Birdwatching in Spain
Spain is the second largest European country with a climate extremely diverse because of the warm winds from Sahara in the
Andalusia plain and along the Mediterranean cost up to the Pyrenees and the ocean climate of Galicia and the bay of Biscay. Combined with the natural flyway between continental Europe and Africa more than 450 species of birds has been recorded and it
is the last European stronghold for such breeding birds like Marbled Teal and Purple Gallinule. Lammergeier and Griffon Vultures can also be found here.
In Spain you will find many small inns and B&B’s catering to not only birdwatchers, but also the non birding part of your family.
Birdwatching is popular and you will find many local Birdingpals willing to make your birdwatching in Spain a memorable experience.
This page sponsored by Spainbirds tours
Local Birdingpal Contacts
|
Local Birdwatchers Please note that most Birdingpals are serious birdwatchers. It is a privilege to contact them, and your message should reflect it. A local Pal does not get paid, but should he/she offer to take you out birding, using their own vehicle, it would be courteous to pay for the fuel. A lunch and/or a small gift would also be appropriate, something as simple as a souvenir of your country, or a pin from your local birding club.
Initial |
Last Name |
Area |
Available |
Language |
R
| Marsh
| Pilar De La Horadada, Alicante
| Anytime
| English | some Spanish
|
| Have been a ringer for 27 years & lived in Spain for 4 years. Local area includes Mar
Menor with 2 areas of salt lakes, Flamingoes, Avocets, Stilts, Herons, Kentish Plovers, Little Terns in summer. In winter Slender-billed Gulls, Auduins Gulls, Black-necked Grebes, Spoonbills & waders. 40 min drive to El Fondo reserve with great variety incl. Marbled Duck, White-headed Duck, Red-crested Pochard, Purple Swamphen, Penduline Tit, Reedling, Cettis, Montague & Marsh Harriers and Prtincoles.
|
R
| Wright
| Benamargosa(Torre del Mar)/Malaga, Andalucia
| Anytime
| English
|
|
| Now living on a mountain top in southern Spain and keep a daily "Birding Diary" of what's about, etc. Regular visits to good sites in this area as well as further afield such as Donana, Cabo de Gata and Extramedera. Was a "ringer" in UK before I retired. Have also stayed at Gibraltar Field House. Enjoy company on my birding
visits and would welcome others who want to join me. Still have a small house in Stamford, Lincolnshire, UK to which we return
at regular periods (usually for no more than a week at a time) so that I can keep an eye on my aged parents. Also gives me an opportunity to pay regular visits to Rutland Water (10 miles/16kn away from home). NOTE: I also have a second email address
which I can access both here in Spain and back in the UK: bobwright@onetel.com
|
M
| Peregrina
| Costa del Sol, Andalucia
| Anytime
|
S
| Xamubass
| Costa del Sol, Andalucia
| Anytime
|
J
| González
| Jaén, Andalucia
| Weekend
| Spanish/English
|
P
| Hale
| Casares, Andalucia
| Anytime
| English/Spanish | French
J
| Munoz
| Ronda, Malaga, Andalucia
| Anytime
|
F
| Chiclana
| Sevilla/Cádiz, Andalucia
| Weekend
|
J
| Laborda
| Zaragoza, Aragon
| Anytime
| Spanish/English | French D | García-Bellido
| Madrid, Asturias
| Weekend
| Spanish/English
|
G
| Geldenhuys
| Jerez, Cadiz
| Weekend
| Dutch/English | Spanish
C
| Martínez
| Albacete, Castilla La Mancha
| Weekend
| Spanish/English
|
|
| Interested in birds since a child, I studied Biology. I am in charge of de Important Bird Area(IBA) Yecla-Almansa-Pétrola, a very good area for Bustards, Little Bustard, Pin-tailed and Black-bellied Grouse and another Spanish specialities. Around Albacete, it is easy to find Bonelli`s Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, Black Wheatear. This area is quite close to the coast, Alicante, Valencia region and to Madrid, in spite of being well comunicated it is underwatched.
|
F
| Arce
| Santander, Cantabria
| Weekend
|
P
| Alzina-Bilbeny
| Arenys de Mar-Barcelona, Catalonia
| Anytime
| Catalan/Spanish | English/French Italian
R
| Güera
| Arenys de Mar, Barcelona, Catalonia
| Anytime
|
L
| Gustamante
| Barcelona, Catalonia
| Anytime
| Catalan/Spanish | some English
|
| I'm 40 years old, birdwatching from 82 and ringer for 10 years. Now I prefer only birdwatching. I know the Llobregat delta, 10Km from Barcelona and where you can find some Catalan specialities.
