Species

The region has a number of "star" birds such as Great and Little Bustard, Spanish Imperial Eagle and Cranes for which it well known, plus a lot of other birds of interest.

Because of its location 120 miles from the Mediterranean and 70 miles from the Atlantic at their nearest points, and the variety of habitats it covers, Extremadura offers a wide range of species. The region has two major river systems - the Guadiana and the Tajo - crossing it and facilitating access for migratory species. It also lies on one of the major access routes to the Straits and provides a stopover for birds on passage. The creation of several large reservoirs (the total freshwater shoreline comes to 2,000kms; Orellana is 40kms in length; La Serena is even bigger and ranks as the second largest reservoir in Europe), and the development of vast irrigated areas in the Guadiana basin have encouraged migratory and resident species of waders and ducks to expand their range and numbers.

Calendar

This shows what you are likely to be able to see in any given month. First of all we list the resident birds which can be seen all year round. Some of these are also included in the month-by-month calendar too, as the times when they are in breeding colours or feeding young, or perhaps in large winter roosts are of particular interest. Because Extremadura is such a vast region (bigger than Switzerland), not everything listed is immediately accessible from where we are based. Bluethroat, for example, are found in the high sierras in the north of the region, and may be seen near Orellana on spring and autumn passage.

The data presented here is based on systematic observation over several years. We are in the field between 3 and 6 days a week all year round carrying out observations or bird census-related work. Each day what is seen is written up, and this provides a first-class database from which to gauge the likelihood of finding a given species at a particular time.

January	February	March
April	May	June
July	August	September
October	November	December