As part of my long stint of European birding for Birding Ecotours in 2025, I was lucky enough to spend two weeks birding Spain over the month of June. My trip started in Madrid, where I landed in the evening then proceeded north over the Sierra de Guadarrama into the northern province of Castilla y León. Despite the lack of light and birding time on this first day, it was still great to connect with some Spotless Starlings right out the gate, along with other common roadside birds like Common Swift, Common Wood Pigeon, Barn Swallow, Western Jackdaw and Common Buzzard. I arrived at my accommodation next to the imposing Segovia Cathedral at around 10:00; a strange time of day to see my first Red-billed Choughs, but there they were, flying around the towering turrets of the church.
Black Wheatear is a local special of Spain’s drier mountain ranges.
First taste of Birding in Spain at Hoces del Duraton
I awoke the next morning to Black Redstarts flitting around the town rooves at twilight, with the rich dawn chorus of Common Blackbird, European Greenfinch and House Sparrow pouring in from every garden. Making my way north from Segovia, miles and miles of rolling farmland stretched before me, and with it came the first of many typical steppe species like Corn Bunting, Calandra Lark, Thekla’s Lark and European Stonechat. Raptors were also prolific in this region, with good numbers of Western Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Red Kite and Griffon Vulture being punctuated by the odd male Montagu’s Harrier. Corvids also abound and were constantly commuting between fields. These were mostly Eurasian Magpies and Western Jackdaws, along with smaller numbers of Carrion Crows and Red-billed Choughs. Massive flocks of Common Wood Pigeons flying between the fallow fields were an impressive sight, while a small patch of natural thicket delivered the first Melodious Warbler of the trip.
The road northwards passed through many small, picturesque towns with stone walls and paved streets. The rooftops of these idyllic locales were often home to nesting White Storks, while the eaves of some of the larger buildings hosted colonies of Western House Martins: both common sights while birding in Spain. Near Fuenterrebollo, natural scrubland and pine groves started to replace the wheatfields. This change in habitat brought in birds like Mistle Thrush, Short-toed Treecreeper, Eurasian Chaffinch, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Eurasian Collared Dove and Black Kite, while irrigated fallow fields yielded Little Ringed Plover, White Wagtail, Greater Short-toed Lark and Eurasian Skylark. An overflying Egyptian Vulture was also seen here.
The striking Egyptian Vulture is less numerous than Spain’s other two vulture species.
Around mid-morning, I arrived at Hoces del Río Duratón Natural Park, where I focused my birding efforts for most of the day. This large reserve is a major hotspot for birding in Spain, and consists of vast tracts of scrubby steppe bisected by the Duratón River that cuts a massive gorge right through its center. Throughout my time here, I picked up a plethora of notable species. Exploring the open fields and meadows delivered no less than six lark species (with Woodlark and Crested Lark being new for the trip list) as well as Tawny Pipit, Corn Bunting, Common Quail, Woodchat Shrike, Iberian Grey Shrike, Red-legged Partridge, Western Black-eared Wheatear and European Stonechat.
The scrubby thickets and woodland along the gorge and various gulleys yielded Cirl Bunting, Eurasian Wren, Eurasian Hoopoe, Stock Dove, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Common Linnet, European Serin, Great Tit and four attractive Sylviid warblers (Sardinian Warbler, Western Subalpine Warbler, Dartford Warbler and Western Orphean Warbler). The gorge is also a major breeding site for Griffon Vulture, and I was treated to endless views of them soaring over the gorge (sometimes just a few meters above my head!) and sitting on the cliffs with their young. The gorge is a great spot for raptor watching, and I managed to spot Egyptian Vulture, Common Kestrel, Lesser Kestrel, Black Kite, Booted Eagle, Short-toed Snake Eagle and Common Buzzard in a short span of time. The rocky outcrops above the gorge were home to Rock Sparrow, Rock Bunting, Blue Rock Thrush and Eurasian Crag Martin, whilecolorful European Bee-eaters were also seen flying through the gorge. After having a fantastic day birding in the park, I returned to Segovia, adding Northern Raven and enjoying more views of Red Kite, Western Marsh Harrier, Montagu’s Harrier and Mistle Thrush on the way.
It’s hard to quantify just how many Griffon Vultures were seen on this Spanish birding trip!