|
R
| Rafa Torres
| Barcelona, Pyrenees, Catalonia
| Anytime
| Spanish/English | French
F
| Trabalón
| Olot, Girona
| Anytime
|
D
| Valverde
| Pyrinees, Catalonia
| Anytime
| Catalan/Spanish | English/Italian
JC
| Fernández Odz
| Terrassa, Barcelona, Catalonia
| Anytime
| Spanish/Catalan | English/French Italian/Portuguese Greek
F
| Crystal
| Badajoz, Extremadura
| Anytime
| English/Spanish | French/Japanese
|
| I have been based in southern Badajoz, Extremadura for the last 3 years, working on a long-term Montagu's Harrier Study. In the spring and summer I spend a lot of time in the field monitoring and tagging birds, and tracking them, observing their feeding habits. I also work on a project that aims to reduce the number of nests destroyed by early harvest of wheat fields each year. I work with an amazing raptor rehabilitation centre called AMUS (Accion por el mundo salvaje) which is the world leader in rehabilitating Montagu's Harrier orphaned or injured by the harvest. Steppe birds are easier to see in this area than in Caceres, and views are closer. Wild flowers and orchids are abundant, and the landscape is incredible. Visitors would also get the chance to help with the efforts on the various programs at the centre or in the field
for a few days- something different from the usual birdwatching holiday.
|
A
| Camina
| Madrid, Extremadura
| Anytime
|
A
| Cardenal
| Madrid, Extremadura
| Anytime
|
A
| Olaso
| Madrid, Extremadura
| Anytime
| Spanish/English
|
|
| My name is Aitor Olaso. If you come to Madrid, you will enjoy it very much, there are high numbers of birds of prey and other mediterranean species, that can be seen around the city of Madrid.
|
J
| Blanco
| Madrid, Badajoz, Extremadura
| Weekend
|
L
| Napoleon
| Talamanca de Jarama/Madrid, Extremadura
| Anytime
| English/Spanish
|
|
| Madrid, Castilla y León. Mountains and plains, Rivers Jarama, Tajo, Manzanares, Duraton, Eastern and central steppes, Sierra de la Rincon and Sierra Norte for day trips. Own vehicle, 7 seater Hyundai people carrier. Available most of the time, but I need prior notice as I travel sometimes. I have a Spanish Rural House accommodation website too. Level medium, I know my areas well and can take you to good places and put you in touch with other birders and guides.
|
I
| Fernandez
| a Coruña, Galicia
| Anytime
| Spanish/English | Italian
CD
| Romai-Cousido
| A Corunha/O Grove, Galicia/Galiza
| Weekend
| Galician/Portuguese | Spanish/English
|
| Galician capes are very good in autumn/fall, with passage of thousands of seabirds. Beaches, marshes, reservoirs and lagoons along the coast can hold Nearctic birds, mostly during autumn-winter. Mediterranean specialities(warblers, shrikes, buntings, etc.) are also found in SE Galicia.
|
P
| Fernández
| Ribadeo, Lugo, Galicia
| Anytime
|
X
| Piñeiro
| Sanxenxo, Galicia
| Weekend
|
J
| Alvarez
| La Rioja
| Weekend
| Spanish/English
|
|
| I´m a lover of birds, especial the owls, and I will be very happy to show you around.
|
J
| Blanco
| Logroño, La Rioja
| Anytime
| Español/English
|
|
| I live in La Rioja with a great diversity of forest birds, raptors and others birds of
arid habitat. My favourit birds are the Northem European birds.
|
C
| Gutiérrez
| Logroño, La Rioja
| Anytime
|
V
| Heredero
| Palma, Mallorca
| Weekend
|
K
| Reeves
| Peurto Pollenca, Mallorca(Winter)
| Anytime
| English
|
G
| Gorospe
| Pamplona, Navarra
| Anytime
| English/German | Flemish/Dutch Spanish/Bask
J
| Ardaiz Ganuza
| Pamplona, Navarra
| Anytime
| Spanish/English
|
|
| Pitillas, Bardenas Reales and Pirineos occidentales.
