Monte Conero

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Italy

Overview

Monte Conero is probably the best birding site on the heavily developed northern Adriatic coastline between the Po Delta and the Gargano Peninsula.

Its position on this coast makes Monte Conero ideal for attracting migrants and the area is well-known for raptor passage. In addition, although it covers a relatively small area, there is a good range of habitats on this 570m high limestone promontory which hold an excellent selection of breeding birds.

Now a Regional Park, the area comprises typical Mediterranean maquis with piewoods and deciduous woodlands, mainly Holm Oak Quercus ilex and Downy Oak Quercus pubescens with some Hornbeam. In addition there are rocky cliffs and offshore islets and two small brackish lakes, Lago Grande and Lago Profondo.

Birds

Notable Species

Breeding birds of this area include Peregrine Falcon, Blue Rock Thrush and Alpine Swift on the cliffs known as " Delle Due Sorelle " or " The Two Sisters " and species such as Sardinian Warbler, Stonechat, Linnet and Ortolan Bunting and Cirl Bunting breed in scrub throughout the area.

European Honey Buzzard is the most numerous passage raptor along this stretch of coast in spring but many other species can be seen. Marsh Harrier and Montagu's Harrier, Black Kite, Northern Hobby and Eleonora's Falcon are regular with smaller numbers of Osprey, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle and Booted Eagle, Pallid Harrier, Red-footed Falcon and Lesser Kestrel. Good numbers of Common Buzzard and Marsh Harrier are regular features of autumn passage.

As well as raptors there are passage storks, waders and waterfowl. In spring Common Pochard, Common Teal and Gadwall are regular on the brackish lakes at Portonovo and various seaducks, grebes and occasional divers can be seen offshore. In autumn good numbers of Black Tern and White-winged Tern occur at Portonovo.

Passerine migration is also good with a wide range of species seen every year including most of the regular European migrants as well as a selection of scarcer species. Red-rumped Swallow, Red-throated Pipit, Western Black-eared Wheatear and Collared Flycatcher are all regular.

Winter is also an excellent time for birding at Conero with seaducks such as Common Eider, scoters and Red-breasted Merganser as well as Common Goldeneye, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Teal and Northern Shoveler. Grebes present offshore include Black-necked Grebe and Slavonian Grebe and both Red-throated Diver and Black-throated Diver occur.

Gull flocks can include Mediterranean Gull and Little Gull and Bearded Tit is regular at Portonovo.

Check-list

Birds you can see here include:

Red-throated Diver, Black-throated Diver, Great Crested Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Great Cormorant, Little Bittern, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Black Stork, White Stork, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Common Teal, Mallard, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Common Eider, Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter, Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, European Honey Buzzard, Black Kite, Short-toed Eagle, Western Marsh Harrier, Montagu's Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Common Buzzard, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Booted Eagle, Osprey, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, (mainly Sp), Northern Hobby, Peregrine Falcon, Common Snipe, Common Redshank, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Mediterranean Gull, Little Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Sandwich Tern, Black Tern, White-winged Black Tern, Stock Dove, Common Woodpigeon, European Turtle Dove, Common Swift, Pallid Swift, Alpine Swift, European Bee-eater, Eurasian Hoopoe, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Northern House Martin, Tree Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Blue-headed Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Common Nightingale, Eurasian Robin, Black Redstart, Common Redstart, Whinchat, European Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Westen Black-eared Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Ring Ouzel, Eurasian Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Cetti's Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Moustached Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Melodious Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Wood Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, European Pied Flycatcher, Collared Flycatcher, Bearded Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Chaffinch, Brambling, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin, Eurasian Linnet, Ortolan Bunting, Cirl Bunting, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting

Other Wildlife

To do

Site Information

History and Use

To do

Areas of Interest

To do

Access and Facilities

Monte Conero is situated about 10km southeast of the busy port and town of Ancona and can be reached on the coast road to Sirolo.

The brackish lakes at Portonovo lie nestled just below the bulk of Monte Conero and can be reached from the village of Poggia di Ancona. There are campsites and a few expensive hotels at Portonovo.

For Delle Due Sorelle return to the coast road and turn off at Fonte dell Olio following signs for Badia S. Pietro. Leave the car in the village car park and follow the footpath to the left of the town wall.

Take the path to the beach and continue until the cliffs can be seen.

Contact Details

To do

External Links

Conero

Content and images originally posted by Steve