Verdon Regional Nature Park

Natural Park · France

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Photo © kallerna

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

Where limestone cliffs rise sheer above a river that has been carving them for millennia, the landscape opens into a rugged mosaic of garrigue, oak woodland and exposed rock. This is the country around Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, gateway to the Verdon Regional Nature Park, where the celebrated gorge cuts a dramatic seam through the limestone plateau of Haute-Provence. The climate here is temperate and humid year-round, without a true dry season, so the vegetation is richer than the sun-baked image of Provence might suggest: downy and holm oaks clothe the slopes, scrub and aromatic low maquis cover the thinner soils, and moisture-loving trees follow the shaded ravines and riverbanks. That structural diversity — cliff face, forest canopy, open scrub, running water — supports a correspondingly varied fauna. Birds of prey ride the thermals along the rim, woodland songbirds and small forest mammals inhabit the oak stands, bats shelter in caves and rock crevices, and the river corridor draws aquatic birds and amphibians. It is a landscape defined less by any single creature than by the sheer range of habitats packed into a confined, vertical space.

For photographers and birdwatchers, the appeal lies in that compression of terrain and in the quality of the light. Early mornings and late afternoons rake the cliffs at a low angle, modelling the rock and silhouetting birds of prey against the sky, while the middle of the day flattens the gorge and pushes activity into the shade. Spring and early summer bring the greatest bustle — nesting birds, flowering scrub, insects on the wing — whereas autumn offers clearer air and quieter trails, and winter strips the deciduous cover to reveal the bones of the land and the movement of larger mammals. Access is largely on foot, via waymarked paths and viewpoints along the gorge rims and through the surrounding plateaus; a patient approach, a long lens and a willingness to sit still at dawn will reward anyone chasing raptors, woodland passerines or the shy mammals of the oak woods. Come for the geology, stay for the living tapestry it shelters.

