In a former hydraulic castle overlooking the wetland, Mincio park has realized a
birdwatching point (open for groups by previous booking by contacting the Mincio park: +39 0376 391550) equipped with didactic materials. Itineraries on foot or by bike are available along the dirt road surrounding the site and leading to Mincio's riverbank.
The
SCI (Site of Community Importance) "Chiavica del Moro" develops on a surface of about
25 hectares in the municipalities of
Mantua and
Roncoferraro, between the Canale Bianco and the river Mincio.
Flora
The tree vegetation mainly consists of woods composed by
white willows,
silver poplars,
black poplars and
field elm, while the shrubland is characterized by the false indigo. Along the cliffs of the Tirolo small road it is possible to observe a belt mainly consisting of field elm, common hawthorn, common dogwood, elderberry, field maple and buckthorn, the latter being a rare species in the province of Mantua. On the shores of the basins there are the narrow
sedges, while the water vegetation features the common duckweed and the floating fern too. Some marsh and water plants are rare or even endangered.
Fauna
In the site there are
20 bird species of community interest, 3 of which are nesting species, and 91 bird species divided into non-migratory, migratory and wintering species. It is worth mentioning the presence of colonial herons (great egret, little egret and cattle egret) and the common kingfisher. The site also houses a night dormitory of
colonial herons (little egret, great egret and cattle egret) on some trees of the area, and some specimens of
European pond turtle, a species of community interest. Among the 66 surveyed species it is worth mentioning the
large copper.
