mosaic of ancient woodlands, meadows and wetlands, where towering oaks and silver birches create a layered canopy.
52.857° N 24.177° E
Wildlife
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
grass snake
Natrix natrix
Great Tit
Parus major
European Toad
Bufo bufo
Eurasian Blackbird
Turdus merula
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos major
Common Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybita
European Common Frog
Rana temporaria
European Robin
Erithacus rubecula
Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinella
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapilla
Red Deer
Cervus elaphus
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Red Deer
Cervus elaphus
Western Roe Deer
Capreolus capreolus
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
Eurasian Beaver
Castor fiber
Eurasian Red Squirrel
Sciurus vulgaris
Gray Wolf
Canis lupus
European Mole
Talpa europaea
Eurasian Moose
Alces alces
Wild Boar
Sus scrofa
European Badger
Meles meles
Northern White-breasted Hedgehog
Erinaceus roumanicus
Mainland Raccoon Dog
Nyctereutes procyonoides
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Great Tit
Parus major
Eurasian Blackbird
Turdus merula
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos major
Common Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybita
European Robin
Erithacus rubecula
Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinella
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapilla
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelos
Blue Tit
Cyanistes caeruleus
Wood Pigeon
Columba palumbus
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandarius
Recent sightings in Białowieża National Park
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
1European Bison Rutting Season
Dominant bulls compete for mating rights in open glades, offering dramatic wildlife viewing opportunities.
3Autumn Deer Rut and Crane Migration
Red deer stags roar in mating battles while thousands of Common Cranes pass overhead, creating a spectacle of sound and movement.
2Spring Bird Migration Symphony
Over 200 migratory bird species arrive, filling the forest with songs; dawn chorus is unforgettable.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1European Bison Rutting Season
- 2Spring Bird Migration Symphony
- 3Autumn Deer Rut and Crane Migration
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
Along the way, we spotted various birds, including Ravens, Kestrels, Great white egrets, Cranes, and of course, White storks.
Red Squirrel There were no raptors over the meadows but we saw 3 Woodlark, heard Marsh Warbler and Corn Bunting and some more of the frequently seen White Storks, and often heard but not always seen Common Crane.
Nearby Marsh Tits, Nuthatches and Hawfinches were actively feeding, while on the walk back to the bus we heard and then watched our first Wood Warbler singing beautifully beside the path.
Bialowiesa is a great place for fungi, like these Dead Man's Fingers (Photos: Me) --- I was expecting a cacophony of noise, like the Amazon forest, but it was largely quiet; occasional bird calls - we saw one owl swooping past us, the odd woodpecker.
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Białowieża National Park?
The most likely sightings are Wisent (seen by about 90% of wildlife watchers), Chaffinch (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), grass snake (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Great Tit (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), European Toad (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers) — among 445 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit Białowieża National Park for wildlife?
May has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.
Can you see Wisent in Białowieża National Park?
Yes — about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Wisent sighting in Białowieża National Park, based on 277 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Black Woodpecker in Białowieża National Park?
Yes — about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Black Woodpecker sighting in Białowieża National Park, based on 510 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Chaffinch in Białowieża National Park?
Yes — about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Chaffinch sighting in Białowieża National Park, based on 1,382 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
GoodHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
Very goodHow likely to see animals?
Experience
Very goodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
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