| Seven hills, ruins of the Colosseum, | | | | little owls. Villas Borghese and Ada are |
| Renaissance churches, romantic | | | | inhabited by toads, frogs, salamanders |
| fountains, streets cafes, a hundred | | | | and newts. But unfortunately very often |
| types of spaghetti... its time to add | | | | they become the victims of cars and |
| another characteristic to this list - | | | | other vehicles. Geckos, lizards and |
| "national park," with 110 bird and 26 | | | | snakes, carps, crucians, grey mullets, |
| mammal species, 15 species of reptiles | | | | eels, pesce gatto and spinarello... Rome |
| and fish and 6 amphibia species. | | | | has a rich fauna. |
| Falcons settled atop of the Colosseum, | | | | There are so many starlings, that |
| ducks feel fine at the former riverbed | | | | sometimes it seems that the number of |
| of the Tiber, and there are newts living | | | | these birds is bigger than the number of |
| in its nowadays riverbed. Rome has a | | | | people in Rome, especially near the |
| unique ecosystem, like a true national | | | | Termini station. They live in the crowns |
| park - in many ways, thanks to the | | | | of Italian pine trees. In past, when |
| absence of industrial premises and lack | | | | winter came they moved past Italy and |
| of housing in many of its districts. | | | | further to Africa. During the last years |
| Animals feel at home even in the city | | | | they have settled in the Apennines, |
| centre. There is enough food, the number | | | | particularly in Rome, where its always |
| of predators is minimum, hunting is | | | | warm, even in winter. In March - April |
| banned. One could say their life in Rome | | | | they move back to their motherland - |
| is even safer than that in a forest - | | | | Russia, Finland, Poland. They feel |
| some animals are well adapted to the new | | | | carefree in Rome: green trees are like |
| conditions. Seagulls are among those, as | | | | comfortable cottages excellent for |
| its takes them only 10 minutes to get to | | | | winter holidays and rest from problems. |
| Rome from the sea. They are used to | | | | Needless to say, the quality of food is |
| building their nests by the water, and | | | | excellent. There is abundance of |
| it seems they confused the city with an | | | | insects, seeds and other delicacies. |
| island amidst the ocean, and the tiled | | | | At the same time, despite their small |
| roofs of Rome with rocks. In their | | | | size, they can cause much trouble to the |
| wildlife habitats they usually hunt for | | | | citizens of the Eternal city, mainly |
| fish, but here their target is food | | | | because of their dung. But let's forget |
| debris swimming in the muddy Tiber. | | | | about these little worries and see the |
| Ornithologists have countered at least | | | | beautiful bird flight many people admire |
| 300 matches of birds having permanent | | | | with. Its a gigantic piping swarm which |
| residence in prestigious districts by | | | | is constantly changing its shape. It |
| the river. | | | | seems that the sky is studded with |
| Kestrel demonstrates its evolution | | | | little flickering dots which are then |
| against the background of the ancient | | | | united into one moving cloud. When April |
| ruins on the Palatine Hill. The same | | | | comes starlings leave the banks of the |
| with pigeons, sparrows, crows, ducks, | | | | Tiber and head north, bringing spring to |
| herons, kites, owls, eagle-owls and | | | | the lands they fly to. |