Birds

Take part in France's garden bird-counting weekend

Home owners are being urged to count and identify birds in their garden for an hour at the end of May to help protect avian wildlife in France

Vosges birds to ‘recuperate in Norway’ as part of French trial

The plan is aiming to help the emblematic birds, proponents say - but critics say it is a ‘textbook example of what not to do’

Meet France's great garden acrobat

With its bright yellow and blue plumage, the Eurasian blue tit is easy to spot in the garden.

practical

Work to protect birds from dangers of French ski resorts is a success

Simple actions like attaching brightly coloured discs to electricity wires and ski lift cables is helping to prevent accidents

Homeowners asked to pause cutting garden hedges in France

The purpose is to avoid disruption during birds’ nesting period

Mystery around deaths of pigeons in Dordogne village

Autopsy points to stomach inflammation caused by an infection; tests have ruled out bird flu or poisoning

Mystery of 130 dead seabirds found on France’s Atlantic beaches

A lack of fish, climate change and accidental capture has been cited as possible reasons

Starling ‘invasion’ wreaks havoc on French city

Thousands of the birds have set up camp on roofs, leading to piles of mess, excessive noise and a bad smell. Children’s play areas have been closed

‘Hyper-aggressive' seabirds force Marseille to take action

Some say the gulls ‘represent the city’ but authorities now have permission to act to reduce their number

Migratory birds you may see overhead or stopping off in France

Large, small, white, black or brightly-coloured - here are six species of birds you may spot as they make their journeys

Sea birds blown off course and into south west France by storm

Storm Domingos also caused significant damage to the Banc d'Arguin nature reserve

Brittany couple saved from fire by parrot shrieking ‘It's hot!’

The ‘hero’ parrot was the first to notice something was wrong in the dead of night

Orioles, butterflies, broom: see all things yellow in France

Golden orioles brought enchanting melodies while facing challenges and successfully raising chicks

It was not all bad: 5 positive French stories to end week on a high

From swallows in sitting rooms to alpaca animal therapy, here are some of the best good news stories from France this week

Plea for French residents not to cut hedges in spring to help wildlife

If you plan to trim your hedges, please do it before mid-March asks the French league for the protection of birds

Eagles put on memorable display in France

Jonathan Kemp enjoys a splendid – and tender – display of avian acrobatics

Kingfisher family’s ‘busy blue sparks’ seen everyday on French stream

Nature watcher, Jonathan Kemp, marvels at the habits of kingfishers near his Aude home and explains why they are blue

Traditional skylark hunting re-authorised in France again

The LPO has condemned the government’s decision to reauthorise hunting with traditional nets and cages, despite the Conseil d’Etat previously saying the move contravened EU law

Spot storks flying across France as migration season peaks

The birds are gathering in especially high numbers in the Poitou-Charentes region as they stop off on their journey south for the winter

Snakes, wader birds and the wrath of hunters in French countryside

Wildlife spotter Jonathan Kemp shares stories of reptiles, raptors and four flat tyres

Nature watch in France: identify doves and how to help injured birds

Wildlife spotter Jonathan Kemp shares his bird watching skills and how he helped a Nightjar in distress

Racing pigeons still missing after getting lost in storm over France

Thousands of the birds became disoriented with one even showing up on a sailing yacht near Sardinia

France reviews reauthorising traditional net and cage bird hunts

The government says that any hunting, which would involve thrushes and blackbirds, will be done in compliance with EU law but the LPO bird protection organisation is strongly opposed

Song birds in France and how to recognise their tune

Bird watcher Jonathan Kemp offers tips on spotting species by their song

New measures brought in after seagulls die of bird flu in Normandy

Authorities in Manche have introduced surveillance zones and placed limits on backyard chickens and movement between farms

Hunting of two endangered birds authorised in France

A bird protection group has denounced the decision to allow the hunting of two types of birds in Hautes-Alpes, saying they are ‘under pressure’

Eyes on the sky: France’s latest birdwatch event is this weekend

The latest national bird count is set to take place on Saturday and Sunday. Here’s how to take part and help maintain bird biodiversity

