MUNICIPAL TOURISM OFFICE C /. Santa Clara, 4-10600 Plasencia Phone: 927 42 38 43 www.aytoplasencia.es oficina.turismo @ aytoplasencia.

es DESIGN, LAYOUT AND PRINTING Charts Sandoval C / Berrozana, 1 - Tel. 927 41 22 41 graficasandoval@telefonica.net Texts: Collective Vulture Photo: Jos M. Benitez Cidoncha (Documentation Center Monfrage) Green Goal

Introduction

The environment is fashionable and nearly all sooner or later follow. In a few decades we have caused as many negative environmental impacts in the thousands of years that men took on the face of the earth. If we stay with one of these global problems regarding this guide to birds, we had to choose species extinction accelerating every day, global problem it on that thought, but on which we must act locally to try to stop the extinctions species. Indeed, of the species listed in this small guide Lesser Kestrel has only multiple difficulties problems that you submit. The remaining species population enjoys good health. We want to say with these first few paragraphs of the introduction, that respect for the living so begins immediately, so everyday, so closer to our home, our neighborhood, our city. Useless to defend and protect the Imperial eagle nest if we do not respect the Goldfinch, Greenfinch or enjaulamos to shoot at Tit. Historically, some birds have sought the company of man as a way to find shelter, protection or food, and why not, its simple company. Hopefully mutual coexistence in urban areas last, and always remember that men and women in cities are also part of nature.

BIRD GUIDE Plasencia PAGE 1

Birds in the city

Vsta View of the Cathedral of Plasencia PAGE 4 BIRD GUIDE Plasencia

Birds in the city

It is difficult to define what birds are urban, or it may establish multiple selection criteria. Parameters such as latitude, altitude varying proximity to water bodies, stagnant or free, presence of crops and forests, major or minor concentration-conurbation and many other factors can help us or complicate the selection of species. The species listed in this guide, are usual or regular in their observation in Plasencia. Of course, some more than others because of their abundance. In short, we have prepared this guide typically insisting on urban birds (like the house sparrow and the white stork). Thus, we will analyze the birds from the city center, showing his picture and offering some outstanding features. And then fly over other areas of Plasencia. Three (parks and urban gardens, wetlands and suburban areas) to add to center. Obviously we followed criteria of habitability species in each area, nesting and other aspects of their ecology.

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Birds in the city

Birds of downtown The noble part of Plasencia, monumental buildings, streets and older, such as Santo Domingo and surrounding neighborhoods, the Cathedral, the Plaza Mayor, etc ... It is a large urban area ecosystem Plasencia. This area is characterized by priority, because birds that frequent and nest in it are those that should be considered with accuracy and urban birds. The rest of the areas and species are only in certain periods. Say here, as very important that this area or ecosystem is characterized by how much we rely birds that inhabit the ecosystems or other areas of the city. Ie, it is an open ecosystem where there are no barriers for tenants frequent the other areas, especially when sought the sustenance and of course move the ecosystem to other non-urban us from the vicinity of Plasencia. And mainly due to the ambiguity and relative tranquility-Tion of the city center, the birds that are characterized many cracks, weep holes (holes in the walls), roof tiles will-Vantadas, eaves and cornices and other places to build their nests, which are usually in high places and certainly protected. To this must be added the fact that the estimated and Piacenza protected with respect (most) monumental buildings. Pre-precisely such protection, the relative tranquility, the low number of direct attacks, surveillance of the area, give this city center, the streets with ancient buildings screeds, a ideal place as usual residential bird species most characteristic of the city. Now, let's look at these images more common birds of the urban center of the city.

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Birds in the city White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)

Recognizable to all, storks are urban birds such high hand. Reach 115 cm in length (measured from the end of the peak with the neck stretched to the tip of the tail) and two meters size (measured outside to outside open wings). Its wings are black, its white body and red legs and beaks. When they are young, bill and legs are dark. Sociable in their breeding and feeding Ave. It is easy to observe in the inner city and suburban areas of Plasencia. Also flying with outstretched legs and neck. Its displacement is marked very powerful, slow, deep wingbeats. Usually plan very often soaring slowly over city effortlessly, taking advantage of updrafts of warm air and circling increasingly Large according ascends. They are generally migratory birds. Usually arrive in February and leave in late August. These birds are very loyal to your partner and mate for life. They are very distinctive and recognizable their huge nests in colonies, and the salutation crotoreos.