I returned to Hoces del Río Duratón early the next morning to try find the elusive Dupont’s Lark which I had missed the previous day. Alas, this tricky bird would live up to its reputation and remain unseen. However, it was still great to have more views of species like Montagu’s Harrier, European Bee-eater, Western Black-eared Wheatear, Melodious Warbler, Western Orphean Warbler, Rock Sparrow, Iberian Grey Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Linnet, Red-legged Partridge, Tree Pipit and all the aforementioned larks and raptors. The top two finds of the morning came from the farmland just north of the park: a Golden Eagle perched on a roadside telegraph pole, and a cracking male Common Rock Thrush.
After finding two more Golden Eagles and some European Turtle Doves, it was time to head south towards the next base at Navarredonda de Gredos. The landscape remained relatively constant along the way, with the usual suite of roadside species consisting of Western Marsh Harrier, Black Kite, Red Kite, Common Buzzard, Eurasian Collared Dove, Spotless Starling and Calandra Lark. These were punctuated by sightings of European Red-rumped Swallow, Black Redstart, European Serin, Eurasian Hoopoe, European Bee-eater, Western Orphean Warbler, Common Cuckoo and the dashing Iberian Magpie.
Quite possibly Europe’s most colorful bird, European Bee-eaters are bound to be a highlight for anyone birding in Spain.
Alpine birding in Spain’s central mountains
The tiny town of Gredos is nestled in the foothills of the Sierra de Gredos Mountains, and thus has a cooler, more alpine climate with frequent showers in summer. The impressive slopes around the town, laden with pine forests, host a number of species not easily sought elsewhere in Spain. This makes Gredos a notable location on any Spain birding tour. I saw some of these upon arriving at my accommodation: the birder-friendly Hostal Alamanzor. The lush forest surrounding the hotel delivered European Robin, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper, Eurasian Blackcap, European Pied Flycatcher, the delightful Common Fircrest and Western Bonelli’s Warbler. The latter is an Iberian special and was pleasantly common in the mixed woodlands around Gredos.
The next morning, I spent a few minutes birding around the hotel where I added Eurasian Blue Tit to yesterday’s entourage. Afterwards, I paid a visit to the large coniferous forest stretching below Parador de Gredos Hotel, where I spent most of the morning. This proved to be highly fruitful with the boggy cattle pens below the forest yielding my main target: a single Citril Finch. Among the other highlights of this forest walk were Crested Tit (including one parent feeding a nestling in a tree cavity), Eurasian Wren, Grey Wagtail, Eurasian Nuthatch, Short-toed Treecreeper, Great Spotted Woodpecker, European Serin, Mistle Thrush, Goldcrest, Common Firecrest, Eurasian Jay, Long-tailed Tit, European Goldfinch, masses of Eurasian Chaffinch, more Western Bonelli’s Warblers, a surprising Common Redstart and another Iberian special, Iberian Green Woodpecker. Above the forest were many raptors gliding along the updrafts including Red Kite, Booted Eagle, numbers of Griffon Vultures and a single Cinereous Vulture.
The handsome Citril Finch is uncommon inhabitant of Spain’s central mountains.
Moving west to the neighboring town of Hoyos del Espino, I added Northern Wheatear, Song Thrush and more views of Booted Eagle and Eurasian Blackcap before ascending into the mountains towards Plataforma de Gredos. Gaining altitude, the tree cover gave way to rocky, alpine moorland with scattered shrubbery. This new habitat provided me with great views of Western Yellow Wagtail (local race iberiae), Common Whitethroat, Ortolan Bunting and Red-backed Shrike before arriving at the parking lot. From here, the trail continues up the mountains along a stream gulley and eventually reaches a large lake, Laguna Grande. The rocky slopes at the start of the trail were thronged by herds of Iberian Ibex, including a few males parading their impressive, spiralled horns.
Common bird species along this trail included Eurasian Crag Martin, Rock Bunting, Ortolan Bunting, Western Yellow Wagtail, Black Redstart, Eurasian Skylark and Northern Wheatear, while singletons of Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, Eurasian Wren, Woodlark, Common Linnet, Common Rock Thrush and even a White-throated Dipper were also seen. Dunnock and Common Whitethroat skulked in the small bushes along the stream, while Cinereous Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Common Kestrel, Black Kite and Northern Raven floated around the peaks. Heading back down the pass, I was taken aback by a pair of showy Red-legged Partridges foraging and singing next to the road.
