France Special Protection Area for birds
Écozone du Forez
261 bird species recorded; the most in April and in December.
Robin Chubret · CC BY-SA 4.0
This month here
130 species in January.128 species in February.148 species in March.192 species in April.177 species in May.133 species in June.166 species in July.154 species in August.161 species in September.147 species in October.133 species in November.204 species in December.
The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.
VU
NT
VU
NT
NT
NT
VU
NT
- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
261 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 261Speciesrecorded more than once
- 152Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 9ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 27,042Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 327 mAltitudeabove the sea
- 24Raptors
- 6Owls
- 33Waders
- 17Gulls & seabirds
- 35Ducks & geese
- 17Herons, ibises & grebes
- 3Storks & cranes
- 97Songbirds
- 29Other birds
From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.
The checklist
All 261 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors24 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common BuzzardButeo buteo
- Black KiteMilvus migrans
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
- Red KiteMilvus milvus
- Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus
- European HobbyFalco subbuteo
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- European Honey-buzzardPernis apivorus
- MerlinFalco columbarius
- Short-toed eagleCircaetus gallicus
- Eurasian GoshawkAccipiter gentilis
- White-tailed EagleHaliaeetus albicilla
- Black-winged KiteElanus caeruleus
- Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargus
- Red-footed FalconFalco vespertinusVU
- Booted eagleHieraaetus pennatus
- Griffon VultureGyps fulvus
- Greater spotted eagleAquila clanga
- Bearded VultureGypaetus barbatusNT
- Egyptian vultureNeophron percnopterus
- Eurasian Black VultureAegypius monachusNT
Owls6 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Little OwlAthene noctua
- Tawny OwlStrix aluco
- Western Barn OwlTyto alba
- Long-eared OwlAsio otus
- Northern Eagle OwlBubo bubo
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
Waders33 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- Eurasian Stone-curlewBurhinus oedicnemus
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- RuffCalidris pugnax
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- RedshankTringa totanus
- Little ringed ploverCharadrius dubius
- Spotted RedshankTringa erythropus
- Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
- Little StintCalidris minuta
- European Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria
- Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta
- Temminck's StintCalidris temminckii
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticola
- Eurasian DotterelCharadrius morinellus
- Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotos
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus
- Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
- Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
- Collared PratincoleGlareola pratincola
- Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaNT
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
Gulls & seabirds17 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Yellow-legged GullLarus michahellis
- Common TernSterna hirundo
- Whiskered TernChlidonias hybrida
- Black TernChlidonias niger
- Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus
- Little GullHydrocoloeus minutus
- White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterus
- Common GullLarus canus
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Pontic gullLarus cachinnans
- Red-throated LoonGavia stellata
- European Herring GullLarus argentatus
- Little TernSternula albifrons
- Black-legged kittiwakeRissa tridactylaVU
- Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia
- Arctic SkuaStercorarius parasiticus
Ducks & geese35 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- GadwallMareca strepera
- Red-crested pochardNetta rufina
- Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
- Greylag GooseAnser anser
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
- Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- Mute SwanCygnus olor
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- GarganeySpatula querquedula
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
- Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca
- Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna
- GoosanderMergus merganser
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula
- Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons
- Marbled TealMarmaronetta angustirostrisNT
- Ferruginous DuckAythya nyrocaNT
- Bewick's SwanCygnus columbianus
- Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis
- Ring-necked DuckAythya collaris
- Ruddy ShelduckTadorna ferruginea
- Mandarin DuckAix galericulata
- Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
- Velvet scoterMelanitta fuscaVU
- Greater ScaupAythya marila
- SmewMergellus albellus
- Bar-headed GooseAnser indicus
- American WigeonMareca americana
- Taiga Bean GooseAnser fabalis
- Black swanCygnus atratus
- Common EiderSomateria mollissimaNT
- Tundra Bean GooseAnser serrirostris
Herons, ibises & grebes17 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax
- Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
- Purple heronArdea purpurea
- Eared GrebePodiceps nigricollis
- Squacco HeronArdeola ralloides
- Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Eurasian BitternBotaurus stellaris
- Horned GrebePodiceps auritusVU
- Little BitternIxobrychus minutus
- Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegena
Storks & cranes3 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common CraneGrus grus
- Black storkCiconia nigra
- White StorkCiconia ciconia
Songbirds97 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
- Great titParus major
- Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos
- Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- European RobinErithacus rubecula
- Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- Eurasian Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- WhitethroatSylvia communis
- Eurasian JayGarrulus glandarius
- Short-toed treecreeperCerthia brachydactyla
- Garden WarblerSylvia borin
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- Eurasian MagpiePica pica
- Marsh TitPoecile palustris
- European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- Eurasian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
- Melodious WarblerHippolais polyglotta
- European GreenfinchChloris chloris
- Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaea
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- Eurasian Golden OrioleOriolus oriolus
- European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
- Western JackdawColoeus monedula
- Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
- Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- Willow TitPoecile montanus
- Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus
- Red-backed ShrikeLanius collurio
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleuca
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- European SerinSerinus serinus