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Birds in the city Jackdaw (Corvus Monedula)

Bird of black plumage in geNebral, its dark gray underparts, black bill and legs, the head has a neck and neck gray. Young adults differ by having the blue eyes instead of white and the darkest neck. They are about 30 inches long and made flight spectacular stunts together Piacenza buildings. Always appear in groups or flocks so that said gregaria is a bird. Ultimately appear in pairs. To the groups also tend to act collectively defend themselves, which is more successful against possible aggression, especially in times breeding colonies defend their nests and not much impetus to only possible predators, but also neighbors, like doves, kestrels, owls, etc. .. This corvid (family of crows, rooks, jackdaws, magpies, rabilargos, ...) are omnivorous, that is, as all and the motion that comes along.

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Birds in the city Sparrow (Passer domesticus) "Gorriato"

The fact that the bird is more comm on in urban areas. Who does not know our popular Sparrow Pirate authentic downtown and throughout the city? The male, as in many other species is more attractive in terms of color and tones, more contrasted than the female. That one has gray nape and forehead, and babe black beak roneck black. Females have duller colors and bold. Of brown head, a soft eyebrow without ca-yellow bib. The bill is not as dark, more brown. Juveniles are similar to the female. Butterflies in flight appear wavy, but like to fly straight, plan and even kept flapping in the air in one position. Measuring 14 to 15 centimeters in length and about 25 centimeters of wings. They are primarily seed-eaters, because they eat many grains and seeds, but they could be considered omnivores because they also eat other foods are. They are very social birds that often nest near another of the same species and also sleep together in the dormi-calledDeros (usually trees).

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Birds in the city Black Starling (Sturnus Unicolor) "Thrush"

Typical urban bird that if something is characterized by its capacity to imitate other birds singing. Thus, and in the early hours of morning or late evening, it is easy to observe the thrushes or starlings on prominent places such as chimneys or antennae, issuing its long piercing whistles, clicks and all sorts of voices intermingled. It is curious to see how his songs emit the hackles bristle and will move the wings and head, but not take flight. The black starling is about 22 inches long. Its overall coloration in males and females is a black glow-you very nice, sharp, yellow beak, his legs are reddish. Young people are somewhat brownish with lighter throat. Your flight is straight, fast and strong wing beats, sometimes short glides. Like storks, jackdaws and sparrows is very sociable. They usually go in groups to feed in flight and roosting. It is very opportunistic in their feeding, but basically consume insects, seeds and fruits; these regi-food volumes vary by time of abundance and year.

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Birds in the city Lesser Kestrel (Falco Naumanni) "Kestrel"

This is the only raptor usual day in the center of Plasencia, nay, nest even weep tiles lifted and buildings with City's screeds, eg Santo Domingo. Is migratory and colonial bird comes in spring to breed and was sent to Africa in October. It has approximately 25 to 34 inches, smaller than the usual kestrel in peri-urban areas. The male kestrel has reddish brown back, the blue tail with a black band near the end, the legs yellow as the front of the peak, which has a black tip and white nails. The female is larger than the male, as almost all ra-peace, his coloring is less striking without brown tones. This condition coincides females in many species of birds. Many males through their work as lit plumage to attract attention from females and mark territory among other tasks. Females also used their less conspicuous to protect their broods color. Young people are like females, plumage mottled off and very black. The plan often lesser kestrel hovering less, ie, rapidly flapping their wings without advancing airborne. Consume insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds and small mammals.

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Birds in the city

Barn Owl (Tyto Alba)

The owls to be sue-len rather I heard, in the center of Plasencia are three: owls, tawny and owls. Actually the latter is true rapaNight-ces of this ecosystem of the city, because nest here. The autillos belong to the ecosystem of parks and gardens and owls to peri-urban areas, for raising and develop most of their daily tasks in those areas. The barn owl measured up to 40 inches in length. Its back is dark yellow, gold with black, brown and white flecks. The belly and the bottom of the wings is white. They have white feathers disc heart shaped face. The eyes are black. Their legs are long, feathered to the toes in white. During the winter you can see them by day, but its general activities characterize as night. Slow flight undulating, very quiet (their feathers have a peculiar adaptation that enables them to eliminate sounds friction between the feathers), also loom and running cabrioThe. Their diet is composed of rodents, shrews, birds, insects, reptiles, amphibians, bats, etc ... It is, as the kestrel, a man of great benefit to birds, it eliminates harmful elements to our interests.

