Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Swedish elk are slightly smaller than their closely related American relatives, called
moose.
Bird Life
Sweden is home to all kinds of bird life. Some of the best birdwatching sites are on Öland,
including the nature reserve at its southernmost tip, as well as Getterön Nature Reserve,
Tåkern Nature Reserve, Hornborgasjön, between Skara and Falköping in Västergötland,
and the national parks Färnebofjärden, Muddus and Abisko.
The golden eagle is one of Sweden's most endangered species. Found in the mountains,
it's easily identified by its immense wingspan.
Coastal species include common, little and Arctic terns, various gulls, oystercatchers,
cormorants, guillemots and razorbills. Territorial Arctic skuas can be seen in a few places,
notably the Stockholm archipelago and the coast north of Göteborg.
Look for goldcrests in coniferous forests. A few spectacular waxwings breed in Lapp-
land, but in winter they arrive from Russia in large numbers and are found throughout
Sweden. Grouse or capercaillie strut the forest floor, while ptarmigan and snow buntings
hang out above the treeline along the Norwegian border.
Sweden has a wide range of wading and water birds, including the unusual and beautiful
red-necked phalaropes, which only breed in the northern mountains. Other waders you're
likely to encounter are majestic grey herons (southern Sweden), noisy bitterns (south-cent-
ral Sweden), plovers (including dotterel, in the mountains) and turnstones.
For more details about birdwatching, contact
Sveriges Ornitologiska Förening
(Swedish Ornithological Society;
08-612 25 30;
www.sofnet.org
)
.
A great resource for twitchers is
Where to Watch Birds in Scandinavia
by Johan Stenlund.
Sea Life
Sprats and herring are economically important food sources. Among other marine species,
haddock, sea trout, whiting, flounder and plaice are reasonably abundant, particularly in
