Urban birding in Italy: Rome and its birdlife in wintertime

Last sunday we had a wonderful urban birding trip in Rome among some of the most iconic places of the Eternal City, to discover the species of birds that live in the city environment during the winter period.

The tour begins near the Colosseum, where in addition to the more common Yellow-legged Gulls and Common Starlings, we observe the first Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros), a songbird that spends the cooler months in our urban centres, and two Wood Pigeons (Columba palumbus), a bird linked to woodland environments that are increasingly common in the city.

The first stop is Villa Celimontana, where among the walls of the historic buildings and the tall trees the noisiest protagonists are the Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) and the Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri), two alien species – accidentally imported by man – who for years have found the ideal home in Rome.

Exploring the paths of the Villa, however, we realize that there are other species here, observing many birds, including European Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), Great Tits (Parus major), Long-tailed Tits (Aegithalos caudatus) and Common Chaffinches (Fringilla coelebs).

Before moving towards the next stop, we manage to spot the mimetic Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla), until now only heard among the barks of pines and cypresses!

We therefore head towards the Circus Maximus, where we focus both on the ruins of the nearby Colosseum Archaeological Park and on the meadow environment.

While on the ground many birds, such as Black Redstarts, Chaffinches and White Wagtails (Motacilla alba), are busy searching for insects and other small prey, within the walls of the Palatine we observe some European Robins (Erithacus rubecula), Western Jackdaws (Coloeus monedula) and a Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) flying over our heads.

Once we reach tthe Tiber Island, we begin to meet the first species linked to river environments. Here, in fact, we spot a pair of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) and Little Egret (Egretta garzetta).

With the help of the spotting scope we are able to appreciate the differences in the plumage between young and adult individuals of some Great Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) and Black-headed Gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and, among the riparian vegetation of the Lungotevere, we observe new songbirds including Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), Cetti’s Warbler (Cettia cetti) and Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita).

Returning towards the Colosseum we first pass along the Marcellus Theater and then the Imperial Fora, where we and the tour with some Redstarts, Italian Sparrows (Passer italiae) and European Serin (Serinus serinus) who, regardless of the tourists, frantically move between ancient ruins, fences and small bushes.

CHECKLIST

1. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
2. Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
3. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
4. Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
5. Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
6. Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
7. Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus)
8. Common Gallinule (Gallinula chloropus)
9. Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
10. Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
11. Feral Pigeon (Columba livia var. domestica)
12. Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)
13. White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
14. European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
15. Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
16. Common Blackbird (Turdus merula)
17. Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
18. Cetti’s Warbler (Cettia cetti)
19. Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
20. Great Tit (Parus major)
21. European Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
22. Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
23. Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla)
24. Western Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
25. Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
26. Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
27. Italian Sparrow (Passer italiae)
28. Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
29. European Serin (Serinus serinus)