Menorca Bird Species List

Real Birder

Menorca Species List

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 20 to 30 birds present on Es Grau, with the odd bird seen on Tirant wetland.

Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis At least 2 pairs were seen at Es Grau, 2 birds at Salinas de Montgofre and 1 singleton at Tirant.

Cory’s Shearwater Colonectris diomeda A crossing to Mallorca was made on 13^th, many birds were evident. It was interesting to note that the majority of the birds were on the Mallorcan side.

Mediterranean Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan 8 birds were seen on the same crossing to Mallorca with no birds seen on the return leg on the 17^th.

Cormorant Phalacrocarax carbo A dozen plus birds were observed at Es Grau 2 birds were at Salinas De Montgofre.

Shag Phalacrocarax aristotalis Small numbers seen on the rocks at Son Bou most days.

Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis As previously stated the Cattle Egrets at Son Bou marsh increased from 11 to 19 over the period 15 birds were seen loafing on the rocks at Es Grau.

Little Egret Egretta garzetta Although it is difficult to count because of the topography of the area, there were probably 50> birds at Es Grau.

Great White Egret Egretta alba 3 birds were seen at Es Grau 8^th of October. No birds seen on 19^th.

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Birds were common at all suitable habitats with 50+ birds Es Grau. A flock of 14 seen flying over Es Grau 19^th.

Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber 11 juveniles Es Grau 8^th, 1 juvenile at Salinas De Montgofre 9th, 1 adult and 8 juveniles Es Grau 19^th.

Wigeon Anas penelope 2 males & 4 females Tirant wetland 10^th Oct.

Gadwall Anas strapera 2 females at Tirant 10^th Oct.

Teal Anas crecca Good numbers of birds at most suitable habitats.

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Common at all suitable habitats.

Pintail Anas acuta 3 males & 5 females Tirant wetland 10^th Oct.

Shoveler Anas clypeata Good numbers of birds at both Tirant, and Es Grau.

Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina 3 females, Tirant 18^th Oct.

Pochard Ayhtya farina 5 males & 3 females at the Tirant 19^th and a mixed flock of 30+ birds Es Grau on the same day.

Red Kite Milvus milvus Birds seen over most parts of the island, 1 bird seen with blue wing tags at the Salinas De Montgofre on the 9^th of Oct.

Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus Birds seen mostly in the Algendar Gorge. 2 adult & 3 juvenile birds seen flying together 7^th Oct, 2 adult & 1 juvenile same site 20^th Oct.

Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus Upto 3 female birds seen over Son Bou marsh most days 2 females seen leaving the marsh at day break 17^th, 1 female seen Es Grau 18^th.

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo Single birds seen on 10^th & 12^th.

Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus Birds common over the whole of the island.

Osprey Pandion haliaetus Single birds seen at Es Grau 8th & 18^th, also at Salinas De Montgofre 9^th Oct.

Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Common over the whole island.

Peregrine Falco peregrinus 1 bird seen at the entrance to the Salinas De Montgofre 9^th Oct. 1 bird (dark phase) La Val Estate.

Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Birds at all suitable locations.

Coot Fulica atra Birds abundant at all suitable locations with 200+ at Es Grau.

Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula 3 birds Es Grau on 8^th & 18^th of Oct.

Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus 7 birds Es Grau 8^th.

Lapwing Vanellus vanellus 5 birds Tirant wetland 10^th & 1 on the 18^th.

Dunlin Calidris alpina 2 birds at Es Grau 18^th Oct.

Snipe Gallinago gallinago 1 bird at the flooded fields to the west of Son Bou marsh.

Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus 2 birds at the Depuradora 10^th & 18^th 3 birds also at Es Grau 8^th.

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Small numbers of birds at all suitable habitats.

Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus Small numbers of birds at Es Grau.

Audouin’s Gull Larus audouinii 3 birds seen on the Cap De Cavalleria.

Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans Birds common all round the coast. 100+ birds loafing Es Grau on all visits.

Rock Dove Columba livia A colony of 20> birds seen at Cala De Santa Galdana all visits.

Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus Common at all suitable locations.

Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto 2 birds were seen flying together at Ciutadella harbour, obviously resident.

Alpine Swift Apus melba 12+ birds at the Algender Gorge 7^th Oct.

Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Another winter visitor seen in good numbers. Every bridge and water-course seemed to have its own resident Kingfisher.

Hoopoe Upupa epops Although not as common as one would have imagined birds were seen at most suitable sites.

Thekla Lark Galerida theklae birds common enough at suitable locations.

Sand Martin Riparia riparia Good numbers passing through the island from 6^th to 13^th, numbers then tailed off with few birds in mixed hirundine flocks. Mainly early morning passage.

Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris 8 birds seen at the Algendar Gorge 7^th Oct.

Swallow Hirundo rustica Hugh numbers of passage birds were observed 6^th to 20^th Oct. Many thousands used the Son Bou marsh as a night roost.

House Martin Delichon urbica These birds appeared to pass through the island in pulses, normally with Swallows, and could be in very good numbers. Again early morning passage seemed to be preferred.

Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis. 2 birds were observed, 1 at Son Bou 7^th Oct, and 1 at Es Grau 19^th Oct.

Grey Wagtail Motacilla cineria 3 individuals seen, 1 below Son Bou 8^th, 1 at the Depuradora 10^th, & 1 Es Grau 19^th.

Robin Erithacus rubecula Birds continued to flood into the island over the 2 weeks with birds at all suitable locations.

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros As stated earlier there was a large influx of birds from the 10^th with early birds appearing to be juveniles and females. Adult males appeared towards the end of the second week, 15^th October.

Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus The odd bird was seen from the 7^th to the 12^th Oct, mainly juveniles and females.

Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe 1 bird seen at Tirant 10^th of Oct.

Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius Birds seen at most suitable sites. 1 male using the urbanisation at Son Bou. All birds encountered were males.

Blackbird Turdus merula Birds common at all suitable sites, numbers appeared to build over the 2 weeks.

Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Numbers building over the weeks, evidence of birds staking out winter territories.

Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus Birds were observed moving through the island, usually in 2s & 3s.

Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti Common at most suitable habitats.

Fan-tailed Warbler Cisticola juncidis Birds seen at most suitable locations.

Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala The commonest of all the warblers with birds common at all suitable sites.

Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca 1 at Son Bou 7^th & 1 at Algendar Gorge 7^th.

Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Good numbers of birds at most suitable sites, females appeared to outnumber males 2:1.

Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Good numbers of post moult birds seen all over the island.

Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Large numbers of birds passing through the island with numbers increasing after the 10^th of October.

Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca 1 female bird seen at Es Grau 8^th Oct.

Blue Tit Parus caeruleus 1 bird seen Algendar Gorge 7^th & 19^th Oct.

Great Tit Parus major Small numbers of birds seen at most suitable sites.

Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator 1 female bird, Tirant wetland 12th Oct.

Raven Corvus corax Birds common at all suitable habitats.

Starling Sturnus vulgaris As stated previously, Son Bou marsh roost in excess of 1 million birds. A ribbon of birds 30ft deep stretched the length of the marsh.

House Sparrow Passer domesticus Birds common everywhere.

Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Common at all suitable habitats.

Greenfinch Carduelis chloris Common at all suitable habitats.

Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis The commonest of all the finches with several hundred birds feeding on the seed heads in the maize fields at Son Bou. Other birds also feeding on the maize heads included Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Linnet, Chiffchaff and Willow Warblers.

Linnet Carduelis cannabina Small flocks of 6-10 birds seen daily.

Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra 2 singletons seen 1 at Son Bou 7^th and 1 at Salinas De Montgofre 9^th.

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