All 5 in 3 days here: ~50%
Bavarian Forest National Park
🇩🇪 Germany
Central Europe, Germany 487 spp. recorded
Bavarian Forest National Park sits in the low mountain range of southeastern Germany, forming a continuous stretch of temperate forest that borders the Czech Republic. The park preserves primeval woodlands, sandstone outcrops and clear streams, creating a mosaic of habitats that differ from the alpine scenery of nearby national parks.
49.100° N 12.854° E
🦜 Nature
292 Species sighted
24,863 Verified sightings From 2019 to 2026
Jun Best month
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
⭐ Iconic Species
🌙 Most active after dark
+ 281 more species with insufficient data
Challenges you can complete here
All 3 in 3 days here: ~10%
All 4 in 3 days here: <5%
All 7 in 3 days here: <5%
Recent sightings in Bavarian Forest National Park
LIVEiNaturalistSounds of Bavarian Forest National Park
Sighting Calendar
How many species you'd see in a day
29Jan
34Feb
48Mar
76Apr
103May
115Jun
111Jul
94Aug
74Sep
54Oct
36Nov
28Dec
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
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Botanischer Garten, Regensburg
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Veste Oberhaus, Passau
🏕️ Experience
Essentials
Entrance
Paid
Tourism
High
Typical stay
1–2
daysTrails
Moderate
World Heritage
No
Climate
Temp °C Rain mm
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
0.0 Moderate
Wallace's Line Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife? 🦜
Biodiversity
GoodHow rich is the wildlife?
3.4
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds 354
🐒 Mammals 92
🦎 Reptiles 22
🐸 Amphibians 19
487 Total Species
828 Global average across 316 parks
25 Threatened 18 Endemic
🔭
Sighting
GoodHow likely to see animals?
2.6
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
58% 📊
Coverage (143 species at ≥5% of 487 in the inventory)
29% 🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (10 bird, 1 reptile, 1 amphibian)
39% 🔭
Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)
98 🌟
Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)
2 ⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
16 🏕️
Experience
GoodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
2.9
Climate Harsh Low
Entrance Paid Low
Tourism High Low
Trails Moderate Medium
World Heritage No —
What visitors say
Then we found a random unmarked path going downhill toward the left, and I talked Raven into taking it.
From here, I took a breather and spotted some nesting storks.
In contrast to our time in the Kanthaus, our time in the Bavarian Forest was spent more outdoors than in.
Standing at 1,456 meters, the Großer Arber is the tallest peak in the Bavarian Forest mountain range, earning it the nickname “Roof of the Bavarian Forest.” We knew not to expect Alpine-like views in the Bavarian Forest, but we were pleasantly surprised by the stunning panorama from the summit of the Großer Arber.
Before you go
What animals can you see in Bavarian Forest National Park?
487 species
Bavarian Forest National Park has 487 recorded vertebrate species. The ones wildlife watchers report most often on a given day are Eurasian Blackbird (about 70%), Great Tit (about 70%), Carrion Crow (about 70%), Chaffinch (about 60%) and Blue Tit (about 60%). Among mammals, the most-seen is Eurasian Beaver (about 40%); among reptiles, Common Wall Lizard (about 50%); among amphibians, European Common Frog (about 50%).
When is the best time to visit Bavarian Forest National Park for wildlife?
March–July and September
In those months the park's 12 most-seen species average about 60% on a given day, against about 40% in November to February.
Can you see a Western Roe Deer in Bavarian Forest National Park?
Yes
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Western Roe Deer sighting in Bavarian Forest National Park on a given day, based on 78 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is February (about 50%).
Can you see a Eurasian Lynx in Bavarian Forest National Park?
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Eurasian Lynx sighting in Bavarian Forest National Park on a given day, based on 17 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is February (about 30%). Sightings take luck and time in the field.
Can you see a Eurasian Beaver in Bavarian Forest National Park?
Yes
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Eurasian Beaver sighting in Bavarian Forest National Park on a given day, based on 81 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is January (about 60%).
Can you see a Common Buzzard in Bavarian Forest National Park?
Yes
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Common Buzzard sighting in Bavarian Forest National Park on a given day, based on 315 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is January to March (about 50%).
Where in Bavarian Forest National Park is wildlife easiest to see?
Around Botanischer Garten, Regensburg
The richest sighting zone is around Botanischer Garten, Regensburg, followed by Maxhöhe and Patersdorf, ranked by how many of the park's headline animals visitors can expect to see in each. See the zones on the map.
Is Bavarian Forest National Park good for wildlife watching?
2.8 out of 5
On the Wallace's Line Score, Bavarian Forest National Park rates 2.8/5: 301st of 316 parks worldwide and 25th in Europe. 23 of its species are reported by about 40% or more of wildlife watchers on a given day.
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