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Sierra de Gata
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Trasierra-Tierras de Granadilla
Protected Areas: The SPAs Sierra de Gata and Valle de las Pilas and Borbollón Reservoir.
Protected Areas: Prac cally the whole of the country is under the protec on of the SPA Hurdes.
A rac ons: It is a country of great contrasts, from the irrigated farmland of the Árrago floodplains to high peaks like Jálama (1430 m). The irrigated areas support a wintering popula on of cranes and it is easy to see black-winged kite throughout the year. At the Borbollón reservoir there are colonies of ca le egret and grey heron, and wintering birds like greylag goose, great cormorant, gulls and waterfowl. In the mountains, there are species typical of deciduous woodland and pines and an important breeding colony of black vulture.
A rac ons: The country is a succession of deep valleys where water defines and transforms the landscape, with a vegeta on dominated by cluster pine in which great and coal ts, common redstarts, Iberian green woodpecker and wryneck can be seen...and heather and broom moorland with birds like northern wheatear, ortolan bun ng, tawny pipit, dunnock and various scrub warblers. Amongst the raptors the breeding popula on of black vulture is notable, as well as griffon vulture, goshawk, booted eagle and long-eared owl.
A rac ons: This country is characterised by the high conserva on status of its dehesas (wood pastures) where one can see Iberian magpie, hoopoe, common chaffinch etc. Close to pools species like spoonbill and great egrets can be seen, with northern lapwings and golden plovers in the winter and rollers in the summer. There are open areas with stone curlew and black-winged kite. But of greatest importance is the Gabriel y Galán reservoir itself because of its roosts of cranes, gulls, geese and duck in winter as well as the presence of osprey and black stork.
A special place: The Árrago valley. From the Lagartera viewpoint there are superb vistas and many species of woodland and mountain birds can be seen.
A special place: Ángeles waterfall. The viewpoint at this waterfall, thanks to the proximity of a feeding sta on, is a good place to watch carrion-feeding species.
A special place: The Anillo. This sports' centre and the peninsula on which it is situated are the best places to watch birds coming into roost.
Árrago valley
Protected Areas: Of key importance is the SPA Gabriel y Galán Reservoir.
Viewpoint at the Ángeles waterfall
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Valle de Jerte
Protected Areas: The Gallego chestnut forest, a Protected Landscape, is one of the best preserved chestnut forests in the southern part of the peninsula. A rac ons: The Ambroz Valley combines magnificent dehesas of cork and holm oak with high mountains such as Pinajarro (2099 m) and extensive deciduous woodland, such as the Gallego chestnut forest. From Hervás to the Honduras Pass, the species that can be seen are mainly of woodland: sparrowhawk, honey buzzard, goshawk, hawfinch, golden oriole, lesser spo ed woodpecker, short-toed treecreeper, nuthatch, jay, pied flycatcher, western Bonelli's warbler… and on higher ground rufous-tailed and blue rock thrushes, black redstart or rock bun ng. A special place: The Honduras Pass. The whole route ascending through the chestnut woods (CC-102) from Hervás is excellent, with the pass itself offering an impressive viewpoint.
Gabriel y Galán reservoir from the castle of Grandilla
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La Vera
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Valle del Ambroz
Gallego chestnut woods
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Valle del Alagón
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Monfragüe y entorno
Protected Areas: The most notable protected area in the country is the Garganta de los Infiernos Natural Reserve.
Protected Areas: SPAs Tiétar River and Pinewoods and the lesser kestrel Colony of Jarandilla de la Vera. SAC Sierra de Gredos and Jerte valley.
Protected Areas: Under the influence of the Tagus Interna onal Biosphere Reserve and Natural Park, the star area is the SPA Canchos de Ramiro y Ladronera.
Protected Areas: The star a rac on is the Na onal Park. However, the Biosphere Reserve covers a much larger area.
A rac ons: The granite landscape on the high ground on the Tormantos sierra is dominated by spectacular river canyons, and steep outcrops, where there are griffon vultures, surrounded by chestnut and oak woodland with an abundance of forest birds such as honey buzzard, goshawk, short-toed treecreeper, nuthatch, jay, blackcap, wren, golden oriole and Iberian green woodpecker…on the summits there are bluethroat, dunnock and rufous-tailed rock thrush, and along the fast-flowing streams dipper and grey wagtail.
A rac ons: The characteris cs of the country give rise to a typical avifauna of forest and montane habitats, linked to deciduous woodland and high peaks: carrion crow, lesser spo ed woodpecker, dunnock, hawfinch, mistle thrush, pied flycatcher…as well as species of forest and scrub such as western Bonelli's warbler, Dar ord, spectacled and subalpine warblers, rock and ortolan bun ngs, woodlark…The raptors include honey buzzard, sparrowhawk and hobby. And at lower al tudes, in the pinewoods, black stork and colonies of white stork and grey heron.
