The birds of the Tassaro valley

Marc

The avifauna of the Val Tassaro area includes numerous species; the most represented classes are those of Galliformes, Columbiformes, Cucculiformes, Caprimugiliformes, Mugiliformes, Apodiformes, Coraciformes, Passeriformes, Corvids, Sturnidae and Motacillidae.

Birds of prey

Of particular importance are birds of prey, diurnal or nocturnal, which can be considered important indicators of the quality of the environment; the prairies around the inhabited centers are frequented by pheasants, terns, red partridges and quails.

The birds of prey, which, having been in sharp decline since the mid-1960s, are currently showing new symptoms of recovery. The Buzzard is particularly widespread, nesting on trees and bushes, very skilled in exploiting the ascending currents that form during the summer. Along the hilly ridges, preferably in correspondence with cultivated fields or prairies, the kestrel and the lodaiolo are also common; less frequent are the Goshawk, the Black Kite and the Harrier.

Occasionally the Golden Eagle also appears in the territory of the Rio Tassaro valley, which, although located in the upper Apennines, sometimes descends along the valleys, reaching up to the middle and lower hills. Nocturnal birds of prey are also relatively frequent: the Eagle Owl is still present, a majestic strigiform bird reported in the chestnut groves along the valley; The Little Owl is very common, usually present in the woods and cultivated fields and near the inhabited areas, the Long-eared Owl and the Tawny Owl also nest inside rustic buildings.