Roman Coastal State Nature Reserve

Roman Coastal Reserve

Zones

The River Tiber

The River Tiber

The River, after many decades of maltreatment, is recovering its charm remaining a big natural attraction. Thanks to the efforts of the city administration for the purification of the urban unloading, a great variety of fishs such as bleaks (Alburnus Alburnus), rudds (Scardinius erythrophthalamus), Crucian carps (Carassius carassius), numerous eels (Anguilla anguilla), carps and mullets have returned to populate the waters of Tiber. However, sturgeons(Acipenser sturio) which, went up the course of the river once, never came back.

On the banks, vegetation continues the complete aspect and gives hospitality to various birds such as the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), the Little Egret(Egretta garzetta), the Night Heron(Nycticorax nycticorax). We can observe easily the Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus), the Moustached Warbler (Acrocephalus melanopogon) and the Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) in the reed. It is often possible to see the opening gallery hosting the Kingfisher's nest (Alcedo atthis) on the banks in landslide. Along the muddy banks the Snipe (Gallinago gallinago), the Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos), the Little Stint (Calidris minuta), the Black-winged Stilt(Himantopus himantopus), stop themselves during migrations. During the winter months thousands of Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) anchor towards the final part of the river.
In the zones between the embankment and the course of the river there are Foxes, Least Weasels, Porcupines, and a lot of birds such as the Stonechat (Saxicola torquata), the Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) and the Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita). During autumn and winter the flock of Greylag Gooses(Anser anser) and Cranes (Grus grus) can be noticed in the quietest zones.

Grey Heron

All these things make Tiber's banks an ideal destination to do pleasant birdwatching; as a matter of fact with a binoculars it is also possible to observe the elegant flight of the Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) or of the Black Kite (Milvus migrans).

In order to discover the genuine and wild aspects of Tiber, you can walk or cycle along the banks of Ostia Antica covering Capo Due Rami Street, a road excavated adjacent to the entry of the ancient excavations. The bank is practicable till the area of Dragoncello.
Alternatively the bank can be reached from some entries of the Portuense Street immediately after the Porto's village. Otherwise, by going around the gate that borders a narrow channel, the bank is practicable up to Rome.

This Web Site has been realized and updated by the Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli (Italian Society for the Protection of Birds) - Roman Coastal Branch. For any information contact us:

Lipu Ostia

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We thank Ksenija Trbovic for the language collaboration.