Extremadura Birdwaching Routes

Segunda edición, diciembre de 2009

REGIONAL GOVERNMENT OF EXTREMADURADepartment of Culture and Tourism

General CoordinationDirectorate General of Tourism

Coordinator of texts and photosJuan Pablo Prieto Clemente

TextsCasimiro Corbacho Amado, routes 5, 15, 16 and 19Atanasio Fernández García, routes 9, 11, 12, 14 and 17Víctor Manuel Pizarro Jiménez, routes 1, 4, 10 and 18Javier Prieta Díaz, routes 2, 3, 6 and 7Juan Pablo Prieto Clemente, routes 8 and 13

PhotographsJuan Pablo Prieto Clemente, pages: 3, 5, 6, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16, 26, 30, 45, 54, 55, 65 izq., 68, 75, 76, 77, 81 der., 85, 86, 102, 107 der., 110, 118 izq., 120, 121, 123, 125, 141, 142, 144, 147, 168 y 173 izq.,Atanasio Fernández García, pages: 87, 90, 91, 103, 107 izq., 109, 111, 113, 115, 118 der., 128, 129, 131, 133, 153, 155, 156, 160 y 175.Víctor Manuel Pizarro Jiménez, pages: 43, 50, 95, 97, 161 y 167José Gordillo Caballero, pages: 4, 46, 58, 63, 66, 81 izq., 99, 136, 164 y 172Javier Prieta Díaz, pages: 21 top, 23, 24, 31, 34, 35, 42, 59, 61, 62, 65 der., 69, 72, 73 y 74Ricardo Peralta, pages: 8, 21 bottom, 53, 57, 98, 127, 140 y 173 der.Casimiro Corbacho Amado, pages: 28, 51, 137, 145, 152 y 169

IllustrationsJuan M. Varela Simó

Graphic productionXXI Estudio Gráfico

PrintingGrafiprím

Legal DepositoryBA-095-09

European Bee-eaters

Black Redstart

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Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Specialist companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Sierra de Gata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Valle del Ambroz / Tierras de Granadilla-Cáparra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

La Vera and el Jerte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Tajo internacional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Canchos de Ramiro / Portaje Reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Monfragüe National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Arrocampo Reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69

Sierra de San Pedro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77

Plains of Cáceres, Magasca and Trujillo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87

Villuercas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95

Diversion dam of the River Guadiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103

Cornalvo and Los Canchales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111

Moheda Alta / Sierra Brava . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121

Orellana Reservoir and Puerto Peña . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129

Lakes and plains of La Albuera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137

Central Sierras of Badajoz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145

La Serena and Sierra de Tiros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153

Dehesas de Jerez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161

Arroyo Conejo / Campiña Sur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169

Field Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177

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Páginaroutes

IndexB I R D W A T C H I N G R O U T E S I N E X T R E M A D U R A

Bird watching trips

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Extremadura, with its wide range of habitats, from the high mountains of the Gredos tothe plains of La Serena or Cáceres and Trujillo, and its strategic geographical situationwithin the migratory routes of many birds, has become a popular destination for bird-watching. The internationally renowned optics brand specializing in binoculars and te-lescopes, Swarovski, used by the birdwatchers around the world, has even decided toname its latest backpack model, designed for naturalists to carry optical materials in,Extremadura. The recent declaration of Monfragüe as a National Park, with the conse-quent publicity and funding this brings from the Ministry of the Environment, Rural andMarine Affairs and the Ministry of Tourism, has brought a significant and growing num-ber of visitors to Extremadura, coming to observe many species of birds difficult tofind elsewhere. However, Monfragüe is only one area within a well-conserved region thathas many other natural areas well worth discovering. This birdwatching route guideaims to provide a simple and convenient introduction to other places in Extremadurathat are not as well-known as Monfragüe National Park and that in some cases aren’teven under any form of protection, but are full of natural resources that would delightany birdwatcher spending a few days in these areas.

We have tried to keep the routes simple, but without losing any detail. They are aimedat both birdwatchers from other parts of Spain or from other countries who may visitand as well as Extremaduran families who want to discover areas that have gone un-noticed until now. Each route includes the following information: a sketch of the routeand a table with the route’s most representative bird species and the best time to seethem. This is divided into the following categories:

Residents: birds which stay in the region throughout the whole year.

Summer visitors: breeding birds which are in the region in spring and summer, mi-grating to their winter quarters at the end of summer.

Winter visitors: birds which don’t breed in Extremadura but spend the autumn andwinter months here.

Passage migrants: birds that pass through the region on migration from their breedingareas to the north of Extremadura to their winter areas further south and so normallypass through twice a year, before and after breeding.

INTRODUCTION

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Each route also includes the following information:

• Location and access: with the necessary information to be able to reach the star-ting point of each route.

• Description of the route: with GPS coordinates where the route forks or at pointsof interest to enable you to make the most of the route.

• Ornithological value: this gives details about the most exceptional birds you cansee along the route, although there are always many more species in the area.

• Best time to visit: the best time to do the route or what you can find during it ineach season.

• Other environmental and cultural interest: additional information about each are-a’s resources and how you can find them.

Finally we would just like to express our hope that everyone who decides to do one ofthese routes enjoys a wonderful day in the countryside and that the information in thisguide proves useful.

Juan Pablo Prieto Clemente

Barn Owl

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Birdwatching best practices

You must bear in mind that your birdwatching should not disturb birds or any other li-ving creatures. Please remember to observe the following guidelines as you carry outthese birdwatching routes:

• Avoid disturbing the birds during the breeding period. Try not to go close to nestsbecause if an adult bird is frightened while it is incubating its eggs or when itschicks are young breeding may fail.

• Try to dress in discreet colours, which blend into the landscape and don’t make avisual impact.

• Speak in low voices when you are walking along the route, enjoying the sounds ofnature, particularly the birds’ songs and calls, as many species can best be detec-ted by their vocalisation.

• Wherever possible, walk the route rather than drive it, so you can make the mostof the route and use all your senses.

• If you use optics (binoculars and telescopes) you won’t need to get close to thebirds and it will be easier to distinguish and enjoy the different species. It is alsoadvisable to seek the services of specialised field guides.

