When to visit

There is plenty to see throughout the year but it is important to take the birder's welfare into account. The summer heat can be fierce and it has become "standard" practice to consider Extremadura almost exclusively as a Spring venue. However, the birds present in winter - both resident and migrant - together with usually mild and sunny conditions can make this a good time to come too.

Spring (March to May)
This is a lovely time to visit. By the end of March nearly most summer migrants are present and the countryside is green and full of flowers. In March/April it is typically 15-25° and in May reaches 30°.

Summer (June to mid-September)
The summer is always hot and may be very hot indeed with the thermometer showing over 40° any time between June and early September. It is unlikely to rain at all but if it does it will probably pour. At this time birds and humans seek refuge from the sun.

Autumn (Mid-September to October)
The summer heat is abating and this can be a good time to be out in the field. The landscape looks parched and punished by the sun, but the first rains of the autumn bring a flush of green and new flowers. In past years the autumn rains would arrive around the end of September, but more recently there have been major variations, with no substantial rain falling until much later in the year.

Winter (November - February)
Winter by name but with a very different feel to a northern European winter. There are many days during the winter when the temperature is around 16° - ideal for enjoying the countryside. The orange and lemon trees are full of fruit by the end of the year, early flowers appear in January, and in February the mimosas are in bloom.