Missing the Carleton Arboretum Spring Bird count? Fear not! Pull out your binoculars and your birding checklists, because Italian art has birds coming out the oiseaux! For 2,000 years your fellow bird lovers have been depicting your favorite fowl in catacombs, frescoes, mosaics, and more! Below are some of my favorite birding spots in Italy.
Anagni:
Also in Anagni is the beautiful Crypt of St. Magnus. Look closely at the corners of the elaborate 13th century fresco cycles to spot some magpies.
Ravenna:
Ravenna’s UNESCO sites are a prime place to see a multitude of bird species carefully rendered in Byzantine mosaic. The Basilica di San Vitale in Ravenna contains an elaborate mosaic ceiling depicting birds from partridge to peafowl. Also take a look up at the ceiling in the Cappella di Sant’Andrea to spot pheasants and guinea fowl.
Pompeii:
Looking for some early bird sites? The preserved frescoes in some of the Pompeian villas show delicately painted birds in garden scenes.
Rome:
The Castel Sant’Angelo is one of Rome’s monumental landmarks. Frescoes of pairs of birds, including bee eaters and hoopoes, perch under the gilded ceiling of one of the ornate halls.
Venice:
Depictions of Noah’s Ark in church fresco cycles or mosaics is a good way to spot a variety of birds at once. In St. Marks Basilica in Venice, a pair of Pelicans, along with cranes and eagles, make an appearance on their way to board the ark.
These examples highlight only a small fraction of the birds I saw over my time in Italy. The next time you visit a church or castle, be sure to take a closer look to see if you can spot one of our feathered friends!