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Contact Name Languages

BadajozCastuera SERTUR. NATURALEZA, OCIO Y TIEMPO LIBRE EN LA SERENA

Recreation and natural history

Nicolás Peña Paredes Calvario, 142 • Tlf.: 610 390 793 / 661 711 721Fax: 924 760 635 • www.serturextremadura.com / [email protected]

La Codosera GODFRIED SCHREUR

Birdwatching, botany. natural history and hiking guide

Godfried Schreur Sierra de La Lamprona, 3 •Tlf.: 924 404 473 / 676 429 013 ESP/ING /HOL

[email protected]

CáceresCáceres AOSSA EXTREMADURA, S.L.

Birdwatching and adventure activities

Juan A. García Chaves Sgto. Serrano Leite, 2 • Tlf.: 670 591 675 / 927 627 616Fax: 927 627 617 • [email protected]

Cáceres ESQUIEXTREMD, S.L.

Outdoor activities including river trips, paragliding, photo safaris and hiking

Juan J. Enrique Salgado Plaza de Gante, 1 bajo • Tlf.: 927 626 587www.grupogentours.com / [email protected]

Collado de La Vera ACTION VERA

Birdwatching, hiking, cultural routes, 4x4 safaris, descending ravines, cycle routes and cycle hire

Vicente Riolobos Peris Finca Saltaderos, s/n - Apdo. Correos 122 • 650 829 856www.actionvera.com / [email protected]

Coria EXTREMAVELA

Birdwatching, windsurfing, cycle routes and kayaking

Ramón Torres G. Ortega Ancha del Carmen, 9 • Tlf.: 627 905 242 / 927 232 670www.extremavela.com / [email protected]

Jaraíz de la Vera JARAMANDA

Hiking and paragliding

J.M. Cano Riquelme Finca Jaramanda. Apdo. 27 • 608 618 932 / 629 542 691www.jaramnda.com / [email protected]

Malpartida de Plasencia EN RUTA, NATURALEZA Y AVENTURA

Birdwatching in Monfragüe, 4x4 safaris, photo safaris, hiking, thematic routes and adventure activities

J. L. García Jerez El Egido, 23 • Tlf.: 927 404 829 / 605 898 154www.rutaspormonfrague.com / [email protected]

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EMPRESAS ESPECIALIZADAS

Contact Name Languages

CáceresMalpartida de Plasencia MONFRAGÜE NATURAL

Birdwatching in Extremadura, hiking, 4x4 safaris and photo safaris

Eduardo Calzaas Martín Joaquina Alcalde, 49 • 638 520 891 ESP / [email protected]

Malpartida de Plasencia MONFRAGÜE VIVO

Wildlife watching in Monfragüe National Park, 4x4 safaris, scenic routes, hiking, canoeing and adventure activities

Raul Virosta Merino Rosas, 41 • Tlf.: 927 459 475 / 620 941 778Fax: 927 404 276 www.monfraguevivo.com / [email protected]

Navaconcejo VALLE AVENTURA. SERVICIOS TURÍSTICOS

Nature guide, 4x4 safaris, environmental education and hiking

Raul Salgado Muñoz Barrero, 2 - 3º E • Tlf.: 927 173 114 / 636 631 182www.valleaventura.com [email protected]

Navazuelas CIRCAETUS

Hiking routes, wildlife watching, thematic routes, 4x4 safaris, cycle routes, horse riding, cycle hire, environmental education

Jaime Cerezo Cortijo Mártires, 23 • Tlf.: 927 151 777 / 630 568 011

Serradilla RUTAS “DEHESAS DE MONFRAGÜE”

Birdwatching and other wildlife routes

Mª del Mar Cobos Tlf.: 605 732 252 • www.rutasdehesasdemonfrague.comreserva@rutasdehesasdemonfrague.com

Trujillo GUIAS DE NATURALEZA “EL ELANIO”

Birdwatching and hiking guide

Jesús S. Porras Mateos Conquista de la Sierra, 2 - 2º D ESP / INGTlf.: 927 320 103 / 676 784 221www.extremadurabirds.net / [email protected]

Trujillo (Pago de S. Clemente) BIRDING EXTREMADURA

Birdwatching and hiking guide

Martin Kelsey Apdo. Correos, 28 • Tlf.: 927 319 349 / 609 687 719 ESP / [email protected]

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Chaffinch

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R U T A S O R N I T O L Ó G I C A S P O R E X T R E M A D U R ASierra de Gata

Location and access

The route is in the region of Sierra de Gata, in the dehesa of the River Alagónand in the valley of the River Árrago, on the southern slope of the Sierra deGata. You can start the route in the town of Moraleja (Cáceres), on the EX-108road (Coria-Moraleja), where you take the road leading to the town of La Mo-heda and Borbollón Reservoir or from the EX-205, turning off towardsMoraleja or going upriver in the valley of Árrago.

Description of the route

The route is about 106 km long, from the town of Moraleja to the end of thesuggested route and back, taking you on a mixture of roads and forest trails.It is intended to be done by car in one day, stopping at the most interesting ob-servation points.

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Sketch of the route and selected species

Sierra de Gata

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EX-1

09EX

-109

EX-205

Residents

Summervisitors

Wintervisitors

Eurasian Black Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Bonelli’s Eagle, Coal Tit

Black Stork, Egyptian Vulture, Ortolan Bunting,Tawny Pipit, Northern Wheatear

Dunnock, Yellowhammer, Eurasian Bullfinch,Common Crane

Part of the route goes through the dehesa, pastures and irrigated farmland ofthe River Alagón, in which the wintering population of Common Crane is note-worthy. Then it takes you up the River Árrago among shady groves of ash andalder trees, between mountains such as Bolla and Gomara, which are over1100 metres high and where there is a large breeding population of EurasianBlack Vulture, with over fifty breeding pairs. The route peaks at Puertos Nuevoand Viejo, at the provincial border with Salamanca, in the Sierra de los Ánge-les, an area of pines, heathers and brooms. Halfway along the route, betweenthe mountains and the plains, the Holm and Pyrenean oak dehesas soften thecontrasts between the peaks and the plains. The Borbollón Reservoir is an im-portant site for many wintering water birds, such as ducks, geese, Great Cor-morant, gulls and Common Crane, which use an islet – that of Parra Chica orBorbollón – as a regular roost during winter, as well as a breeding ground forWhite Stork, Cattle Egret and Grey Heron during the summer.Start the route in the town of Moraleja. From the EX-108 take the road lead-ing to the town of Moheda and the Embalse de Borbollón reservoir. Turn off tothe left at point (X:0703715, Y: 4442234), following the signs towards thereservoir of the Rivera de Gata. As you go along you will find mosaics of corn-fields, pastures and dehesa where you can easily see Common Crane feedingor Black-winged Kite. The landscape is dominated by traditional tobacco dry-ing sheds and, to the north, in the distance, you can see the mountaintops ofthe Sierra de Gata. Returning to the road turn left towards Borbollón Reservoir,declared a Special Protected Area for birds. Once you reach the campsite takethe road to Hoyos and Villasbuenas de Gata, turning right at point (X:0705617,Y: 4445362). From here there is a path going around Borbollón Reservoir,where we suggest you leave your car and walk along the bank at dusk, after

