Wetterbach – Wetterbach Valley east of Burbach-Holzhausen

The area is of outstanding importance for the population of meadow-breeding birds that have disappeared from most places in the modern agricultural landscape due to lack of flowers and thus insects. These include the Whinchat, whose population in the Burbach area is one of the largest in the whole of North Rhine-Westphalia. It shares the habitat with the equally endangered Meadow Pipit and Corncrake, which are also characteristic species of open landscapes.

In the Wetterbach Valley, such rare flowering shrubs as Globeflower, Monkshood and Betony flourish. The wealth of colourful flowers attracts rare butterflies like the Scarce Copper, the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary and the Dusky Large Blue.

Sometimes you may even can see Black Storks or Red Kites circling over the valley. They nest in the surrounding forests, but find ample supplies of food in the stream valley.