Dry steppe birding in Extremadura and Monfrague
After descending back towards town, I headed south across the mountains and into the dry, semi-arid steppes of southern Spain. Leaving the montane species behind, open country species like Spotless Starling, Crested Lark and Woodchat Shrike once again became dominant. Heading in the direction of Monfragüe National Park, notable species seen were Iberian Magpie, European Red-rumped Swallow, European Bee-eater, Common Swift, Spanish Sparrow, Booted Eagle, Cinereous Vulture, Thekla’s Lark and, in the thickets around the Tagus River, a family of Long-tailed Tits. The final bit of birding for the day was around the quaint town of Torreron el Rubio, my base for the next two days. This town lies just south of the national park and walking along the stream that runs through it delivered a family of Hawfinches as well as Iberian Magpie, European Goldfinch, Black Redstart and masses of Spotless Starling coming in to roost.
I fortunately had a full day to bird the scrubby steppes around Torrerón el Rubio and Monfragüe National Park, one of the best places for birding in Spain. However, my first port of call was to explore those around the neighboring town of Talaván. My main target here was Spectacled Warbler, and I swiftly found a vocal pair foraging alongside a pair of Dartford Warblers. After finding other great birds here like Spanish Sparrow, European Turtle Dove, European Stonechat, Common Linnet and Corn Bunting, I headed back towards el Rubio, stopping to bird a small farm dam which held Eurasian Coot and Grey Heron. The steppes of southern Spain are much hotter and drier than those in the north, so water sources like these are valuable commodities for birds all across the region.
From el Rubio, I headed back towards Monfragüe, stopping a few times to bird the farms and steppes along the way. Iberian Magpies became pleasantly regular here, moving over the road in loose group (some escorting fledglings). This dapper corvid is one of the top birds in Spain! Just before reaching the gorge, a large kettle of Griffon Vultures and no less than 20 Cinereous Vultures were seen soaring low over the road, some of the Cinereous Vultures at eye level with my car! Stopping to admire such a spectacle also rewarded me with a feisty pair of Western Orphean Warblers at point blank range!
Spain is arguably the best place in Europe to see the impressive Cinereous Vulture.
Swiftly afterwards, I arrived at the Peña Falcón observation point overlooking the Tagus River Gorge and its surrounding cliffs. These play host to a large breeding colony of Griffon Vultures (at least 70 individuals seen on my visit) as well as a few pairs of Black Storks. At least two nests of the latter were seen on the lower cliffs, each with three chicks. A family of Blue Rock Thrushes were also feeding fledglings on the surrounding boulders. Rock Buntings sang from nearby outcrops, while Eurasian Crag Martins and European Red-rumped Swallows hawked low over the water. Peregrine Falcon, Egyptian Vulture, Cinereous Vulture and Black Kite were among the other raptors seen soaring with the plentiful Griffon Vultures. The bushes below the viewpoint delivered Sardinian Warbler, Common Linnet, Great Tit and Great Spotted Woodpecker.
After crossing to the north side of the river, I journeyed east along the winding road that follows its meandering course. Passing many Western House Martin colonies, I picked up Little Ringed Plover, European Turtle Dove, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Sardinian Warbler, more Iberian Magpies and even a few European Red Deer (including a fawn) before reaching the Portilla del Tietar viewpoint, overlooking a smaller cliff across the river. This one boasted a smaller (still at least 50 individuals) colony of Griffon Vultures but delivered one of Spain’s most iconic birds: a pair of Spanish Imperial Eagles! Needless to say, I was elated! This is probably the most desired bird to see by anyone birding in Spain and is a major target on any Spanish birding tour. I therefore count myself fortunate to have laid eyes on these majestic raptors soaring around their nesting cliffs.
Both handsome and pleasantly common, the Iberian Magpie is sought after on any Spain birding tour.
I spent some time at this viewpoint finding Western Subalpine Warbler, Western Orphean Warbler, Rock Bunting, Common Nightingale and Eurasian Blue Tit among the regular species. After popping in at the third vulture colony at La Tajadilla, I returned to Peña Falcón and killed the rest of the afternoon with the soaring Griffon Vultures, also finding Eurasian Jay and European Robin in the process. After returning to el Rubio for dinner, I ventured out towards Portilla del Tietar again at dusk. On the way, I stumbled into a Red-necked Nightjar resting on the road. Stopping to watch it perform its floppy song flight also got me a Northern Shoveler careening overhead to who knows where! The final find of the day (or should I say night), was a fledgling Eurasian Eagle-Owl calling for its parent from the cliff face.
