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Fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) on a trail near Plav

Birds

Prokletije is very rich in birdlife, with high mountain areas particularly important for breeding raptors and Lake Plav providing a significant area for waterfowl and migratory species. Some 161 different species of bird have been recorded in Prokletije National Park (Montenegro) and 179 species recorded in Kosovo.

Raptors to look out for in the mountains include the golden eagle – a huge bird, fairly easy to identify by its long wings, long tail and sheer size – the short-toed snake eagle, Bonelli’s eagle, griffon vulture, common buzzard, goshawk, peregrine falcon and European honey buzzard. The latter is more closely related to a kite than to the common buzzard, and has an extraordinarily wide colour variation – generally in imitation of other birds of prey inhabiting the same area.

Prokletije is a particularly good area for rock partridge, and you also have a chance of seeing the Eurasian eagle-owl – one of the largest species of owl, with huge ear tufts – Eurasian scops-owl, hazel grouse, red-backed shrike, yellow-billed chough, Alpine chough, wallcreeper, ring ouzel, white-winged snowfinch, Alpine accentor, horned Lark, European nightjar, rock nuthatch and common crossbill. Several species of woodpecker are present, including the lesser-spotted woodpecker, grey-headed woodpecker and the endangered three-toed woodpecker.