B I R D W A T C H I N G R O U T E S I N E X T R E M A D U R A

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Great Tit

having completed the suggested route. It’s a good place to watch CommonCrane, moving from their feeding site to the islet where they roost. From oneof the nearest points to the island you can see the birds on the banks, as wellas Great Cormorant, which roost in the eucalyptuses. Continue towards the EX-205 and turn right towards the town of Hervás, thenturn left at the crossroads of Cadalso and Descargamaría. Go upstream in thevalley of the River Árrago, shaded by a cool grove, where you can see the nerv-ous flight of the Dipper. Once you have reached the pretty town of Robledillode Gata, declared a Historical Artistic Ensemble, take the narrow road leadingto Puerto Viejo mountain pass. At point (X:0715446, Y: 4446783) you will findthe “Mirador de la Lagartera” viewpoint, where there is a good view of the nar-row valley of Árrago and from where a Roman road starts, a small path thatgoes up the gorge towards the river’s source. Its slopes are dense, full of blackpine, stunted Holm oaks, oaks and enormous treelike heathers, an ideal spotto watch small scrubland birds: warblers, Dunnock, Robin, etc.When you get to Puerto Viejo, at point (X:0715802, Y: 4470009), take the for-est trail to the left. This trail goes over an area of high peaks, dominated byplantations of black pine and thick bushes of heathers and broom. In this habi-tat you can find common summer breeding birds such as Ortolan Bunting,Northern Wheatear and Tawny Pipit as well as Yellowhammer, a winter visi-tor that can only be seen in this isolated mountain corner of Extremadura. Youcan also see Great Tit and Coal Tit in patchy clearings within the mountainpine forest. Scavengers such as Eurasian Black Vulture, Griffon Vulture andEgyptian Vulture, are also commonly seen flying over. The trail continues to theroad of “Puerto Nuevo”, at point (X:0710899, Y: 4467314), between the townsof Descargamaría and Ciudad Rodrigo (Salamanca). Along it you should turn

Sierra de Gata

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Northern Wheatear

off at the following points: Point (X:07149172, Y: 4469784). Turn right. Point(X:0714467, Y: 4469218). Turn right. Point (X:0713105, Y: 4468702). Turnright. Point (X:0711596, Y: 4468458). Turn left.When you reach the road turn left towards Descargamaría. The road twistsand turns, giving views of steep valleys and slate hills, with junipers andstunted Holm oaks growing among their slabs. Eurasian Black Vulture is morecommon here, particularly in the shady spots of the Gomara. There is a goodobservation point of the mountain range from the road at point (X:0712815,Y: 4464117).Once you reach Descargamaría take the road to Robledillo de Gata again, turn-ing off to the right at point (X:0713912, Y: 4464947). The route goes up asteep slope towards the peak and Chorrito viewpoint, from where you can seea spectacular waterfall known as “Chorro de los Ángeles”. The proximity ofa rubbish dump (recently reopened and part of the rubbish dump network au-thorized by Extremadura’s Administration) makes this site a perfect place towatch the incessant activity of large scavengers, particularly Griffon Vultures,which roost by the dozen in the slates of the waterfalls and crags of the “Sierrade los Ángeles”.

Ornithological interest

Due to the diversity of the habitats this route has many and varied ornitho-logical interests. The wintering population of Common Crane stands out, withan estimated population of about 4000 birds. In winter the Black-winged Kiteis common in the irrigated lands and dehesa of the rivers. Borbollón Island isthe nesting site of, amongst other species, Cattle Egret (240 breeding pairs)and Grey Heron, which has its biggest breeding colony in Extremadura here,with 160 nests. There are over fifty breeding pairs of Eurasian Black Vulturein this region. Together with the northern groups in Hurdes and Granadilla itsnumbers reach 100 breeding pairs. You can also see other species such asoverwintering Black Stork, although these habitats are not very favourable forthem. In some mountain pine forests you can see Coal Tit and in the heatherand broom thickets you can see the typical breeding birds of these mountainhabitats, such as Northern Wheatear, Ortolan Bunting and Tawny Pipit, as wellas characteristic scrubland species, such as Dunnock and CommonWhitethroat. In the pine forests and deciduous woodland areas the birds ofprey you can see include Booted Eagle, Eurasian Sparrowhawk and NorthernGoshawk, as well as Tawny Owl and Long-eared Owl.


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Best time to visit

This route can be done at any time of the year. In winter you can enjoy thespectacle of the wintering birds, mainly Common Cranes, drawn to the irri-gated lands, dehesa and water bodies. In spring the summer birds return, suchas Black Stork, Egyptian Vulture, Booted Eagle or Short-toed Eagle. Spring isalso the breeding season, so you must not stray from the established route toavoid disturbing the birds during this sensitive period. Although part of theroute goes through a mountain area it is very hot in summer, so avoid thehottest hours of the day if you do this route then, which are also lessfavourable for seeing birds.

Other environmental and cultural interest

Several areas listed in the Natura 2000 network are found in this district, suchas the Gata and Acebo valleys, the Enjas, Árrago and Tralgas Rivers, the sea-sonal lagoon of Valdehornos and a number of bat roosts. The Cedar of Gata,declared a Singular Tree, is also noteworthy. There are many attractive spots in the valleys descending from the mountains,especially along the Eljas, Acebo, Gata and Árrago rivers, as well as very be-autiful waterfalls, gallery woodland and natural swimming pools. There are many attractive small hill towns and villages, particularly fine exam-ples include Robledillo de Gata, Hoyos, Trevejo, San Martín de Trevejo andGata. In the past, this district established defences against neighbouring Por-tugal and the Arabs and this is reflected in the forts and watch towers such asLa Almenara de Gata and castles like those at Trevejo and Santibáñez el Alto.Local crafts here include lacework of Hoyos and Axebo, the goldsmiths of Gataand basketwork of San Martín de Trevejo.Amongst the rich cultural traditions of the district, mention must be made of“a fala”, a dialect with Portuguese and Galician roots, unique in the area, thatis most widely spoken in places such as Valverde del Fresno (where it is knownas “Valverdeiru”), San Martín de Trevejo (“Manhegu”) and Eljas (“Lagarteiru”). The olive groves bestow a special character and identity to this mountainouslandscape, so much so that a denominación de origen Olive Oil (“Gata-Hur-des”) of excellent quality is recognised.