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Birds in the city Barn Swallow (Hirundo Paperback)

Migratory presents in

bird

that

early spring

(March) to raise here is leaving us to go laterano (September), marching Africa. Who does not recognize a swallow in flight by his grace, his long, forked tail, its lovely trills that we announce the good spring weather?. Maybe you may have difficulty differentiating the swift and planes. The swallows are flying that low, then and above same aircraft finally the vociferous common, higher and faster swifts. The explanation of this air zoning is based on different prey than-Join, in the world of ecology say that share the same habitat but their ecological niches are different within the same ecosystem. Their morphological characteristics are: up to 23 inches long, bluish black tops, front and tas red throats, their bottoms are plain, vanilla or yellow with reddish tints. They have a wide black or dark blue band below the neck. Its legs and bill are black. It is easy to observe and hear perched on wires or on the floor to catch mud pellets for the nest. Their diet is based mainly on insects, they catch in flight, such as flies, mosquitoes, horseflies ...

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Birds in the city Martins (Delichon Urbica)

Smaller than the go-londrina, only 13 centimeters in length, the aircraft has halter and short tail, wings are almost triangular and small legs. Their tops They are dark brown with metallic reflections, although itjos aircraft appear black. Bottoms as the breast and belly are white, like the rump or lower back area at the junction with the tail up. Short black beak, black head and white throat. The young are brownish. Agile, fluttering, straighter flight swallow, and strong wing beats with glides, flies in large flocks co-ordinated little. Their diet is based, like swifts and swallows, their marvelous adaptation to air through their mouths. The oral commissures reach eye level which these very into their sockets and his mouth is so effective trap insects. It nests in colonies under eaves and cornices, always on the outside of buildings and constructions. Its nest is hemispherical closed, with only a small hole in the top to allow the right step. It is built of mud mixed with saliva. Migratory bird that travels with the swallows.

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Birds in the city Common Swift (Apus Apus)

What family is watching the swifts at dusk flying very fast (about 100 kms per hour) as highest in the city and constantly uttering their loud voices! What is not so familiar is to observe and transcend as at that time to 2,000 meters where they spend the night flying more slowly, based on rapid wing beats with glides and always in groups. Note that the males just leave swifts flying from leaving the nest, hence his mastery of perfect flight. Even copulate in the air, that is, make love (In human terms) flying. Females roost more, especially for hatching eggs. However, they often settle because if they did on a smooth, flat surface would not be able to trace flight at short leg and the greatness of his wings. Remember that only 16 inches long by 40 wingspan. Swifts are torpedo-shaped and their wings appear gua-you damage. Although we observed Plasencia alpine swifts (Apus melba) and pallid swifts (Apus pallidus) the customarythem and many are common with the general color is black, short and low-cut tail, black beak. Juveniles are brownish. Like swallows and aircraft flight feeding on insects and are also migratory, arriving in May and sea-chndose after raising in September to Africa.

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Parks and Gardens

The Paque Island, Plasencia PAGE 16 BIRD GUIDE Plasencia

Parks and Gardens Regardless of size, but within the city: blue tit, great tit, robin, blackbird co-bad, Hoopoe, Common Nightingale, Magpie, co agateador-bad, scops, Serin, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Song Thrush. Birds of Urban Parks These green areas within the city's park Rana, the Gabriel y Galn, Coronation Park and the Park of the Pines, are very rich areas or urban ecosystems in avian species. Bird species that occupy these urban parks and gardens we are no longer typical urban birds such as the city center. Most of the species that occupy this area do they find the similarity with their ecosystems origin. And so, despite the proximity of buildings, constant traffic and human presence, are large spaces with trees, shrubs and hedges, and other elements related to their usual homes or home ecosystem. It is curious to note here that, despite the large number of special-cies in this area, few nesting in it, ie, the carrying out playback in the same space where they find their food. It should be borne in mind that in this Nearby birds have no natural predators except a cat or disrespectful person, in this way your not nesting have problems when playing. In addition, the availability food are guaranteed by the debris that man makes these recreational areas. In short, the birds occupy these spaces or ecosystems in number and diversity, but many need the tranquilityity of their own ecosystems of origin to perpetuate the species.

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Parks and Gardens

Tit(Parus caeruleus) Longevity: can live up to 3 years. Weight: 10 to 12 gr. approx. Wingspan: with open wings, approx. of 21 cm. Length: 12 cm. approx.

Tit (Parus Major) Longevity: can live 2-3 years. Weight: 15 to 20 gr. Wingspan: with open wings can measure 25 cms. Length: is about 15 cm, approx.. Robin (Erithacus rubecula) Longevity: can live up to 5 years. Weight: 20 g. approx. Wingspan: with open wings can measure 21 cms. Length: is about 15 cm, approx.. Hoopoe (Upupa Epops) Longevity: can live up to 5 years. Weight: 70 gr. approx. Wingspan: with open wings can measure 50 cms. Length: measures about 28 cms approx.. PAGE 18

Parks and Gardens Common Greenfinch (Carduelis Chloris) Longevity: can live 2-3 years. Weight: 28 gr. approx. Wingspan: with open wings can measure 26 cms. Length: measures 15 cms approx..

