For many players diving into Elden Ring, runes are the backbone of progression — fueling everything from leveling up to upgrading gear and experimenting with new builds. Whether you’re early in your adventure or already knee-deep into the midgame, learning how to optimize your rune farming can save hours of grinding. Recently, a popular player shared a simple yet powerful farming technique centered around one of the game’s most famous rune spots — the bird farm near the Palace Approach Ledge-Road Site of Grace.
Unlocking the Farming Spot
To begin this method, you’ll need access to the Siofra (or “Sophia”) River region, specifically the Palace Approach Ledge-Road Site of Grace. Reaching this area can be tricky if you’re new to Elden Ring. You’ll need to progress through several quests or get help from co-op companions who can guide you through the underground map. Once you arrive, you’ll find yourself in one of the best farming zones in the game — a perfect location to farm efficiently, whether you’re a melee fighter, mage, or hybrid build like the “magical samurai” the creator described.
Setup and Preparation
Before you start farming, equip the Golden Scarab Talisman, which grants a significant rune boost. If you haven’t acquired it yet, it’s obtained from the Abandoned Cave in Caelid — worth the effort, as it increases rune gains by roughly 20%.
Next, prepare a supply of Gold-Pickled Fowl Foots, which temporarily boost rune acquisition even further. Crafting or collecting a few of these before you start is ideal, especially for longer farming sessions. Combining both the talisman and the consumable can turn each kill into a massive rune payout.
For reference, here’s the progression shown in the video:
Base runes (no boosts): ~11,000 per kill
With Golden Scarab: ~13,000 per kill
With Golden Scarab + Fowl Foot: ~17,000 per kill
That’s a huge difference — a 50% increase over the base amount.
The Bird Farming Technique
Once everything is set, rest at the Palace Approach Ledge-Road Site of Grace. From here, look across the canyon — you’ll see a large crow-like enemy pacing near the cliff edge. Using a bow (any will do), shoot an arrow into its line of sight. If done correctly, the bird will spot you and charge straight toward your position — and right off the cliff.
That’s it. Each time it falls, you instantly receive your rune reward. Return to the Site of Grace, rest to reset the enemy, and repeat the process. Once you find your rhythm, you can earn over 200,000 runes in under 10 minutes, as the player demonstrated.
Why This Method Works
This strategy is efficient because it takes advantage of Elden Ring’s AI pathing and enemy scaling. The bird grants a large chunk of runes, and the setup area allows for instant resets without risk or heavy combat. It’s ideal for midgame leveling, especially between levels 40–100. However, as the creator pointed out, once you reach very high levels (where each upgrade costs 500,000+ runes), the efficiency drops off — so it’s best used before that point.
For players who prefer to buy elden ring runes from in-game trades or community exchanges, this method offers a legitimate alternative that’s both safe and repeatable. Even if you occasionally see elden ring runes for sale across the web, mastering this farm ensures you can earn what you need naturally — and probably faster than you’d expect.
Extra Tips for Maximum Efficiency
Aim Consistently: There are small gaps between the trees where your arrows can pass through. Learn the correct aiming angle so you don’t waste shots.
Time Your Boosts: Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot lasts about three minutes. Activate it just before your arrow hits the bird for optimal returns.
Manage Loadouts: Medium load setups are ideal since you’ll be dodging and repositioning occasionally. The Moonveil Katana or Nagakiba can serve as strong complementary weapons if enemies do approach.
Track Rune Totals: It’s easy to lose count of how much you’re earning. Set a timer and track rune totals per session to see your progress.
The bird farming method at Palace Approach Ledge-Road remains one of the most reliable and beginner-friendly rune farms in Elden Ring. It’s accessible, requires minimal risk, and scales well for most of the game. Whether you’re refining a build, testing new weapons, or simply pushing for the next major level milestone, this technique is a must-know for any Tarnished traveler.
