Birds in the Limousin

The kinds of birds, specific birds in the Limousin

See what they look like :

podiceps cristatus, la grèbe huppée

milvus milvus, le milan royal

See what they look like :

hieraaetus pennatus,l'aigle botté

circaetus gallicus,le circaète Jean le Blanc

See what they look like :

buteo buteo, la buse variable accipiter nisus, l’épervier d’Europe

The law protects certain kinds of birds :Endangered species, vulnerable species and rare species.

However measures may be taken to protect localised species and others whose numbers are going down rapidly.

The woodpigeon : columba palumbus

Pic tridactyle

The three-toed woodpecker

As its name says, this bird has only three toes.

Classified as endangered species.

Picoides tridactylus

Cigogne noire

The black stork.

Classified as vulnerable species.

Ciconia nigra

Balbuzard pêcheur

The osprey, here, eating a fish.

Since they began to be protected in the 1980s, ospreys have nested again in the center of France.

Classified as vulnerable species.

Pandion haliaetus

Chevêchette d'Europe

The Eurasian Pygmy Owl

The smallest in Europe : only 60 gr., just bigger than a pine cone.

Glaucidium passerinum

How does the law protect forest birds ?Only a limited number of species canbe hunted when the official huntingseason is open, with or without huntingdogs.

Some kinds of very rare birds which live in old forests (so rare forests) can’t behunted. These birds benefit also fromspecial measures of conservation.

Special areas of protection are created.

The governement established a nature reserve so thatendangered species and rare birds could be safe.

3 sites or 5,2% of the regional territory have been used to protect them (but they are not only dedicated to the birds):

Hunting reserves, governed by the French national agency for hunting and wildlife

Natural Reserves, governed by the Ministry for Ecology

Biological reserves governed by the National Forestry Office

The areas of protection in the Limousin

Places where the Tetrao Urogallus male sings must be protected

The Circus Pygargus (busard cendré), seems to have vanished from the Limousin since 1990,

especially in the Plateau de Millevaches where it usedto nest. It’s due to the lack of dry areas.

Extinguished species in the Limousin

In order to try to reintroduce the Circus Pygargus, special areas of protection have been created (ZPS) in the Plateau de Millevaches.

What has been done ?

The Limousin is also in an important passageway for migration, especially for cranes which flow in one direction and then the other. This marks the beginningof winter and the return of spring. They are used to having a rest near the reservoir lakes.

Ornithologists and birds watchers have noticed that the birds have delayed their autumn departures dates. This suggests that belated migration is an answer to climatechange.

The influence of climate on migration