Seasonal calendar · Belgium
From calling eagle owls in winter to roaring stags in autumn: this is the year in Belgian nature, from the Ardennes and the High Fens to the coast. For each month you can also see what is in season in the kitchen.
Nature does not follow the calendar: in the higher Ardennes and the High Fens, spring often starts weeks later than on the coast.
Winter
| Month | In nature | In the kitchen |
|---|---|---|
| December | Wild boar mating season; snow sometimes already lies in the High Fens | Game on the Christmas menu; mussels and oysters |
| January | The eagle owl calls from quarries and cliffs; mating season of the wildcat and the beaver | Wild boar stews; zander |
| February | Young badgers in the sett; the dipper already sings along the streams | Mussels, still into spring |
Spring
| Month | In nature | In the kitchen |
|---|---|---|
| March | Fire salamanders release their larvae into spring-fed streams; the black stork returns from Africa | North Sea flatfish such as sole |
| April | Black grouse display in the High Fens; the greater horseshoe bat wakes from hibernation | Trout from the Ardennes |
| May | Roe deer fawns lie hidden in the grass: do not touch; the hazel grouse nests in the Ardennes forests | Brown shrimp, in Oostduinkerke still caught by shrimp fishers on horseback |
Summer
| Month | In nature | In the kitchen |
|---|---|---|
| June | Black stork chicks in the nest; the otter is back in several rivers | Shrimp and herring |
| July | Roe deer rut; the kingfisher has young | Start of the new mussel season: moules-frites |
| August | The roe deer rut continues; the black stork leaves for Africa | Mussels and shrimp |
Autumn
| Month | In nature | In the kitchen |
|---|---|---|
| September | Start of the rut in the Ardennes: the red deer stags roar | Start of the game season; oysters |
| October | Peak and end of the rut; the forests change colour | Game menus with roe deer, hare, pheasant and mushrooms |
| November | Brown trout spawn on gravel beds; salmon are seen in the Meuse again | Venison and wild boar stews |
Out and about: read where to hear the red deer rut in the Ardennes in autumn, and what you can see in the High Fens each season.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about the seasons in Belgium
When is the red deer rut in the Ardennes?
From about mid-September to mid-October, peaking in late September.
When is the best time to visit the High Fens?
Spring, when the black grouse display, and autumn, when the moorland turns red. Note: in spring, parts of the area are closed to give nesting birds peace.
When is mussel season in Belgium?
The new mussel season starts in July and runs into spring.
Other countries: The Netherlands · Germany · France · Spain. Or see the general seasonal calendar and all animals in Belgium.
