Landes de Gascogne Regional Nature Park

Natural Park · France

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Photo © Larrousiney

Photo © Larrousiney — CC BY-SA 4.0 — Source: Wikimedia Commons

A vast mosaic of maritime pine forest, damp moorland and slow-moving streams unfolds across the sandy lowlands of southwestern France, where the Landes de Gascogne Regional Nature Park protects one of the country's most distinctive Atlantic landscapes. The terrain is deceptively flat, yet ecologically rich: endless ranks of pines give way to open heath of heather and gorse, to rush-filled marshes and to the dark, tannin-stained channels that drain the plateau. Under a Cfb climate with rain spread evenly through the year and no true dry season, the ground stays damp and the vegetation dense and green well into autumn. This mixture of woodland, wet heath and open water supports a broad cast of wildlife — woodland songbirds and small forest mammals in the pine canopy and undergrowth, birds of prey hunting over the clearings, and waterfowl, waders and amphibians around the marshes and ponds. The park is also a working landscape of forestry and grazing, and that long human presence is precisely what keeps the open habitats open.

For photographers and birdwatchers, the appeal lies in the light and the seasons. Atlantic weather brings soft, changeable skies and long, luminous mornings, ideal for atmospheric forest and wetland images, while the flat terrain and extensive trail network make the park unusually easy to explore on foot or by bike. Spring and early summer are the most rewarding window: migrants return to the marshes, breeding activity peaks in the heath and woodland, and the days are long. Autumn brings mist over the moors and quieter, more contemplative conditions. Patience at the water's edge and along forest rides rewards those seeking birds of prey, secretive woodland species and shy mammals, and the park's scale means you can find solitude even in high season. Come prepared for rain at any time of year and let the weather set the mood.

