Terrestrial Conservation

Bird routes of the Aeolian Islands

The Aeolian Islands are an important migratory hotspot for birdlife, serving as a key corridor in the heart of the Mediterranean along the Euro-African flyways. The islands also provide shelter and nesting areas for a variety of seabirds and birds of prey, representing an extraordinary natural heritage that deserves to be protected and enhanced for birdwatching enthusiasts.
Through this project, SEF and NESOS aim to foster the development of skills for responsible birdwatching tourism, promote the archipelago as a birdwatching destination, encourage tourism beyond the peak season, and support a sustainable local economy that is mindful of biodiversity.
This sustainable tourism model will help protect and showcase nature rather than threaten it, by creating a network of expert guides, developing dedicated birdwatching itineraries, producing an Aeolian Islands birdwatching guide, and promoting awareness-raising activities for tour operators, travel agencies, and schools.
An important opportunity for the Aeolian Islands to strengthen a nature-based tourism sector that celebrates and enhances the unique value of the local environment.

*OCTOBER 2026 UPDATE*

With the launch of the Bird Route project, Nesos with SEF’s support, has begun collecting updated data on the birdlife of the Aeolian Islands, with the aim of improving our knowledge of little-known species and species of particular conservation interest.

On Filicudi, we confirmed the breeding of the Alpine swift and surveyed colonies of Eleonora’s falcon and European storm petrel. On Salina, surveys of the European storm petrel and Scopoli’s shearwater recorded a significant increase in the number of breeding pairs. On Lipari, Vulcano, Panarea and Stromboli, new observations were carried out on the species crossing the archipelago during migration. Among the most exciting sightings, for the first time in the Aeolian Islands, was that of several young griffon vultures, probably from the Nebrodi Mountains.

Fieldwork is continuing during the final phase of the late-summer and autumn migration. The data collected will help us identify new birdwatching routes and offer unique experiences to visitors exploring the archipelago, while also highlighting and promoting its extraordinary biodiversity.