Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland"

The Institute of Avian Research, known as the Heligoland Bird Observatory (Vogelwarte Helgoland), is one of the world's first ornithological observatories, based on the German islands of Heligoland and Düne in the North Sea.

About the Heligoland Bird Observatory

The observatory is operated by the Ornithologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft Helgoland e.V. (OAG Helgoland), a non-profit founded in 1891 to support research into the fauna of Heligoland. The Institute of Avian Research itself dates to 1910. Its principal research focus is bird migration, studied through banding programmes, with over 400 bird species recorded to date.

History

Founded in 1891 as a fauna research society, OAG Helgoland's work made this one of the earliest dedicated bird observatories anywhere, and it continues to publish an annual bird report today.

Location & getting there

The observatory is based on the Heligoland archipelago — the islands of Heligoland and Düne — in the Heligoland Bight of the North Sea, Germany, with related research activity also based at Rüstersiel near Wilhelmshaven.

Visiting the Heligoland Bird Observatory

Note that this is a bird migration research site rather than an astronomical observatory. Anyone wanting to visit should check OAG Helgoland's official channels for current access to the islands and any public programmes.

See your named star from here

Heligoland's position out in the North Sea, away from mainland light pollution, can make for good stargazing on a clear night. If you've named a star, its coordinates from the star catalogue will work with any telescope, wherever you end up looking up.