Texts: Víctor Manuel Pizarro Jiménez

Sierra de Gata

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ACCOMMODATION

ACEBO

CR EL PAJARFINCA ALBERCAS-EL BECERRIL927141724CR LA CASA DEL CA-BREROFINCA ALBERCAS-EL BECERRIL927141724CR LAS FUENTES DEAGATACTRA. ACEBO • PARAJE LASFUENTES927514151CR LAS MARTASTTE. GONZALEZ ARROYO, 7927141685CR LOS ROBLESFINCA REVOLCOBO927514121CR BUENOS AIRESPISCINAS NAT. JEVERO, S/N678326657CR CORVINARAMON Y CAJAL 17927141785ATR EL PILARPARAJE EL PILAR, S/N679490542 • 629948712

CADALSO

HR TRES AZULESPARAJE DEHESA DE ARRIBA,S/N927441414P LOS PILARESPARAJE LOS CACHONES927 441500CR EL MOLINO DE LOS PILARESPARAJE LOS PILARES S/N927441020 • 656757103CR LA SIERRAIGLESIA, 1659 757 103ATR LA ALMENARAPLAZA DE ESPAÑA, 4927414288ATR PILARESPARALE LOS PILARES, S/N927441020 • 656757103

DESCARGAMARÍA

CR ZAGUÁN DEL BAILELAS PARRAS, 13625864324ATR LA BOTICARIAPL. MAYOR,10927237916ATR LA CASITA DEL MONTETEODORO GARCÍA, 40605670210 • 699912732

ELJAS

CR ALMAZARA DE SANPEDROCTRA. EX-205 KM. 19,2659434803

GATA

P LAS RUEDASAV. DE ALMENARA, 3927672093CR CASA MAIREHUMILLADERO, 66927672079CR EL FORTÍNTOMILLAR S/N689729480CR LA POSADA DE NORBERTARINCON HORNOS, 7627350185CR LAS JAÑONASCORREDERA, 11927672284 • 676655379CR ZOCAILLAEL NEGRÓN, 48927672302 • 646115948ATR LA COLMENACORREDERA, 16927672308 • 690816329C BUNGALOWS SIERRA DE GATACTRA. EX-109, KM. 4,10927672168

HERNÁN PÉREZ

H CUATRO VIENTOSAVDA. CONSTITUCIÓN, 20927445132

HOYOS

HS* REDOBLE, ELPL. DE LA PAZ, 14927514665

CR EL MADROÑALFINCA EL TESO927514461ATR CASA AGUEDADERECHA BAJA, 17669046383

MOHEDA, LA

CR LA MOHEDILLACTRA. DEL PANTANO KM. 35927140110

PERALES DEL PUERTO

HR DON JULIOAVDA. SIERRA DE GATA, 20927514651

ROBLEDILLO DE GATA

AT LA SOLANACAMPANARIO,1648217035 • 615317687CR AZABALMATADERO, 2927671073CR CAZAPOLENLA PUENTE, 8927671109 • 651010802CR COSMOPOLITAPLAZUELA, 7927671048 • 665551337CR EL PONTÓNLA PUENTE, 20927501797 • 652927026CR LUNA MENGUANTECONGOSTO,14927671014ATR LUNA MENGUANTEBARRERO655807808ATR BARREROBARRERO, 18927671122ATR CASA MANADEROMANADERO, 2927671118ATR LOS BALCONESRUA, 23927414288

SAN MARTÍN DE TREVEJO

HR EL DUENDE DE CHAFARILLOS CAÑOS, 29927513051 • 606340572


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Areas of interest (SPA Sierra de Gata and Valle de las Pilas)

CR CASA ANTOLINALA FUENTE, 1927510529CR CASA ZOILASAN PEDRO, 1927513130CR LA HUERTA DE VALDOMINGOCAMINO DE LA PISCINA, S/N927141724CR LA POSADA MAÑEGALA CIUDAD. 26678616444

SANTIBÁÑEZ EL ALTO

AT VILLAS LAGOS GOLFCTRA. GUIJO-MORALEJA, KM 112648164729CT BORBOLLÓNCTRA. MORALEJA-PLASENCIA, KM 10927197008

TREVEJO

AR EL CORRILLOPLAZA DEL CORRO, 1927513070 • 630791053

TORRE DE DON MIGUEL

CR EL VÍNCULOD. CASTO GÓMEZ, 2927441451A SIERRA DE GATA927 441032 • 927214433

VALVERDE DEL FRESNO

H** PALMERA, LAAV. DE SANTOS ROBLEDO, 10927510323

HR A VELHA FABRICAMIGUEL ROBLEDO CARRASCO, 24927511933CR A ANTIGUAMAESTRO D. MANUEL FERNÁN-DEZ, 46687825299 • 927510042CR LOS MONTEJOSCTRA. EX-205 KM 17,4927510266CR MANANTIO BLANCOFINCA MANANTIO BLANCO927510574ATR LA RAMALLOSAFINCA LA RAMALLOSA629085007CT VALVERDE NATURALCAMINO DE ELJAS627903892

VILLAMIEL

CR EL CABEZOFINCA EL CABEZO; CTRA. C-513, KM. 22,800927193106CR EL HORNILLOCTRA. CILLEROS-VILLAMIEL927193061CR EL PARADORPIO XII, 37 BIS927513215 • 656906669CR EL SALTOCTRA. VALVERDE DEL FRESNO-HOYOS, KM. 27,3699839290CR FUENTE ARCADACTRA. EX-205, KM. 23,5927193081CR BOADAEL CHORLITO, 2927513039

VILLANUEVA DE LA SIERRA

CR EVAMARLARGA, 66927445272

VILLASBUENAS DE GATA

CR CASA DONATILACALLE DE LA IGLESIA, 8927673037 • 670816272CR SIETE VILLASESCUELAS, 6927673110 • 696367222CR EL TESOTESO DE ARRIBA, 9927673046 • 605532181ATR EL TESOTESO DE ARRIBA, 9927673046