Enjoy wildlife spotting in your French garden as spring becomes summer

Nature spotter, Jonathan Kemp, slows down to appreciate the nesting, hatching and feeding this time of year near his Aude home

Endangered vultures have laid eggs for the first time in French Alps

Bearded vultures were reintroduced to the area in 2013 after they all but died out in the early 1900s. Then, it was popular for hunting parties to shoot up to 40 of them in a day

France announces bird flu support fund for stricken poultry farmers

More than eight million birds have been culled in the department of Vendée alone, as an unprecedented strain of avian flu ‘massacres’ the western region

Birdwatcher’s guide to France: Nature reserves, parks and trails

Explore the country’s best landscapes for watching pink flamingos, birds of prey or even migrating birds, as well as information centres and exhibitions

Sea eagles to be released over Lake Geneva after 130-year absence

Six of the birds, which are among the largest species in Europe, will be let out in June and July this year

Join the 10th edition of France’s winter bird count this weekend

You can count birds in your garden, in a public park or even from a balcony with various ‘cheat sheets’ on spotting different species available online

Is it illegal to destroy a swallows’ nest on the wall of our home?

I saw a neighbour knocking down a swallows’ nest from our block of flats. Is this allowed? JI

Diary of a birdwatcher in France: Migration

Jonathan Kemp describes his magical recent trip to the Netherlands, where the sight of migratory birds got him thinking about explanations behind the mysterious phenomenon

Diary of a birdwatcher in France: The common buzzard

Jonathan Kemp recounts his somewhat painful experience of trying to rescue an injured buzzard that he found at the side of a road

French wildlife body decries hunting season’s bird of prey ‘massacre’

Around 87% of the birds of prey which are treated for gunshot injuries arrive in shelters during the hunting season, says the Ligue de protection des oiseaux

Diary of a birdwatcher in France: The Egyptian vulture

Jonathan Kemp explains how he was witness to some extraordinary behaviour by the smallest of the four vulture species found in Europe

Risk of bird flu rises to high in France, poultry must be kept inside

Livestock must be kept away from migratory birds which might be carrying the virus

New twist for hunters in France: Songbird trapping banned again

The highest administrative court has suspended certain hunting authorisations for the second time, with campaigners calling it a ‘victory for biodiversity’ – but hunters deny biodiversity is at risk

Ban on traditional bird hunts with nets and cages overturned in France

The controversial practices had been suspended in August. Bird welfare groups say they will fight this new change

Escaped parakeets in France lead to flock of 8,000

A flock of around 50 birds, destined for pet shops, escaped from a Paris airport in the 1970s and a similar escape happened in 1994. The two have interbred

Diary of a birdwatcher in France: The capture of 33 griffon vultures

Ten griffon vultures in Occitanie have been equipped with tracking equipment, so that experts can gather more information on the huge birds. Jonathan Kemp was part of the equipping operation, which involved temporarily trapping 33 birds, and explains why it is important

France reviews overturning ban on cage and net traps for some birds

Catching lapwings, golden plovers, skylarks, thrushes and blackbirds using nets and cages was banned over the summer, but a judge may now reconsider that decision

French environmental activist condemns duck decoy hunting practice

In a new video, the campaigner alleges that ducks used to attract wild birds for hunting are kept in ‘really tiny cages’ and have only ‘minimal wellbeing’; hunters deny the claims

French hunters protest cancellation of traditional hunts

The president of the national hunting federation has denounced the government for a ‘lack of neutrality’ after the banning of several hunting practices in recent months

France bans turtle dove hunting after numbers drop by 80%

The ban will last until at least July 30, 2022, but bird protection group the LPO says that it does not go far enough and will not give the ‘species in agony’ time to recover

Diary of a birdwatcher in France: Mallard ducks

Our expert ornithologist Jonathan Kemp describes a hazardous journey made by young ducklings near his home that reminds him of the Beatrix Potter book ‘the Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck’. In this case, it is a little bit more Jemima ‘muddle-duck’

Aude vulture watch station: What time of day is good to visit?