A rac ons: The River Alagón provides the vertebral column of the country, with large irrigated areas in the east and dehesas to the west, up to the River Erjas, the fron er with Portugal and part of the Tagus Interna onal Natural Park. The passage of the river through the Garrapata sierra gives rise to the gorges of Canchos de Ramiro, with quartzite rock faces with a large colony of griffon vulture and several pairs of golden and Bonelli's eagles, Egyp an vulture, eagle owl, common kestrel, peregrine and black stork. The surrounding dehesas are full of typical species for such habitat.
A rac ons: Ornithologically everything. Monfragüe is of European importance as a site for Spanish imperial eagle and black vulture. But the biosphere reserve also hosts a great number of species associated with rocky habitats and Mediterranean woodland such as Egyp an vulture, black stork, griffon vulture, peregrine, Bonelli's, golden, booted and short-toed eagles…also there are black kite, black-winged kite, hawfinch, Iberian magpie, lesser spo ed woodpecker, western orphean warbler and Iberian chiffchaff. In winter, there are cranes and bullfinches.
A special place: The monastery of Yuste and its surrounding woodland, a perfect site to combine watching forest birds with culture.
A special place: The Boquerón. This is a natural viewpoint for the gorges and can be easily reached (4.5. km) from the village of Cachorrilla.
A special place: The Por lla del Tiétar, at the northern edge of the Na onal Park: the best place to see Spanish imperial eagle and many other species.
A special place: Los Pilones. The ascent on foot provides magnificent opportuni es for birdwatching.
Los Pilones
Monastery of Yuste
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Campo Arañuelo
Cáceres Province is a top birding destination. The high quality of habitat conservation in the territory, its size and especially the diversity of its habitats, offer birdwatchers all that is needed for a unique experience: Monfragüe National Park, boasting Mediterranean forest and a refuge for raptors such as the Spanish imperial eagle or black vulture; the Tagus International Natural Park, like the former also a Biosphere Reserve; the vast plains of Cáceres and Trujillo, home for great bustards and other steppe species; wetlands like Arrocampo or Borbollón, the high mountains of the Jerte valley or La Vera and the dramatic relief of the Villuercas Ibores Jara UNESCO Global Geopark or Las Hurdes, come together in an unbeatable way. To these can be added the Urban SPAs, the awareness shown about birds as demonstrated by the numerous bird-focused events, the infrastructure and accessibility of areas thanks to excellent roads, together guaranteeing that THE PROVINCE OF CÁCERES IS YOUR BEST BET FOR BIRDING and enjoying to the full both tourism and nature.
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Las Hurdes
Protected Areas: The SPAs The River Tiétar and Pinewoods, Valdecañas Reservoir and, above all, the Arrocampo Reservoir. A rac ons: Large areas of irrigated land on the border of the Monfragüe Biosphere Reserve support large popula ons of wintering birds like cranes. But the main a rac on is the Arrocampo reservoir, close to the River Tagus where a rich community of marshland species can be found such as purple swamphen, water rail, bearded t, penduline t, reed and Savi's warblers. There are also li le bi ern, spoonbill, squacco and purple heron…and wintering birds like osprey, Eurasian bi ern and marsh harrier. A special place: The Arrocampo Birdwatching Park at Saucedilla has several hides and trails to enjoy this important wetland.
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Sierra de San Pedro
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Tajo Salor Almonte
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Sierra de Montánchez y Tamuja
Protected Areas: Numerous, but the most significant is the Tagus Interna onal Biosphere Reserve and Natural Park.
Protected Areas: The River Tamuja forms part of the SPA Almonte Valleys, but the key birding area is the ZIR Cáceres Plains and Sierra de Fuentes.
A rac ons: This is the essence of Mediterranean forest and scrub. It is home to Spanish imperial eagle and black vulture, with an important breeding popula on of black stork, golden and Bonelli's eagles, peregrine, sparrowhawk, Egyp an vulture, eagle and tawny owls, short-toed and booted eagles…in the cork and holm oak woodlands there are nuthatches, Iberian magpies, woodlark, hoopoe, common cuckoo, nigh ngale, short-toed treecreeper, great, blue and long-tailed ts etc. And in winter cranes and spectacular flocks of wood pigeons.
