Birdwatching in Dordogne is surprisingly rewarding for an inland French département. In the summertime around most villages one can find the classic rural French mix of hoopoe, golden oriole, serin, cirl bunting, black redstart, cuckoo and turtle dove. Searching a little further can reveal red-backed and woodchat shrike, honey buzzard, short-toed eagle and hen harrier, to name but a few. On the dry farming zones there are crested lark, Scops owl, rock sparrow, quail and stone curlew and if you are really lucky, maybe one of the last little bustard. At migration times a vast array of birds pass through the region including osprey, purple heron, booted eagle, bee-eater and large numbers of pied flycatchers. Local reservoirs and the main river are good spots to search for waders, waterbirds and raptors.

Winter is the time to search for some of the Dordogne's most elusive species. Resident black and middle spotted woodpeckers are active, as are eagle owls. Around the cliffs, wallcreeper and alpine accentor can be found, whilst in the countryside you may come across water pipit and rock bunting.

In fact you never quite know what may turn up. We have recorded well over 100 species around Mauzac.