This morning’s main objective was to bird the rolling, grassy steppes north of Trujillo. Birding the road south from el Rubio started off with Eurasian Hoopoe, Iberian Magpie, Long-tailed Tit, Western Orphean Warbler, Woodchat Shrike, Corn Bunting, Spanish Sparrow and Rock Sparrow, before crossing over the Rio Almonte. This narrow strip of wetland injected some new trip birds into the picture such as Common Moorhen, Great Reed Warbler, Zitting Cisticola and some very cooperative Cetti’s Warblers along with Little Ringed Plover, White Wagtail, European Turtle Dove and Iberian Grey Shrike. After venturing off the main road into the sea of meadows and fallow fields, the rest of the morning was spent hunting for two highly desired ground birds for anyone birding in Spain: Little and Great Bustards. Unfortunately, they eluded me on this day, but the morning was not lost and I enjoyed the sheer abundance of birds that are found in these steppes.
One of a handful of Sylviid warblers targeted was the large Western Orphean Warbler.
The afternoon was spent driving down to my next base in Seville city, enjoying more sightings of Red Kite, Booted Eagle, European Turtle Dove and Common Kestrel en route. After checking into my accommodation, I ventured out to the farmlands northwest of the city where, I managed to find a single Great Bustard: a truly spectacular bird, even if it was a bit distant. Add on Black-winged Kite, Short-toed Snake Eagle, Common Quail, Red-legged Partridge, Common Reed Warbler, large flocks of Lesser Kestrels and a field full of roosting Collared Pratincoles, and that wrapped up a great first session of birding in Andalusia.
Andalusian wetland and farmland birding
The network of wetlands, saltpans and farmlands are what make Andalusia a must-see region on any Spain birding tour. This morning, I decided to visit the same farmlands from yesterday evening for more views of the Collared Pratincoles. In addition to yesterday’s highlights, large flocks of Common Swifts were now wheeling over the farmlands, while both Eurasian Collared Doves and European Turtle Doves were adorning the electricity lines near the farmsteads. Zitting Cisticola also proved to be locally common in this area.
I then ventured southwest into the network of farmland and stunted pine growth around Los Bodegones, picking up Whiskered Tern and another Western Black-eared Wheatear along the way. Focusing around the tall, dense woodland along the Arroyo de la Rocina river, I managed to locate a noisy Eurasian Wryneck and the scarce Iberian Chiffchaff. This spot also delivered Pallid Swift, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sardinian Warbler, Iberian Magpie, European Greenfinch, Great Tit, Melodious Warbler and numbers of Common Nightingale (including multiple birds feeding fledglings).
I only saw a handful of Western Black-eared Wheatears during my trip.
Around mid-afternoon, I paid a visit to the extensive wetlands of Doñana National Park. One of the best birding sites in Spain, this place is a waterbird mecca, with the abundance of birdlife here being reason alone to visit. It didn’t take long to amass an impressive list of species. Western Cattle Egret, Grey Heron, Glossy Ibis, Common Moorhen, Little Egret, Eurasian Coot, Great Crested Grebe and Greater Flamingo were prolific, while Gull-billed Tern, Whiskered Tern, Black-winged Stilt, Common Shelduck, Great Egret, Eurasian Spoonbill, Purple Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron and Squacco Heron were present in smaller numbers.
Occupying the telegraph poles and skies above were Black Kite, Short-toed Snake Eagle, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Kestrel and flocks of Lesser Kestrel, while the surrounding fields held Zitting Cisticola, Crested Lark, Common Quail, White Stork, Spanish Sparrow, European Stonechat, Western Yellow Wagtail and even Spectacled Warbler in areas with low bushes. A Western Barn Owl sleeping inside an old nesting platform was a surprising find.
I left Seville early the next morning to get to the Brazo del Este wetlands at sunrise. This spot was very productive and delivered a number of nesting Western Olivaceous Warblers alongside Cetti’s Warbler and Common Reed Warbler. Introduced Yellow-crowned Bishops and Black-headed Weavers were also breeding in these reedbeds, with the first of many Yellow-legged Gulls foraging on the adjacent pans. Many of the same raptors and waterbirds from Doñana were also seen here including Lesser Kestrel, Short-toed Snake Eagle, Purple Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron and Eurasian Spoonbill.
Lesser Kestrels were a common sight in the Spanish plains.
