Birdwatching in the Venice Lagoon
Introduction to the Lagoon's Birdlife
The Venice Lagoon is not only a place of extraordinary beauty, but also a habitat rich in biodiversity, particularly for birdwatching enthusiasts.
Nestled in a unique ecosystem, this area is home to a variety of bird species that can be observed year-round. From calm waters to wetlands, the lagoon offers refuge to many migratory and resident species, making every visit an unmissable opportunity for nature lovers.
Throughout the year → we will be able to see, for example, pairs of Mute Swans gliding gently on the waters of the Lagoon or the canals, the Yellow-legged Gull (here also called Cocàl or Crocài), the Cormorant, which we often see sunbathing with open wings and the Little Egret, symbol of the Cavallino Treporti Tourist Park.
But it is in Spring / Summer → that the Lagoon is populated with life, hosting hundreds of migratory birds that go to spend the winter mainly in Africa, to return to Italy when there is more abundance of food and a milder climate.
If you’re passionate about birdwatching and photography, we look forward to seeing you at Miramare!
The true protagonist of the Lagoon: the Flamingo
It needs no introduction: the Common Flamingo is a large aquatic bird easily recognizable by its long, sinuous neck, very long, thin legs, and characteristic thick, curved beak.
The pink color comes from the carotenoid pigments present in the small crustaceans, molluscs and algae that constitute its diet: the more pigment they ingest, the more intense the pink of their feathers becomes.
In the Venice lagoon it can be observed mainly between March and October, when the shallow, brackish waters offer abundant food and suitable sites for resting and breeding.
The chicks (i.e. the little ones) are generally born between May and July, with grey-white plumage that will become pink in the following years thanks to nutrition.
The flamingo feeds by filtering water with its special, upturned, spoon-shaped beak, which captures crustaceans, small molluscs, insect larvae, and algae.
Summer Season
During the summer, the Venice Lagoon transforms into a true paradise for birdwatchers.
Great Egret
March – November
An elegant and slender bird, white with long, dark yellow legs and a slender neck. It moves slowly through the shallow waters of the lagoon and canals, searching for fish, frogs, and small crustaceans to catch with quick beak strikes.
Common Avocet
March – August
It has black and white plumage and an unmistakable long, thin beak, curved upwards, with which the avocet “combs” the mud to catch insects, crustaceans and small molluscs.
Short-toed Eagle
April – September
A diurnal bird of prey with light plumage on its back and darker plumage on its wings. In the lagoon, we see it flying low in search of rodents and amphibians. A migrant, it mainly passes through in spring and autumn.
Black-winged Stilt
April – August
Unmistakable wading bird with black and white plumage and elegant, very long pink legs, perfect for moving in the shallow waters of the lagoon.
Eurasian Curlew
October – March
We can easily recognize it thanks to its very long and strongly curved beak, which, rich in receptors, perceives the vibrations of the prey under the sediment before even touching them.
Little Egret
March – November
Small heron with completely white plumage and a thin neck, with dark legs and yellow feet.
During the breeding season, the male has ornamental, thread-like feathers on his head and back.
Mallard Duck
October – March
Please note: in this duck, only the male has the characteristic bright, almost metallic colors: a green head, reddish breast, and a light gray body.
The female, on the other hand, has a more sober, spotted brown coloration.
European Bee-eater
April – September
A bird with spectacular colors: its plumage is green, blue, yellow and brown!
The beak is thin and slightly curved, with which it hunts insects in flight, especially bees and wasps.
Sacred Ibis
March – September
Although it is often present in the lagoon year-round, it is most easily observed in spring and summer.
Native to Africa, it is a large white bird with a bare black head and neck and a long, curved bill.
Kingfisher
February – October
With its typical brightly colored plumage, it is able to remain perfectly still in the air, rapidly flapping its wings, and then diving into the water to catch mainly small fish.
Greylag Goose
October – March
Duck with grey plumage streaked on the belly, neck and wings.
We often see it in the lagoon feeding on seeds, aquatic plants and small invertebrates.
Lapwing
October – March
With its distinctive dark crest, its name derives from its metallic plumage, reminiscent of a peacock. It gathers in large flocks in the agricultural areas and wetlands of the Venice Lagoon during the winter months.
Hoopoe
March – September
An unmistakable bird with its orange-cinnamon crest tipped with black, black and white wings, and long curved beak.
Its undulating flight resembles a giant butterfly!
Shelduck
March – August
This duck is easily recognizable by its white plumage with dark bands and black head, on which the colorful red beak stands out.
It moves in the shallow waters of the lagoon in search of molluscs, crustaceans and small invertebrates.
All year round
Grey heron
With its typical ash-grey plumage and black crest, it frequents the lagoon where it remains motionless in shallow water, ready to pierce fish, amphibians and small reptiles with rapid and precise blows with its beak.
Oystercatcher
The Eurasian Woodcock is known for its long, robust, reddish-orange, chisel-like beak, which it uses to pry open the shells of bivalve mollusks by repeatedly striking them. Many individuals are now sedentary.
Mute Swan
White and slender-necked, we see it swimming majestically in the fishing valleys and canals of the Venice Lagoon, filtering aquatic plants and small invertebrates with its beak.
Cormorant
With its sleek black body, it dives to catch fish and crustaceans in the lagoon. After fishing, we see it in its typical sunning pose, perched on a perch with its wings spread to dry in the sun.
Herring gull
An opportunistic bird, it frequents salt marshes, landfills, and urban centers in the Venice Lagoon, where it feeds on fish, eggs, small vertebrates, and even garbage. It has been observed chasing other birds to steal food.
Redshank, or Pantana
It frequents the lagoon, where it probes the mud with its long, straight bill to catch worms and crustaceans. Partly breeding locally, it is more abundant in winter during the wintering season.
Buzzard
We see this common diurnal bird of prey circling high over the marshes and valleys of the Venice Lagoon in search of rodents, birds, and reptiles. It is sedentary, and pairs, monogamous for life, are territorial.