Birdlife of the Po Delta

Our thanks to Massimo Vertuani for all the photos.

What remains of the vast Po Delta still contains some spectacular birdlife. The Delta used to cover a vast swathe of swamps, lagoons and narrow channels, and although much has been 'reclaimed' as farmland, The Po Delta Park still covers 53,653 hectares of wetlands, forest, dunes and salt pans, which contain more than 300 bird species. The great river still brings thousands of tons of silt rich in nutrients to its estuary every year, which attracts many fish, which in turn brings in a great number of birds to the remaining wetlands. The Comacchio lagoon is renowned as an eel fishery and the banks of the lagoons are lined with fishing huts with large fixed nets. Scroll down to see more images.

Birds of the Po Delta
There are thousands of Greater flamingos, hundreds of little and giant egrets, curlew, marsh harriers, and bee eaters (in summer). There is a visitor centre on the Comacchio Lagoons, and a 2 hour boat trip that leaves from the centre. The trip visits a couple of old 'fish factories' but does get you out into some of the otherwise inaccessible areas. It is also possible to walk a short way from the visitor centre to the edge of the main lagoon where you will normally see hundreds of flamingos as well as a range of other waterbirds as well as butterflies and dragonflies (in season).

Greater Flamingos

Some 10,000 Greater flamingos live here, and the raise approximately 2000 chicks every year. There is a large ringing project that attempts to ring every chick, every year, in an afternoon! This has helped the study of the habits of the flamingos, and one bird that was hatched and ringed in 2004 has been recorded in France, Spain and Tunisia, before returning to the Po Delta in 2010.

Spoonbills in the Po Delta

Tips for visiting

• Don't go on a weekend from September to February. That is the hunting season and birds can be harder to find as they avoid the hunters.
• The Comacchio lagoons and salt pans are the place to see large numbers of greater flamingos.
• Drive to the visitor centre car park, and follow the path past the visitor centre and across on of the dams to the edge of the Comcchio Lagoon.
• Hire a bike in Commacchio and cycle out to the visitor centre, and then across the narrow causeway across the lagoon. It is possible to complete a circuit, via the small ferry at Porto Garibaldi.
• For a boat trip around the coast, try Barini Alberto, tel 338 9730072, or email escursionineldelta@yahoo.it.

Several species of heron and egret live here.

Other top birding spots in the Po Delta.

• - Sacca di Bottonera, off the coast from Santa Giulia, is a good spot to see divers and other sea birds.
• - Lago delle Nazioni near the Lido di Volano.
• - The watchtower at the Pineta di Spina.
• - Valle Mandriole is good for spoonbills, but the car park has problems with break ins.
• - The Punte Alberete ,Floating Forest'.
• - Pineta di San Vitale just north of Ravenna.