Birding Tour Finland: Owls of Finland birding tour

Owls of Finland Birding Tour

June 2025/2026

Finland is a spectacular place for owls! Exploring the beautiful taiga forests of Finland in search of these mystical birds is the main focus of this Finland birding tour. However, this tour isn’t just about the owls and we will also enjoy a great variety of other standout species while in Finland, with particular interest in several grouse species including Western Capercaillie, Black Grouse, and Hazel Grouse.

While exploring the Finnish forests, we will search for the breathtaking Great Grey Owl.

We plan to spend the first three days of the tour exploring the extensive forests around Oulu. The boreal forests here have a reputation as one of the best sites for breeding owls in Europe; as such, they will be the focus of the first leg of the tour. We will make use of experienced local guides in search of several sought-after owl species. As with all owls, no matter the species, any encounter with these charismatic birds will surely be memorable. Our success with owls on this tour depends heavily on the abundance of voles, which fluctuates between years. In years when voles are relatively scarce, owls tend to be more challenging to find. In contrast, good vole years dramatically increase the chance of finding our owl targets! It’s, however, not all about owls in Oulu, and we’ll look out for other exciting species, including Black Woodpecker, Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker, Wood Warbler, and Rustic Bunting, to name a few.

Boreal (Tengmalm’s) Owl is yet another of our owl targets on this Scandinavian birding tour.

During our time around Oulu, we plan to visit Liminganlahti, a remarkable wetland area with abundant waterfowl and waders. Some of the species we may encounter here include Spotted Redshank, Caspian Tern, Black-tailed Godwit, Garganey, Whooper Swan, and Common Crane. As a result of the abundance of birds here, the area is frequented by raptors like White-tailed Eagle, Western Marsh Harrier, and Peregrine Falcon. With some luck, we might see uncommon species such as Broad-billed Sandpiper and Pallid Harrier, the latter of which is considered one of Europe’s rarest breeding species. As with the owls, the presence of the harriers is strongly dependent on the number of voles. Another major attraction here will be the presence of breeding-plumaged male Ruffs and we may be lucky enough to see some lekking groups; surely a sight to behold.

After our time in Oulu, we will make our way towards the Russian border and the town of Kuusamo. The drive will give us opportunities to explore the extensive lakes of Finland’s interior, which may yield Smew, Common Crane, Common and Velvet Scoters, Eurasian Whimbrel, Common Goldeneye, singing Wood Sandpiper, and stunning Brambling. Once in the Kuusamo area, we will search for eastern species, including Red-flanked Bluetail, Rustic Bunting, and Little Bunting. The subarctic taiga forests here are home to targets including Grey-headed Chickadee (Siberian Tit), Siberian Jay, and the scarce Two-barred Crossbill. Our focus here will be the grouse, and we stand a chance at connecting with lekking Western Capercaillie and Black Grouse, as well as Hazel Grouse.

The Northern Hawk-Owl is one of the few solely diurnal owls on Earth. They are efficient hunters and can often be found along the roadside.

This tour of Finland forms part of our amazing Finland and Norway: Taiga and Tundra Adventure Tour. If you would like to combine Europe’s best owl species with the incredibly special species of the Arctic Circle, then why not join this tour. Additional species of interest on this tour include thousands of seabirds (such as Thick-billed Murre (Brünnich’s Guillemot)), White-tailed Eagle, King Eider, Steller’s Eider, Long-tailed Jaeger, Black-throated Loon (Black-throated Diver), Rock Ptarmigan, Willow Ptarmigan, Eurasian Dotterel, Temminck’s Stint, and much more!

Itinerary (7 days/6 nights)

Days 1 – 3. Arrival in Oulu, birding the Liminganlahti wetlands and the Oulu region

Welcome to Finland, affectionately known as the land of the midnight sun. Upon arrival in Oulu, you will be met by the Birding Ecotours tour leader and an expert local Finnish guide. We plan to take it easy on the first evening and enjoy the traditional Finnish cuisine at our comfortable hotel. We will discuss our plans for the trip and assist with anything that may be needed before the tour starts. For the first three days of the tour, we will bird the forests around Oulu, a city of approximately 200,000 inhabitants, surrounded by pristine forests. The long daylight hours mean we can maximize our birding time in this region, which boasts some of Finland’s best birding. We’ll spend our time birding the magical taiga forests, searching for iconic species in one of Europe’s best regions for breeding owls. We will target several charismatic owls here during our first three days.

