With a bit of luck you might spot him here:
the golden eagle, one of Europe’s largest and most majestic birds of prey. Its wingspan can exceed 2.20 metres – and it can glide for hours on the Valle Maira’s thermals with effortless grace.
What makes it special:
🪶 Golden eagles keep to the same territory for decades.
🪶 They build their eyries on inaccessible cliff faces – often metres high and used over generations.
🪶 During the breeding season (spring to early summer) they are extremely sensitive to disturbance.
👉 That is why it is so important to:
– avoid climbing cliff faces known to be nesting areas
– not fly drones – they are perceived as a threat
– watch with binoculars rather than trying to get closer
Did you know…?
The golden eagle was close to extinction in many Alpine regions – today it once again lives year-round in the Valle Maira. That is no accident, but the result of protection through sites like Natura 2000 and the Parco Naturale Alpi Marittime.
If you see one: keep still, marvel, feel lucky.