The World of Info

ALBANIA
Plants and Animals

Cities in ALBANIA

Tirana

Plants and Animals

General

Albania has a varied plant and animal world, with species that no longer occur elsewhere in the Balkans. But also in Albania nature is under pressure due to the drying up of the many wetlands and industrialization since the WWII. Although the swamps were unhealthy for humans, they were home to rich plant and animal life, including the now nearly extinct Dalmatian Pelican.

Plants

advertentie

Car rental in Albania
Salix reticulata, Albania

Salix reticulata AlbaniaPhoto: Opiola Jerzy CC 3.0 Unported no changes made

Due to the large differences in altitude, soil types and climate, Albania is blessed with a very rich and varied flora: 3221 species have been counted divided into two clear groups. The border runs from the north to the south via Shkodra to Leskovik.

To the west of this line you will find a typical Mediterranean flora (approx. 355 of the total number of species), and to the east in the mountains we encounter a typical mountain flora. In all of Albania there are 489 species that are typical for the Balkans, of which about 40 are found only in Albania, including the asphodel, the Balkan dioscorea, the wild driada and the Salix reticulata, a willow species.

On the coastal plain, the vegetation has a Mediterranean character. More inland, between approx. 700 and 1000 m altitude, follows an area of oak, beech and chestnut forest. Between 1000 and 1800 the coniferous forests predominate and above 1800 m one finds mainly alpine meadow vegetation.

Oak forests make up 20% of the total Albanian forest stock. In other parts of the country, up to 800 meters high, Mediterranean shrubs are dominant: myrtle, strawberry, heather and mastic tree. In the warm southwest grow, among other things, disc cactus, bay leaf, fig tree, black hornbeam and eucalyptus.

Animals

Wolf, AlbaniaWolf AlbaniaPhoto: Quartel CC 3.0 Unported no changes made

In the forests with oak and conifers, ferrets, wolves (approx. 400 specimen), foxes and jackals are found. Brown bears, pine martens, lynx and weasels live in the higher coniferous forests. Roe deer, chamois and wild boars are found in some areas and Albania has no fewer than 14 species of bats and 350 bird species (including migratory birds). Typical Albanian species are crows, sparrows, shovelers, two kinds of partridges, pheasants and heron species. Migratory birds living in Albani To rest are nightingales, storks, cuckoos, larks, thrushes, geese, doves and woodpeckers. Albania knows many birds of prey, such as eagle, falcon, buzzard, sparrowhawk, little owl and eagle owl.

260 fish species live in the Albanian rivers. In several lakes, including Lake Ohrid, a unique trout, the so-called 'Koran', is found.

Various snake species occur on land, including the highly venomous Balkan viper, the water snake and the Montpellier snake. Furthermore, many types of toads, frogs, salamanders, lizards and two types of turtles. In the south of Albania scorpions are common.

ducks
greylag goosewhite gooseLittle Goose
taiga Bean Gooselittle reed goosered-breasted goose
mute swanlittle swanwild swan
casarcashelducksummer translation
shovelergadwallwigeon
mallardpintailteal
marble duckred-crested duckpochard
white-eyed duck *tufted ducktopper
eider *Great Scoterblack scoter
ice duckgoldeneyenun
common mergansermiddle merganserwhite-headed duck
pheasants
quailbrick partridge *forest pheasant
partridgecapercaillieblack grouse
hazel grouse
flamingos
flamingo
grebes
killercrested diverred-necked grebe
grebeblack-necked grebe
pigeons
rock pigeonstock pigeonwood pigeon
summer doveCollared Dove
cuckoos
cuckoocrested cuckoo
nightjar
nightjar
swifts
alpine swiftcommon swiftpale swift
swallows
sand martinrock swallowbarn swallow
red-rumped swallowhouse martin
stairs
grand staircasesmall stairs * (photo)
rats, coots and moorhens
waterralcorncrakeSpotted Crake
Moorhencootlittle moorhen
smallest moorhen
cranes
crane bird
grielen
griel
avocets
kluutblack-winged stilt
Oystercatchers
Oystercatcher

Small bustard, almost extinct in Albania Small bustard, almost extinct in Albania Photo: Francesco Veronesi CC 2.0 Generic no changes made

lapwings and plovers
lapwing *silver plovergolden plover
Asian Golden Ploversand ploverringed plover
little plovermorinelplevier
sandpipers and snips
whimbrelslender-billed curlewcurlew *
bar-tailed godwit *black-tailed godwit *stone runner
knot *ruffbroad-billed sandpiper
curved sandpiper *Temminck's sandpiperthree-toed sandpiper
spotted sandpiperlittle sandpipergray sandpiper *
bokjewoodcockpoelsnip *
snipeterekruitersandpiper
witgatblack ridergreen-legged rider
pond riderforest riderredshank
racing birds and fork-tailed plovers
fork-tailed plover
hunters
little hunter
gulls
kittiwakethin-billed gullblack-headed gull
Little GullMediterranean GullAudouin's Gull
storm gullherring gullyellow-legged gull
Caspian Gulllesser black-backed gullgreat black-backed gull
Little Ternlachsterngiant tern
black starwhite-winged ternwhite-faced tern
common ternsandwich tern
divers
red-throated diverpearl diverice diver
northern storm petrels
petrel
shearwaters
Kuhl's Shearwateryelkouan shearwater
storks
storkblack stork
genten
Gannet
cormorants
pygmy cormorantgreat cormorantcrested cormorant
pelicans
pink pelicanfrizzy couple *
herons
bitternLittle BitternBlue Heron
purple herongreat egretlittle egret
Cattle Egretral heronkwak
ibises and spoonbills
black ibisspoonbill
Ospreys
osprey

