IllustrationCome to Katharinenberg for a close look at birds of prey and a falconry demonstration with room for a family walk afterwards.
Come to Katharinenberg for a close look at birds of prey and a falconry demonstration with room for a family walk afterwards. The park sits within Wunsiedel’s Bürgerpark, a hilltop setting of trees, old stonework and views towards the Fichtelgebirge. Start at the entrance by asking whether the afternoon flight demonstration is going ahead, then take your time at the aviaries.
These are captive birds in a zoological collection, including species from far beyond Germany. The pleasure is in looking closely: a great gray owl’s patterned face, the tiny American kestrel beside much larger raptors, or the contrast between a griffon’s pale neck and a turkey vulture’s bare red head. Free flight in the demonstration is supervised falconry; it is a separate experience from watching wild birds in the surrounding landscape.
The aviaries, walk-through falcon enclosure and media room give the visit something to offer beyond the show. There are Ouessant sheep in the petting-zoo area too. Beyond the bird park, the wider Bürgerpark adds a playground, deer enclosure and the roofless remains of St. Katharina. Choose one or two extras rather than rushing through the birds to fit everything in. Eager to name that creature? Identify any animal you find during your visit using the Snappit app.
Katharinenberg takes its name from St. Katharina, the pilgrimage church whose ruin still stands above Wunsiedel. First documented in 1364, it became an important medieval destination before losing its religious role after the Reformation. The remaining structure is the town’s oldest building. Look for the granite tablets installed in 2002: their texts from the Beatitudes express peace and reconciliation. The living birds and the old church make two very different chapters of the same hilltop visit.
Begin with a slow look around the aviaries. Give children a small observation challenge: find the owl with a dark “beard”, a falcon with two dark facial stripes, and a hawk with a white tip to its tail. Compare shapes and markings without tapping on enclosures or trying to attract a bird.
Build the visit around the 15: 00 flight demonstration when it runs. The advertised programme includes different styles of flight, from nimble falcons and kites to broad-winged vultures. Follow the falconer’s directions throughout; the day’s birds and activities can vary. Afterwards, the media room explains falconry and offers breeding-camera views when available. The breeding compound itself is closed to visitors so the birds can remain undisturbed.
For a change of pace, visit the sheep, then use the public paths through the Bürgerpark towards St. Katharina and the playground by the bistro. This is an optional extension of your day, with uphill walking beyond the bird exhibits. The church’s surviving tower and open walls make a good family stop: try imagining the building with a roof before looking back out towards Wunsiedel.
Spring offers a reason to look at the breeding-camera displays, though eggs and chicks depend on the birds’ own timing. In summer, bring drinking water and sun protection for time outside. Autumn visits call for an extra layer on the hill and a careful check of the season’s closing date. Bad weather can cancel the flight demonstration.
Before bringing a wheelchair or pushchair, ask the park about the most suitable arrival point, path surfaces and gradients, access to the flight-viewing area, and toilet facilities. The hilltop setting and optional walk up towards the bistro and church deserve separate consideration. Call +49 9232 8819999 with your needs; a short animal visit and a wider Bürgerpark walk can involve different demands. Wear shoes with a good grip.
Watch the falconers work with birds in free flight when conditions and attendance allow.
Compare the great gray owl’s facial rings with the snowy owl’s pale plumage.
Look from the American kestrel to the griffon vulture and compare their proportions.
Pair the bird park with St. Katharina’s ruin and the nearby playground.
Arrive near opening, confirm the flight arrangements and visit the aviaries first. After the demonstration, return to a favourite bird or look into the media room. If everyone still has energy, finish with the church ruin or playground in the Bürgerpark. Adjust the order to the day’s programme and your family’s pace.
Choose one owl, one falcon and one vulture. Sketch the head, wings and tail, then write down one detail that separates each from the others. The goal is careful looking rather than finding every bird on a list.
The Familien-Falknerstunde introduces falconry equipment and offers a supervised closer encounter. Contact the park before choosing a date, discuss your children’s needs and ask what the session involves. Leave all handling decisions to the falconer.
