Birdwatching in Europe

A small owl, resident in northern taiga landscapes, boreal owls are widespread but are rarely seen due to their favored habitats of dense coniferous and mixed forests, their secretive behavior and their nocturnal hunting habits.

Crows

Alpine Chough

A medium-sized member of the crow family that breeds at high altitudes. It is also referred to as the Yellow-billed Chough.

Swallows and martins

Crag Martin

The Eurasian crag martin (Ptyonoprogne rupestris) is a small grey-brown member of the swallow family, found across southern Europe, north Africa. An exceptionally rare visitor to UK skies, crag martins are a common sight in rocky landscapes of southern Spain and Portugal.

Kites, hawks and eagles

Booted Eagle

Europe’s smallest eagle, the booted eagle, otherwise known as the Booted Hawk Eagle, prefers the warmer climes of southern Europe and south central Asia and whilst not threatened globally, its population within Europe is showing signs of decline.

Vultures

Egyptian Vulture

Known also by the nickname “the pharaoh’s chicken”, the Egyptian vulture is an imposing scavenger seen scouring the skies above North and Saharan Africa, southwestern and Central Asia and southern Europe. Notable for its use of pebbles as tools, Egyptian vultures are classified as an endangered species and populations continue to show concerning declines.

Falcons

Eleonora’s Falcon

Eleonora’s falcons are polymorphic. That is to say they have two different plumage patterns and colours which are apparent within the single species. They are also monotypic indicating that there are no sub-species.

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