Greater Flamingo

Phoenicopterus roseus

Aquila chrysaetos

Common Shelduck

Tadorna tadorna

Tadorna ferruginea

Aix galericulata

Northern Shoveler

Spatula clypeata

Mareca strepera

Eurasian Wigeon

Mareca penelope

Anas platyrhynchos

Northern Pintail

Red-crested Pochard

Ferruginous Duck

Aythya fuligula

Common Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

Common Merganser

Mergus merganser

White-headed Duck

Oxyura leucocephala

Common Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

Coturnix coturnix

Red-legged Partridge

European Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeus

Tachymarptis melba

Great Spotted Cuckoo

Clamator glandarius

Cuculus canorus

Common Wood Pigeon

Columba palumbus

European Turtle Dove

Streptopelia turtur

Eurasian Collared Dove

Streptopelia decaocto

Rallus aquaticus

Gallinula chloropus

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatus

Eurasian Stone-curlew

Burhinus oedicnemus

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Recurvirostra avosetta

Eurasian Dotterel

Eudromias morinellus

Northern Lapwing

Vanellus vanellus

Black-tailed Godwit

Lymnocryptes minimus

Eurasian Woodcock

Scolopax rusticola

Gallinago gallinago

Phalaropus fulicarius

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropus

Tringa glareola

Common Greenshank

Tringa nebularia

Calidris pugnax

Calidris alpina

Calidris minuta

Pectoral Sandpiper

Calidris melanotos

Gull-billed Tern

Gelochelidon nilotica

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Larus cachinnans

Yellow-legged Gull

Larus michahellis

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Red-throated Loon

Ciconia ciconia

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

Plegadis falcinellus

Eurasian Spoonbill

Platalea leucorodia

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

Egretta garzetta

Ardeola ralloides

Western Cattle Egret

Pandion haliaetus

Bearded Vulture

Gypaetus barbatus

European Honey Buzzard

Pernis apivorus

Griffon Vulture

Short-toed Snake Eagle

Circaetus gallicus

Greater Spotted Eagle

Hieraaetus pennatus

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Accipiter nisus

Montagu's Harrier

Circus pygargus

Western Marsh Harrier

Circus aeruginosus

Eurasian Scops Owl

Eurasian Eagle-Owl

European Roller

Coracias garrulus

Common Kingfisher

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Eurasian Wryneck

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocopos major

Black Woodpecker

Dryocopus martius

European Green Woodpecker

Falco tinnunculus

Red-footed Falcon

Falco vespertinus

Eleonora's Falcon

Falco eleonorae

Falco columbarius

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Psittacula krameri

Eurasian Golden Oriole

Oriolus oriolus

Woodchat Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

Garrulus glandarius

Eurasian Magpie

Red-billed Chough

Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax

Pyrrhocorax graculus

Western Jackdaw

Coloeus monedula

Corvus frugilegus

Lophophanes cristatus

Poecile palustris

Poecile montanus

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

Yellow-browed Warbler

Phylloscopus inornatus

Common Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus collybita

Great Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus arundinaceus

Melodious Warbler

Hippolais polyglotta

Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

Eurasian Blackcap

Sylvia atricapilla

Sardinian Warbler

Curruca melanocephala

Western Subalpine Warbler

Curruca iberiae

Common Whitethroat

Curruca communis

Spectacled Warbler

Curruca conspicillata

Dartford Warbler

Common Firecrest

Regulus ignicapilla

Regulus regulus

Troglodytes troglodytes

Eurasian Nuthatch

Tichodroma muraria

Eurasian Treecreeper

Certhia familiaris

Short-toed Treecreeper

Certhia brachydactyla

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Turdus philomelos

Turdus viscivorus

Common Blackbird

Turdus torquatus

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

Erithacus rubecula

Common Nightingale

Luscinia megarhynchos

European Pied Flycatcher

Ficedula hypoleuca

Phoenicurus ochruros

Common Redstart

Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Common Rock Thrush

Monticola saxatilis

Blue Rock Thrush

Monticola solitarius

Saxicola rubetra

European Stonechat

Saxicola rubicola

Northern Wheatear

Oenanthe oenanthe

White-throated Dipper

Cinclus cinclus

Petronia petronia

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Passer montanus

Italian Sparrow

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

European Greenfinch

Chloris chloris

Linaria cannabina

Loxia curvirostra

European Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

Carduelis citrinella

Serinus serinus

Eurasian Siskin

Emberiza calandra

Emberiza citrinella

Emberiza cirlus

Black-headed Bunting

Emberiza melanocephala

Common Reed Bunting

Emberiza schoeniclus

Cairina moschata

Spatula querquedula

Oxyura jamaicensis

Black-necked Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus

Common Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticula

Eurasian Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

Common Redshank

Chlidonias hybrida

Chlidonias niger

Hydrocoloeus minutus

Gulosus aristotelis

African Sacred Ibis

Threskiornis aethiopicus

Egyptian Vulture

Neophron percnopterus

Cinereous Vulture

Aegypius monachus

Lesser Grey Shrike

Northern Nutcracker

Nucifraga caryocatactes

Eurasian Penduline Tit

Remiz pendulinus

Greater Short-toed Lark

Calandrella brachydactyla

Melanocorypha calandra

Phylloscopus trochilus

Acrocephalus schoenobaenus

Common Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus scirpaceus

Western Orphean Warbler

Curruca hortensis

Luscinia svecica

Western Black-eared Wheatear

Oenanthe hispanica

Indian Silverbill

Euodice malabarica

Acanthis flammea

Ortolan Bunting

Emberiza hortulana

Taiga Bean Goose

Greater White-fronted Goose

Anser albifrons

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Melanitta fusca

Porzana porzana

Red-necked Grebe

Podiceps grisegena

Podiceps auritus

Pluvialis squatarola

European Golden Plover

Pluvialis apricaria

Eurasian Curlew

Numenius arquata

Spotted Redshank

Tringa erythropus

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

Collared Pratincole

Glareola pratincola

Hydroprogne caspia

Mediterranean Gull

Ichthyaetus melanocephalus

Black-throated Loon

Northern Gannet

Red-footed Booby

Northern Bald Ibis

Geronticus eremita

Eudocimus ruber

Eurasian Bittern

Botaurus stellaris

Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

Circus macrourus

White-tailed Eagle

Haliaeetus albicilla

Western Barn Owl

Aegolius funereus

Eurasian Pygmy Owl

Glaucidium passerinum

Short-eared Owl

Great Grey Shrike

Lanius excubitor

Iberian Grey Shrike

Lanius meridionalis

Eastern Red-rumped Swallow

Cecropis daurica

Moustached Warbler

Acrocephalus melanopogon

Locustella luscinioides

Common Grasshopper Warbler

Locustella naevia

Red-billed Leiothrix

Leiothrix lutea

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

White-winged Snowfinch

Montifringilla nivalis

Spanish Sparrow

Passer hispaniolensis

Red-throated Pipit

Anthus cervinus

Eurasian Bullfinch

Pyrrhula pyrrhula

Lapland Longspur

Calcarius lapponicus

Anser cygnoides

Marmota marmota

Western Roe Deer

Capreolus capreolus

Western Red Deer

Lepus europaeus

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Myocastor coypus

European Fat Dormouse

European Garden Dormouse

Eliomys quercinus

Muscardinus avellanarius

Eurasian Red Squirrel

Sciurus vulgaris

Eurasian Beaver

Southwestern Water Vole

Arvicola sapidus

Long-tailed Field Mouse

Apodemus sylvaticus

Western Mediterranean Mouse

West European Hedgehog

Erinaceus europaeus

Suncus etruscus

Daubenton's Myotis

Myotis daubentonii

Geoffroy's Myotis

Myotis emarginatus

Brown Long-eared Bat

Plecotus auritus

Savi's Pipistrelle

European Badger

Mustela nivalis

Genetta genetta

Northern Chamois

Rupicapra rupicapra

Eurasian Wild Boar

Przewalski's horse

Equus ferus przewalskii

European Mouflon

Ovis aries musimon

European Snow Vole

Chionomys nivalis

Clethrionomys glareolus

Ondatra zibethicus

Yellow-necked Field Mouse

Apodemus flavicollis

Rattus norvegicus

Greater White-toothed Shrew

Crocidura russula

Lesser White-toothed Shrew

Crocidura suaveolens

Schreibers's Long-fingered Bat

Miniopterus schreibersii

Bechstein's Myotis

Myotis bechsteinii

Brandt's Myotis

Myotis brandtii

Long-fingered Myotis

Myotis capaccinii

Myotis crypticus

Common Whiskered Myotis

Myotis mystacinus

Natterer's Myotis

Myotis nattereri

Greater Noctule

Nyctalus lasiopterus

Nyctalus noctula

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

Eurasian Particolored Bat

Vespertilio murinus

Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus euryale

Greater Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus ferrumequinum

Lesser Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus hipposideros

European Pine Marten

Striped Dolphin

Stenella coeruleoalba

Common Fallow Deer

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