Long-eared Owl Tour
6 December 2025 to 11 December 2025
Led by David Lindo with Milan Ružić In association with Bird’s Wildlife & Nature
“If you don’t see an owl on this trip David will eat his binoculars!”
Free loan of Kowa binoculars is available for the duration of the tour – subject to availability.
Please ask for details.
Serbia has rapidly become one of the most talked about birding destinations in Eastern Europe. Why? Because during the winter it is officially the best place on the entire planet to see Long-eared Owls in unimaginable numbers!
Located in the Balkans in southeastern Europe – and not to be confused with Siberia – Serbia is a landlocked country at the crossroads of southeastern and Central Europe. It borders Hungary to the north, Romania to the northeast, Bulgaria to the southeast, North Macedonia to the south, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to the west and Montenegro to the southwest. Serbia is rich in traditions and culture and its people are very warm.
Although not well known as a birding venue, the country has a lot to offer visiting birders. Indeed, you will be surprised at the wealth of wildlife that is still available to be seen. Its rural areas resemble what Western Europe must have been like 200 years ago. Visiting Serbia will certainly be a pleasantly surprising experience.
We guarantee that after this tour you will leave Serbia beaming!
Our small boutique hotel is situated right in the heart of the owl action in Kikinda – the ‘Owl Capital of the World’!
We will see owls from some of the windows of our hotel and just about anywhere else in the small town of Kikinda where we will be based during this exciting short getaway. The main square has been declared by the government as a nature reserve and holds huge gatherings of Long-eared Owls – which can peak at over 800 individuals during some years. Over the ensuing days we will spend our time exploring some of the towns and surrounding areas looking for owls, Great Grey Shrikes, White-tailed Eagle as well as wintering flocks of Common Cranes and White-fronted Geese. There is also the possibility of finding the majestic, though sadly endangered, Saker Falcon or a wintering Eastern Imperial Eagle.
The great thing about this popular trip is that there is very little walking involved. Plus, we will never be too far away from a cup of coffee or thick hot chocolate because most of our birding will be urban based.
Important note: the welfare of the owls is of paramount importance. Nobody will be allowed to closely approach trees holding roosting birds in order not to unduly disturb them. We ask that you follow the instructions of your guides.
Pygmy Cormorant, Great Egret, Eurasian Bittern, White-fronted Goose, Ferruginous Duck, Smew, White-tailed Eagle, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Hen Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Northern Goshawk, Peregrine, Merlin, Grey Partridge, Water Rail, Eurasian Curlew, Caspian Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, Barn Owl, Little Owl, Syrian Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Crested Lark, Water Pipit, Marsh Tit, Penduline Tit, Bearded Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper, Fieldfare, Great Grey Shrike, Common Raven, Hooded Crow, Tree Sparrow, Brambling, Hawfinch, European Serin, Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer.
Note: aim to arrive by the late afternoon at Belgrade airport. See the flight guide at the end of the itinerary for more details.
There is also an option to arrive a day earlier (Friday 5 December) in order to enjoy a cultural tour of Belgrade on the morning of Saturday 30 November. Please let us know if you are interested in this option.
After arrival you will be met and transferred to our hotel in the City Center. Our tour will start with dinner this evening with David Lindo and our local guide, Milan Ružić.
Overnight in Belgrade
Today after breakfast we will depart Belgrade and make our way towards Kikinda – the Owl Capital of the World. We will stop in the city of Novi Sad, some 90 minutes drive from Belgrade, to pick up Milan, our local guide. Moving on and literally just on the outskirts of the city we will pass by a small canal where we can get our first close up views of Pygmy Cormorants alongside numerous Grey Herons eagerly eyeing up their breakfasts. Thereafter, there will be birding stops along the way to Kikinda where we may start seeing the first of both Great and Pygmy Cormorants, Caspian and Yellow-legged Gulls along the waterways and wetlands. While the surrounding trees can hold Western Jackdaw both Great, Syrian and, more rarely, the occasional Black Woodpecker or even Grey-headed Woodpecker. More likely could be a group of Hawfinch or finch flocks containing Brambling, European Serin and Tree Sparrow.
A little further on we will arrive at a large reed-fringed fish pond that is bordered by a wooded park. More Pygmy Cormorants will greet us joined by Great Cormorants allowing for good comparisons while among the gull flocks we will try and find some Caspian Gulls mixed in with the devilishly similar Yellow-legged Gulls. Tree Sparrows will be easily seen and while watching the lake we can search for ducks that may include Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Eurasian Teal, Common Shelduck and possibly something like Smew or Ferruginous Duck. As we keep looking up, we could see skeins of White-fronted and Greylag Geese and this is also a regular place to spot our first White-tailed Eagle. Among the reed-beds the ringing call of Bearded Reedlings may draw our attention and further searching could find us both Penduline Tit and Reed Bunting. We may even witness the first of our Long-eared Owls. After the excitement of this wonderful place, we will continue our journey to the small town of Kikinda and possibly of more Long-eared Owls in a few of the trees right outside the hotel.
Today will be surely one of those days that everyone holds in anticipation!
We will start our morning in Kikinda Square right outside the hotel which conveniently has a coffee shop. The focus will be Long-eared Owls and it shouldn’t take us long to locate our first tree with roosting birds. The spectacle of the number of birds can be astounding. Up to 150 Long-eared Owls have been counted in one tree in the town centre and the total number of roosting owls in the town square in winter in a good year can be upwards of 800!
Even in a poor year there are still several hundred to be found. The birds can be anywhere and everywhere – in the churchyard, in the trees along the main street and in the trees around cafes. The spectacle is incredible and should offer excellent owl watching and photographic opportunities. Once we have seen some owls, we will also take in some of the cultural delights and architecture that the town has to offer before visiting a few other sites in the vicinity for more Long-eared Owls, Little Owl, Syrian Woodpecker, Black Redstart and Hawfinch.