|
O
| Infante
| Salamanca
| Anytime
|
T
| Clarke
| Güimar, Tenerife
| Anytime
| Spanish/English
|
I
| Dies
| Valencia, Valencia
| Anytime
| Spanish/English
|
A
| Rodrigo
| Villafáfila, Arribes del Duero, Zamora
| Anytime
|
| Professional Guides
Initial
| Last Name
| Area
| Available
| Language
|
M
| Palmer
| Alicante
| Anytime
| English/Spanish
|
|
| I guide tours around the area, having written 4 books on Spanish birds. I charge a modest fee, and can also contemplate trips further afield, such as Extremadura and the Pyrenees.
|
B
| Buckler
| Andalucia
| Anytime
| English/Spanish
|
S
| Daly
| Barbate, Cadiz
| Anytime
| English/German | French/Spanish
M
| Mosquera
| Cadiz and Malaga
| Anytime
| English/Spanish
|
|
| I was born in Gibraltar and have enjoyed ornithology for 40 years. I am privileged to live in an area as rich as the Strait of Gibraltar and its shores for birds. I am a founding member of GONHS and I'm a
qualified guide (Gibraltar Government Tourist Board Badge). I also co-authored the original "Birds of Gibraltar" in 1980, now
out of print. I am passionate about birds especially raptors. Being an ex-teacher of biology, I think I have good communication skills and can convey my subject matter enthusiastically. The area that I can act as a guide would be the provinces of Cadiz, Malaga and of course Gibraltar. Visit my website http://www.ornisun.com/
|
C
| Jensen
| Barcelona, Catalonia
| Anytime
| English/Spanish | Catalan/Danish
S
| Christopher
| Catalunya, Catalonia
| Anytime
| English/Spanish
|
|
| Stephen is a fantastic bird guide. I had very limited time to bird and was
particularly interested in some of the more difficult species. He knew exactly where to go and was extremely knowledgable about bird habitats, behavior and vocalisations. Ron Lockwood, U.S.A.
|
V
| Malagon
| Central and South Spain
| Anytime
| Spanish/English
|
J
| Sánchez
| Doñana National Park, El Rocío
| Anytime
| Spanish/English
|
S
| Villa
| Madrid, Extremadura
| Anytime
| Spanish/English
|
|
| Member of the Spanish Ornithology Society (Sociedad Española de Ornitología) and of
the environmental association ADENEX, Santiago has taken an active part in various nationwide projects such as the Monitoring Programme of Common Breeding Birds in Spain (SACRE in Spanish initials), the Atlas of Nesting Birds in Spain and the "nest monitoring campaign of threatened species" conducted by the Vertebrate Conservation Society (Sociedad para la Conservación de
los Vertebrados: SCV). He is also in charge of the Membrío-Brozas Area/Extremadura (IBA).
|
P
| Rocca
| Gibraltar, Malaga, Cadiz, Sevilla, Huelva
| Anytime
| English/Spanish
|
|
| I am a professional bird guide for Gibraltar and Southern Spain, based just over the border from Gibraltar in Spain.
|
J
| Saiz
| Pyrenees, Huesca
| Anytime
| English/French | Catalan/Italian
J
| Muddeman
| Extremadura
| Anytime
| English/Spanish
|
R
| Banham
| Manilva, Malaga
| Anytime
| English
| | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Local Information
|
| Name | Description
|
| GEN-GOB Eivissa | Club |
|
| Balearic Group of Ornithology and Defence of Nature | Club |
|
| Association for the Defence of the Nature and the Resources of Extremadura | Club |
|
| Ricard Gutiérrez's | Latest Sights |
|
| Birding Hotspots around the world | Sites |
|
| Dani Valverde's Benvinguts a Acrocephalus | Birding Catalonia |
|
| Dies Brothers' Western Mediterranean Waterbirds | Sites |
|
| Asociación Amigos de Los Monegros | Site |
|
| S¨Albufera de Mallorca | Site |
|
| Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia | Spain |
|
| Local weather | Yahoo |
|
| Electronic maps | MapQuest |
|
| Find lowest prices for field guides, books, maps etc. | |
|
| Field guides recommended by Birdingpals | |
|
| Printable bird check list | |
|
| Trip Reports from Spain | |
|
| Read a Birdingpal's Trip Report from Spain |
Last update 03/07/2009