Greater Flamingo

Phoenicopterus roseus

Branta bernicla

Bar-headed Goose

Common Shelduck

Tadorna tadorna

Tadorna ferruginea

Aix galericulata

Spatula querquedula

Northern Shoveler

Spatula clypeata

Mareca strepera

Eurasian Wigeon

Mareca penelope

Anas platyrhynchos

Northern Pintail

Ferruginous Duck

Aythya fuligula

Somateria spectabilis

Somateria mollissima

Melanitta fusca

Melanitta nigra

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

Common Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

Red-legged Partridge

European Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeus

Cuculus canorus

European Turtle Dove

Streptopelia turtur

Eurasian Collared Dove

Streptopelia decaocto

Rallus aquaticus

Porzana porzana

Gallinula chloropus

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatus

Podiceps auritus

Black-necked Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis

Eurasian Stone-curlew

Burhinus oedicnemus

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Recurvirostra avosetta

Pluvialis squatarola

European Golden Plover

Pluvialis apricaria

Pacific Golden Plover

Pluvialis fulva

Common Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticula

Northern Lapwing

Vanellus vanellus

Anarhynchus alexandrinus

Eurasian Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

Eurasian Curlew

Numenius arquata

Bar-tailed Godwit

Limosa lapponica

Lymnocryptes minimus

Gallinago gallinago

Phalaropus fulicarius

Red-necked Phalarope

Phalaropus lobatus

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropus

Tringa glareola

Common Redshank

Spotted Redshank

Tringa erythropus

Common Greenshank

Tringa nebularia

Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

Calidris canutus

Calidris pugnax

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

Temminck's Stint

Calidris temminckii

Calidris alpina

Purple Sandpiper

Calidris maritima

Calidris minuta

Sternula albifrons

Hydroprogne caspia

Chlidonias hybrida

Chlidonias niger

White-winged Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus

Thalasseus sandvicensis

Hydrocoloeus minutus

Black-legged Kittiwake

Rissa tridactyla

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Ichthyaetus audouinii

Mediterranean Gull

Ichthyaetus melanocephalus

Ring-billed Gull

Larus delawarensis

Larus cachinnans

Great Black-backed Gull

Larus hyperboreus

Lesser Black-backed Gull

American Herring Gull

Larus smithsonianus

Parasitic Jaeger

Stercorarius parasiticus

Atlantic Puffin

Fratercula arctica

Black-throated Loon

Leach's Storm Petrel

Hydrobates leucorhous

Northern Fulmar

Fulmarus glacialis

Ciconia ciconia

Northern Gannet

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

Gulosus aristotelis

Plegadis falcinellus

Eurasian Spoonbill

Platalea leucorodia

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

Egretta garzetta

Western Cattle Egret

Pandion haliaetus

Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

European Honey Buzzard

Pernis apivorus

Griffon Vulture

Short-toed Snake Eagle

Circaetus gallicus

Hieraaetus pennatus

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Accipiter nisus

Montagu's Harrier

Circus pygargus

Western Marsh Harrier

Circus aeruginosus

Western Barn Owl

Short-eared Owl

Common Kingfisher

Eurasian Wryneck

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Dryobates minor

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocopos major

Black Woodpecker

Dryocopus martius

European Green Woodpecker

Falco tinnunculus

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Eurasian Golden Oriole

Oriolus oriolus

Woodchat Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

Garrulus glandarius

Eurasian Magpie

Lophophanes cristatus

Poecile palustris

Eurasian Blue Tit

Cyanistes caeruleus

Lullula arborea

Galerida cristata

Riparia riparia

Eurasian Crag Martin

Ptyonoprogne rupestris

Hirundo rustica

Western House Martin

Delichon urbicum

Cetti's Warbler

Long-tailed Tit

Aegithalos caudatus

Western Bonelli's Warbler

Phylloscopus bonelli

Phylloscopus fuscatus

Phylloscopus trochilus

Common Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus collybita

Common Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus scirpaceus

Melodious Warbler

Hippolais polyglotta

Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

Eurasian Blackcap

Sylvia atricapilla

Common Whitethroat

Curruca communis

Dartford Warbler

Red-billed Leiothrix

Leiothrix lutea

Common Firecrest

Regulus ignicapilla

Regulus regulus

Troglodytes troglodytes

Eurasian Nuthatch

Tichodroma muraria

Short-toed Treecreeper

Certhia brachydactyla

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Turdus philomelos

Turdus viscivorus

Common Blackbird

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

Erithacus rubecula

Common Nightingale

Luscinia megarhynchos

Luscinia svecica

European Pied Flycatcher

Ficedula hypoleuca

Phoenicurus ochruros

Common Redstart

Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Saxicola rubetra

European Stonechat

Saxicola rubicola

Northern Wheatear

Oenanthe oenanthe

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Passer montanus

Passer domesticus

Alpine Accentor

Prunella collaris

Prunella modularis

Western Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flava

Motacilla cinerea

Anthus campestris

Anthus pratensis

Anthus trivialis

Anthus spinoletta

Eurasian Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs

Fringilla montifringilla

Coccothraustes coccothraustes

Eurasian Bullfinch

Pyrrhula pyrrhula

European Greenfinch

Chloris chloris

Linaria cannabina

European Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

Serinus serinus

Eurasian Siskin

Emberiza calandra

Emberiza citrinella

Emberiza cirlus

Common Reed Bunting

Emberiza schoeniclus

Branta canadensis

Branta leucopsis

Anser cygnoides

Greater White-fronted Goose

Anser albifrons

