What birds can I hope to see in Lanzarote (1 Viewer)

[Lee Jankovskis]

Hi everyone. All being well I hope to be over in lanzarote from Jan. To March 2022. On my last stay there I was fortunate to see several Hoopoe and some beautiful Shrike.
Can anyone else suggest what I might see now that I've a growing interest in bird watching.
Thank you everybody.

 

[delia todd]

Hi again Lee. Have a look at the Opus article for Lanzarote. There's a few links on that page that will give you an idea of the species to be seen there.

 

[Lee Jankovskis]

Thanks Delia, I'm really enjoying the forum, loved the picture of the wryneck posted earlier. Beautiful bird.

 

[delia todd]

Yeah.... they really are lovely birds those. And Church Norton isn't to be sniffed at either. Had some great days down there in the past.

 

[Scridifer]

Hi Lee and welcome to BirdForum!

The two books mentioned in my post here would be invaluable for birding Lanzarote in my opinion.

Chris

 

[Euan Buchan]

You will definitely see Rose necked Parakeets

 

[Lee Jankovskis]

Thank you.

 

[dandsblair]

Hi Lee

Trip report from a few years ago may be useful in letting you know where the main targets can be found.
Our targets were Trumpeter Finch, Houbara Bustard, Cream Coloured Courser and Barbary Falcon, with day trip to Fuerteventura for the Chat and Black-bellied Sandgrouse

Hope this is useful

David

 

[Owene]

If you aren't hiring a car or doing a bird tour I'd definitely recommend walking out on the harbour wall in arecife, loads of waders and terns, Kentish plover being the main one thats hard to see in the UK.

Some of the villages in the north west were really good for hoopoe, Shrikes and trumpeter finch. Pay attention to the doves everywhere as there are a few interesting ones in amongst all the collared dove.
.

 

[Lee Jankovskis]

Thank you all for your great replies, they give me some species to look out for.

 

[Mike Crawley]

I had an interesting day with Eco Insider in December 2019.
I booked with them as we had lots to do and only one week.

The best things to do in Lanzarote, small group tours with expert guides

Guided tours in Lanzarote. The best things to do in Lanzarote, enjoy the island with our eco insider tours. Small intimate groups.

eco-insider.com

 

[Owene]

I had an interesting day with Eco Insider in December 2019.
I booked with them as we had lots to do and only one week.

The best things to do in Lanzarote, small group tours with expert guides

Guided tours in Lanzarote. The best things to do in Lanzarote, enjoy the island with our eco insider tours. Small intimate groups.

eco-insider.com

I had a great day with them too. The bustards and coursers were amazing.

 

[Mike Ball]

I recommend joining ebird. Its free and will give a good idea of decent birding spots and which species have been seen recently at various locations on the island.

 

[Patudo]

Barbary falcon should definitely be searched for. I've not had the pleasure of visiting Lanzarote but carefully searching cliff habitat, ridges, and urban areas, especially where flocks of domestic pigeons are in evidence, should give you your best chance of connecting. I've found them in these sorts of circumstances elsewhere in the Canaries and feel confident that with some effort you'll find them too.

 

[Farnboro John]

Barbary falcon should definitely be searched for. I've not had the pleasure of visiting Lanzarote but carefully searching cliff habitat, ridges, and urban areas, especially where flocks of domestic pigeons are in evidence, should give you your best chance of connecting. I've found them in these sorts of circumstances elsewhere in the Canaries and feel confident that with some effort you'll find them too.

Currently lumped with Peregrine, isn't it?

John

 

[birdboybowley]

It'll be split again in a few years 🤣

 

[Patudo]

Currently lumped with Peregrine, isn't it?

John

That's about the last thing on my mind when trying to follow a bird circling over a thousand feet up, knowing it's waiting for the right moment to come down like a meteor upon a target, or straining every effort to stay with it when it does - when it's streaking down at what seems like, and is, sensational speed, but you know from having been smoked many a time that the sudden and enormous burst of acceleration that will send it rocketing away is yet to happen.

The original poster, in another thread, asked "what is it about certain birds that seem to peak our emotions"? I recommend this species/subspecies/whatever be searched for not because it may or may not be a subspecies of F. peregrinus, but for the drama and suspense of watching a tiny distant shape in the hope of seeing it transform itself into the living embodiment of speed. In the 38 hours or so I spent on a recent trip to the Canaries I often compared the birds I saw to the peregrines I watch regularly in London in terms of shape and size and manner of flight, but whether they should be split or lumped never once crossed my mind.

 

[JTweedie]

While Lanzarote isn't covered, Naturetrek has trip reports for other islands. Might be worth looking at these as there's bound to be some overlap.

Tours - Naturetrek

www.naturetrek.co.uk