Birdwatching on the Aurunci Mountains

The South Pontino is a natural passage-bridge territory connecting the southern regions of Italy to the rest of the peninsula and also the sea to the mountains. Among its typical Mediterranean landscapes of southern Italy , it offers several interesting birdwatching areas: the Circeo promontory and marshlands, the Lake of Fondi and the Ausoni Mountains in the middle and the Aurunci Mountains further south up to the borders of northern Campania.

The Aurunci mountains are the introductory territory to the large central Apennines Mountains found in Ciociaria (the territory bordering the north of the Aurunci Park) and Abbruzzo. The Aurunci are bordering the South Tyrrhenian Sea, north of the towns of Terracina and Gaeta with habitats including maquis, broadleaved evergreen woodland, garrigue, pastures and rocky cliffs.

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The main human activities are agriculture, forestry and hunting. Before leaving early, a strong espresso coffee , and then there is nothing better than start exploring and enjoying the fresh, clean morning air of the Aurunci Mountains. Foot or on horse excursions are the most enjoyable way to discover slowly these mountains in southern Latium, one of South Italy’s most undiscovered and enchanting territories. The Aurunci landscapes are beautiful and tranquil with their shapes designed on the sky, they appear as they are: ancient and peaceful.

Unspoilt and plenty of traditions, this old mountains have a natural hidden treasures can captivate travellers in every season of the year. For dog lovers a warning when out for excursions. It is ok to bring your pets with you for their most beautiful day out of your holiday.

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But, quite a few shepherds roam with their herds on these mountains. The herds are always ‘escorted’ by large, fiery guarding dogs (usually breeds of Abbruzzi shepherd dog) which are free and unlaced. If your dog obeys to you then call them back calmly, and keep them a close look and at lace. The shepherd will call his dogs away and you will enjoying your fantastic day out. Many bird species cross this territory towards Europe to Africa across from the Mediterranean Sea or the mountains.

The southern Latium offer a good variety of natural habitats offering many opportunities to watch birds, starting from species typical of the Marshlands, as the Montagu's Harrier (Circus Pygargus) to Sub Saharian-African species as the Snake Eagle also known as Short Toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus). Birdwatching on the Aurunci Mountains means enjoying sighs of interesting birds of prey and many other forest and mountain bird species among the bucolic rural Mediterranean wilderness.

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These mountains have been defined as a “precious treasure chest plenty of birds of prey Although the area witnessed the total decline of the Golden Eagle (Aquila Chrysaetos) population between 1940s and 1950s, some Golden eagles have been sighted occasionally flying on the Aurunci for few days each year. The Aurunci Mountains area is well known for its rich birdlife, including many diurnal birds of prey.The bird species identified in the park are 121 specie of which 80 having here their nesting area. Birdwatchers can enjoy the sight of many beautiful diurnal and nocturnal birds of prey both nesting and migratory.

There are around 121 species of avifauna, of which 80 are nest-builders. The symbol of the Aurunci Mountains Park could well be the beautiful Short-toed Eagle also known as Snake Eagle (Circaetus gallicus). When sighted in flight, it is easily recognisable having under-parts and wings almost white.

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Fantastic flyer, often hovers. Short-toed Eagles feed almost exclusively on reptiles, particularly snakes. Nesting is generally in the park more wooded areas on high trees, and thus requires areas of mature woods alternating with open habitats in plains or hills. Here on the Aurunci Mountains is a summer migrant from Sub-Saharan Africa.

This beautiful bird is doing quite well on the Aurunci having not suffered a steep decline in numbers and range as elsewhere in Europe. This is due to small changes in agriculture and land-use on the Aurunci area where more traditional farming methods are still in use. As the name suggests the Snake Eagle feeds mostly on snakes which abounds on the Aurunci such as the European whip snake (Coluber viridaflavus), then the Aesculapian Snake (Elaphe longissima), Slow worm (Anguis fragilis), Viper (Vipera aspis) etc. Another beautiful bird the size (L 45 cm) of Peregrine (Falco peregrinus), but paler.

Is the Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmuicus) present with two nesting sites on the Aurunci. The Lanner is poorly known in Europe. Birds typically and mainly in the park open dry grassland and rocky schrubs close to the higher peaks of Mt Petrella (1533 mt) and Mt Ruazzo (1314mt), requiring large areas for hunting and cliffs for nesting. The diet is mostly small to medium-sized birds, plus some small mammals,reptiles and large insects. But now we realised is almost lunch time, also time for a break and for a glass of wine and some goat cheese enjoyed in the middle of the mountains.

List main species nesting or sighted several times each year on the Aurunci Mountains:

Diurnal birds of prey

Hen harrier (Circus cyaneus)
Montagu's Harrier (Circus pygargus)
Goshawk (Accipiter gentiles)
Sparrow hawk (Accipiter nisus)
Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Short-toed eagle (Circaetus gallicus)
Honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus)
Black kite (Milvus migrans)
Red kite (Milvus milvus)
Lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni)
Eurasian kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus)
Merlin (Falco columbarius)
Hobby (Falco subbuteo)
Eleonora’s falcon (Falco eleonorae)
Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus)
Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug)
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
European Magpie (Pica pica)
Spotted Nutcracker (Nucyfraga caryocatactes)
Alpine Chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus)
Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitur)
Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)
Jackdawn (Corvus monedula)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Raven (Corvus corax)
Hoded Crow (Corone Cornix)

Nocturnal birds of prey

Eagle owl (Bubo bubo)
Little owl (Athene noctua)
tawny owl (Strix aluco)
Long eared owl (Asio otus)
Scops owl (Otus scops)
Barn owl (Tyto alba)

            Click on Photos to see the photografies of the Park