Malta Important Bird Area
Ta' Ċenċ Cliffs Important Bird Area
137 bird species recorded; the most in April.
Kritzolina · CC BY-SA 4.0
This month here
35 species in January.48 species in February.82 species in March.97 species in April.55 species in May.22 species in June.21 species in July.33 species in August.67 species in September.72 species in October.55 species in November.35 species in December.
The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.
VU
VUVU
VU
- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
137 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 137Speciesrecorded more than once
- 78Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 4ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 4,327Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 13Raptors
- 2Owls
- 12Waders
- 8Gulls & seabirds
- 6Ducks & geese
- 10Herons, ibises & grebes
- 2Storks & cranes
- 67Songbirds
- 17Other birds
From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.
The checklist
All 137 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors13 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- European Honey-buzzardPernis apivorus
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargus
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- Lesser kestrelFalco naumanni
- Pallid HarrierCircus macrourusNT
- Eleonora's FalconFalco eleonorae
- European HobbyFalco subbuteo
- Black KiteMilvus migrans
- Red-footed FalconFalco vespertinusVU
- Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
Owls2 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
- Eurasian Scops OwlOtus scops
Waders12 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- European Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticola
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- Eurasian Stone-curlewBurhinus oedicnemus
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus
- Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
- Eurasian DotterelCharadrius morinellus
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- RuffCalidris pugnax
Gulls & seabirds8 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Yellow-legged GullLarus michahellis
- Scopoli's ShearwaterCalonectris diomedea
- Yelkouan ShearwaterPuffinus yelkouanVU
- Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
- European Storm-PetrelHydrobates pelagicus
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
Ducks & geese6 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- Mute SwanCygnus olor
- GarganeySpatula querquedula
- Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna
- Ferruginous DuckAythya nyrocaNT
Herons, ibises & grebes10 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Purple heronArdea purpurea
- Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Squacco HeronArdeola ralloides
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Eurasian BitternBotaurus stellaris
- Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
Storks & cranes2 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common CraneGrus grus
- White StorkCiconia ciconia
Songbirds67 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Spanish sparrowPasser hispaniolensis
- Sardinian WarblerCurruca melanocephala
- Blue Rock ThrushMonticola solitarius
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Zitting CisticolaCisticola juncidis
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- European RobinErithacus rubecula
- Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
- Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
- Spectacled WarblerSylvia conspicillata
- Greater Short-toed LarkCalandrella brachydactyla
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- Tree PipitAnthus trivialis
- Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti
- Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
- WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanus
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleuca
- Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibillatrix
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- WhitethroatSylvia communis
- Eastern Subalpine WarblerCurruca cantillans
- Garden WarblerSylvia borin
- Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
- Tawny PipitAnthus campestris
- Red-throated PipitAnthus cervinus
- Common LinnetLinaria cannabina
- Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
- Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos
- Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- Eurasian Golden OrioleOriolus oriolus
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Woodchat ShrikeLanius senatorNT
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- Icterine warblerHippolais icterina
- Collared FlycatcherFicedula albicollis
- Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra
- Italian SparrowPasser italiaeVU
- Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
- Western Black-eared WheatearOenanthe hispanica
- Eurasian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus
- Great Reed WarblerAcrocephalus arundinaceus
- Isabelline wheatearOenanthe isabellina
- European GreenfinchChloris chloris
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Calandra larkMelanocorypha calandra
- Common Rock ThrushMonticola saxatilis
- Red-breasted flycatcherFicedula parva
- Lesser whitethroatSylvia curruca
- Western Bonelli's WarblerPhylloscopus bonelli
- Moustached WarblerAcrocephalus melanopogon
- Blyth’s Reed WarblerAcrocephalus dumetorum
- European SerinSerinus serinus
- European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- BluethroatLuscinia svecica
- Eastern Bonelli's WarblerPhylloscopus orientalis
- Moussier's RedstartPhoenicurus moussieri
- White-crowned Black WheatearOenanthe leucopyga
Other birds17 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- European SwiftApus apus
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- Bee-eaterMerops apiaster
- Pallid SwiftApus pallidus
- Common QuailCoturnix coturnix
- European Turtle DoveStreptopelia turturVU
- Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- WryneckJynx torquilla
- Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melba
- Common CuckooCuculus canorus
- Porzana parvaPorzana parva
- European RollerCoracias garrulus
- Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
- European NightjarCaprimulgus europaeus
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species in April.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan15°/14°74 mm
- Feb15°/13°65 mm
- Mar15°/14°51 mm
- Apr17°/16°33 mm
- May20°/18°17 mm
- Jun24°/22°11 mm
- Jul27°/25°4 mm
- Aug28°/26°10 mm
- Sep26°/24°63 mm
- Oct23°/22°82 mm
- Nov20°/19°95 mm
- Dec17°/16°82 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Ta' Ċenċ Cliffs Important Bird Area.