A rac ons: The River Tagus marks the northern edge of this territory, with deep valleys providing refuge for Spanish imperial, golden and Bonelli's eagles, griffon, black and Egyp an vultures, eagle owl, black stork etc. In the SPA Brozas Plains and Alcántara, to the south of the river, steppe species abound: great and li le bustard, pin-tailed and black-bellied sandgrouse, Montagu's harrier....Garrovillas hosts an Urban SPA because of its lesser kestrel colony and the Los Barruecos Natural Monument and the numerous reservoirs in the country hold water birds.
A special place: Las Viñas (San ago de Alcántara). An observa on tower in the heart of the Tagus Interna onal Natural Park: large birds of prey and scrub species.
A special place: The quarry at Alcántara. At the edge of the Natural Park, a bathing area where there are also breeding black stork, Egyp an and griffon vultures...
A rac ons: The great plains of the north of the country host an unusually high density and variety of steppe species: great and li le bustard, pin-tailed and blackbellied sandgrouse, Montagu's harrier, stone curlew, common and lesser kestrels, roller, calandra, crested and Thekla larks, corn bun ng and black-eared wheatear. Also present are birds of prey like short-toed and booted eagles, black and red kites and other raptors from the nearby mountains. The south, around Montánchez, is very interes ng because of the cork oaks and deciduous oak and chestnut woodlands.
Observation tower of las Viñas
Villuercas Ibores Jara
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Protected Areas: The SPAs Magasca, Zorita Plains and Sierra Brava Reservoir and especially the Trujillo Plains.
Protected Areas: The whole country has been declared a UNESCO Global Geopark, but also SPA and SAC, which means that a visit is simply indispensable.
A rac ons: The country is characterised by its enormous expanses of pasture and cereals, do ed with granite outcrops and deep river valleys. To the south there are the irrigated farmlands linked to the Guadiana flood plains in which birds are abundant in winter, par cularly cranes or greylag geese. But ornithologically its major a rac on is the steppe species such as great and li le bustard, stone curlew, pin-tailed and black-bellied sandgrouse, Montagu's harrier, calandra lark, corn bun ng, black-eared wheatear.. and in winter golden plover, lapwing, hen harrier, meadow pipit etc.
A rac ons: Huge quartzite rock faces full of griffon vultures, peregrine, eagle owl, Egyp an vulture, black stork, Bonelli's and golden eagles, black wheatear, blue rock thrush…as well as rufous-tailed rock thrush on the highest peaks. Mediterranean woodland of holm and cork oaks, pinewoods and deciduous oak and chestnut with an abundance of forest species like honey buzzard, sparrowhawk, tawny owl, great and coal ts, wren, cirl bun ng, long-tailed t, nigh ngale, golden oriole, Iberian green, great and lesser spo ed woodpeckers…..
A special place: The Sierra Brava reservoir. Its surroundings are perfect for steppe species and on its banks are hides for water birds and wintering species.
The Portilla
Protected Areas: The Tagus Interna onal Biosphere Reserve and Natural Park, as well as the ZIR Sierra of San Pedro.
Hide at Arrocampo
Miajadas-Trujillo
Canchos de Ramiro
Quarry at Alcántara
URBAN SPAs Extremadura is the pioneer in Europe with respect to the conserva on of urban zones for protected species, in par cular colonies of lesser kestrel, a small migratory falcon that chooses to nest on old buildings and other structures. In Cáceres Province there are nine such Urban SPAs: Cáceres, Plasencia, Trujillo, Jaraíz de la Vera, Brozas, Garrovillas, Saucedilla, Belvís de Monroy and Casa de la Enjarada Almost of these lie in the historic centres of towns of cultural significance, thus offering a perfect opportunity to combine birdwatching with culture.
A special place: Take the Santa Marta de Magasca road (CC-99) from the exit on the A-58, along which you can see most of the species men oned.
Cáceres Plains and Sierra de Fuentes
Eventos Extremadura Birdwatching Fair (FIO): Held in the Monfragüe Na onal Park, in the hamlet of Villarreal de San Carlos, every year since 2006 and has become the most important birdwatching fair in southern Europe; it is an event that no one interested in birds, professionally or for leisure, can miss. Last weekend of February. City of Cáceres Bird Fes val: Cáceres is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its historic centre is protected as an Urban SPA. This fes val has a focus on urban birds and is a family-focused event. Mid-May. Fes val Mical in Trujillo: In the magnificent historic centre of Trujillo, this fes val is focused on the lesser kestrel (known locally as mical). Beginning of June.
A special place: The castle at Cabañas and the rock Peña Biuitrera, unforgetable vistas across Appalachian relief and quartzite ridges full of rock-dwelling birds.
ÁREA DE DESARROLLO Y TURISMO SOSTENIBLE Hides at Sierra Brava reservoir
www.turismocaceres.org
Castle at Cabañas and Peña Buitrera
Trujillo
FIO Monfragüe