The World Birding Website

Europe - Italy

The boot-shaped peninsula of Italy projects into the northern Mediterranean. Along its northern borders Italy is screened by the Alps, whilst the much longer chain of the Apennines forms the backbone of Italy. The other main areas of interest to birders are the Po Valley with its lakes, rivers, rice-fields and lagoons and the coastal areas. Italy's birdlife is rich with some 450 species, of which more than half breed. Yet hunters and netters have taken a heavy toll making birdlife scarce in parts. Rice fields near the Po river mouth hold Glossy Ibises, stilts, pratincoles, Whiskered and White-winged Black Terns. Birds are also plentiful in the Parco Nazionale degli Abruzzi in the Appeninnes with breeding Dotterel, Chough, Alpine Chough, Snowfinch and White-backed Woodpecker. Deciduous forests hold Collared Flycatchers. Rock Partridges, Black and Black-eared Wheatears are widespread.

Rock Partridge © Lajos Nemeth-Boka

Trip Reports Italy - Strait of Messina , author Surfbirds Admin (link created September 24, 2004) South-eastern Sicily, Italy January 6th - 13th 2001, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 24, 2004) Northern Italy 16th - 17th May 2006, author Richard Bonser (added May 24, 2006) (The main purpose of this trip was a rather acquired taste - namely Ashy-throated Parrotbill and Northern Bobwhite) Corsica and Sardinia - 29th April – 2nd May 2006, author Richard Bonser (added May 15, 2006) Sardinia, 1st - 4th December 2006, author Mark Hows (added March 18, 2007) (pre Christmas tourist break mainly for sightseeing and socialising with a little birding squeezed in) Sicily - 8th-22nd May 2008, author Dave Flumm (added June 2, 2008) (Straits of Messina, Honey Buzzard migration..) Northern Italy February 2009, author Richard Bonser (link created February 18, 2009) (Brabbia Marsh, Lake Varese, Ashy-throated Parrotbill, Vinous-throated Parrotbill) Italy - Wallcreeper and Lanner in Tuscany - January 2008, author Sean Cole (added February 16, 2008) (Lanner, Pine Bunting, Wallcreeper, Tuscany) Italy - Umbria - 15th - 22nd August 2007, author Surfbirds Admin (added August 26, 2007) (Lago Trasimeno, Lago di Alviano) Spain, Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Greece Cruise - August 2010, author Mark Graham (added August 19, 2010) (Cruising the Med and Adriatic) Italy - 8th – 9th April 2006, author Richard Bonser (added April 18, 2006) (Parco Regionale Sirente Velino, Aielli, Abruzzo, Circeo National Park, Lazio) Showing the 11 Most Recent Trip Reports Posted BACK TO TRIP REPORTS HOME PAGE POST A TRIP REPORT EDIT YOUR TRIP REPORTS

Recent Sightings Isola della Cona - Staranzano - Gorizia, 1x European Roller flying above the marsh, from author Domen Stanic (added May 17, 2009) Lisert - Monfalcone (GO), Slavonian Grebe - 1x swimming and diving author Domen Stanic (added January 5, 2009) Lake Maggiore, BLACK author heather laidlaw (added May 19, 2007) Lagune di Orbettello & surrounding countryside, Tuscany, Italy 4 & 5 June 2005, 7 glossy ibis plus black winged stilts, great, author Andy Lovering (added June 5, 2005) Showing the 4 Latest Recent Sightings Posted ADD SOME RECENT SIGHTINGS

Local Birders View Local Birders from Italy