During spring and autumn, thousands of starlings gather in South Jutland. The visual effect is often stunning.
It’s not just the northern lights that look like a dance in the sky. Denmark’s black sun has been likened to a ballet. It has to be seen to be believed.
Thousands of people gather in Tøndermarsken in the Wadden Sea National Park to watch this phenomenon of the natural world.
A dance in the sky
The Danish name sort sol translates simply as black sun. The name comes from the fact that the sheer numbers of birds almost seem to block the sunset.
That number can reach up to an incredible one million birds! You’re unlikely to see quite so many at one time, though. Flocks usually break up when they number more than half a million.
One of the reasons for the dance is protection. If a predator such as an eagle enters the flock, the starlings initiate a bombardment. Droppings and vomit soil the feathers of the predator keeping the flock safe.
Migrating marvels
The marshlands here are the perfect stop-off point for migrating starlings looking for food and rest. Starlings spend the day in the meadows gathering food and sleep in the reeds at night.
During the summer they call Norway, Sweden, and Finland their home. During the winter, it’s France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the UK.
Twice a year, they travel between the regions via South Jutland, and it’s at these times you have the chance to see this natural phenomenon.
How to see the black sun
Alhough Tøndermarsken is the best place to witness this, you can also catch it elsewhere. Try your luck around Ribe, Tipperne at Ringkøbing Fjord and on Rømø island.
When to see it? During the spring migration from mid-March to mid-April is considered the best time. It’s also possible to see them in the autumn.
Much like the northern lights and other natural phenomena, the precise time and place of the black sun doesn’t run to a timetable.
That being said, if you are willing to put in the time and engage the services of a local nature guide, you will greatly improve your chances.
What others say
It’s not just the Scanditopia team that are fascinated by the Black Sun of Denmark. We’ve rounded up opinions from some of the biggest names in travel.
“The Black Sun is a symphony in motion, beginning slowly with smaller flocks in front then growing into a crescendo of larger groups, before slowing down then swelling up again spontaneously” – Frommer’s
“When the birds attempt landing, they perform aerial ballets and formations to avoid or counter-attack birds of prey trying to enter the flock” – CBC
Wadden Sea National Park
A UNESCO World Heritage site since 2014, the Wadden Sea National Park is increasingly popular with international visitors.
The full 500km² area stretches across the Netherlands and Germany in addition to Denmark.
The Wadden Sea in southwest Denmark is one of the richest ecosystems in the world. Some biologists even compare it to the Amazon rainforest for its biological productivity. The sandbanks, dunes, flats and marshlands host 500 species of plants and animals.
Oyster safaris run from September to early Spring thanks to the remarkable amount of Pacific oysters in the Wadden Sea. When the tide is low, tours of the 3km-long seabed can last for up to five hours.