The Eurasian Pygmy Owl is, as the name suggests, our smallest owl target on this trip. This diminutive owl is a ferocious diurnal predator which is often seen hunting around bird feeders in the area. Another smaller owl species here, the Boreal (Tengmalm’s) Owl, is far less conspicuous and best located when nesting. Away from the forests, we may encounter Short-eared Owl, an inhabitant of plains and marshes. This species is, however, often quite challenging to connect with, and luck is required.

The tiny Eurasian Pygmy Owl is a fearsome predator. Its small size does not hinder it from being an effective hunter in the dense Finnish forests.

On the opposite end of the size spectrum, we have the bulky Ural Owl and Great Grey Owl. Their large size, however, makes them no more straightforward to find, but we stand a good chance of connecting with both species, thanks to the knowledge of our expert local guides. We will dedicate many hours to finding these two iconic species. While birding here, we have an outside chance of seeing Eurasian Eagle-Owl; however, due to their tendency to be disturbed at breeding sites, we will need to locate roosting birds – no easy task! The owls will be our primary focus, but the forests here are home to several other avian delights. We will keep an eye out for taiga forest specials such as Black Woodpecker, Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Grey-headed Woodpecker, and perhaps Eurasian Goshawk as we explore the forest trails.

The massive Ural Owl will hopefully be another highlight of our time around Oulu.

June is a delightful time of the year in the forests, with good numbers of passerines including Bohemian Waxwing, European Crested Tit, Great Grey Shrike, Common Rosefinch, Fieldfare, Tree Pipit, Brambling, Red Crossbill, Eurasian Siskin, and Yellowhammer. The forests around Oulu can be tricky to bird, but our efforts are usually rewarded with views of sought-after species.

While in Oulu, we will dedicate some time to birding the wetlands of Liminganlahti. This extensive wetland system plays host to a variety of waterfowl and waders, including Eurasian Curlew, Common Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Ruff, Caspian Tern, Black-tailed Godwit, Northern Shoveler, Red-breasted Merganser, and Garganey. Large numbers of young Whooper Swans and Common Cranes congregate here during the summer months. The abundance of birds attracts raptors, including White-tailed Eagle and Western Marsh Harrier, and we should connect with Peregrine Falcon, a common visitor to the nearby bog. Terek Sandpiper and Pallid Harrier are scarce breeding birds in the area, and we will be sure to keep an eye open for them both.

Other forest birding opportunities could yield Wood Warbler, Thrush Nightingale and Blyth’s Reed Warbler, and if luck is on our side, Corn Crake and Marsh Warbler. All of the previously mentioned species have incredible songs, and we’re sure to have a good time picking up many species by call.

Overnight (three nights): Finlandia Hotel Airport Oulu, Kempele, Finland

Days 4 – 6. Birding the Kuusamo region

Before our busy time in the Oulu area comes to an end, we may have time to target Ortolan Bunting and other farmland species. We will then make our way to the scenic northern regions of Finland and the town of Kuusamo, close to the Russian border. The journey takes us through breathtaking landscapes featuring pristine forests, picturesque lakes and untamed rivers. We will make a number of stops at productive wetlands and lakes to do some birding. Species seen en route to Kuusamo may include Smew (easily one of the world’s most stunning ducks), Taiga Bean Goose, Velvet Scoter, Common Scoter, Common Crane, Osprey, Eurasian Whimbrel, Green Sandpiper, Common Goldeneye, Wood Sandpiper, and Little Gull, among others.

Closer to Kuusamo, the landscapes become interspersed with large sections of taiga forests – the preferred habitat of several exciting species, such as Willow Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Brambling, Bohemian Waxwing, and Eurasian Siskin.

Lekking Western Capercaillie will hopefully be a tour highlight.

After arriving in Kuusamo, we plan to explore the excellent habitats near the town. One of the major drawcards of this area is the opportunity to see grouse at their lekking sites. We will target three grouse species in the area: Black Grouse, Western Capercaillie, and Hazel Grouse, although the latter won’t be seen lekking. For all these grouse, an early morning start is essential, and we will try to be on-site at 03:30 am – before it starts to warm up! While enjoying the grouse, other distractions might include species with restricted ranges in Europe, like Red-flanked Bluetail, Rustic Bunting, Little Bunting, and Grey-headed Chickadee (Siberian Tit). These are all wonderful species and a massive bonus while birding this area.