OFICINAS DE TURISMO

O.T. ROBLEDILLO DE GATAPZ. DEL VADILLO, 1ROBLEDILLO DE GATA TEL.: 927671011FAX: 927671080 www.sierradegata.org/[email protected]

O.T. OFICINA COMARCALDE TURISMO DE MANCO-MUNIDAD DE SIERRA DEGATAPLAZO MAYOR, 1 BAJO10892 SAN MARTÍN DE TREVEJO TLF.: 927514585FAX: [email protected]

Sierra de Gata

22

H: HOTEL / HA: HOTEL APARTMENTS / HS: HOSTAL / P: PENSIÓN / AT: TOURIST APARTMENTS / CR: GUEST HOUSE ATR: RURAL APARTMENTS / HR: HOTEL RURAL / A: RURAL HOSTEL / CT: CAMPING

Location and access

The Valle del Ambroz is in the centre-north of the province of Cáceres, bor-dered by the spurs of Gredos to the north and south and by the River Alagónto the west. The River Ambroz, which gives it its name, crosses the region diagonally, fromthe northeast to the southwest. The marked contrast of altitudes favours thepresence of many ecosystems, from dehesa to plains to high mountains.There is good access to all of the Valle del Ambroz, as the region is crossedfrom north to south by the A-66 motorway, also called the “Autovía de laPlata”, as it runs parallel to the historic Roman road of this name. The A-66 en-ters the north of Extremadura through the picturesque Puerto de Béjar andleaves through the Valle del Ambroz in the south, in Plasencia.

R U T A S O R N I T O L Ó G I C A S P O R E X T R E M A D U R A

2

Whinchat

Valle del Ambroz / Tierras de Granadilla-Cáparra

23


A-66

EX-205

Valle del Ambroz / Tierras de Granadilla- Cáparra

24

Residents

Summervisitors

Wintervisitors

Griffon Vulture, Eurasian Black Vulture, NorthernGoshawk, Peregrine Falcon, Golden Eagle, Black-wingedKite, Black Stork, Grey Heron, Great crested Grebe, StoneCurlew, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Dipper, Dunnock,Azure-winged Magpie, Blue Rock Thrush, Dartford War-bler, Firecrest

European Honey Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle,Egyptian Vulture,European Roller, European Bee-eater,Common Cuckoo, Pallid Swift, Common Whitethroat,Pied Flycatcher, Western Bonelli’s Warbler, OrtolanBunting, Golden Oriole

Common Crane, Osprey, Greylag Goose, ducks, Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Golden Plover,Northern Lapwing, Great Cormorant


The route suggested here has two separate parts: one is the Puerto de Hon-duras, a mountain route starting in Hervás, and the other is the dehesa be-tween the Roman ruins of Cáparra and the Gabriel y Galán Reservoir.The ascent up to Puerto de Honduras mountain pass is along a narrow road,with a lot of bends and little traffic, so you can drive slowly and easily and safelystop on the curbs. You go up from Hervás, at 700 m, to the mountain pass, at1430 m, crossing different types of vegetation, from the oak and chestnut treegroves of Hervás to the broom thickets at the top. The route starts in Hervás,from where you should take the road towards Cabezuela del Valle, staying onit at all times. The species you can see are mostly forest species (EurasianSparrowhawk, Northern Goshawk, European Honey Buzzard, Hawfinch, GoldenOriole, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Short-toed Treecreeper, EuropeanNuthatch, Eurasian Jay, Mistle Thrush, Pied Flycatcher, Western Bonelli’s war-bler), species of rocky places (Griffon Vulture, Peregrine Falcon, Golden Eagle,Rufous-tailed Rock and Blue Rock Thrush, Black Redstart, Rock Bunting) andscrubland species (Common Whitethroat, Dartford Warbler, Ortolan Bunting,Black-eared Wheatear, Woodlark). You can complement your ascent by car bycovering sections on foot in forest areas or at the peaks. Once you have goneup the mountain pass you can return to Hervás or go down through the Valledel Jerte, through similar landscapes, but without the chestnut tree groves.


25

European Bee-eater


26

The second part goes through a very different habitat: dehesa. It starts at theA-66 exit leading to Guijo de Granadilla and Gabriel y Galán Reservoir, nextto the disused train station of Villar de Plasencia. You must pay attention tothe access signs to this small road, as the entry isn’t direct. Once you havestarted the route you will cross a typical dehesa, where you can see CommonCrane in winter and Azure-winged Magpie, Hoopoe and other species through-out the year. There are many White Stork and Raven nests (sometimes occu-pied by the Common Kestrel) on the electricity pylons, although the electricitycompanies have recently started to get rid of them. The European Roller isalso present, although scarce, normally found perched on electricity cables orrural buildings. 4.4 km from the start, to the left, another road starts, whichleads to a livestock pool (be careful, as just before it there is another road tothe left, which you don’t want to take). You are now in an area of ash tree

Black Stork

groves where you can see Black Stork throughout the year; Spoonbill andGreat White Egret on passage; Northern Lapwing,Common Crane and Golden Plover in winter and European Roller and RockSparrow in spring. However, the presence of many of these species is irregu-lar and occasional. Returning to the previous road continue towards the Gabriely Galán Reservoir, passing by the ruins and Roman Arch of Cáparra. Nextcross the River Ambroz and you will enter a treeless area, where you can seeStone Curlew and Golden Plover in winter, as well as Common Crane andBlack-winged Kite. Keep on the same road until it ends in the EX-205, next tothe Gabriel y Galán Reservoir. We recommend you watch from the dam(there’s a large car park on the right), where, downstream, there is a colonyof Grey Heron in the black poplars, also the winter roosting area of Great Cor-morant (if you are lucky you might see Black Stork and Osprey) and, upstream,you can see the large expanse of water of the reservoir. The best area to watchwater birds is the southeast end of the reservoir, with the peninsula, wherethe Club Náutico is located, being a good site (recently reconverted into asports centre). This is an excellent spot to see Common Crane and gulls re-turning to their roosts, and to watch ducks, geese and Great Crested Grebe inwinter. The Eurasian Black Vulture breeds to the north of the reservoir, and iseasily seen, and it was the best site for the Iberian Lynx in Extremadura.

Ornithological interests

The diversity of the Valle del Ambroz means that you can see forest, mountain,scrubland, dehesa, farmland and aquatic birds all within a small area. In gen-eral, it is an area little visited by birdwatchers, mainly as it is unknown. The areadoesn’t have large populations of emblematic species, but does have great di-versity, and also offers the possibility of discovering its rich monumental her-itage and enjoying its beautiful scenery.