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
- BramblingFringilla montifringilla
- Common LinnetLinaria cannabina
- Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanus
- FieldfareTurdus pilaris
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- Common FirecrestRegulus ignicapilla
- Water PipitAnthus spinoletta
- Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
- Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
- Great Reed WarblerAcrocephalus arundinaceus
- HawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustes
- WoodlarkLullula arborea
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra
- Tree PipitAnthus trivialis
- Zitting CisticolaCisticola juncidis
- Cirl BuntingEmberiza cirlus
- WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
- Coal TitPeriparus ater
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- European Crested TitLophophanes cristatus
- Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti
- Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibillatrix
- Eurasian Penduline TitRemiz pendulinus
- YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
- Common Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia
- Northern RavenCorvus corax
- Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
- White-throated DipperCinclus cinclus
- Lanius excubitorLanius excubitor
- Red-throated PipitAnthus cervinus
- BluethroatLuscinia svecica
- Savi's WarblerLocustella luscinioides
- Tawny PipitAnthus campestris
- Ortolan buntingEmberiza hortulana
- Rock BuntingEmberiza cia
- Lesser whitethroatSylvia curruca
- Western Bonelli's WarblerPhylloscopus bonelli
- Eurasian Crag MartinPtyonoprogne rupestris
- African StonechatSaxicola torquatus
- Woodchat ShrikeLanius senatorNT
- Common crossbillLoxia curvirostra
- Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
- Pallas's Leaf WarblerPhylloscopus proregulus
- Common RedpollAcanthis flammea
- Eurasian TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
- Rock SparrowPetronia petronia
- Marsh warblerAcrocephalus palustris
- Willow titParus montanus
- Ring OuzelTurdus torquatus
Other birds29 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- CootFulica atra
- Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- European Turtle DoveStreptopelia turturVU
- Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- Common CuckooCuculus canorus
- Lesser Spotted WoodpeckerDryobates minor
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Black WoodpeckerDryocopus martius
- European SwiftApus apus
- Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaNT
- Bee-eaterMerops apiaster
- Stock DoveColumba oenas
- European Water RailRallus aquaticus
- Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melba
- Middle Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocoptes medius
- Grey PartridgePerdix perdix
- Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops
- Reeves's PheasantSyrmaticus reevesiiVU
- Common QuailCoturnix coturnix
- WryneckJynx torquilla
- Spotted CrakePorzana porzana
- European NightjarCaprimulgus europaeus
- European RollerCoracias garrulus
- Little BustardTetrax tetraxNT
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species in April and in December.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan4°/-2°42 mm
- Feb6°/-2°35 mm
- Mar10°/0°42 mm
- Apr15°/4°57 mm
- May19°/8°75 mm
- Jun24°/12°64 mm
- Jul27°/14°65 mm
- Aug26°/13°64 mm
- Sep21°/9°56 mm
- Oct16°/6°72 mm
- Nov9°/2°73 mm
- Dec5°/-1°50 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Écozone du Forez.
Special protection area in France
Écozone du Forez is a Special Protection Area under the EU Birds Directive in France, 327 m above the sea.
261 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 27,042 open records.
The most recorded are the Blackcap, the Eurasian Blackbird and the Great tit.
67 species come for the summer, 73 for the winter and 12 only pass through.
9 are threatened worldwide, including Common Pochard, European Turtle Dove and Curlew Sandpiper.
The most species are recorded in April and in December.
Get there and watch
- Camping à la ferme Les Rivièrescampsite · 5.3 km · 3 within 10 km
- Gîte des Coissousplace to stay · 3.4 km · 10 within 10 km
- Feursnearest town · 3.0 km in a straight line
- Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport (LYS)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 69 km in a straight lineCar hire at LYS airport (Colombier-Saugnieu, Rhône)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
Plan the visit
A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.
Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.
From above
The place and its surroundings.
The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- 1bird hides within 6 km
- 2marked trails within 4 kmChemin de Montaigne de Feurs à Boën, Chemin de Montaigne de Brussieu à Feurs
- 1visitor centres within 6 kmOffice de Tourisme Forez-Est
- 32car parks within 3 km
- 5restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 3campsites within 10 kmCamping à la ferme Les Rivières, Aire Camping-Car Montrond-les-Bains, Le Hall
- 10places to stay within 10 kmGîte des Coissous, L'Astrée, Hôtel Etesia and 7 more
- observation towers within 6 km
- viewpoints within 5 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around Écozone du Forez.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Peakyas52 mountains within 25 kmMont d'Uzore Nord · 10 kmMont d'Uzore Sud · 11 kmMont Semiol · 20 kmMont Boussuivre1,004 m · 21 kmPic de Chaudabry · 22 kmPuy du Bouchet · 23 kmPic de Glizieux · 24 kmMorière · 24 km
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Photographs
The place, as people saw it.
Other places nearby.
Écozone du Forez
France
- 85Birdyas Score
- 261Species
- 152Migrants
- 9Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q24932115) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 27,042 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
| Sister atlases | Peakyas, Riveryas |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?
Same idea, other landscapes: field atlases built on open data, in seven languages.
beaches
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lakes
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Every summit in 3D: summit weather, the 0 °C line, huts and trails.Visit 
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Every waterfall: height, flow month by month and when it roars.Visit 
islands
Every island from the sea up: size, sea temperature, ferries and 3D.Visit 
rivers
Every river from source to sea: the journey, the flow and the basin in numbers.Visit 
canyons
Every canyon cut to scale: depth to the floor, rim and floor temperatures, trails and viewpoints.Visit 
caves
Every cave with its real depth and length: the rock above, the temperature inside all year, and how to visit.Visit 
dark skies
Where the night is still dark: the sky of every place, the Milky Way month by month, the Moon, eclipses and auroras.Visit 
viewpoints
Every viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit 
birdwatching
Every bird sanctuary and wetland with the species recorded month by month: who is resident, who comes for the summer, who only passes through.You are here
forests
Every forest with its land-cover rings, what grows and lives in it, and the best months to walk it.Coming soonVisit