In addition to the abovementioned range-restricted European species, we hope to add true forest specials like Siberian Jay, Parrot Crossbill, Pine Grosbeak, and Black Woodpecker. At the same time, grassland patches within the forests may yield Rough-legged Buzzard and Common Rosefinch.

We won’t forget about the owls though, and one of our other big targets around Kuusamo is the impressive Northern Hawk-Owl – a species often seen on roadside wires and fence posts as it scans for prey. Luckily, this is one of the world’s few solely diurnal owl species, making it easier to find than other owl targets on this tour. Wetlands and lakes around Kuusamo should provide us with species not seen near Oulu, like Red-necked Grebe, Spotted Redshank, and perhaps Jack Snipe. The forests close to town will give us additional chances at Northern Hawk-Owl, plus Western Capercaillie, Black Grouse, and Hazel Grouse.

The striking Black Grouse may be seen in forest clearings near Kuusamo.

The pristine forests of the Oulanka National Park area, the westernmost limit of the taiga or boreal coniferous forest zone, will undoubtedly be a unique experience. In addition to the typical Finnish scenery, the lichenous pine forests in Oulanka’s river valley offer a variety of northern, southern and eastern species. Our primary target in the area will be the stunning Red-flanked Bluetail, a species we will search for by walking up Valtavaara Hill, where the birds are usually vocal. The general area will give us another shot at the often-challenging Hazel Grouse and Siberian Jay, in addition to Golden Eagle, White-throated Dipper, Red-necked Grebe, Little Gull, European Pied Flycatcher, and Common Redstart. It’s not all birds here, and we may even encounter large mammals like (European) Brown Bear or Moose (called Elk in Europe!).

Overnight (three nights): Holiday Club Kuusamon, Tropiikki, Finland

We will search for Siberian Jay in tall conifer forests around Kuusamo.

Day 7. Departure from Kuusamo, or cross into the Arctic Circle to continue with longer tour

Today we fly out from Kuusamo (or we can organize a road transfer back to Oulu), alternatively you can continue with our longer tour into the tundra of Norway.

Overnight: Not included

Please note that the itinerary cannot be guaranteed as it is only a rough guide and can be changed (usually slightly) due to factors such as availability of accommodation, updated information on the state of accommodation, roads, or birding sites, the discretion of the guides and other factors. In addition, we sometimes must use a different guide from the one advertised due to tour scheduling or other factors.

Useful information

During this tour, your guide will be driving you in a comfortable vehicle. The tour does require some walking and hiking to see certain species of birds and there are opportunities for longer hikes if you wish. Some of these walks and hikes will be on rough, steep terrain so please make sure you are of a good level of fitness for this tour.

Due to the costs involved with visiting Scandinavia we run this tour with a slightly larger group than we would to other destinations so that we can spread the cost and keep costs down for everyone involved. This decision is also based on the habitats we will be birding in on the tour which allow for larger groups, without reducing the experience of the tour.

The weather in the area can also be highly variable with day temperatures often ranging from 25^oC to -8^oC in this period depending on the wind strength and direction. Nights are frequently cold and as the sun does not set many of our excursions will occur later into the evening and early morning.

The forested areas will have noticeable populations of biting insects if the weather is warm so please ensure you bring some form of repellent with you. Despite the northern latitudes the sun here can be strong in summer, so a hat and sun block are advised.

‘About Finland I can tell you that we had very good opportunities to take photos. We got superb photos of species such as Western Capercaillie, Black Grouse, Hazel Grouse, Great Grey Owl, Ural Owl, Northern Hawk Owl, Pygmy-Owl, Short-eared Owl, Common Goldeneye, Whooper Swan, Common Crane, Parrot Crossbill, Red-flanked Blue-tail, Rustic Bunting, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-necked Grebe, Siberian Jay, Siberian Tit, Willow Tit, Honey-buzzard, Temminck’s Stint, Common Redshank, Baltic and Little Gulls, Eurasian Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, Arctic Tern, Common Cuckoo, Three-toed Woodpecker and Pied Flycatcher.

We also took nice photos of Dotterel, Black-throated Diver, Ruff, Sedge and Icterine Warblers, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Fieldfare, Eurasian Wryneck, Common Redpoll and some other birds.

We missed Terek Sandpiper (we saw it but we can’t take any photos) but another group took very good photos of it before we arrived to the place where the bird was.

To me, it has been an excellent trip to take photographs, plenty of good chances. Undoubtedly it has been the best trip I have made ever in Europe from this point of view.’

Luis and Belen