Best time to visit

The suggested routes can be visited at any time of the year, complementing eachother. The ascent to the Puerto de Honduras mountain pass is best undertakenin spring and summer, between March and September, with the best time beingbetween May and July. On the other hand, winter is the best time to cover the de-hesa, and in particular, to see Common Cranes and water birds on the reservoir.


27


28

Pied Flycatcher


The Valle del Ambroz offers visitors many areas of beautiful scenery, includ-ing the surroundings of La Garganta gorge, the pine forests of Granadilla andthe dehesa of Oliva de Plasencia. There are many special trees in the region:the birch grove of Puerto de Honduras (near the top, on the northern slope),Acarreadero oak in Cabezabellosa (the biggest in the region), the enormouschestnut trees of Casas del Monte and Segura de Toro and La Fresneda corkoak in Aldeanueva del Camino.Monuments of interest include the ensemble of Hervás, particularly its Jew-ish quarter and churches; the Roman ruins of Cáparra (with a centre of inter-pretation); the Palace of the Duques de Alba in Abadía; the spa complex ofBaños de Montemayor; the town of La Garganta; and the abandoned walledtown of Granadilla, now converted into an educational centre (it is advisableto check visitor opening times). Well-known typical products are cherries andchestnuts, Casas del Monte strawberries, kid goat meat, trout, sausages andthe traditional pitarra wines. “El Otoño Mágico” (Magical Autumn) is a notablefestival, which is celebrated in November throughout the region. Several townsand villages have colourful carnivals and theatrical works of Jewish origin areperformed in summer in Hervás.

Texts: Javier Prieta Díaz

ACCOMMODATION

ABADIA

HS** GUÍA DEL ABAD, ELC/ CARRETERA S/N927479291

CR LAS ERASC/ MAYOR, S/N927484085 • 927479163

ALDEANUEVA DEL C.

HR POSADA TRESMENTIRASC/ MATANZAS, 2927484333 • 927484006

HS** ROMACARRETERA NACIONAL 630,KM. 435927484038 • 927479097

HS* MONTESOLCARRETERA NACIONAL 630,KM. 436927484335

CR EL CAÑO DE ABAJOC/ LA CAÑADA, 94605971855 • 615210967

CR LA ESENCIAAVDA. GABRIEL Y GALAN, 74927479201 • 618473045

ATR POSADA TRESMENTIRASC/ MATANZAS,2927484333 • 667620585

CT ROMACARRETERA NACIONAL 630,KM. 435927479132 • 927479097

CAMINOMORISCO

HR CRISTANIAAVDA. DE LAS HURDES, 12927435338 • 627043292

HS** LOS AMIGOSC/ ROCANDELARIO Nº 56927435248

HS* ABUELO, ELROCANDELARIO, S/N927435114 • 927435005

HS* LABRADOR, ELCARRETERA N-512927434050

HS* RIOMALOCALLE LARGA927434003 • 927434020

CR RIOMALO DE ABAJOLA JURDANAC/ LAS HERAS S/N927434050

CT RIOMALO DE ABAJORIOMALOCARRETERA DE CORIA927434020 • 608109610

BAÑOS DE MONTEMAYOR

HR LA SOLANAC/ LOS POSTIGOS,15927488117

HR LOS POSTIGOSC/ MAYOR, 48927488117

H*** BALNEARIOAVENIDA DE LAS TERMAS, 66927488005

H** ALEGRIAAVENIDA DE LAS TERMAS, 42923428063 • 927488063

H** GLORIETA, LAAVENIDA DE LAS TERMAS, 83927488018

H* MARTIN IIDON VICTORIANO , 5923428066

HS** ELOYAVENIDA DE LAS TERMAS, 59927488002

HS** GALICIAAVENIDA DE LAS TERMAS,139927488162

HS** LAS TERMASAVDA. DE LAS TERMAS,79 2-A923428320 • 659185756

HS** MARTINPLAZA DE HERNAN CORTES, 5927488066

HS** MOLINO, ELCALLE DEL BAÑO, 46927488009

HS** SOLITARIO, ELCtra. Nacional 630, Km. 426,5923428231 • 902877531

HS* MONTEMAYORAVENIDA DE LAS TERMAS, 30923428281

HS* RUTA DE LA PLATAAVDA. DE LAS TERMAS, 96645258105

P DON DIEGOAVENIDA TERMAS, 69923428125

CR LA HORNERAFINCA LA HORNERA923428187

CR LA PESQUERAC/TRIANA,1927481330 • 629347329

CR VIÑA DEL BAÑOCAMINO DEL CALVARIO927488231

ATR LA CASA DE SUC/ MAYOR,50629046067

ATR EL SOLITARIOCTRA. NAC. 630, KM. 426927488231

ATR LA FUENTECILLAC/ FUENTECILLA, 7927488329689772706

ATR CASA DEL ZARZOC/ TRIANA,8669861539

AT LA PEÑAAVDA. DE LAS TERMAS,53923488223 • 675923163

A VÍA DE LA PLATAC/ CASTAÑAR, 40923020328 • 679228208

CT CAÑADAS, LASCARRETERA NACIONAL 630,KM.432927481126 • 927481314

CASAS DEL MONTE

CR LA CASA DE LAABUELAPLAZA DE ESPAÑA, 21927473414 • 660597421

CR EL BALCONCALZADA, 6927179055


29

Areas of interest (SPA Gabriel y Galán reservoir)


