Birding and Birdwatching Spain : Bird watching

Bird Watching in Extremadura

Lying south-west of Madrid, Extremadura attracts birdwatchers and nature lovers from all over the world thanks to its beautiful, unspoilt landscapes which are strongholds for many species of birds, increasingly difficult to see elsewhere. The most popular time to visit is spring (from mid-March to late May) when the summer visitors have arrived and breeding activity is at its peak. The climate is also excellent at that time of the year and if there have been good late winter rains, the carpets of flowers are staggering in their beauty. However, autumn and winter visits too are extremely rewarding, with spectacles of huge flocks of Cranes as well as all of the resident species, such as Great and Little Bustards, the Spanish Imperial Eagle, Black-winged Kite and Azure-winged Magpie. The sight and sound of thousands of Cranes flying to roost on a fine late afternoon in winter is simply unforgettable.

Why come to Extremadura to go bird watching?

The reason why Extremadura is so rich in wildlife is because many of its landscapes have hardly changed in generations. Traditional land-use practices have sustained the seemingly endless holm and cork oak savannas (the dehesas), bereft of human habitation but important breeding and feeding areas for birds like Black Vulture and Spanish Imperial Eagle, whilst the acorns provide food not only for the famous free-range Iberian pigs, but also for three-quarters of the western European wintering population of Common Crane, between 60 and 70,000 birds. Low intensity rotation systems help to maintain a mosaic of grazing meadow, fallow and cereals on the plains, which in turn supports a rich birdlife, characterised by Great Bustards. The display of the male in spring is one of the most spectacular sights that a visitor can experience.
So internationally important are the habitats in Extremadura that no less than 74% of the region is covered by Important Bird Areas, the highest proportion of anywhere in Europe.The populations of many species are of European or even global significance. This is true for the birds of prey, with over 20 breeding species.

Along with the plains and dehesas, Extremadura boasts other important habitat types, which boost the incredible diversity of birds that a visitor can expect to see all of the year round. Rivers cut across much of the region in deep, rocky ravines and valleys. There are mountain ranges (the Gredos Mountains running east-west along the northern edge of the region, the Villuercas and Ibores to the east, the Sierra of San Pedro to the east), with deciduous woodland, pine forests and alpine pastures. More recent additions to the landscapes include the rice fields in the centre of Extremadura, which attract many birds on migration, the reservoir of Sierra Brava has one of the largest wintering population of waterfowl to be found anywhere in Spain, whilst the reedbeds around the Arrocampo reservoir are excellent for Herons, Egrets, Little Bittern, as well as the Purple Swamphen.

Places to go bird watching:

There are plenty of wonderful places to go bird watching and thanks to a good road system, they are easy to reach from most places to stay. A visitor should aim to get to a representative selection of the different habitats in order to see as much as possible of the region’s birdlife.
Here are some of the best bird watching areas:
Monfragüe Regional Park (to become a National Park in 2007). This is a must on any visit to Extremadura. Monfragüe has some of the best areas of native Mediterranean woodland in Spain and has spectacular cliffs holding hundreds of pairs of Griffon Vulture. The park has the world’s greatest concentration of breeding Black Vulture (over 280 pairs) and a high density of Spanish Imperial Eagle and Black Stork. The castle is one of the best places to see the very rare White-rumped Swift, one the latest summer migrants to arrive.
The Sierra de San Pedro to the west of Cáceres is also rich for raptors and is a stronghold for the Spanish Imperial Eagle.
The plains (llanos) near Trujillo and Cáceres hold breeding Great and Little Bustard, Pin-tailed and Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Stone Curlew, Montagu’s Harrier and Roller, whilst Lesser Kestrels from both towns (which hold the largest Lesser Kestrel colonies in Spain) hunt in packs for grasshoppers and other large insects. The density of small birds is incredible: large numbers of Calandra Lark, abundant Corn Buntings and flocks of Spanish Sparrows, as well as Black-eared Wheatear.
La Serena in Badajoz province is a huge area of llanos, holding Extremadura’s largest numbers of bustards and sandgrouse.