Dalmatian Pelican, almost extinct in Albania Dalmatian Pelican, almost extinct in AlbaniaPhoto: Tim Sträter CC 2.0 Generic no changes made

hawks
bearded vulture *Egyptian vulturehoney buzzard
black vulture *griffon vulturesnake eagle
screaming eaglebastard eaglepygmy eagle
imperial eaglegolden eaglehawk eagle
Marsh HarrierHen Harriermarsh harrier *
Montagu's Harrierbalkansperwersparrow hawk
hawkred kite *black kite
sea eaglerough-legged buzzardbuzzard
Long-legged Buzzard
Barn Owls
barn owl
owls
scops owlowlsnowy owl
little owltawny owlUral Owl
long-eared owlshort-eared owlrough-legged owl
hopping
hop
kingfishers
kingfisher
bee-eaters
bee-eatergreen bee-eater
free range
roller
woodpeckers
swivel neckthree-toed woodpeckermiddle spotted woodpecker
white-backed woodpeckergreat spotted woodpeckerSyrian Spotted Woodpecker
lesser spotted woodpeckergray-headed woodpeckergreen woodpecker
black woodpecker
falcons
lesser kestrelkestrelred-legged falcon * (photo)
Eleonora's falconmerlinfalcon
lannervalksakervalkperegrine falcon
Oriole
Oriole
shrike
red-backed shrikeGreat Gray Shrikelesser gray shrike
mask shrikeRed-headed Shrike
crows
jaymagpienutcracker
red-billed choughalpine choughchew
rookhooded crowraven
tit
black titcrested titgray tit
gloss headermatheadblue tit
great tit
possum tits
possum tit

Red-legged Falcon, almost extinct in AlbaniaRed-legged Falcon, almost extinct in AlbaniaPhoto: Jutta Luft CC 3.0 Unported no changes made

larks
beach larkshort-toed larkcalender lark
tree larkskylarkcrested lark
Panuridae
bearded man
Cisticolidae
grass warbler
Acrocephalidae
eastern pale mockingbirdGreek MockingbirdOrpheus potbird
mockingbirdwater reed warblerblack-headed reed warbler
reed warblermarsh warblerlittle reed warbler
great reed warbler
Locustellidae
cricket warblermustachegrasshopper warbler
Phylloscopidae (wood warblers)
whistlermountain whistlerbalkanbergfluiter
brown wood warblerfitischiffchaff
Cettidae
Cetti's singer
tail tits
long-tailed tit
Singers of the Old World
blackcapgarden warblersparrow warbler
blackwormwestern Orpheus warblerEastern Orpheus Warbler
Rüppel's warblerbarred warblersmall blackhead
warblerspectacled warblerProvencal warbler *
Regulidae
golden roosterfirecrest
Tichodromidae
rock creeper
Nuthatches
Nuthatchrock stick
wren
wren
dipper
dipper
starlings
starlingpink starling
thrushes
thrushSong Thrushredwing *
blackbirdfieldfareflutter
flycatchers
gray flycatcherruddy fan tailrobin
nightingalebluethroatlittle flycatcher
Balkan Flycatcherpied flycatcherwhite-necked flycatcher
collared redstartblack redstartred rock thrush
blue rock thrushwhinyEuropean Stonechat
wheatearblond wheatear

Provençal warbler, almost extinct in AlbaniaProvençal warbler, almost extinct in AlbaniaPhoto: Gailhampshire CC Attribution 2.0 Generic no changes made

waxwings
waxwing
hedge sparrows
alpine hedge mushedge sparrow
sparrows
house sparrowSpanish sparrowtree sparrow
rock sparrowsnowfinch
wagtails and pipits
great yellow wagtailyellow wagtaillemon wagtail
white wagtailbig beeperdune beeper
grass piper * (photo)boom beeperred-throated beeper
water piper
finches
checkkeephawk
bullfinchgreenfinchlinnet
redpollcrossbillputter
European Canarysiskin
buntings
black-headed buntinggray buntinggray bunting
cirl buntingyellowhammerwhite-headed bunting
ortolaanbrown-and-white ortholaanreed bunting

Meadow Pipit, almost extinct in AlbaniaMeadow Pipit, almost extinct in AlbaniaPhoto: Osotis Scorpioides at en.wikipedia CC 3.0 no changes made


Sources

Encarta-encyclopedia

Kagie, R. / Albanië : mensen, politiek, economie, cultuur
Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen : Novib

Pettifer, J. / Albania & Kosovo
Black

Vlucht uit het isolement : Albanië op zoek naar nieuwe wegen
Instituut voor Publiek en Politiek

CIA - World Factbook

BBC - Country Profiles

Last updated April 2023
Copyright: Team The World of Info