WHERE TO WATCH BIRDS IN FLORENCE

The city of Florence is known world-wide for its overwhelming richness in museums, historical and architectural sites, churches, cultural events, and, last but not least, for the astonishing view over the city from Piazzale Michelangelo. The River Arno, descending from the near Appennini, crosses the city in a east-west direction and then flows, not always peacefully, for some 80 km before mixing its waters with the Tirrenian Sea.

From the ornithological point of view, the city of Florence does not offer hospitality to a great community of birds. On the outskirts of the city (along the course of River Arno) several small ponds and meadows are left to sheep grazing - the remains of huge marshy expanses which have now disappeared. These areas offer refuge for birds undergoing their northerly migration in Spring and during this time almost anything can occur - from storks to rare passerines, from raptors to waterfowl. Unfortunately, these ponds are not reachable by public transport, they are owned by hunters who manage the water levels and the reed beds for their purposes (hunting is allowed from September until the end of January), but, most of all, not many species can be found from late Spring through the whole Summer (i.e. when Florence receives most of its visitors). For a visit to these ponds in Spring you require the aid of a local birder, or you may wish to contact the local WWF and LIPU (Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli) associations that manage a couple of ponds in that area.

Therefore, and taking into account that most tourists have only short time for birding, this brief report on where to watch birds in Florence is devoted to those few gardens and parks easily reachable by public transport which are more productive for breeding birds. On the other hand, while a European birder will not find anything of exception in Florence (apart from the odd Sylvia warbler), an American or a Japanese tourist could return home with more than thirty-five lifers ticked in his field guide.

The first park worth a visit is PARCO DELLA CASCINE, a four km long, narrow stripe of mixed woodland along the river Arno from Ponte della Vittoria to Ponte all’Indiano. Take the bus n° 17C from Piazza dell’Unità d’Italia (near SMN Train Station) or from Piazza San Marco (San Marco Church side bus stop) getting off at the last stop in front of the Faculty of Agriculture. Upon reaching the river walk westwards toward Ponte all’Indiano, along the river bank or inside the wood. Poplars and aspens, holm-oaks, elms, huge oaks and ash trees offer nest sites to several birds, and along the river it is possible to see herons and gulls. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) and Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) often hunt close to a small artificial waterfall, and Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), Pied (Motacilla alba) and Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) occur there and downstream where the Mugnone canal meets the river. The evening flight of the Night herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) over the river in the fading daylight is sometimes a wonderful scene, especially if accompanied by the call of Tawny Owl (Strix aluco), which breeds in the Park. Black-headed (Larus ridibundus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Larus cachinnans) often patrol the river in search of food. The song of Wren (Troglodythes troglodythes) and Cetti’s Warbler (Cettia cetti) can be heard where the bank vegetation is thicker. In the wood tits are common, for instance Blue (Parus caeruleus), Great (P. major) and Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalus caudatus), as are Nuthatch (Sitta europaea) and Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla). Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) is more easily heard than seen, while Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) and Blackbird (Turdus merula) are the most common birds. In some years, Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) is very common, too. Jay (Garrulus glandarius), Jackdaw (Corvus monedula), Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), Serin (Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Carduelis chlorus), Goldfinch (C. carduelis) and House Sparrow (Passer domesticus italiae) are other birds that can be found in the Park. Remember that the Park is very crowded on Sunday, and birdwatching can be therefore not very productive. If you visit the Park in Spring, do not forget to check the poplars and aspens along the river, since migrant passerines such as Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca), Wood (Phylloscopus sibilatrix), Willow (P. trochilus), Melodious (Hippolais polyglotta) and Icterine Warbler (H. icterina) are all possible.

Almost all of the passerines mentioned above can be found in GIARDINO DI BOBOLI, a very beautiful historical garden, built according to the typical Italian style, full of fountains and marble statues, the entrance of which is through Palazzo Pitti (a ticket must be purchased there). Wooded and open areas intermingle while the garden climbs gently uphill. The garden is reachable by the bus n° 11 from Piazza San Marco (San Marco Church side bus stop) getting off at San Felice stop (the third one once crossed the river). It is worth mentioning that there is a sign situated around the garden that details the birds that can be seen. It is in Italian but has pictures and latin names. Here Hoopoe (Upupa epops), Green Woodpecker (Picus virdis), Firecrest (Regulus ignicapillus), Sardinian Warblers (Sylvia melanocephala), Nightingale (Luscinia megarynchos), Robin (Erithacus rubecula) and Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) could be added to the list of birds seen at Parco delle Cascine. Scops Owl (Otus scops) is listed here. If you are lucky, you might see the Peregrine (Falco peregrinus) that often chooses Florence for hunting pigeons (or starlings in winter).

Parco delle Cascine and Giardino di Boboli are inside the boundaries of Florence and you need just a couple of hours to visit one of the two. However, if you have a whole day free, you might take bus n° 25 from the bus stop close to the Train Station or, better, from Piazza San Marco (at the bus stop opposite to the San Marco Church) and, after 40 min, alight at Pratolino to visit the PARCO DI VILLA DEMIDOFF, on the hills surrounding Florence. The Park is usually open from May to September and an entrance ticket must be purchased there. In the park, medows, small ponds, oak and mixed woodland host Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus), Turtle Dove (Streptotelia turtur), Green (Picus virdis) and the rarer Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major), Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), Hoopoe (Upupa epops), Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus), and all the wood-loving passerines and finches already cited for Parco delle Cascine and Giardino di Boboli, plus Firecrest (Regulus ignicapillus), Coal Tit (Parus ater), Stonechat (Saxicola torquata), Whitethroat (Sylvia communis), Subalpine (Sylvia cantillans) and Melodious Warbler (Hippolais polyglotta). In the fields, Skylark (Alauda arvensis) and Swallow (Hirundo rustica). Finally, the view of Buzzard (Buteo buteo) breeding close to Villa Demidoff area is always possible.