Animals of Austria

Red-Breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

The Red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator) is a diving duck, one of the many bird species originally described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae, where it was given the binomial name Mergus serrator. The...

Common Redpoll

Acanthis flammea

Common redpolls (Acanthis flammea) are small birds in the finch family. They are remarkably resistant to cold temperatures and their winter movements are mainly connected with the availability of food.

Black-Winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Black-winged stilts (Himantopus himantopus) are very long-legged wading birds. They are found in both warm and hot climates, feed on small aquatic creatures, and nest on the ground surface in small colonies.

Western Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flava

The Western yellow wagtail (Motacilla flava) is a small songbird that can be found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Its common name comes from characteristic tail-pumping behavior and the part of its scientific name 'flava' means 'golden-yellow' from...

Booted Eagle

Hieraaetus pennatus

The Booted eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) is a small mostly migratory bird of prey with a wide distribution. Despite its small size, the Booted eagle is a fierce hunter that usually captures and kill its prey in its powerful talons.

Boreal Owl

Aegolius funereus

The boreal owl or Tengmalm's owl (Aegolius funereus ) is a small owl in the "true owl" family Strigidae. It is known as the boreal owl in North America and as Tengmalm's owl in Europe after Swedish naturalist Peter Gustaf Tengmalm or, more rarely,...

Red Crossbill

Loxia curvirostra

The red crossbill or common crossbill (Loxia curvirostra ) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. Crossbills have distinctive mandibles, crossed at the tips, which enable them to extract seeds from conifer cones and other...

Red Knot

Calidris canutus

The red knot (Calidris canutus ) (just knot in English-speaking Europe) is a medium-sized shorebird which breeds in tundra and the Arctic Cordillera in the far north of Canada, Europe, and Russia. It is a large member of the Calidris sandpipers,...

Stock Dove

Columba oenas

The Stock dove (Columba oenas) was first formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758. The word "stock" in the common name of this species refers not to the stock of trade, but comes from the Old English "stocc" meaning "stump,...

Snow Bunting

Plectrophenax nivalis

The snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis ) is a passerine bird in the family Calcariidae. It is an Arctic specialist, with a circumpolar Arctic breeding range throughout the northern hemisphere. There are small isolated populations on a few high...

Little Grebe

Tachybaptus ruficollis

The little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis ), also known as dabchick, is a member of the grebe family of water birds. The genus name is from Ancient Greek takhus "fast" and bapto "to sink under". The specific ruficollis is from Latin rufus "red" and...

Common Gull

Larus canus

The Common gull (Larus canus) is a medium-sized seabird that breeds in the Palearctic. The closely related Short-billed gull is sometimes included in this species, which may be known collectively as "mew gull". The Common gull is also known as the...

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus

The Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) is a wading bird with striking black and white plumage. It is a noisy plover-like bird, and despite its name, oysters do not form a large part of its diet. The bird still lives up to its name, as...

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

The Spotted flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) is a small passerine bird found in most of Europe, Africa, and Asia. This species was described by the German naturalist Peter Simon Pallas in 1764 and has five recognized subspecies. It is declining in...

European Hamster

Cricetus cricetus

The European hamster (Cricetus cricetus ), also known as the Eurasian hamster, black-bellied hamster or common hamster, is the only species of hamster in the genus Cricetus. It is native to grassland and similar habitats in a large part of Eurasia,...

Long-Tailed Duck

Clangula hyemalis

The long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis ), formerly known as oldsquaw, is a medium-sized sea duck that breeds in the tundra and taiga regions of the arctic and winters along the northern coastlines of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is the only...

Garganey

Spatula querquedula

The garganey (Spatula querquedula) is a migratory secretive dabbling duck that breeds in Europe and across the Palearctic. This species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. Like other small...

Sanderling

Calidris alba

The sanderling (Calidris alba) is a small plump wading bird that breeds on the High Arctic grounds. Its name comes from Old English sand-yrðling and means "sand-ploughman". In winter, flocks of these birds run along the sandy beaches with a...

Sand Lizard

Lacerta agilis

The sand lizard (Lacerta agilis ) is a lacertid lizard distributed across most of Europe from France and across the continent to Lake Baikal in Russia. It does not occur in European Turkey. Its distribution is often patchy. In the sand lizard's...

Bluethroat

Luscinia svecica

The bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) is a small songbird that now is more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae. It, and similar small European species, are often called chats. It is a migratory and nests in tussocks or low...

European Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeus

The European nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus) is a crepuscular and nocturnal bird, which densely patterned plumage makes it difficult to see in the daytime when it rests on the ground or perch motionless along a branch. The scientific name of this...