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Cairina moschata

Red-crested Pochard

Long-tailed Duck

Clangula hyemalis

Common Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

Tachymarptis melba

Red-necked Grebe

Podiceps grisegena

Black-tailed Godwit

Eurasian Woodcock

Scolopax rusticola

Marsh Sandpiper

Tringa stagnatilis

Stilt Sandpiper

Calidris himantopus

White-rumped Sandpiper

Calidris fuscicollis

Collared Pratincole

Glareola pratincola

Gull-billed Tern

Gelochelidon nilotica

Sterna paradisaea

Larus glaucoides

Long-tailed Jaeger

Stercorarius longicaudus

Pomarine Jaeger

Stercorarius pomarinus

Stercorarius skua

Red-throated Loon

Wilson's Storm Petrel

Oceanites oceanicus

European Storm Petrel

Hydrobates pelagicus

Cory's Shearwater

Calonectris borealis

Sooty Shearwater

Manx Shearwater

Puffinus puffinus

Balearic Shearwater

Puffinus mauretanicus

Sula leucogaster

African Sacred Ibis

Threskiornis aethiopicus

Eurasian Bittern

Botaurus stellaris

Ardeola ralloides

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Eleonora's Falcon

Falco eleonorae

Falco columbarius

Western Jackdaw

Coloeus monedula

Corvus frugilegus

Eurasian Penduline Tit

Remiz pendulinus

Eremophila alpestris

Iberian Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus ibericus

Great Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus arundinaceus

Acrocephalus schoenobaenus

Locustella luscinioides

Common Grasshopper Warbler

Locustella naevia

Sardinian Warbler

Curruca melanocephala

Richard's Pipit

Anthus richardi

European Rock Pipit

Anthus petrosus

Plectrophenax nivalis

Ortolan Bunting

Emberiza hortulana

Taiga Bean Goose

Pink-footed Goose

Anser brachyrhynchus

Lesser White-fronted Goose

Anser erythropus

Hooded Merganser

Lophodytes cucullatus

Common Merganser

Mergus merganser

Oxyura jamaicensis

Reeves's Pheasant

Syrmaticus reevesii

Coturnix coturnix

Great Spotted Cuckoo

Clamator glandarius

African Collared Dove

Streptopelia roseogrisea

Western Swamphen

Porphyrio porphyrio

American Golden Plover

Pluvialis dominica

Terek Sandpiper

Baird's Sandpiper

Calidris bairdii

Pectoral Sandpiper

Calidris melanotos

Franklin's Gull

Leucophaeus pipixcan

Black-browed Albatross

Thalassarche melanophris

Scopoli's Shearwater

Calonectris diomedea

Egyptian Vulture

Neophron percnopterus

Cinereous Vulture

Aegypius monachus

Bonelli's Eagle

Aquila fasciata

Circus macrourus

White-tailed Eagle

Haliaeetus albicilla

Eurasian Scops Owl

European Roller

Coracias garrulus

Middle Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocoptes medius

Red-footed Falcon

Falco vespertinus

Nymphicus hollandicus

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Psittacula krameri

Melopsittacus undulatus

Great Grey Shrike

Lanius excubitor

Iberian Grey Shrike

Lanius meridionalis

Red-billed Chough

Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax

Greater Short-toed Lark

Calandrella brachydactyla

Eastern Red-rumped Swallow

Cecropis daurica

Yellow-browed Warbler

Phylloscopus inornatus

Aquatic Warbler

Acrocephalus paludicola

Acrocephalus palustris

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler

Icterine Warbler

Hippolais icterina

Eurasian Treecreeper

Certhia familiaris

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

White-throated Dipper

Cinclus cinclus

Petronia petronia

Estrilda astrild

Loxia curvirostra

Emberiza pusilla

Lesser Antillean Bullfinch

Loxigilla noctis

Striped Dolphin

Stenella coeruleoalba

Western Roe Deer

Capreolus capreolus

Western Red Deer

Lepus europaeus

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Myocastor coypus

Eurasian Red Squirrel

Sciurus vulgaris

Ondatra zibethicus

Long-tailed Field Mouse

Apodemus sylvaticus

Rattus norvegicus

West European Hedgehog

Erinaceus europaeus

Daubenton's Myotis

Myotis daubentonii

Geoffroy's Myotis

Myotis emarginatus

Greater Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus ferrumequinum

European Pine Marten

European Badger

Mustela nivalis

Halichoerus grypus

Genetta genetta

Harbor Porpoise

Phocoena phocoena

Eurasian Wild Boar

European Fat Dormouse

European Garden Dormouse

Eliomys quercinus

Eurasian Water Vole

Arvicola amphibius

Southwestern Water Vole

Arvicola sapidus

Short-tailed Field Vole

Microtus agrestis

Microtus arvalis

Pyrenean Pine Vole

Microtus pyrenaicus

Clethrionomys glareolus

Eurasian Harvest Mouse

Micromys minutus

Greater White-toothed Shrew

Crocidura russula

Lesser White-toothed Shrew

Crocidura suaveolens

Eurasian Pygmy Shrew

Schreibers's Long-fingered Bat

Miniopterus schreibersii

Bechstein's Myotis

Myotis bechsteinii

Myotis crypticus

Common Whiskered Myotis

Myotis mystacinus

Natterer's Myotis

Myotis nattereri

Greater Noctule

Nyctalus lasiopterus

Leisler's Noctule

Nyctalus leisleri

Kuhl's Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus kuhlii

Nathusius's Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus nathusii

Common Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus pipistrellus

Soprano Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus pygmaeus

Western Barbastelle

Barbastella barbastellus

Gray Long-eared Bat

Plecotus austriacus

Savi's Pipistrelle

Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus euryale

Lesser Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus hipposideros

Mustela lutreola

European Polecat

Mustela putorius

Northern Raccoon

Common Minke Whale

Balaenoptera acutorostrata

Balaenoptera physalus

Panglobal Common Dolphin

Delphinus delphis

Common Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

Long-finned Pilot Whale

Globicephala melas

Common Killer Whale

Pygmy Sperm Whale

Kogia breviceps

Physeter macrocephalus

Cuvier's Beaked Whale

Ziphius cavirostris

Common Fallow Deer

Alcathoe Whiskered Myotis

Myotis alcathoe

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