Use a shower as a chance to visit the media room if it is available. In sustained bad weather, check the park’s plans before making the journey and shorten the outdoor outing to suit your family.
Look for the round face with dark concentric rings, yellow eyes and a dark mark beneath the bill. The park’s great gray owls are captive residents; watching one quietly at an aviary can reveal details that disappear in a quick photograph.
The small falcon with two dark stripes on each side of its pale face is a good challenge after the larger raptors. Look for rusty-brown plumage; males have blue-grey wings. Ask which birds will fly that day before waiting for a particular species.
The griffon vulture is a useful bird for comparing proportions: a large body, pale downy head and neck, and a fluffy collar. Look from the public viewing area. If one flies in the demonstration, compare the spread wings with its folded outline at rest.
Look for the pale creamy head against the darker brown upperparts and the long, pointed wings. The species appears in the park’s flight programme, but seeing a falcon resting can make its markings easier to study than following a fast pass.
White plumage and yellow eyes make the snowy owl an inviting first identification. Look for dark bars or spots rather than expecting every individual to be pure white; females and younger birds usually show more pattern. Observe from the visitor area without trying to wake or reposition it.
This is the turkey vulture, Cathartes aura: a dark bird with a small bare red head, quite different from the pale-necked griffon. Its sense of smell features in the advertised flight programme. Compare the two vultures at rest if a flying demonstration is unavailable.
Find the chestnut shoulder and leg feathers, dark body and conspicuous white tail tip. The falconry team includes Harris’s hawks in its advertised programme. Take time to notice those colours before watching any flight; the markings become much easier to recognise in motion.
Look for a dark brown bird with a long, shallowly forked tail. During a flight demonstration, follow changes in its outline as it turns. These are trained birds in the park’s collection; do not treat a flying show bird as a wild sighting.
The Ouessant sheep come from a breed originating on a small Atlantic island off Brittany. See how their compact proportions compare with the farm sheep your children may already know.
A bare red head and a pale, down-covered neck make the turkey vulture and griffon easy birds to compare. Both feed on carrion, despite their strikingly different appearance.
The playground sits beside the hilltop bistro. Treat the vending point as a useful extra for drinks or snacks, and bring any food your family relies on. Ask the bird park directly about toilet and baby-changing arrangements before travelling if these affect your plans.
VGN lists bus 1709 between Holenbrunn and Wunsiedel, and 1710 between Marktredwitz station and Wunsiedel bus station. Use the date-specific journey planner, check the final walk to the park, and plan the return before setting out. If your connection uses fichtelBAXI, book by the deadline shown in its timetable; those journeys do not run simply because someone is waiting at the stop.
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Arrival
Use the park’s contact address, Katharinenberg 3, 95632 Wunsiedel, and its official directions. Allow time to get from your arrival point to the entrance.
Public transport
VGN lists bus 1709 via Holenbrunn–Wunsiedel and 1710 from Marktredwitz station to Wunsiedel bus station. Check your date and return trip, allowing for the final walk up to Katharinenberg.
Ticket choice
There are tickets with and without the flight demonstration. Keep your ticket if you decide to upgrade later; the park charges the difference.
Food and drink
Bring what your family needs. The hilltop bistro opens for events only; a 24-hour vending point offers snacks and drinks, subject to availability.
Dogs
Dogs cannot enter the bird park. Make suitable arrangements before your visit.
Closer encounters
Book the Familien-Falknerstunde in advance for a staff-led family session. Its fee is separate from park admission; any handling follows the falconer’s instructions.
Animal manners
Stay within visitor areas and follow staff instructions around the birds and sheep. Do not offer your own food or reach into bird enclosures.
Photos
Try one whole-bird photograph and one detail that helps identification. Keep a comfortable distance and leave the bird undisturbed.
Recent snaps will appear here as new observations are added.
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Take the discovery with you
Identify the wildlife you spot, learn as you go, and keep a collection of the adventure.