Visitors can access the Vulture Observatory free of charge all year round, and can observe these necrophagous birds of prey in their natural environment, at the foot of the Falconnière Cliff

Vulture saved from busy roadside in south west France

The bird of prey was spotted by several drivers, leading gendarmerie to mount a rescue with help from a local falconer

Traditional bird hunting methods used in parts of France ruled illegal

Nets and cages used to catch birds such as blackbirds in the Ardennes and south-west France are found not to comply with European law by French supreme court

Green news France: Enedis on bird protection, second life for old toys

Second hand toy recycling association creating jobs and giving love to old items, Enedis working with The League for the Protection of Birds and more

Diary of a birdwatcher in France: Goshawks

Jonathan Kemp describes how his chickens had a recent close encounter with a female goshawk, a large but elusive bird.

White-tailed eagles to return to Lake Léman 130 years after extinction

Local wildlife park owner begins new breeding programme to reintroduce nearly 85 of the birds to the wild, over 100 years since the last pair disappeared from France

Diary of a birdwatcher in France: Vultures

There are four species of vulture present in Europe, with the most common being the griffon vulture

France changes laws to make glue trap hunting for birds illegal

Exemptions allowing the ‘traditional’ hunting method have been cancelled, as French supreme court says it goes against EU animal rights laws

France's swallow population has fallen by 40% in the last 20 years

Homeowners removing nests from their properties and pesticides cited among reasons - but it comes as the stork population is showing healthy growth in France

French coastal towns act to combat seagull noise and 'thefts'

Bird managed to take purse from schoolgirl’s handbag in latest attack

France's bird population declined by 30% in 30 years, figures reveal

Falling bird populations threaten biodiversity across the country, the president of La Ligue pour la protection des oiseaux has said

Diary of a birdwatcher in France: Swifts

Did you know? Swifts can fly horizontally at speeds of over 111km/h

Storks more abundant in France and spreading to different departments

They used to live in large numbers in the marshes of Charente-Maritime, but now they are also settling in Deux-Sèvres, Charente and Vendée.

WATCH: live footage of family of storks living on a mairie in Moselle

Five new babies were born recently and will stay in the nest, being cared for by their parents, for the next two months

Diary of a birdwatcher in France: The Eurasian jay

They are found all over France, wherever there are oak woodlands

Diary of a birdwatcher in France: The Eurasian woodcock

The population of these elusive birds is on the decline in France due to hunting and destruction of habitat

Hikers: Leave baby owls on ground, says French bird league

Walkers may spot baby owls on the ground at this time of year but the behaviour is normal as they explore and they only need help if they are definitely injured or at-risk

Glue trap hunting of birds in France illegal, EU court rules

Environmental protection group welcomes European decision that paves the way for an outright ban of the controversial practice in France

Nesting storks choose western France over Alsace

Alsace may the spiritual home of the stork - but more of the historic region's emblematic young birds actually hatch on the other side of the country

Iconic winter cranes migrate over France: What to look for

As the elegant birds fly south for winter over France, an expert explains where and how to spot them

Bird Flu: 45 departments put on high alert

France has no reported cases of avian flu, but authorities have raised the risk level to 'high' to reduce the risk of migratory animals spreading the disease

Call to save dying swallows in southwest France

Bird protection association in the Lot is asking residents to keep an eye out for suffering birds and to help them stay warm

France bans turtledove hunting for 2020-21 as numbers drop

The French Conseil d’Etat has banned woodland turtledove hunting in France for the 2020-21 season, in a U-turn on a previous ministerial decision to allow it.

Macron bans ‘illegal’ hunting of thrush and blackbirds

The President took the decision to ban birdlime (or "glue") hunting after meeting with hunting representatives and politicians. The ban is in place for one year.

Project aims to protect birds put at risk by skiers in Alps

Thirty-six ski resorts in the French Alps have signed up to a project to conserve “emblematic” mountain birds which are being put in danger by people going off-piste.

Using natural 'bio' mosquito repellent may kill birds

A scientist is demanding a review of the use of natural bio mosquito control, claiming it is harmful to some birds.

British birds destroying farmland crops in Brittany

Jackdaws - small crows that eat corn - have caused €3 million-worth of damage to farmland crops in Côtes-d’Armor and Finistère (Brittany) in the past 10 years, according to a report.