Corsica, an island in the Mediterranean Sea known for its rugged mountains and stunning beaches is also a birdwatcher’s paradise. The combination of diverse landscapes, ranging from dense forests to open plains, makes Corsica a natural habitat for a multitude of birds.
Whether you’re an avid birdwatcher or just looking to observe the avian species in their natural habitat, Corsica is the ideal destination. With over 270 species recorded on the island, Corsica offers a unique experience for even the most seasoned bird watchers.
From majestic birds of prey to adorable songbirds, Corsica has something for everyone. In this article, we will explore the wonderful world of birds in Corsica and why birdwatching is a must-do activity while visiting the island.
1. Glareolidae
Glareolidae is a family of wading birds, consisting of four genera and 17 species. They are distinguished from other charadrii by their long bills which have a slight downward curve.
Glareolidae live around open grasslands and deserts, where they hunt for insects using the bill to probe into soil or vegetation.
Most species are found in Africa but two pratincoles inhabit parts of Europe and Asia as well.
Coursers tend to be larger than pratincoles with longer legs allowing them to run quickly across sandy dunes while feeding on small animals like lizards or spiders.
Pratincoles feed mainly on flying insects, snatching them out of midair with great agility during flight.
All glareolids share unique features such as large eyes that help it spot prey at night easily making this group one interesting bird family.
Scientific classification:
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Charadriiformes |
| Suborder | Lari |
| Family | Glareolidae CL Brehm, 1831 |
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2. Osprey
The Osprey is a majestic bird of prey with an incredibly wide habitat range. It has distinctive brown upperparts and greyish head and underparts, making it easily identifiable in the skies above many regions across the world.
With a wingspan of up to 180cm (71in) and body length reaching 60cm (24in), this large raptor specializes in hunting for fish, soaring high over rivers as well as coasts searching for its next meal.
Despite living near water sources, they can also be found inhabiting mountainsides or even woodlands, proving their incredible adaptability. An impressive species that truly deserves admiration.
Scientific classification:
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Pandionidae |
| Genus | Pandion |
| Species | P. haliaetus |
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3. Stone-Curlew
Stone-curlews, also known as dikkops or thick-knees, are a family of birds that have adapted to live in tropical and temperate regions throughout the world.
They can be found in Africa, Asia and Australia with two or more species per region. Despite being classified as waders, most prefer dry arid habitats over moist wetlands.
Stone-curlews typically have long legs which help them navigate through their preferred terrain efficiently; some species even stand at an impressive height when standing on those long legs.
Additionally they feature cryptic plumage which helps them blend into their surroundings while hunting for prey such as insects and small mammals like rodents.
These unique bird’s calls are easily recognizable; it has been said that hearing one is similar to listening to someone whistling ‘Keee Weee’.
Scientific classification:
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Charadriiformes |
| Suborder | Chionidi |
| Family | Burhinidae Mathews, 1912 |
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4. Bee-Eater
Bee-eaters are one of the most beautiful and vibrant birds in existence. They have a slender body, long wings, down turned bills and their signature elongated central tail feathers which make them instantly recognizable from afar.
Their plumage is incredibly colorful with many shades ranging from blues to greens to reds that glisten when they fly through the air.
These stunning creatures can be found all over Africa, Asia, Southern Europe, Australia and New Guinea where they feed mainly on bees but also other insects like flies or wasps as well as small mammals such as lizards or rodents.
Bee-eaters live in colonies near rivers or wetlands so that they may easily hunt for food while staying close together for safety purposes.
Additionally it allows them to better display their impressive courtship dances during mating season.
Scientific classification:
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Coraciiformes |
| Family | Meropidae Rafinesque, 1815 |
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5. Alpine Chough
The Alpine chough is a bird in the crow family, distinguished by its yellow beak and black feathers. It has two subspecies that breed in high mountains of Spain, southern Europe and North Africa to Central Asia and Nepal.
This species can nest at incredible altitudes due to special adaptations such as their eggs having extra layers of membranes for protection against thin atmosphere on higher elevations.
The birds feed mainly on insects but have also been known to scavenge carrion or food left out by humans near their nesting sites.
They are agile fliers often seen gliding along cliffs with a characteristic “chack-chack” call which gives them their name.
Scientific classification:
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Passeriformes |
| Family | Corvidae |
| Genus | Pyrrhocorax |
| Species | P. graculus |
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6. European Bee-Eater
The European Bee-Eater is a stunningly beautiful bird, boasting an array of bright colors. Its head and neck are light blue with greenish ear coverts and its back is chestnut brown.
The wings have yellow primaries bordered in black, while the rest of the feathers contain hues of pink, russet orange, grayish-blue and olive green.
This species can be found breeding throughout Southern Europe to Central Asia as well as Northern Africa to South Africa where it likes to inhabit open country near rivers or streams with bare banks for nesting purposes.