I lucked into another pair of Montagu’s Harriers before reaching the turnoff to Trebujena, where the vineyards next to town provided stunning views of a singing Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin. After finding another Collared Pratincole nearby, my next stop was the small salt pan at Chozas marismeñas, where I found Eurasian Stone-curlew, Marbled Duck, Mallard, Pied Avocet, a roosting Little Owl and another Spectacled Warbler. After this spot, the road coasted along some lovely habitat between the Guadalquivir River Estuary and the network of salt pans along its banks. Greater Flamingos number in the hundreds here, while Eurasian Spoonbill, Grey Heron, Little Egret and White Stork were also common, (all breeding en masse in a nearby heronry. Waders like Kentish Plover, Common Redshank, Pied Avocet and Collared Pratincole were also present, while the dry, vegetated pans were home to numbers of breeding Mediterranean Short-toed Larks. These were seen alongside Zitting Cisticola, European Stonechat, Western Yellow Wagtail and more Spectacled Warblers.
Before entering Sanlucar town, I visited the hide overlooking Laguna de Tarelo where I found a single Black-necked Grebe, two Little Grebes, four distant White-headed Ducks and a massive colony of 70-plus Eurasian Spoonbills. The adjacent scrub and pine woodland delivered Sardinian Warbler and Eurasian Blue Tit while Booted Eagles and Griffon Vultures glided overhead. Soon after, I got much better views of White-headed Ducks at Lagunas de Camino Colorado, alongside a single Red-knobbed Coot and both Red-crested and Common Pochards escorting their respective ducklings. The nearby Chipiona marina is famous in birding circles for hosting a breeding colony of Little Swifts (principally an African species). Luck was on my side as I even managed to pick out a single White-rumped Swift from the wheeling Little and Common Swifts there. On the various jetties, Yellow-legged and Lesser Black-backed Gulls were loafing around. With the final hours of the day, I decided to make the jaunt down to Tarifa, Spain’s southernmost point. While the beach here was incredibly windy and uncomfortable, I still managed to scope a few Scopoli’s Shearwaters before hightailing it back to Sanlucar. A flyover Little Tern near San Fernando was the last new species of the day.
I was thrilled to get great views of White-headed Duck in Sanlucar.
Leaving Sanlucar early in the morning, I ventured east into the Serrania de Ronda, Spain’s southernmost mountain range. Winding through spectacular valleys of pine, scrub and granite, I birded the slopes below the town of Grazalema for my main target. Before long, I had located them: a pair of Black Wheatears ferrying food to a hidden nest on the cliffs. A nearby Blue Rock Thrush was doing the same, while Melodious Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Rock Sparrow, Cirl Bunting and Eurasian Blackcap hung around the lower slopes. A single Alpine Swift was picked up among the many Common Swifts and Eurasian Crag Martins that were circling the peaks above.
East of Grazalema, the woodlands around El Pantanillo Dam were full of birdlife, yielding Crested Tit, Eurasian Jay, Dartford Warbler, Western Subalpine Warbler, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Eurasian Nuthatch, European Blackbird, European Robin, Cirl Bunting and good numbers of Western Bonelli’s Warblers and Short-toed Treecreepers. The dam itself held a few Little Grebes, while I picked up a few more Alpine Swifts heading back towards Grazalema. After lunch back in Cadiz, I decided to relax (for once!) during the heat of the day, venturing out again in the late afternoon to the salt pans near Puerto Real. These pans delivered Kentish Plover, Common Shelduck, Pied Avocet, Western Yellow Wagtail, Mediterranean Short-toed Lark and, once again, masses of Greater Flamingos.
Sylviid warblers are quite a feature of birding in Spain: This is a Western Subalpine Warbler.
The journey back to Madrid
Today marked the start of the two-day return journey back to Madrid. However, my Spanish birding was not yet done, so I departed early from Seville, aiming to reach the mountains north of Cordoba before lunch. Apart from the odd Lesser Kestrel and Iberian Magpie, not much of interest was seen en route. However, upon reaching my destination west of Adamuz town, I found what I came to see: a pair of Bonelli’s Eagles with a feisty fledgling gliding around a Griffon Vulture colony. I spent roughly an hour watching these graceful raptors soaring along their nesting cliffs, while the surrounding bush delivered Woodchat Shrike, European Turtle Dove, Iberian Magpie and Common Nightingale.
Continuing north from Adamuz, the mountains soon gave way to rolling steppes once again. Approaching Ciudad Real, an immense, marshy dam next to the road hosted hundreds of breeding waterbirds, most interesting were Gull-billed Tern, Whiskered Tern, Black-headed Gull, Black-winged Stilt, Collared Pratincole. Black-necked Grebe, Glossy Ibis and Pied Avocet. A smaller dam further on produced Northern Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, Little Ringed Plover and lots of Northern Shovelers. I also sent some time exploring the farmlands between Ciudad Real and my base at Daimiel. These were home to small groups of exquisite Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, along with other regular steppe birds like Red-legged Partridge, Iberian Grey Shrike, Crested Lark, Corn Bunting, Calandra Lark, Greater Short-toed Lark, Common Quail and, new to the trip, European Roller.
