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There are several species of green birds in Germany. Not all of these striking birds are native to Central Europe.
Green birds in Germany: These are the species you should know about
There are several species of green birds in Germany that are native to our forests and cities.
- Greenfinch (Chloris chloris): The greenfinch is a common garden bird with yellow-green plumage and yellow markings on its wings and tail. The greenfinch has a diverse habitat that includes both natural and man-made environments.
- This small bird can be found in sparse woodlands and forest edges, as well as in open country bordering forests, in landscapes with dense hedges, on riverbanks with bushes and trees, and in human settlements such as gardens, parks, and cemeteries.
- The greenfinch has proven to be an adaptable synanthropic species and has successfully expanded its habitat into populated areas. It prefers semi-open landscapes where it can find both shelter and food. It is often found in urban environments as long as there are sufficient trees, hedges, or green building facades.
- Green woodpecker (Picus viridis): This large woodpecker with green plumage, a red cap, and a characteristic “laughing” call prefers diverse, semi-open landscapes as its habitat.
- Its typical habitats include sparse deciduous and mixed forests with clearings and open forest edges, as well as riparian forests, old pasture forests, orchards, but also human-influenced habitats such as parks and large gardens with old trees or avenues.
- Goldfinch: This small finch with a yellow-green upper body and yellow underbody inhabits diverse, semi-open habitats.
- Its natural habitats include open cultivated landscapes with sparse trees and shrubs, as well as sparse forest edges, clearings, and moors. The green bird can also be found in mountainous landscapes up to an altitude of 2000 m.
- But the serin is also at home in habitats shaped by humans. You can find it in gardens, parks, and cemeteries, as well as in suburbs and on the outskirts of settlements.
Green bird species that have settled in Germany
There is a green bird that was originally native to a faraway country and has been enriching the German bird world for several decades.
- Ring-necked parakeet: This bird species is a non-native, bright green parrot that has settled in the Rhine Valley and some cities.
- The first free-living ring-necked parakeets were sighted in Germany in Cologne in 1967, and the first confirmed breeding took place in Cologne in 1969. This marks the beginning of the settlement of ring-necked parakeets in Germany.
- In the 1970s, additional populations emerged independently in various German cities, including Mannheim-Heidelberg, Worms, Wiesbaden, Bonn, Brühl, Hamburg, and Berlin.
- Since then, ring-necked parakeets have spread continuously. Today, they can be found in at least 25 German cities, especially along the Rhine. The population in Germany is currently estimated at over 20,000 individuals. (As of January 2025)
- Ring-necked parakeets originate from two main regions: Asia (especially India and the Indian subcontinent) and Africa (specifically the savannah areas south of the Sahara). In their natural habitats, rose-ringed parakeets inhabit savannas and steppes, open scrubland, and various types of forest, especially sparse forests and open mountain forests.