It migrates during winter months down into tropical areas within both Africa and India but will occasionally overshoot northwards which may result in rare sightings elsewhere on occasion too.
Scientific classification:
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Coraciiformes |
| Family | Meropidae |
| Genus | Merops |
| Species | M. apiaster |
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7. Sylviid Warblers
The Sylviid warblers are a family of passerine birds found in Eurasia and Africa. They include the typical warblers as well as babblers that were formerly part of the Old World babbler family.
These birds have slender bodies, pointed wings, long tails and strong legs adapted for ground-dwelling habits like running or hopping along branches.
The male often has bright colors while females are usually duller in coloration with more muted plumage patterns than males.
Some species also show sexual dimorphism where one sex may be larger or smaller than its counterpart; for instance some species may have longer tail feathers on the female side compared to their male counterparts.
Many members of this group feed on insects but some specialize on seeds, fruits, nectar or even frogs.
Scientific classification:
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Passeriformes |
| Superfamily | Sylvioidea |
| Family | Sylviidae Leach, 1820 |
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8. Penduline Tits
Penduline tits are small passerines with a length ranging from 7.5 to 11 cm, resembling true tits (Paridae). They have delicate bills with needle-like points and their wings appear short and rounded.
These birds build elaborate bag nests that hang from trees over water, giving them the name of “penduline” – meaning hanging. As for diet, they mainly feed on insects and spiders but may also consume some seeds too.
Depending on the species, penduline tits can be found in sub-Saharan Africa or across Eurasia into China and Central Asia as well as parts of North America such as California’s Sierra Nevada range halfway up Mexico’s western coast.
Scientific classification:
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Passeriformes |
| Infraorder | Passerida |
| Family | Remizidae Olphe-Galliard, 1891 |
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9. Bearded Vulture
The Bearded vulture, also known as the lammergeier and ossifrage, is a majestic bird of prey belonging to its own genus within Accipitridae. It has an impressive wingspan that can reach up to 2.5m wide.
Its habitat ranges from Europe through Africa and into parts of Asia, where it prefers rocky areas with cliffs or mountainsides for nesting sites.
The bearded vulture’s diet consists mainly of carrion but it will occasionally feed on small mammals such as rabbits or hares too – using their powerful beak to crack open bones in order to get at the nutritious marrow inside.
These birds are highly endangered due primarily to human interference so conservation efforts must continue in order for us all have them around for future generations.
Scientific classification:
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Accipitridae |
| Genus | Gypaetus Storr, 1784 |
| Species | G. barbatus |
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10. Corsican Nuthatch
The Corsican Nuthatch is a species of bird belonging to the nuthatch family Sittidae. It has an overall length of 12 cm and bluish gray upperparts with greyish white underparts.
Males can be distinguished by their entirely black crowns, while females have lighter shades on top.
This sedentary bird is territorial but not very shy as it often feeds high in trees located in its native area: Corsica Island.
Its diet consists mostly of insects, which they search for among cracks or crevices found on tree trunks and branches.
The conservation status of this species is currently Least Concern due to its relatively large range size despite being threatened by deforestation activities taking place on the island.
Scientific classification:
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Passeriformes |
| Family | Sittidae |
| Genus | Sitta |
| Species | S. whiteheadi |
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11. Corsican Finch
The Corsican finch, also called the Corsican citril finch or Mediterranean citril finch, belongs to the true finch family. It was previously grouped with the Citril finch in the genus Serinus, but is now believed to be closely related to the European goldfinch.
This species is limited to the Mediterranean islands of Corsica, Sardinia, and Elb. As an endemic finch, the Corsican finch is important for the conservation of the biodiversity of the region.
It is a small, colourful bird that feeds primarily on seeds. Due to habitat loss and degradation, the population of this bird is in decline.
Conservation efforts are necessary to ensure the survival of this species in its limited geographic range.
Scientific classification:
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Passeriformes |
| Family | Fringillidae |
| Subfamily | Carduelinae |
| Genus | Carduelis |
| Species | C. corsicana |
12. Cinclidae
The Cinclidae bird family consists of small, aquatic birds commonly known as dippers. These birds are found in fresh, fast-flowing streams and rivers around the world, with different species inhabiting different geographic regions.
Dippers are well adapted to their habitat, being able to swim and dive underwater in search of small invertebrates such as insects and mollusks.
They have a unique characteristic of bobbing up and down while perching, which is believed to help them scan the water for food.
Dippers are also known for their unusual nesting habits, as they build their nests behind waterfalls or in similar locations near running water.
Although they are small, dippers are important indicators of water quality, as they are sensitive to changes in temperature and pollution.
Overall, these fascinating little birds play an important role in freshwater ecosystems and are a delight to observe in the wild.