Goldfinch (Carduelis Carduelis) Longevity: can live up to 3 years. Weight: 17 gr. approx. Wingspan: with open wings can measure 24 cms. Length: is about 13 cm, approx..

Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) Longevity: can live up to 5 years. Weight: 23 gr. approx. Wingspan: with open wings can measure 17 cms. Length: is about 15 cm, approx..

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BIRD GUIDE PlasenciaWetlands

Wetlands The Jerte river passing by Plasencia and immediate areas like La Isla: Kingfishers, bee-eaters, cattle egret, white wagtail and yellow wagtail, heron, black kite, laughing gull, moorhen, melodious warbler, Chiffchaff, darica swallow. Birds of wetlands In the case of Plasencia, interesting proximity between it and the beautiful river Jerte, which affects birds environment. And we therefore affect river-city interaction causes an enrichment of the species that can be observed not only by the proximity of the two elements, but because this area causes some influences increasing the relative humidity of the environment, many species of birds prefer to live. The birds related to the aquatic environment are aware of the proximity of the city, although it has been adapted and do still present around the passage of Jerte throughout the urban section, and in the Island Park . Most of the trees are used as roosts by many bird species characteristic of this area and others. The same applies to trees urban parks and gardens and rows of trees that appear in some avenues of Plasencia. This fact is based on a desire to achieve communal protection and use the heat bouncing the city, especially at night, when temperatures drop. This heat is especially caused by reverberation of asphalt, which emanate and buildings in general, caused by traffic, industrial and daily racking. All cities in these features, especially the larger ones, are heat islands in winter attract many birds within or nearby to shelter from inclement weather that exist in their ecosystems of origin. Needless to say, the Jerte itself is already a compelling reason for many species lose their fear of man and venture to fly around the city. BIRD GUIDE Plasencia PAGE 21

Wetlands Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) Longevity: can live 5-10 years. Weight: 40 gr. approx. Wingspan: with open wings can measure 26 cms. Length: is about 17 cm, approx..

White Wagtail (Motacilla Alba) Longevity: can live up to 5 years. Weight: 22 gr. approx. Wingspan: with open wings can measure 29 cms. Length: is about 17 cm, approx..

Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus Collybita) Longevity: can live up to 5 years. Weight: 9 gr. approx. Wingspan: with open wings can measure 21 cms. Length: is about 10 cm, approx.. PAGE 22

Peri Zone: Plasencia and Monte Protected Valcorchero

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Panoramic View of Mount Protected Valcorchero BIRD GUIDE Plasencia

and Peri Zone: Plasencia and Monte Protected Valcorchero Monte Protected Valcorchero Constitute the outer limits of the city, with gardens, low houses and houses with or without yard. Starling, Common and Grey Shrike, Crested Lark, rabilargo, Stonechat, mistle thrush, black redstart, Tawny Pipit, Sardinian Warbler and Dartford, mouser common linnet, kite, owl, Bunting and gardener, kestrel, Crag Martin, Raven, Siskin, Moorish, miller and sparrow. Poultry peri-urban and mountain protected Valcorchero Constitute the outer limits of the city in direct contact with other non-urban ecosystems and to a greater or lesser extent preserved or altered by man, we are referring to outlying areas where Plasencia farmhouses, orchards, second family residences, etc appear ... Obviously, here the movement of species and their number is few areas greater than we have seen in this simple guide to birds, only by close contact with areas that have nothing to do with the city. This means being halfway between the urban ecosystem and other more or less natural ecosystems, ie, what we normally call the countryside, nature. Even as we are seeing, there are also nature in cities. Finally, remember that the species which appear in different areas of the city interact throughout.

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Peri Zone and Monte Protected Valcorchero

Shrike (Lanius Senator) Longevity: can live up to 5 years. Weight: 25-41 g. approx. Wingspan: with open wings can measure 29 cms. Length: measures about 18 cms approx..

Shrike (Lanius meridionalis) Longevity: can live up to 5 years. Weight: 45 gr. approx. Wingspan: with open wings can measure 29 cms. Length: is about 24 cm, approx..

Common Stonechat (Saxicola torquatus) Longevity: can live up to 5 years. Weight: 15 gr. approx. Wingspan: with open wings can measure 20 cms. Length: is about 13 cm, approx. Little Owl (Athene Noctua) Longevity: can live 9-10 years. Weight: 145-190 g. approx. Wingspan: with open wings can measure up to 55 cms. Length: is about 22 cm, approx..