Bird Watching on Korcula Island

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The Island of Korcula is a great destination for bird watchers. Wild island’s coastline, sea rocks, rocky beaches, high cliffs of Sveti Ilija across the channel as well as ridges above Pupnatska Luka (Klupca) make the landscape of the island a perfect place for birdwatching. The quiet solitude of ancient Aleppo pines and dense makkia woodlands also attracts a variety of bird species who make their habitat among native vegetation.

The island has a variety of bird habitats, all having their influence on the type of birds seen: a large population of Nightjar, Common pheasant, Rock Partridge, Common blackbird, European robin, Gulls (seagulls), swallows, Tawny Pipit, martins, nightingale, woodlark, red-backed shrike.

All along the south coast of Korcula, there is an opportunity for bird watching as well as in some parts of the interior of the island. From the high cliffs of Klupca (569m) and the ridge above Pupnatska Luka, there is an opportunity to watch various birds of prey (raptors), especially in the migration seasons.

see more photos of raptor migration over Korcula

The Eleonora’s Falcon – among the most beautiful raptors also inhabits remote and high areas of Korcula Island. Other birds of prey that live in the include Short-toed Snake Eagle, Golden Eagle, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian eagle-owl, Honey Buzzard..(young falcon from Peljesac)

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Bisace islet is densely populated by various seabirds especially seagulls which are well adapted to life within the marine environment. Their nesting ledges can be seen from the very seashore, but care is needed as they get pretty protective of their regular breeding place (see a photo of seagulls on Bisace). The Audouin’s gull also has ground nests and breeds on Bisace and other small islets of the Archipelago. The opportunity to see bird nests, as well as the European shag, are on all smaller islets of Korcula Archipelago.

The field of Donje blato offers a wide variety of bird species, mainly wild ducks and wild geese in winter and waders, storks and herons in the migration seasons.

Defora hills (Zrnovo) and cliffs above remote bays of Pavja Luka and Zaglav, at the South Coast of the Island, attract a considerable number of various bird species. Some of them can be found resting there, usually after migrating South during an overcast night.

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Seagulls in Korcula

Video of small bird robin in Lumbarda:

In Korcula town and villages, swallows are present during the spring and summer, when their breeding season is on. It is easy to spot their newly constructed nests in a variety of suitable and sheltered places like various cavities around town (see below my photo of swallow nest taken in Korcula Old Town)

European shag in Korcula Port (October)

I took this video clip of swallows feeding their young chicks (and sharing the duties equally) in Korcula Old Town, in June 2013.

This swallow’s nest is in Knezev prolaz street (see the location on the map) right behind Velika and Mala Knezeva Kula – Large and Small Governor’s Tower).