The rice fields near Madrigalejo and Vegas Altas are superb areas for winter birding. Large numbers of Common Crane feed on the rice stubble, as well as in the adjacent dehesa woodland. There are also hundreds of Grey Lag Geese, whilst the nearby Sierra Brava reservoir has tens of thousands of wintering Dabbling Duck. Hen Harriers and Merlin are also winter visitors, the latter preying on the flocks of Meadow Pipits. In late winter, if there is standing water, thousands of Black-tailed Godwits will pass through on passage, whilst in the spring, the areas are excellent for Collared Pratincole and Gull-billed Tern, as well as Roller, many pairs using nest boxes put up on electricity poles. The area is also one of the best for finding the Black-winged Kite.
The Gredos Mountains in the north of Extremadura hold a very different birdlife, far more central European rather than Mediterranean, with Pied Flycatcher and Bonelli’s Warbler in the woodlands, whilst above the tree line one can find Ortolan Bunting, Rock Thrush, Bluethroat and Water Pipit. The Villuercas Mountains to the east are much lower, but have good stands of deciduous oak, whilst the rocky crags which make the Villuercas so attractive, are good places to find Black Wheatear, Red-billed Chough and Golden Eagle. Small numbers of Alpine Accentor can be found in the winter.
The reservoir of Arrocampo, near Almaraz, has good belts of fringing vegetation and is excellent for Herons, Egrets, Little Bittern, as well as several species of warblers.
Several of the towns are excellent for bird watching in their own right: the main square of Trujillo is renowned for its Lesser Kestrels, Pallid Swifts and White Storks, as is the old city of Cáceres, whilst the Roman bridge in Mérida offers superb views of Alpine, Pallid and Common Swift which nest under the arches, as well as Little Bittern and Black-crowned Night Heron.

How to get there and where to stay

Just two and a half hours down the A5 motorway from Madrid is the small medieval town of Trujillo. Not only does it have a wonderful main square, surrounded by churches and palaces dating back to the era of the Conquistadores, several of whom came from Trujillo, but the Trujillo area is also strategically one of the best places to be based for a bird watching holiday to Extremadura. Almost all of the areas mentioned above are less than one hour from Trujillo. The Gredos mountains are certainly reachable from Trujillo, but are best explored either from Plasencia or across to the north in Ávila province.
Trujillo itself has a range of hotels to suit all budgets, but most birdwatchers tend to stay in nearby rural accommodation, in small guesthouses (Casa Rural) or small rural hotels, where plenty of birds can also be seen on walks in their vicinity. For a selection of small hotels and guesthouses Casas Rurales in many of the bird watching areas of Extremadura click on the link: self catering and b&b holiday accommodation in Extremadura

How to go bird watching

For those who like to be independent, there are a number of good books which provide advice about where to find birds. The best is John Muddeman’s A Birdwatching Guide to Extremadura. Travelling to the different sites will require a car and many people will pick up a hire car from the airport (the nearest airport is Madrid). The main roads are in good condition and fast, however stopping on them is strictly illegal. Luckily most of the bridges over rivers have areas to pull-off and stops at these places can be very rewarding for seeing passing raptors or Black Storks. The small country lanes are more conducive for bird watching, but are used by farm vehicles and local residents, so it is best to pull-over into gateways to look for birds.
There are also a few local bird watching guides, who can provide transport and their expert services. They can provide guiding services from one day to week-long holidays. The advantage of these guides is obviously their excellent local knowledge. See:
www.birdingextremadura.com
www.extremadurabirds.net


There are also tour companies operating in Spain and foreign tour companies (see www.free-living.com for listings) which organise package holidays for birdwatchers in Extremadura.

Many independent bird watchers, as well as tour groups, prefer to stay in some of the rural accommodation which cater especially for birdwatchers. Some offer special facilities such as pack lunches, or libraries, but the most valuable asset they have is that one is able to pick up good up-to-date information from fellow guests and often from the host as well.
Trujillo Rural is an association of small rural establishments which are experienced in catering for bird watchers. Its website (www.trujillorural.com ) has a link to each of its members, all of whom are based a few kilometres outside Trujillo.

This article was written for Colours of Spain by Martin Kelsey . Martin has
40 years of birdwatching experience in 5 continents and is a specialist in
Extremadura. He has worked for Birdlife International and was a founder member of the Neotropical Bird Club. Martin is based in Extremadura and with his wife Claudia, they run Casa Rural El Recuerdo and organise birdwatching holidays just south of Trujillo in the attractive Sierra de Los Lagares. You can contact him at info@birdingextremadura.com

www.birdingextremadura.com
www.casaruralelrecuerdo.com

All photographs except Casa Rural El Recuerdo, provided by and copyright Junta de Extremadura.