It was wonderful seeing the dashing European Roller on its breeding grounds!
After checking in at Daimiel, I ended the day with some relaxed waterbirding at Lagua de Navaseca just north of town. This productive lake delivered many previously seen waterbirds, with notables including Great Reed Warbler, Great Cormorant, Green Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, Kentish Plover, Collared Pratincole, Common Shelduck, Greylag Goose and Black-headed Gull.
My last full day of birding in Spain saw me traipsing around the farmlands once again, this time to the north of Daimiel. This was fairly productive and got me more views of European Roller, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Eurasian Stone-curlew, Lesser Kestrel, Greater Short-toed Lark and, best of all, a trio of male Little Bustards foraging near the road verge! This was another of my top targets so I was stoked to finally connect with these handsome birds, so near to the end of my Spain birding trip.
I then visited the large wetland on Laguna de la Veguilla, west of Alcazar de San Juan, in the hopes of finding Bearded Reedling. This was not to be sadly, however, good numbers of Common Pochard, Common Shelduck, Northern Shoveler, White-headed Duck, Western Swamphen, Black-necked Grebe and Cetti’s Warbler were welcome consolation prizes. Backtracking slightly, another impressive wetland at Tablas Daimiel National Park added Ferruginous Duck and Great Crested Grebe, while those at Lagunas de la Guardia produced Red-crested Pochard and a few Sand Martins. After all this exciting waterbirding, I eventually had to leave and make my way back to Madrid for my final night in Spain.
Western Swamphen is a localized, colorful denizen of Spain’s wetlands.
Thanks to my flight departing in the late afternoon, I had a few hours in the morning to squeeze in some last-minute birding in the farmlands northeast of the city. It was here where I finally caught up with the majestic Great Bustard. I was treated to lovely views of three females and a young male strolling around near the road, along with a mature male displaying in the background! A truly fantastic way to end two weeks of incredible birding in Spain!
My takeaway from birding in Spain, is that Spain simply has some of the best birding in Europe! With impressive diversity, incredible abundance and characterful and sought-after specials, Spain provides all calibers of birders with something to enjoy. The range of habitats found here, coupled with the entourage of Iberian endemics, all contribute to a larger array of species than almost anywhere else on the continent.
Great Bustard was my final bird seen on this Spain birding trip: What a way to go out!
At Birding Ecotours, we offer a couple of tours for those keen on exploring Spain’s avian delights. For those of you looking for a comprehensive Spanish birding tour, you will love our Spring Birding Extravaganza. This 16-day tour covers all the major birding sites in Spain, from Gibraltar in the south all the way to the Pyrenees Mountains in the north. Crossing many habitats across the country’s entire length, species like Great and Little Bustards, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Iberian Magpie, Dupont’s Lark, Cirl Bunting, Wallcreeper, Bearded Vulture, Montagu’s Harrier, Citril Finch, Black, Iberian Green, White-backed and Middle Spotted Woodpeckers, Ring Ouzel, White-winged Snowfinch and the iconic Iberian Lynx are among the many standout specials to be seen along this route.
On the other hand, our Andalusia in Fall tour focuses on southern Spain during the fall migration over the Strait of Gibraltar. The spectacle of thousands of raptors migrating over the ocean is but one of the highlights of this tour. Others include exploring the eastern mountains around Ronda and Malaga, the coastal wetlands and saltpans near Sanlucar de Barrameda, and even a pelagic out of Tarifa. Such desired species as Northern Bald Ibis, Black Wheatear, Balearic Shearwater, Audouin’s Gull, Bonelli’s Eagle, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin, Marbled Teal, White-headed Duck, Red-knobbed Coot, Little Swift, Mediterranean Short-toed Lark and Ruppell’s Vulture are all targeted on this Spain birding tour. Our blog on when to go birding in southern Spain is also full of insight on the species that one can expect to see at this time of year.
If the entourage of Iberian endemics is your major drawcard for wanting to visit the region, you may also be interested in viewing our Portugal birding tour, which covers the same suite of specials at a more relaxed pace.
So if you’ve been inspired to plan a birding tour to Spain to witness its abundance of fantastic birding, we look forward to seeing you on one of our upcoming tours!
