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“Centro Cicogne e Anatidi” (“Storks and Anatids Center”) of Racconigi was established in December 1985 and developed on the reintroduction of the white stork, a nesting species which has not been seen in Italy since 1700; this facility was born thanks to the collaboration between the Italian Bird Protection League and the ornithologist Bruno Vaschetti.

Since 1989, Bruno has also been involved in the protection of rare or endangered species of ducks, geese and swans, including the rusty hunchback (oxyura leucocephala), a diving duck extinct in Italy since the 1970s.

Since 1995, this important Center has been promoting a thorough restoration of the wetlands, aimed at stopping migratory birds and, in particular, the waders that usually thrive in the marshes.
The first area of only 5 acres is now being expanded a total of 42, to offer birds a safe and quiet place where to stop during their migrations. Thanks to observation huts and hidden paths, it is possible to do some serious birdwatching in their natural habitat.

Each season offers special moments for birdwatching:

-March / April: it is the spring migration season, when you can observe the birds returning from Africa after the winter, stopping in the wetlands and eventually leaving to nest up north.
In this period, also storks come back here to build their nests;
-April / May: it is the reproductive period. The birds dedicate themselves to the construction of their nests and to hatching their eggs; as early as the end of April, hatching begins and at the beginning of May it is possible to observe the newly-born specimens;

-May / July: it is the season when parents start raising their offspring with extreme and uncompromised care;

-August / September: the period of the autumn migration. The birds move south where they will spend the colder months of the year;

-October / February: the wintering period. The swamp is home to hundreds of wild ducks, which spend part of the winter here. Among the most frequent species, there are mallards, teals, wigeons, pintails, and shovelers. This is also the period when the ducks boast their most colourful plumage, the “wedding dress” for attracting the female specimens before the spring mating.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)