Linear strip of cliffed coastline at Sannat (Malta)
Ta' Ċenċ Cliffs Important Bird Area is an Important Bird Area (BirdLife) in Malta.
137 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 4,327 open records.
The most recorded are the Spanish sparrow, the Sardinian Warbler and the Blue Rock Thrush.
37 species come for the summer, 27 for the winter and 14 only pass through.
4 are threatened worldwide, including European Turtle Dove, Yelkouan Shearwater and Italian Sparrow.
The most species are recorded in April.
Get there and watch
- Wild Campcampsite · 5.1 km · 5 within 10 km
- Il-Girna Residenceplace to stay · 1.7 km · 129 within 10 km
- Sannatnearest town · 1.2 km in a straight line
- Malta International Airport (MLA)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 30 km in a straight lineCar hire at MLA airport (Valletta)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
Plan the visit
A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.
Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.
From above
The place and its surroundings.
The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- 14bird hides within 6 km
- 6marked trails within 4 kmGozo Coastal Walk, Ramla Walk, Xlendi Walk and 3 more
- 3visitor centres within 6 kmMTA, Malta Sightseeing
- 27viewpoints within 5 kmLunzjata Valley Belvedere Viewpoint, Sannat Cliffs, View on former Azure Window and 24 more
- 41car parks within 3 km
- 59restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 5campsites within 10 kmWild Camp, Ruby's Camping, Tal-Ful Campsite and 2 more
- 129places to stay within 10 kmIl-Girna Residence, San Andrea, Hotel Xlendi and 126 more
- observation towers within 6 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around Ta' Ċenċ Cliffs Important Bird Area.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Peakyas16 mountains within 25 kmIl-Gelmus133 m · 3.5 kmTa' Dbieġi177 m · 4.3 kmTa’ Għammar186 m · 4.9 kmNadur238 m · 18 kmIl-Qolla183 m · 19 kmTa' Baldu186 m · 20 kmĠebel San Pietru147 m · 22 kmTa' Dmejrek253 m · 24 km↗
Coastya18 beaches within 10 kmXatt l-Aħmar · 5.0 kmRamla taż-Żewwieqa · 6.0 kmIr-Ramla ta’ Marsalforn · 6.6 km↗Ix-Xtajta · 6.6 km↗Qbajjar Bay · 7.0 km↗Daħlet Qorrot · 8.3 kmIr-Ramla taċ-Ċirkewwa · 9.6 kmIr-Ramla ta’ Wied Musa · 10 km
Darkskyas1 dark-sky places within 30 kmFlarestar ObservatoryBortle 8 · 24 km
Cavernyas9 caves within 20 kmGħar ix-Xih · 3.3 kmGħejzu Cave · 4.5 kmXerri's Grotto · 4.6 kmNinu's Cave · 4.8 kmBlue Hole · 5.7 kmCalypso’s Cave · 6.5 kmRamla Bay · 6.7 kmMixta Cave · 7.2 km
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Photographs
The place, as people saw it.
Other places nearby.
Ta' Ċenċ Cliffs Important Bird Area
Malta
- 66Birdyas Score
- 137Species
- 78Migrants
- 4Threatened
Rdum Tal-Madonna Important Bird Area
Malta · 13 km
- 82Birdyas Score
- 222Species
- 142Migrants
- 8Threatened
Il-Kullana to ta' Gifen Cliffs Important Bird Area
Malta · 25 km
- 68Birdyas Score
- 135Species
- 89Migrants
- 4Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q16897355) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 4,327 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
| Sister atlases | Peakyas, Islandyas, Coastya, Darkskyas, Cavernyas |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?
Same idea, other landscapes: field atlases built on open data, in seven languages.
beaches
Find your beach: sea temperature, sun and swimming month by month.Visit 
lakes
Every lake on Earth: water temperature, ice, depth and the shore.Visit mountains
Every summit in 3D: summit weather, the 0 °C line, huts and trails.Visit 
waterfalls
Every waterfall: height, flow month by month and when it roars.Visit 
islands
Every island from the sea up: size, sea temperature, ferries and 3D.Visit 
rivers
Every river from source to sea: the journey, the flow and the basin in numbers.Visit 
canyons
Every canyon cut to scale: depth to the floor, rim and floor temperatures, trails and viewpoints.Visit caves
Every cave with its real depth and length: the rock above, the temperature inside all year, and how to visit.Visit dark skies
Where the night is still dark: the sky of every place, the Milky Way month by month, the Moon, eclipses and auroras.Visit 
viewpoints
Every viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit 
birdwatching
Every bird sanctuary and wetland with the species recorded month by month: who is resident, who comes for the summer, who only passes through.You are here
forests
Every forest with its land-cover rings, what grows and lives in it, and the best months to walk it.Coming soonVisit