So in addition to Sardinia's already rich and diverse birdlife, hundreds of birds descend on the island during their spring and autumn migrations.
The diversity of Sardinia's terrain is a haven for its rich and varied birdlife. The spectacular coastline, majestic cliffs and hidden bays that grace the island are home to some of the rarest birds including the osprey and the goshawk who make their nests here; and don't be surprised to see the shag here, a regular visitor to these cliffed areas. Must-see birds in Sardinia include Elenora's Falcon, Little Bustard, Barbary Partridge, Marmora's Warbler, Corsican Finch, Griffon Vulture, Purple Swamphen, and the Greater Flamingo. Spotting various bird species in Sardinia is becoming increasingly popular, with many people not realising just how brilliant the activity is on this beautiful Italian island.
Oristano has the largest wetlands in Italy attracting a plethora of colourful birdlife. Thousands of flamingos visit the island and nest in the lagoons: watching, as they collect at dusk, picking through the shallow waters for crustaceans, their pinkish forms becoming almost translucent in the dying light, is really quite something. The marshlands between Oristano, Santa Giusta and Arborea, depending on the season, are littered with migrating and endemic birds including little egrets, purple herons, woodcocks, blackwinged stilts, Kentish plovers, purple gallinules, crested grebes and avocets to name but a few.
Just 2- minutes outside of Alghero in the north east is Cape Caccia, where, in the car park you can look down to see magnificent views of Pallid, Alpine Swift and Crag Martin. If you arrive before the tourist buses, early in the morning, you may even see Barbary Partridge.
With its diverse landscapes and mixtures of migrating and endemic species, Sardinia is a birdwatchers paradise.
