At the first sign of danger, it will quickly dive into the water and hide

Can hang upside down while feeding!

Can dive down to the bottom of a lake and rest there, safe from predators!

They might not look like much, but they have an incredible talent: singing!

Can be quite friendly and will often come close to humans, especially if they’re offered food

The biggest bat you can find in Europe, with wings that can stretch out as wide as your arm!

Its imperial imagery and fierce demeanor have made it a symbol of power and nobility throughout history

A tiny bird, one of the smallest in fact!

Very loyal partners! Once they find a mate, they usually stay together for life

In Iceland, its arrival is eagerly awaited as it signifies the end of the harsh winter

Most common and widely distributed swallow globally

The smallest of all the crane species and is known for its elegance and grace

Very active and noisy, with a loud, piercing call that sounds like “pee-wit”

Often called the “singer of the night,” it produces a complex and beautiful melody that has captivated people for centuries

Have been observed remembering the locations of their impaled prey and even using tools to help them catch food

Often chasing each other in the air or amusing themselves by catching and dropping objects like sticks or leaves

Quite noisy creatures which is a common sight in wetland areas

Can live for several decades under the right conditions, but grow slowly and only reach maturity after several years

Underneath this colorful beak, there’s a hidden surprise – a built-in net for scooping up a delicious lunch!

When threatened, they roll into a tight, spiky ball, tucking in their face, feet, and belly

Known for their graceful movements and the distinctive “S” shape of their neck

Arguably among the most beautiful songbirds in the world — they enjoy singing after a rain shower

Considered as one of the ancestors of all modern domestic sheep

Their horns are curved backward, resembling a hook or a pair of lyre-shaped instruments

The direct ancestor of the domestic cat—no wonder why they look so alike!

One of the most common reptile of the European wetlands

Their stiff, upright tail feathers aid them in swimming and diving

The treasured bird of Saladin, the first Sultan of Egypt

Can walk along the riverbed using its wings to stabilize itself against the current

As one of the largest deer species, the red deer holds a prominent place in the cultural and natural history of many European, Asian, and North African regions. They are robust and large, with males (stags) significantly larger than females (hinds). One of the most distinctive features of the red deer is its antlers, which […]

One of the rarest and most critically endangered crane species in the world

During breeding, they transform with elegant white plumage, adorned by decorative plumes on the head, neck, and back

The males, in particular, produce a rich and intricate song that contributes to their charm

They consistently display a restless demeanor and exhibit a distinctive, tail-trembling behavior

Exhibit powerful flight, with distinctive slow wing beats and an extended neck, defining features during their aerial movements

Holds cultural symbolism in some societies, representing good luck

Adaptable raptor known for its hovering hunting technique and striking appearance

Their migratory behavior is often linked to the availability of insects for food

These birds are quite chatty, and their sounds are like a strong and determined rattling laugh

These owls have specialized feathers that make their flight nearly silent

Their keen vision enables them to scan vast landscapes, identifying small movements or potential prey items even from high altitudes

The mosaic-shelled marvel of the Mediterranean

A pocket-sized charmer with a playful personality that will steal your heart

A big, harmless snake that likes to live near freshwater

A small, burrowing snake that can’t see well but can smell its way to a tasty insect

With the agility of a nimble climber, it effortlessly slithers up trees and through tangled vegetation

Known for its docile and non-aggressive nature

This charismatic creature is not just a quilled beauty but also a skilled architect

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the world’s most widely distributed carnivore!

Possessed with special visual adaptations to catch fish

Fiercely territorial, marking their territory with scent to communicate with other otters

They are excellent swimmers and can hold their breath for up to 30 seconds underwater

Habitat destruction & overhunting led to extinction in the wild, now gradually being reintroduced

Meet the world’s smallest mammal but a fierce predator

The second largest bear, right after the polar bear. Sadly, it well might top the list soon

Disappearing graceful shadows, this tree-climber is on the way to extinction

Their population distribution is often associated with human settlements as they are comfortable in both agricultural and urban habitats

The word ‘squirrel’ is derived from the Greek word ‘Skiouros’ meaning ‘shadow tail’ – not specific

These elegant acrobats perform a perfectly timed and skilled somersault as they approach their chosen resting site

Their muzzle has wrinkled lips, which makes them look like a dog’s face, and is commonly called a bulldog bat

The smallest carnivorous predator in the world and so have limited fat stores and need to eat more than 50% of the body weight

A small, fierce predator known for its agility, hunting skills, and color-changing fur

Due to their adaptability and willingness to migrate to more favorable habitats, great cormorants are found worldwide

Aptly named after the goddesses of wisdom and war, little owls have lived alongside human civilizations since 500 BC

This bird looks like a modern mosaic art-piece

This cute and small bird is one of the most elite hunters below the water’s surface

One of the only birds that can drill a hole in the hardest of wood

The iconic and elegant bird with a curved pink bill is known for turning heads

This bird is unmistakable for its namesake, spoon-shaped bill

The fossil records suggest that this species has been on this planet for millions of years

These birds seem to have lost their way to the beauty pageant

The songbird that occasionally eats bats

The master aerial diver and swooper

The most widely dispersed wild bird

One of the best avian vocal mimics

Like those bulging red eyes weren’t scary enough, they eat their innocent chicks when hungry

Living around smelly brackish marshes is unthinkable, but these birds love their isolated habitat or don’t have a sense of smell

The flocks of this social and gregarious bird are fond of migration, flying over the horizon and creating a V-shaped formation

The most numerous wild bird species in the world

One of the most hunted, widespread, ancient, and well-known game birds

The national bird of Pakistan and Iraq is known to improve degraded ecosystems by aiding in the dispersal and germination of seeds

At the speed of over 321 km/h (200 mph), this bird outraces a Formula1 car

Loves trees! Only member of its family breeding in Europe

The stork with the widest geographic range

The folktale bird that brings the babies!

This bird taps its feet to imitate rain to make the prey reach the surface

The masters of catching oysters, clams, and cockles

One of the very few birds with an upturned bill

Elegant long-legged wader, common almost worldwide

One of the bigger waders with a reptilian eye

This bird holds the record of the longest distance flown by any bird in recorded history

The most elegant of all godwit species

These enthusiastic travelers can be seen almost worldwide in different seasons

Dependable wings and a muscular build. Nope, we aren’t talking about the next Redbull ad campaign

This invasive species is the ancestor to most of the modern ducks

A highly intelligent species that is the world’s only tool-using vulture with a long migratory range