Eurasian Bittern

Botaurus stellaris

The Eurasian bittern or great bittern (Botaurus stellaris) is a wading bird found in parts of Europe, across the Palearctic, and in Africa. It is a secretive bird, seldom seen in the open as it prefers to skulk in reed beds and thick vegetation near...

European Serin

Serinus serinus

The European serin (Serinus serinus) is the smallest member species of the family of finches. It is closely related to the Atlantic canary.

Red-Throated Loon

Gavia stellata

The Red-throated loon (North America) is an aquatic bird found in the northern hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed member of the loon or diver family and is the smallest and lightest of the world's loons.

Black Woodpecker

Dryocopus martius

The Black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) is a large woodpecker that lives in mature forests across the northern Palearctic. It is the largest woodpecker species within its native range and is one of the largest species worldwide. The piercing yellow...

Black-Tailed Godwit

Limosa limosa

The Black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa) is a large long-billed shorebird. It was first described in 1758 and is the national bird of the Netherlands.

Common Wall Lizard

Podarcis muralis

Podarcis muralis (common wall lizard) is a species of lizard with a large distribution in Europe and well-established introduced populations in North America, where it is also called the European wall lizard. It can grow to about 20 cm (7.9 in) in...

Hawfinch

Coccothraustes coccothraustes

The hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes) is a large passerine bird found in Europe and some parts of Asia. It lives in woodlands and nests in bushes or trees and prefers to spend time in pairs or small groups.

Thrush Nightingale

Luscinia luscinia

The Thrush nightingale (Luscinia luscinia) is a small member of Old World flycatchers. It, and similar small European species, are often called chats. The Thrush nightingale has a similar but more powerful song than that of the nightingale.

Rosy Starling

Pastor roseus

The Rosy starling (Pastor roseus) is a passerine bird found in Asia and Europe. It was formally described in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus. The scientific name of this bird can roughly be translated as "rose-colored shepherd".

Smooth Snake

Coronella austriaca

The smooth snake (Coronella austriaca ) is a species of non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is found in northern and central Europe, but also as far east as northern Iran. The Reptile Database recognizes two subspecies as being...

European Pied Flycatcher

Ficedula hypoleuca

The European pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) is a small passerine bird, a member of a family of insectivorous songbirds that typically feed by darting after insects. A part of its scientific name is Latin and means "small fig-eating bird".

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Dryobates minor

Lesser spotted woodpeckers (Dryobates minor) are the smallest European woodpeckers. They mostly forage for insect prey on the trunks and branches of trees and often communicate by drumming with their beaks, producing a reverberatory sound that can...

Rough-Legged Buzzard

Buteo lagopus

The Rough-legged buzzard (Buteo lagopus) is a medium-large bird of prey found in the arctic and subarctic regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. Historically, it was also known as the "rough-legged falcon." In North America, it is known as the...

Common Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus pipistrellus

The common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus ) is a small pipistrelle microbat whose very large range extends across most of Europe, North Africa, South Asia, and may extend into Korea. It is one of the most common bat species in the British...

Purple Heron

Ardea purpurea

The Purple heron (Ardea purpurea) is a widely distributed heron species. It is similar in appearance to the more common Grey heron but is slightly smaller, more slender, and has darker plumage.

Common Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus scirpaceus

The Common reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) is a small insectivorous bird formally described in 1804 by the French naturalist Johann Hermann. These birds breed in temperate regions and spend winters in sub-Saharan Africa.

Meadow Pipit

Anthus pratensis

The Meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis) is a widespread small passerine bird, which breeds in much of the Palearctic. Its name "pipit", first documented by Thomas Pennant in 1768, describes the call note of this species. Meadow pipits have several old...

Greater Spotted Eagle

Clanga clanga

The Greater spotted eagle (Clanga clanga) is a large migratory bird of prey, a member of the subfamily Aquilinae, commonly known as "booted eagles". Greater spotted eagles favor wetter habitats than most other booted eagles and hunt their prey by...

European Roller

Coracias garrulus

The European roller (Coracias garrulus ) is the only member of the roller family of birds to breed in Europe. Its overall range extends into the Middle East, Central Asia and Morocco.The European roller is found in a wide variety of habitats,...

Northern Wheatear

Oenanthe oenanthe

The Northern wheatear or wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) is a small passerine bird that is widespread in Europe and North and Central Asia. Its English name has nothing to do with wheat or with ear but is an altered or bowdlerised form of white-arse,...

Dunlin

Calidris alpina

The dunlin (Calidris alpina) is a small wading bird. The English name of this bird is a dialect form of "dunling", first recorded in 1531-1532. It derives from dun, "dull brown", with the suffix -ling, meaning a person or thing with the given...