Birds of prey
10 birds of prey along the East Atlantic Flyway, from Norway to Angola: when each one peaks, where to go on your own, what it costs and what you will hear. Wild animals only, no zoos.
Best time, place by place
| Spectacle | Country | Peak | On your own? |
|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed eagles: Smøla, Lofoten and the Trollfjord | Norway | 1 Mar – 15 May | You can go on your own |
| Vulture cliffs of the Jonte, Verdon and Ossau | France | 1 Mar – 31 Jul | You can go on your own |
| Griffon vultures on the sea cliffs of Cres | Croatia | 15 May – 15 Aug | You can go on your own |
| Griffon vultures of the Bosa coast, Sardinia | Italy | 1 Feb – 30 Jun | You can go on your own |
| Lesser kestrel colonies in the Sassi of Matera | Italy | 1 May – 30 Jun | You can go on your own |
| Eleonora's falcon colonies | Italy | 20 Aug – 10 Oct | You can go on your own |
| Griffon cliffs: Hoces del Duratón, Hoces del Riaza and Monfragüe | Spain | 1 Feb – 30 Jun | You can go on your own |
| Lesser kestrel colonies of Trujillo | Spain | 15 Apr – 30 Jun | You can go on your own |
| Douro Internacional: griffon and Egyptian vultures on the canyon walls | Portugal | 15 Mar – 15 Jul | You can go on your own |
| Eleonora's falcons hunting migrants off Essaouira | Morocco | 15 Aug – 10 Oct | You can go on your own |
Where to go, north to south
White-tailed eagles: Smøla, Lofoten and the TrollfjordThe eagle's yelping 'klee-klee-klee' duet from a nest crag, wing-rush of a 2.4 m bird taking a fish 10 m from the boat, gull and tern colonies, otters whistling in the skerries.
Vulture cliffs of the Jonte, Verdon and OssauWing-rush of griffons passing a few metres over the rim, hissing and grunting from the colony ledges, chough flocks and the river below; more a sight than a sound.
Griffon vultures on the sea cliffs of CresHissing and grunting at the ledges, the wind-rip of 2.7 m wings passing low over a boat, chick begging; shags and yellow-legged gulls beneath, cicadas and scops owl in the maquis behind.
Griffon vultures of the Bosa coast, SardiniaMostly visual: Italy's largest griffon colony riding the updraughts of volcanic sea cliffs. Sound is the Mediterranean swell under the cliffs, the wing-rush of birds passing close, hissing at the ledges, blue rock thrush and, in summer, Eleonora's falcons chattering along the coast.
Lesser kestrel colonies in the Sassi of MateraHundreds of chattering 'che-che-che' kestrels wheeling over the roofs of a UNESCO old town at dusk, with swifts, jackdaws and church bells.
Eleonora's falcon coloniesHarsh 'kya-kya' calls from dozens of falcons over sea cliffs, chicks begging, the surf below; a visual spectacle with a lean soundtrack.
Griffon cliffs: Hoces del Duratón, Hoces del Riaza and MonfragüeA griffon colony settling at dusk is a surprisingly loud thing: hisses, grunts and cackles from hundreds of birds squabbling over ledges, the rush of wings passing at head height, choughs and alpine swifts along the wall and, after dark in winter, eagle owls hooting across the gorge.
Lesser kestrel colonies of TrujilloA colony of small falcons chattering — the 'chay-chay-chay' and trilling of dozens of lesser kestrels over the bullring roof, swifts screaming through the Plaza Mayor, storks clattering on the church towers and the market noise of an Extremaduran town beneath it.
Douro Internacional: griffon and Egyptian vultures on the canyon wallsMostly visual, but the canyon is a natural reverb chamber: griffon wing-rush as they pass the viewpoint at eye level, hissing and grunting at the nests carrying across the gorge, alpine swifts screaming along the walls, blue rock thrush and the river far below.
Eleonora's falcons hunting migrants off EssaouiraHigh 'kyah-kyah' alarm and contact calls carrying across 1 km of water from the colony (over 1,200 nests counted in 2016 — one of the largest in the world), and the surf and gull colony beneath.