Wildlife and bird watching in the Loire Valley
The Loire Valley, “the Garden of France” is less than a day’s drive from the Channel ports, yet far enough south to shelter many southern species of animals and plants absent or very rare in Britain. The region’s wilder areas have much to offer wildlife and bird watchers or countryside lover, with nature reserves, nature trails and hides.
The Sologne
The lakes and forests of Sologne are home to a wide variety of birds including: Goshawk, Honey buzzard, Booted and Short-toed eagles, Whiskered tern and Little bittern among others, making the Sologne one of France’s most important inland wetlands. Other wildlife is omnipresent, offering the budding botanist over 1200 higher plant species to explore including Meadow Thistle, Great Burnet, Adder’s Tongue and several species of Orchid.
The Brenne
A wetland of international importance especially for rare aquatic species of plants and animals, La Brenne is nicknamed “the land of a thousand lakes”. As they cover a relatively small area, exploring the 2000 or more lakes from the narrow flower-verged lanes that criss-cross them is relatively easy. Among the 280 bird species that have been recorded, some of the rarer ones (Whiskered tern, Black-necked grebe, and Purple heron) breed in good numbers, and are easy to spot. Some, such as Little bittern, Black and Middle Spotted woodpeckers and Savi’s warbler, can take a little longer to find but patience is often rewarded.
La Brenne is also home to 110 species of butterfly, 62 species of dragonfly, a large population of European pond tortoises and many rare plants.
Wildlife and birds of the Loire River
The Loire is one of the few remaining wild rivers of Western Europe and a major migration route for birds. The river and its banks contain many contrasting habitats, from open water and bare shingle banks to dense mature riparian forest.
Breeding bird species include many that are absent or rare in Britain: Osprey, Black kite, Corncrake, Stone curlew, Yellow-legged and Mediterranean gulls, Black and Middle Spotted woodpeckers, Bonelli’s warbler and many different migrant species in Spring and Autumn.
The Loire is also home to localised species of dragonflies, including both the Yellow-legged and Green Club-Tailed varieties. Wild European beavers have recently become well established along the banks of the Loire.
The Orleans Forest – France’s largest public forest
On the North bank of the Loire sits the Orleans forest, an area known as a breeding ground for Osprey, Booted and Short-toed Eagles. With a variety of different habitats, the forest harbours many other species of bird, including Woodlark, Honey buzzard and Middle Spotted woodpecker, an abundance of plantlife, including Arnica, Moon Carrot and Pyramidal Bugle, and insect species including Brilliant Emerald and Bulbous White-Faced darter dragonflies.
Fall Off Your “Perche”
One of France’s most recently established Regional Natural Parks is an area of outstanding natural beauty of particular interest to the botanist and mycologist with over 1100 species of fungi, some extremely rare.
The forested parts of the park are good for birds with six species of Woodpecker and excellent for spotting larger wildlife including Wild boar, Pine Martin and Wild Cat. In spring the Perche’s marvellous hedgerows are full of the song of Nightingale, Golden Oriole and Wyrneck.
For further information on Tourism in the Loire Valley, click here.
