Birdwatching in Spain

Spain is one of the best destinations in Europe for birdwatching holidays.  The top venue for ornithologists is Donana National Park in the south west between the provinces of Cadiz and Huelva.  Yet with such a varied landscape, vegetation and climate there are many other major birdwatching destinations from the Pyrenees in the north to Gibraltar in the south and from the coastal wetlands to the islands of the Balearics.

In the summer months it is estimated that there are around 25 species of birds of prey which breed in various locations on the Spanish peninsula including griffon vultures, golden eagles, bonelli’s eagles, imperial eagles, black vultures and peregrine falcons to name but a few.

In this section we provide information on birdwatching holidays in Spain and where appropriate we suggest small businesses which specialise in particular regions. We receive no commission from these companies so rest assured that we are providing genuine recommendations to people considering such activity holidays. We also welcome emails from other small companies which offer specialised activity holidays in Spain.

Useful Birdwatching in Spain Links

Birdwatching in Donana
Half a million birds winter in Doñana National Park and many more use it as a feeding station during the migration periods in spring and autumn. It is also of major importance as a breeding ground for some of the scarcest and most endangered bird species in Europe such as the Spanish Imperial Eagle, the Marbled Duck and the Red-knobbed Coot.

Birdwatching in Catalonia
Catalonia is Spain’s most north easterly region centred on Barcelona.  The area is a birdwatcher’s paradise with 95% of Iberia’s recorded bird species.

Birdwatching in Andalucia
Tarifa lies on the southern tip of Spain and is a great destination for birders who can look out for migrations crossing the Straits of Gibraltar.