Idea #601 – Observing the birds of The Seven Islands in Brittany
The national natural reserve of Les Sept Îles (“The Seven Islands”) is situated in Brittany, in the Côtes-d’Armor. It was classified in 1976 and occupies a surface of 320 ha, distributed on five main islands and two islands (the island Bono (21,6 ha), the Flat island (5 ha), the Ile aux Moines (9,4 ha), the island Malban (1,2 ha), the island Rouzic (3,3 ha), the Deer and the Costans). The reserve protects important colonies of sea birds in particular from Gannet, from Puffin, and of Auk torda. The reserve was created in reaction to puffin massacres , at the beginning of the XXth century. These safaris of hunting had reduced a population of 20 000 puffins to 2 000 individuals within two years! Considered as the most important nature reserve of the French coast, the interest of the site is essentially ornithological: 23 000 couples of birds and 27 different species.
The island Rouzic is the only point of nesting in France for the Gannet, welcoming 21 880 couples from January till September, as well as for almost all of Puffins still alive monks in France, that is 200 couples, and of Auks torda. We also deduct other nicheurs as the Herring gull, the brown Gull, the Crested cormorant, the Guillemot of troïl, the Fulmar Boréal, the pierregarin Tern, the Oystercatcher magpie or the Gull tridactyle. We meet also a colony of around thirty resident grey seals there in the year.
On the main island, the Ile aux Moines, are built a lighthouse, a fort, barracks and powder magazine of the XVIIIth century. It is the only island accessible to the visitors, that can land there and make the tour, without forgetting the hour of the tide – otherwise it will be necessary to sleep there! Let’s go to see puffins!
Some Pictures
Where is it ?
Les Sept Îles, Perros Guirrec, Bretagne, France.