30

ATR DEHESA DE ARRIBABARRIO DE SAN MARCOS,50600677075 • 983340734

ATR EL NARANJOPLAZA DE ESPAÑA Nº 21 BIS927473414 • 660597421

ATR LA DEHESAC/ NUEVA S/N927179116 • 650728384

ATR ACEBUCHEPARAJE DE LAS OLIVITAS

617270643 • 927420820

AT EL CAMOCHOCTRA. DE SEGURA DE TORO. 927179104 • 659660543

A AURORA BOREALAYTO. CASAS DEL MONTE669610480 • 927179263

GARGANTILLA

ATR ALEJANDRASAN BARTOLOMÉ, 24927484148

HERVÁS

H**** EL SALUGRALCTRA, N. 630, KM.434. APDO. 61927474850

H**** HOSPEDERÍA VALLEDEL AMBROZPlaza del Convento s/n927474828 • 927474829

H*** SINAGOGAPLAZA DE LA PROVINCIA, 2927481191

HS** EUROPACARRETERA NACIONAL 630 K.433927473020

CR BEIT SHALOMCONVENTO, 38927473508 • 650736979

CR EL JARDÍN DEL CON-VENTOPLAZA DEL CONVENTO,22927481161 • 660452292

CR LA ATALAYABODEQUILLA, 7927473414 • 660597421

CR LA CUESTECILLACUESTECILLA, 17927473414 • 678588906

CR VALDEAMORVALDEAMOR, S/N927481644 • 678937323

ATR CENTIÑERAC/ CENTIÑERA,10669169540 • 620132554

ATR EL CABILDOC/ SUBIDA AL CABILDO Nº 38927414288

ATR EL CANCHAL DE LAGALLINAPARAJE EL LOMO S/N607260000

ATR EL MANANTIAL DELFRESNOPARAJE EL PINO S/N927191063 • 615500586

ATR EL ZARZOC/ CORREDERA,13661460533 • 927481465

ATR FUENTES DEL ALISOPARAJE FUENTES DEL ALISO S/N927473673

ATR LA CALLEJAPLAZA DEL HOSPITAL,14-A927481520 • 927411520927481520

ATR LA IGUANA 2C/CUESTECILLA S/N927481503

ATR LA JUDERÍAC/ ABAJO,54927414288

ATR LA PLATEAAVDA. FRANCISCO SANZLOPEZ,8927473191 • 618258936

ATR VICTOR CHAMORRODEL ARCOSUBIDA AL CABILDO,32647791877 • 927481402

ATR LA PLAZAPLAZA GENERAL SANJURJO, 9927473668 • 625030997

AT EL ACEBOLA CUESTA, 7927473414 • 660597421

AT ESTELA, LAPIZARRO, 10927473406

AT LA CASITA DEL TEJOMAXEDO, Nº 5653771364

AT ALDEA VETONIACtra. N-513, KM. 2,400927473457

AT EL CASTAÑARGABRIEL Y GALÁN, 25927481398 • 659266559

AT LA IGUANA 1DE LA CUESTECILLA, S/N927481503

A CAMPAMENTO INDIO"SHUNCA"FINCA "LA AMBRIGÜELA" S/N927194146 • 608707120

A VALLE DEL AMBROZCAMINO DE MARINEJO, KM. 1,6927473292

A VIA DE LA PLATAPº. DE LA ESTACIÓN, S/n927473470 • 639402583

CT PINAJARROCARRETERA COMARCAL 513,KM. 2,7 - Aptdo. 21927481673 • 927481673

JARILLA

H* JARILLACARRETERA NACIONAL 630,KM. 448,5927477040 • 927477040

HS* ASTURIASCARRETERA NACIONAL 630,KM.448927477057

CR SOLAZ DE AMBROZREAL, 67615027795

CR LA CALAMORCHADEL HORNO, 7927402029 • 927477020

CR PIEDRAS LABRADASGRANADOS, 21617990363

ATR LA CALAMORCHADEL HORNO, 7927402029 • 619343709

VILLAR DE PLASENCIA

HS* EL AVIÓNCTRA. NAC. 630, KM.452927489186



31

CR EL RINCON DE VILLARC/ EL RINCON, 11 BAJO927489247 • 696452842

CR LA CASA DE TIA EMILIAC/ QUEIPO DE LLANO,5927489028

ATR TIA ANTONIAC/ REAL, 15927489028

CABEZABELLOSA

HS** LA BELLOSINAC/ LA FUENTE,82927489056 • 639903173

CR CARVAJALCRUCERO,10656978234 • 669795310

CR EL TALLERLos Barreros, 6927489044

CR VILLA LUCÍACTRA. VILLAR DE PLASENCIA ACABEZABELLOSA, KM 6,800670627662 • 659388008

ATR EL NEVEROC/ MANZANAR,41927427085 • 927464482

ATR PEÑANEGRAC/ LA CUESTA, 22927464570 • 618748216

LA GARGANTA

ATR EL NEVEROC/ MANZANAR,41927427085 • 927464482

ATR PEÑANEGRAC/ LA CUESTA, 22927464570 • 618748216

CT BALCÓN DE EXTREMA-DURACRTA. DE BAÑOS A LA GAR-GANTA923414538 • 927481377

SEGURO DE TORO

CR CIUDAD DE VERDEOLIVAC/ PIZARRO, 15927484162 • 600819064

ATR LAS CUATRO ESQUI-NAS - CASETA DEL MO-LINOC/ LA CUESTA, S/N927473605 • 678044812ATR LAS CUATRO ESQUI-NAS - CASILLONDE LA TORRE, 6927473605 • 678044812ATR LAS CUATRO ESQUI-NAS - EL SEQUEROC/ VALENTIN GIL, 3927473605 • 678044812ATR EL MIRADOR DE SEGURASUBIDA DE LA CUESTA DEL CE-MENTERIO918161081 • 625434566

CASAR DE PALOMERO

HS** MARIANVARIANTE, S/N927436310HR LA POSADA DELCASARC/ MAYOR, 36927436410 • 927436410CR LA COMENDADORAVARIANTE, 30927436048 • 670030999CR DON ROMUALDODON ROMUALDO MARTIN SAN-TIBAÑEZ, 6924270811 • 645790666

GUIJO DE GRANADILLA

CR EL LABRIEGOLA PLACILLA, 13692166798 • 610392656CR EL OLIVOEL OLIVO, 2669732677

MOHEDAS DE GRANADILLA

P RUTA DE LAS HURDESCRUCE DE MOHEDAS927673646 • 927673646

LA PESGA

HS* ALMAZARALA FUENTE,12927674715

CR LA COMARCAAVDA. HURDES, 38

927674537 • 913861598

ATR LA COMARCAAVDA. HURDES, 38

927674537 • 629967464

ZARZA DE GRANADILLA

HS* JUNCO FRESCOCTRA. DE LA ESTACION, 58

927486275 • 927486275

P JACINTOCARRETERA DEL GUIJO, 10

927486221

CR GRANADILLA DEL

DUQUECTRA. DE LA ESTACIÓN, 19

605931060 • 670638491

AT LA CASA JARDINC/ ESPRONCEDA,115

AT POSADAS

DE GRANADILLA IICARRETERA DE GUIJO, 13

927486257 • 654346813

AT TIERRAS DE

GRANADILLACTRA. DE GUIJO, S/N

649377694

ATR GRANADILLA

DEL DUQUECTRA. DE LA ESTACIÓN,19

605931060 • 670638491

ATR POSADAS DE

GRANADILLACTRA. DEL QUIJO, S/N

927486257 • 654346813

ATR AMBROZC/ ESPRONCEDA,143

678462991 • 924374214

32

Hobby

33

R U T A S O R N I T O L Ó G I C A S P O R E X T R E M A D U R ALa Vera / Valle del Jerte 3

