Bird counting in Penzlin: City starts important nature conservation campaign!

Bird counting in Penzlin: City starts important nature conservation campaign!

A lot is happening in Penzlin when it comes to bird protection. An ornithologist was commissioned to count the bird fauna in the region. This was announced at a meeting in which city representatives decided to entrust the expert, who originally comes from the island of Rügen, with the project. The focus is on discovering bird populations that are worthy of protection in order to prevent planned wind energy areas if necessary. The city is supporting the venture with 10,000 euros, while donations are also helping to finance the project. The ornithologist's invoice is currently still outstanding, which means it is unclear when the first results can be expected. The next meeting of the Wind Area Planning Association will take place in the fall and there are considerations to set a deadline for the ornithologist to submit an interim report.

Protecting birds in focus

The project in Penzlin is following an important trend that is also attracting more and more attention from the broader public. NABU organizes annual bird counting campaigns, such as the “Hour of Garden Birds”, which takes place every year on the second weekend in May. Participants watch the feathered guests in their gardens or on balconies for an hour and can even win prizes. Last year, an average of only 28.45 birds were counted per garden, which points to a worrying trend: for nine of the 18 most common garden birds, the numbers show a negative trend.

The next bird counting campaigns have already been decided: the “Hour of the Winter Birds” will be held from January 9th to 11th, 2026, followed by the “Hour of the Garden Birds” from May 8th to 10th, 2026. Those interested can report their observations via the “Bird World” app or by post.

Wind energy and biodiversity

An important aspect of these bird counts and the work in Penzlin is species protection, especially with regard to wind farm planning. How ECOlogy states that all European bird species must meet special requirements when it comes to wind energy projects. Standardized field surveys are necessary to map relevant breeding habitats, and typical “wind-sensitive” bird species such as lesser spotted eagles and red kites are targeted. There are also defined distance criteria for wind turbines from breeding sites, which represent an essential element of species protection.

The initiative in Penzlin is therefore not only a sign of a growing awareness of the local birdlife, but also an important building block in a larger context in which environmental protection and sustainable energy production must go hand in hand. Joining forces to preserve nature – that is the common denominator that many actors rely on.