Birds of the Basque Country

Out of the 563 different species of birds that can be seen in Spain, 347 of them have been spotted in the Basque Country. The Basque Country is in one of the most important bird migration routes, making the Spring and Fall the best seasons for birdwatching in Basque. The Basque Country has a significant amount of conservation and biodiversity locations to protect birds, these conservation areas take up about 20% of the Basque territory. In Basque there are three different Bioclimatic Zones that distinguish where birds live. There is the Bioclimatic Atlantic Zone, the Bioclimatic Transition Zone, and the Bioclimatic Mediterranean Zone.

There are four main regions where birds are found in the Basque Country.

1- Valleys and Mountains south of the coastal range:

This is an area of rugged terrain in the interior area of the province of Araba. This area is well preserved and features beautiful landscapes. Birds found in this area:

European Honey Buzzard
Booted Eagle
Short-toed Eagle
Griffon Vultures
Egyptian Vultures
Golden Eagles
Peregrine Falcons
Eagle Owls
Bee-eaters
Middle Spotted Woodpeckers

2- Wetlands of the interior:

These wetlands are home of some amazing and diverse birdlife. Today in the Basque Autonomous Community these wetlands are scarce, but there have been recent movements to
restore these wetlands. Birds found in this area:

Storks
Little Ringed Plovers
Marsh Harriers
Tufted Duck
little Ducklings
Water Storks
Spoonbills
Gulls
Short-toed Larks
Woodchat Shrikes
Starling roost
Waders
Great-crested Grebes
Red-crested Pochards

3- Estuaries along the coastline of the Cantabrian sea (Biscay Bay):

This area attracts numerous aquatic and sea birds especially in migration times and the winter. Birds found in this area:

Waders
Little Grebes
Coots
Water Rails
Plovers
Passerines

4- Mountainous massifs of the coastal range:

These Mountainous areas are among the best conserved areas in the Basque Country. Birds found in this area:

Yellowhammer
Black Woodpecker
European Honey-buzzard
Red-backed Shrike
Water Pipit
Citril Finch
The rare Alpine Accentor
Geese
Doves
Wallcreepers
Griffon Vultures
Egyptian Vultures
Alpine Chough
Alpine Swift
Rock Thrush

Birds are of great importance to the Basque people, every year the Basque people hold a Feather and Folk Festival. This festival is held in the Spring, between May 31st and June 9th, to greet the many migratory bird species that fly their way to Basque at this time. At this festival bird lovers get together, experience nature, and welcome all the arriving birds.

There are a few different beliefs about different birds in Basque, especially in a town like Obaba where people live and interact with birds daily. Some Basque people believe that the Robin is a wholly bird and that nobody should kill it. They believe this because they believe the Robin plucked out the thorns from Christ’s forehead. That is why the Robin has a red breast, because it got stained with the blood of Christ.

There is a widely known Basque children's song about birds, that says:

Txantxangorria txantxate,
Birigarroa alkate,
Xoxoa dela meriante,
Txepetxa preso sartu dute.

Which means in english:

The robin sings his song,
The song thrush is the jailer,
And, with the blackbird’s help,
They’ve put the poor wren in prison.

This song represents that their are four season by singing about four birds, the Robin, Song Thrush, Blackbird, and the Wren. The interpretation of this song is that the Wren stays in Basque all year long until December then it leaves, and the Robin only comes to Basque in December when the Wren leaves. This symbolizes that the Wren leaves at the end of an old year and the Robin comes at the to open up a new year. This song originated because in the past the Basque people would sacrifice a Wren in december to mark the end of the year, and around christmas time they would release a Robin to mark the beginning of a new year.

references:

http://featherandfolk.ca/#

http://www.threepennyreview.com/samples/atxaga_f09.html

http://www.birdingeuskadi.net/archivos/menusarchivos/promocional%20birding%20ES_2010_07_30_12_51_10.pdf

http://www.fatbirder.com/links_geo/europe/spain_pais_vasco.html#