Discover Our Birdlife
It is common for oceanic islands with cliffs to have an abundance of seabirds, as this topography provides them with significant protection, especially during the breeding season. The Columbretes are no exception. These small islands are remarkable for the presence of breeding colonies of two important birds, both endemic to the Mediterranean:
The Audouin’s Gull
The Audouin’s Gull (Ichthyaetus audouini) is also native to the Mediterranean and some coastal areas of the North African Atlantic Ocean and the southern Iberian Peninsula. On the Columbretes, there are about 120 pairs, far from the population that existed here in the 1970s and 80s when it was more threatened than it is today. The Audouin’s Gull is a bird from the gull family. This gull is named after the French naturalist Jean Victor Audouin. Until recently, the species was classified under the genus Larus, but mitochondrial DNA research has shown that this is not correct.
Eleonora’s Falcon
The Eleonora’s Falcon (Falco eleonorae) is an elegant bird of prey that primarily breeds on islands in the Mediterranean, with a large part of the population in Greece. This falcon is 36-42 cm long and has a wingspan of 87-104 cm. There are two color variants: a dark, entirely soot-brown variant and a light variant with white cheeks and a chestnut-brown belly. Eleonora’s Falcon mainly hunts migratory birds and is known for its graceful flight. The species migrates to Madagascar for the winter.
Eleonora’s Falcon is named after Eleonora of Arborea, a historical figure from Sardinia. Eleonora was a queen and national heroine who, in 1392, was the first ruler to protect hawk and falcon nests from illegal hunters. Her progressive legislation, known as the “Carta de Logu,” played a crucial role in the conservation of these birds of prey.
Other birds
Other birds present on the Columbretes, including residents, migratory birds, and transients, are the Cory’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea), which breeds in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean and winters in the South Atlantic Ocean. There are about 55 pairs on the Columbretes. Also present are the Hydrobates pelagicus, the Mediterranean Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis desmarestii), the Balearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus), the Yelkouan Shearwater (P. yelkouani), and the Little Gull (Larus minutus), among many others.