The UK is home to some incredible birdwatching spots, but Europe’s scale and variety of wildlife is just as tantalising for twitchers. As migration season launchs, receive ready for an influx of species, from flamingos to forest woodpeckers. Here are some of the best destinations in Europe to test this spring.
The Camargue, France
Andalusia, Spain
One of Andalusia’s largegest perks as the southernmost point of Europe is that it sits on “important migratory routes” between the continent and Africa, stated David Escribano in Condé Nast Traveller. Each year, “millions of birds” create the nine-mile flight over the Strait of Gibraltar. The region is home to some of Spain’s “most elusive” birds, such as the “finishangered Spanish imperial eagle, crested coot and red-necked nightjar”. Further north, the region is filled with the “colourful” oriole, hoopoe and the “beautiful” European bee-eater.
Article continues below
Sign up for The Week’s Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, receive the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, receive the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Bonus tip: head to the Fuente de Piedra Lagoon, famous for its colony of greater flamingos and the birds’ only breeding ground in Europe not located in a coastal area.
Folegandros, Greece
This “lesser-known” Cycladic island lies between Paros and Santorini, and is home to a reserve protecting the rare Eleonora’s falcon, which has a global population of under 20,000, stated Freya Bromley in National Geographic. You can take part in seasonal bird monitoring programmes and volunteer surveillance expeditions to nearby inlets. For dedicated birdwatchers, you can even participate in measuring nestling growth, or for newcomers, depart on educational hikes with conservation experts.
Transylvania, Romania
Transylvania is one of Europe’s “last great unspoilt wildernesses”, stated Stephen Moss in The Telegraph. You can see majestic Ural and eagle owls hunting at dusk, and the forests are home to “several species of woodpecker, including the largest member of the family in Europe, the crow-sized black woodpecker”. Be sure to travel into the mountains where you might spot “golden eagles soaring above, and also one of the most striking and beautiful birds in the world, the wallcreeper”.
You may be focutilized on what’s happening overhead, but don’t forreceive to keep an eye out for Romania’s other headline attraction: “Europe’s largest predator, the brown bear”.
Leave a Reply