Page 43 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS AND CRAGS

WHERE TO WATCH
1 MASSIF CENTRAL, 3 SIERRA DE 5 PUIG MAYOR, 6 EVROS MOUNTAINS,
FRANCE GUADARAMA,SPAIN MAJORCA GREECE
This famous mountainous region in This is a superb area for Black, The mountains and valleys of Greece no longer has the rich
France has seen the reintroduction Griffon, and Egyptian Vultures, as Majorca have some remote and populations of birds of prey that
of Griffon and Black Vultures. It well as eagles and a variety of spectacular sites that attract Black used to be there, but in the
also has natural populations of Red upland species such as the Rock Vultures, which are rare and local. extreme northeast the mountains
Kites, Egyptian Vultures, Short- Thrush, Blue Rock Thrush, Black In summer, many cliffs have attract specially conserved Black
toed, Booted, and Golden Eagles, Redstart, Rock Bunting and Citril Eleonora’s Falcons, Red Kites, Vultures as well as Imperial, Lesser
Eagle Owls, and Alpine Accentors. Finch. The local Black Stork also Ospreys, Blue Rock Thrushes, Black- Spotted, and White-tailed Eagles,
breeds in a few locations within eared Wheatears, Rock Buntings, Lanners, Long-legged Buzzards,
the Sierra de Guadarama. Alpine and Pallid Swifts, and Crag and Levant Sparrowhawks.
Martins. Alpine Accentors only visit
in the wintertime.
Mountainous areas in
southern Europe
TYPICAL LIMESTONE CRAGS
GOLDEN EAGLE
2 PYRENEES
4 SIERRA NEVADA,
Straddling France and Spain,
the Pyrenees offer wonderful SPAIN
birds in spectacular settings. Although not so rich in birds of
There is a great range of eagles, prey as some northern ranges, this
vultures, and Kites, as well as big range of hills still sees Griffon 1
alpine and cliff birds such as and Egyptian Vultures, Golden, 2
Ptarmigan, Wallcreepers, Alpine Booted, and Bonelli’s Eagles, and 3
Choughs, Alpine Swifts, Alpine Peregrines. It is a good place to 4 6
Accentors, Snowfinches, and spot Alpine Accentors, Black and 5
other birds that thrive in Black-eared Wheatears, Rock
mountains and forests. Thrushes, and Alpine Swifts.
ADAPTATIONS
Big, soaring birds are attracted to more
southerly areas rather than northwest Europe,
which lacks the warm, rising air currents that offer
them so much lift.These species have evolved to
make the best use of air currents, including cold
winds on the high tops.This enables them to travel
long distances and search for widely scattered food
(such as animal carcasses) over vast areas – with the
least expenditure of energy.To aid them in this,
they also have exceptional eyesight.
GRIFFON VULTURE IN SOARING FLIGHT The fine bill of the Wallcreeper probes for
insect food in damp recesses, under dark overhangs on
cliff faces, and deep inside shady gorges.
The strong, curved bill of the
Chough can overturn animal droppings
and prise cushions of grass and lichens
from rocks to expose invertebrates.
The exceptionally tough oesophagus
of the Lammergeier has developed in
order to cope with sharp-ended
fragments of shattered bone,
which it feeds on.The bird
drops large bones onto rocks
to break them into pieces small
enough to swallow.
CHOUGH
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