The rugged, limestone-carved landscapes of France’s Parc national des Écrins are playing host to an unexpected avian milestone. Conservation officials confirmed that two distinct migratory bird species—the red kite and the vibrant European bee-eater—have established breeding populations within or immediately bordering the alpine protected area.
The confirmation arrives after years of observations among local field naturalists, finally verified through coordinated field surveys conducted across the Champsaur region.
The Red Kite’s Alpine Return and Surprising Hybridization
After a strong national decline during the 19th century, the red kite (Milvus milvus) completely vanished from the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA) region. While birdwatchers frequently spotted the raptor migrating high above the Écrins, permanent residency remained absent. That dynamic shifted in 2018 when a pair successfully nested in Pellautier within the Gapençais, as well as another pair just one kilometer outside the national park boundary in Saint-Laurent-du-Cros.
By 2025, signs of local breeding grew impossible to ignore. Marc Corail, a field warden (garde-moniteur) in the Champsaur sector, repeatedly spotted adult kites carrying branches across the Drac River between Saint-Laurent and Saint-Julien-en-Champsaur. In 2025, Corail and local naturalist Guillaume Laigle tracked an active nest in Saint-Julien, only to discover a black kite (Milvus migrans) occupying the structure the following day. Because red kites frequently commandeer old black kite nests, observers initially assumed a territorial eviction.
However, a coordinated survey in 2026 led by Aurélie Torres, charged with the red kite regional action plan at LPO PACA—mobilizing a dozen people despite biting, freezing winds—confirmed at least three red kite couples present and an active nest under construction in Saint-Julien. Although that specific nesting attempt ultimately failed by late June, local experts believe the species is firmly established. Adding a fascinating genetic twist, local naturalist Thierry Joubert captured images in March 2025 of a suspected hybrid between the red and black kite—a phenomenon previously documented in the Massif Central, suggesting the two raptors are occasionally interbreeding rather than competing.
European Bee-Eaters Carve Out New Homes in Drac Riverbanks
While the red kite reclaims the forest canopy, the European bee-eater (Merops apiaster) is seizing the exposed riverbanks. Known for their iridescent colors, bee-eaters have steadily expanded northward from the southern Hautes-Alpes since 1989, pushing into the Buëch and Durance basins, as well as the Beaumont region in Isère since 2003.
These aerial hunters rely on vertical earth banks to excavate their long nesting burrows. Recent floods along the Drac River carved away agricultural topsoil to expose fresh, vertical erosion scars, creating ideal subterranean real estate. In 2025, naturalist Thierry Joubert noted suspicious territorial behavior and cavities along the massive erosion cliff in Chauffayer.
By 2026, the nesting reality was undeniable, with at least two colonies and fifteen nests recorded in the Champsaur. David Juinot, an ecologist specializing in the species along the lower Durance, spent August vacationing by the Drac when he noticed a dozen bee-eaters constantly overhead—far too late in the season for mere migrants. Exploring the riverbanks downstream from Saint-Bonnet, Juinot confirmed two occupied terraces, with the final juveniles fledging roughly two weeks later than typical populations in Provence.
Together, the arrival of the red kite and the bee-eater highlights the dynamic, ever-shifting nature of the Écrins ecosystem. As riverbanks shift and raptors carve out new territories in the French Alps, field wardens and naturalists will be watching closely to see what wings over the Drac next. What local wildlife shifts have you noticed in your own region recently?
