The SPA Parco delle Madonie(40,860 ha), which coincides with the area of the Regional Natural Park of the Madonie, extends into the complex Madonie mountains, an offshoot of the Sicilian Apennine chain that occupies a large portion of the central-northern part of Sicily and is characterised, above all, by ancient Triassic rocks.
Numerous and morphologically different peaks make up a very composite mountain system with alternate rough and bare slopes, rounded peaks, valleys, plateaus and rocky walls. The geomorphological and climatic characteristics of the territory are so varied they have allowed the development of a very varied vegetation cover, as well as rich and important flora.
Among the birds of prey, other birds that nest in the park include the Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), the Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) and the Lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni).
Until the first half of the 20th century, the SPA of the Madonie housed numerous Egyptian vulture nests; the last nests were found in the 1980s (except for one found around the year 2000). The species is currently regularly seen during the migration period.
