ARTIFICI NATURALI (NATURAL ARTIFACTS)
The artwork appears in the collection of Natural Artifacts
Included in Chapter 4
Dedicated paragraphs in the book
-
The evening falcon
Useful for understanding
The first protagonist of this series on Mediterranean avifauna is the Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus). This small falcon is not a permanent resident of Mediterranean countries but is a migratory bird that arrives from afar. During its migration, the Mediterranean, with its abundance of prey, serves as a necessary stopover to replenish energy during the falcon’s annual journey between Central Asia and Southern Africa.
Here is an excerpt from the book
The sunset is approaching, and the sun makes the marshes sparkle and sets the reeds ablaze with its orange light. Summer has recently begun here in the Po Delta Park, between the regions of Veneto and Emilia Romagna, and the forests and marshes are teeming with a wide variety of life.
The sky is also filled with a multitude of insects and birds. In the warm evening light, some birds with pointed wings slice through the sultry air as if they were a swarm of arrows.
The Red-footed Falcons (Falco vespertinus) made their appearance in the Delta at the beginning of May, and on this warm summer evening, they are hunting for insects. It is precisely at dusk that this falcon owes its Latin name “vespertinus,” which means “of the evening,” indicating their preferred hunting time.
They have traveled a long way from their wintering colonies in southern Africa and have now returned to Europe to breed and raise their offspring.
If you are interested in using this image for your projects and works you can contact me and we can discuss about licensing.
All images © Simone Zoccante 2018-2023. Please do not reproduce without the expressed written consent of Simone Zoccante.