Tuscan Archipelago

Italy

Overview

The Tuscan Archipelago, consisting of seven main islands, lies between Tuscany and Corsica off the west coast of northern Italy.

The entire group is now a national park but the most interesting island from a birding point of view is Capraia, the third largest island and the closest to Corsica, which is a Special Protection Area.

Like the majority of Mediterranean islands the main habitats are garrigue and maquis with small patches of pine and evergreen oak woodland and cultivated areas.

These islands have extensive rocky coastlines with important numbers of breeding seabirds.

Birds

Notable Species

Cory's Shearwater and Yelkouan Shearwater both nest on these islands as well as Yellow-legged Gull and Audouin's Gull and Mediterranean Shag. Other cliff-nesters include Peregrine Falcon, Northern Raven and Blue Rock Thrush.

Scrubland birds are numerous and varied with Rock Partridge and Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush and typical Mediterranean species such as Black-eared Wheatear, Spotted Flycatcher and Sylvia warblers of which Marmora's Warbler, Dartford Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler and Subalpine Warbler breed.

The Corsican form of Citril Finch occurs on Capraia and Elba, now considered a separate species. However, the main attraction for birders in the Tuscan Archipelago, and Capraia in particular, is migrants.

Spring is the optimum time for migrants on Capraia with a huge variety of species regularly recorded. Raptors include Osprey, harriers, Red-footed Falcon and Northern Hobby. Waders, crakes, storks and herons of various species drop in to rest and feed and a wide range of passerines can be seen.

Common migrants include Greater Short-toed Lark, Northern Wheatear, Red-backed Shrike, Ortolan Bunting and various warblers while scarcer species such as Red-throated Pipit are also regular.

Autumn migration involves fewer birds than spring but can still produce good birding and large numbers of finches and thrushes occur.

In winter Capraia is a regular haunt of Common Kingfisher, Wallcreeper and Alpine Accentor.

Rarities

Rarer species such as Aquatic Warbler, Red-breasted Flycatcher and Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin are also occasionally recorded.

Check-list

Birds you can see here include:

Cory's Shearwater, Yelkouan Shearwater, Mediterranean Shag, Grey Heron, Black Stork, White Stork, European Honey Buzzard, Black Kite, Short-toed Eagle, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Osprey, Red-footed Falcon, (mainly Sp), Northern Hobby, Eleonora's Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Rock Partridge, Eurasian Woodcock, Common Snipe, Common Redshank, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Audouin's Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, Common Kingfisher, European Bee-eater, European Roller, Greater Short-toed Lark, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, Tree Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Blue-headed Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Alpine Accentor, Eurasian Robin, Whinchat, Black Redstart, Common Redstart, Northern Wheatear, Black-eared Wheatear, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Blue Rock Thrush, Ring Ouzel, Eurasian Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing, Melodious Warbler, Marmora's Warbler, Dartford Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Subalpine Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Wood Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Wallcreeper, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Red-backed Shrike, Northern Raven, Common Starling, Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Corsican Finch, Ortolan Bunting

Other Wildlife

To do

Site Information

History and Use

To do

Areas of Interest

The scrub around the village tends to be the best area for passerine migrants.

The other islands of the Tuscan Archipelago are less rewarding for birders but Montecristo is a nature reserve and Special Protection Area and visiting is limited to day trips.

Gorgona and Giannutri together form a Natural Park but Elba is now very popular with tourists and may be too busy for some birders.

Access and Facilities

Capraia can be reached by a daily, three hour ferry trip from Livorno and one day trips can be arranged in high season. For the remainder of the year an overnight stay is required and like other migration watchpoints, the more time spent here the more chance there is of rare migrants turning up.

There are paths leading from the town up into the hills and scrub and boats can be hired to take visitors around the island, although the shearwaters can usually be seen during the ferry crossing.

Contact Details

To do

External Links

Tuscan Archipelago National Park

Content and images originally posted by Steve