Overnight in Kikinda
After breakfast, and of course after checking in on the owls outside hotel, we will spend some time in other villages with yet more Long-eared Owls. We are sure to be distracted by flocks of Common Cranes and White-fronted Geese flying overhead and Black Restarts calling from the rooftops.
Our destination today is Kapetanski Rit Wetlands which is 80km NW of Kikinda. With 179 acres of designated wetland the area is rich source of biodiversity. Here we will look for more views of Pygmy Cormorant, White-tailed Eagle, Hen and Marsh Harrier, Great Egret, gulls, waders and both Bearded Reedling and Penduline Tit.
Towards the end of the afternoon, we will explore several landscapes for owl species including Long-eared, Short-eared, Little and Barn Owls whilst also looking in the old trees for Great and Syrian Woodpeckers, Brambling, Hawfinch and anything else that might appear. We will eventually return to Kikinda in time for dinner.
Overnight in Kikinda
Today we will spend the day at Carska Bara Nature Reserve, the largest individual bog in Serbia. The entire system consists of three ponds (Carska, Perleska and Tiganjica) connected by the 8 km (5.0 mi) long canal. This protected wetland consists of many smaller bodies of water, including rivers, canals, lakes and ponds, covered with reed beds, willow thickets and rushes and it is known for its colour diversity: blue clear water, white and yellow Salt Marsh and brown and green woodlands. There are some 500 plant species registered in the reserve including many rare or protected species. Around 24 species of fish live here along with amphibians and reptiles making it an ideal hunting ground for waterbirds and raptors. The reserve itself is best known for its abundant birdlife.
Up to 50,000 Greater White-fronted Geese spend December-January each year in Carska Bara and careful searching may turn up rarities such as Lesser White-fronted Goose or the beautiful Red-breasted Goose. In recent years there has been fewer geese but still enough to create awe. Among the assembled ducks should be Mallard, Eurasian Teal, Northern Shoveler and Eurasian Wigeon and maybe a Ferruginous Duck or Smew. White-tailed Eagles, Marsh and Hen Harriers, Merlin, Peregrine, Common Buzzard and Eurasian Sparrowhawk patrol the area and both Pygmy Cormorant and fields full of Common Cranes can be present. Surrounding bushes, scrub and fields can hold Brambling other finches, pipits, Reed Bunting, Great Grey Shrike and Fieldfare. So, there will be plenty to keep us busy.
After a full day of birding we will return to Belgrade after stopping in Novi Sad in time for our final dinner and to review our highlights.
Overnight in Belgrade
Today, you will be transferred to Nikola Tesla International Airport (Airport code: BEG) Belgrade, in time for our international departing flights home.
You may book a flight to depart at any time today, but note our tour finishes with breakfast today.
This trip is suitable for all ages and abilities.
A moderate amount of walking is involved with no uphill treks.
The weather can range from being mild to a bit chilly. It can also be wet so bring waterproof attire and walking boots.
If you need any outdoor apparel, you can enjoy a 15% discount from Páramo Directional Clothing whose fabulous products are all ethically manufactured. Please visit this link.
Note that Serbia is not an EU state and as such they still allow smoking in public places such as restaurants.
Collins Bird Guide – Lars Svensson, Killian Mullarney & Dan Zetterström
We suggest that if you fly from the UK that you do so with Air Serbia to enjoy a direct flight from Heathrow. Similarly, if you are flying from North America, then also pick up a direct flight from Heathrow.
Please aim to arrive on Saturday 6 December, unless you wish to come a day earlier to take advantage of a guided cultural tour of Belgrade. Contact us for more details.
For assistance and peace of mind with booking flights please contact our flight agent Sacha Barbato at Travel Counsellors +44 (0)1603 360 099 — sacha.barbato@travelcounsellors.com
Click on the booking form above to reserve your place on this tour. You will be re-directed to the birdswildlife.com website.
“We have worked closely with David developing a bird watching tour to Serbia. His knowledge and creativity was second to none and of course, he escorts the tours with much enthusiasm and creativity which has gone down so well with guests on his tours. We look forward to working with the ‘Urban Birder’ in years to come as we continue to develop and expand on our birdwatching tours in Serbia”
“I cannot begin to express how amazing the owls of Kikinda were. Our appetites were whetted by David’s talk but the reality exceeded all exceptions. We were blessed with sunshine that really showed their plumage to perfection and the sheer numbers were breathtaking. Watching their behaviour at dusk was mesmerising. There were of course many other birds and the knowledge shown by both (David and Milan) was impressive and well expressed. The outstanding fact for me was the evident keenness on conservation and education. Good luck in the future.”
“An excellent short trip to Serbia and to Kikinda, the Owl Capital of the World. The Long-eared Owls more than lived up to expectations with amazing numbers roosting in the trees, and very confiding, as used to people! Really good photographic opportunities as well. Birds in northern Serbia also included huge numbers of Common Cranes and other waterbirds and daily views of Hen Harriers as well as Great Grey Shrike. The trip is thoroughly recommended.”
“The Urban Birder’s Serbia holiday was a most enjoyable and enlightening experience.We saw a huge variety of birds in a wide range of habitats. As a novice birder, I appreciated the help and advice from the team guides which enabled me to fully benefit from the birding experience. It has enhanced my knowledge of the conservation of birds and their habitats and has whetted my appetite to do further birding activities. I would definitely recommend this holiday to others.”
“As a novice birder I would recommend this trip to anyone who has never observed birds in the urban setting before. I feel I know so much more about birds and the environment after this wonderful adventure.”
