grass snake
moorhen
purple heron
water rail
spotted crake
european pond turtle
common tree frog
greylag goose
beech marten
mallard
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| The man-made outline of the lagoon was created through reclaiming some interesting transitional environments like swamps, wetland meadows and woods, and backwaters. These environments were once part of the lagoon. The clay quarries in the inland territory behind the lagoon have been spontaneously re-colonised by the fauna which once lived in these original transitional environments: little molluscs, insects, reptiles, and amphibians. During the migratory season, birds find a needed temporary habitat and feeding grounds in these areas. | ||
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Alcedo Attis | ![]() |
Gallinula Chloropus | |||
| The Kingfisher makes its habitat in clay quarries only if they are undisturbed by man. It feeds on small fish and digs holes in banks in order to lay its eggs in them | The Moorhen belongs to the Rallidae family. It is a common species and is frequently found in abandoned canals and clay quarries. It lays three or four eggs in nests, which are similar to floating rafts, in areas near aquatic vegetation | |
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Ardea Purpurea | ![]() |
Anas Platyrhynchos | |||
| The Purple Heron is a migratory species that comes from Africa in spring and leaves at the end of summer. Numerous members of the species nest together in colonies located in extensive reed bed areas or around fish farms. The colonies present in the lagoon are numerically the most substantial in all of Italy | The mallard is the commonest of the Anatidae nesting in the lagoon, but only a small percentage of the numerous chicks take to the air, due to heavy predation by birds and mammals | |
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Natrix Tessellata | ![]() |
Rana Latastei | |||
| The Dice Snake, an innocuous snake, lives a life closely connected to the water environment. It is an able swimmer and its diet is made up almost exclusively of small fish | The Italian Agile Frog is a native species of northern Italy. Its ideal habitat is in the few remaining wetland woods on the lagoon mainland. This frog has an unusually early breeding period which begins towards the end of winter | |
fauna of coastal environment
fauna of salt marshes and brackish water wetlands
fauna of clay quarries
fauna of fish farms and lagoon edge areas
vegetation of coastlines
vegetation of salt marshes
vegetation of lagoon beds
vegetation of reed beds