FROM THE MONASTERY OF YUSTE TO PUERTO DE PIORNAL

Location and access

Extremadura is crowned by the peaks of Gredos. This granite mass spreadsacross three regions: Valle del Ambroz, Valle del Jerte and La Vera. The Valledel Jerte is in the centre, forming a large valley of 40 km protected by twolarge mountainous spurs: Tras-la-sierra and the Valle del Ambroz to the northand Tormantos and La Vera to the south. The high areas are protected by theNatura 2000 network as SCI “Valle del Jerte y Sierra de Gredos”, while a smallarea of the Valle del Jerte of 6800 ha has been declared a Nature Reserve,called “Garganta de los Infiernos”. La Vera and the Valle del Jerte are uniquewithin Extremadura, as they are the only high mountain areas here and havethe best indigenous forests areas, chiefly of Pyrenean oak trees.Access to both regions is by two roads that run through most of the towns andvillages in each region. The Valle del Jerte is crossed by the N-110 betweenPlasencia and Puerto de Tornavacas, which continues towards Ávila. Most ofthe towns and villages of La Vera are situated along the EX-203, betweenPlasencia and Candeleda (Ávila). To start the suggested route in Cuacos de


EX-39

1

La Vera / Valle del Jerte

34

Residents

Summervisitors

Wintervisitors

Griffon Vulture, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Peregrine Fal-con, Tawny Owl, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, TheklaLark, Crag Martin, Black Wheatear, Dipper, Dunnock,Azure-winged Magpie, Blue Rock Thrush, Dartford War-bler, Firecrest, Carrion Crow

European Honey Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle,Common Cuckoo, European Nightjar, Eurasian Scops OwlPallid Swift, Black-eared Wheatear, Melodious Warbler,Spectacled Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, Western Bonelli’sWarbler, Ortolan Bunting, Golden Oriole

Eurasian Woodcock, Goldcrest, Siskin, Redwing,Brambling


35

Yuste, it is advisable to first go to Jaraíz de la Vera, either by the EX-203 fromPlasencia (32 km) or by the EX-A1, taking the exit at Casatejada. Cuacos deYuste is 5 km north from Jaraíz along the EX-203.


The suggested route consists of 22 km between Cuacos de Yuste and Puertode Piornal mountain pass, to be covered by car, then another 5 km on to PeñaNegra of Piornal, to be done on foot. The whole route is in the mountains, as-cending from Cuacos at 600 m to Peña Negra at nearly 1500 m, across dif-ferent types of vegetation, mostly oak groves along the road section and heathand broom thickets along the foot trails. The route takes you along narrowroads with little traffic, so you can drive slowly and calmly and easily and safelystop at the curbs.The starting point is in Cuacos de Yuste, at the crossroads between the mainroad and the road leading off to the Monastery of Yuste. Follow this smallroad until you reach the monastery through a dense oak grove. A stop at themonastery or in its surrounding area will afford the first sightings of forestbirds that you will see along the whole route (Hawfinch, Golden Oriole, Robin,Common Chaffinch, Great and Blue Tits, Short-toed Treecreeper, EuropeanNuthatch, Eurasian Jay, Mistle Thrush, Long-tailed Tit, Blackcap, CarrionCrow, etc.). After the forest the route takes you through an area of rocky out-crops with low scrubland. In this area you can see Black and Black-earedWheatears and Thekla Lark, with a spot next to a rock on the left hand side ofthe road that has a green triangle painted on it being a good place. The routetakes you back into another forest, then between cherry and olive trees, inter-esting in winter for Song Thrush and Redwing and, some years, Bramblings.Further on the route crosses the Garganta Mayor, a mountain stream sur-rounded by shady alder trees, suitable for seeing Dipper and Grey Wagtail (orfor bathing, as there is a natural pool here). Just after this you will reach the picturesque village of Garganta la Olla. Hereyou will have to pay special attention to keep to the route, which turns right to-wards Piornal. From here go up the narrow road to Piornal mountain pass for12 km, which has sharp bends (about a dozen), but is very beautiful, passingthrough a magnificent oak grove. Throughout this section you must driveslowly and carefully, stopping when you want at picturesque points (springs,waterfalls, large chestnut trees) or when you spot birds of interest. At a cer-tain height you will start to hear a lot of Western Bonelli’s Warblers and thescarce Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Pied Flycatcher (better in areas with


36

old trees) and if you are lucky you’ll see birds of prey such as European HoneyBuzzards and Eurasian Sparrowhawks. Once you have reached the mountainpass, beyond the forest and open ground, the route by car ends.The section you have to do on foot starts with the first trail on the right after youhave reached the top of the pass, which has a wide entrance and a cattle grid(kilometre point 16.7; coordinates 30-266050-4445600). However, we recom-mend you to go towards the small pine forest some 500 m to the left, where youmay see Azure-winged Magpie, Coal Tit, Crested Tit and Firecrest during thebreeding season (and sporadic sightings of the breeding Crossbill) as well asFirecrest and Siskin in winter (and occasionally Brambling and Fieldfare). Com-mon Whitethroat is common in the area around the pine forest and Garden War-bler and Iberian Chiffchaff occasionally breed here. Returning to km point 16.7the foot trail begins with a paved section and then continues for about 3.5 kmalong a dirt track to the reservoir. It crosses heath land at first and broom thick-ets at the end, dotted with oak trees. In spring it is easy to see Dunnock, Wood-lark, Nightingale, Wren, Dartford and Subalpine Warblers, Common Whitethroatand Rock and Ortolan Buntings. You must keep to the same track until you reacha small house (“Villa Martín”), where you should turn left. At this junction youcan see Spectacled Warbler if you carry straight on, and even Rufous-tailedRock Thrush in the rocks to the south. In spring and summer Lesser Kestrelscome up from Jaraíz de la Vera to hunt in this area and in August and Sep-tember you can see Montagu’s Harrier on passage. The path to the left will takeyou to the reservoir, behind which you will see a large rocky formation, PeñaNegra, which you will have to reach cross-country as there isn’t a path.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

From here there is a magnificent view of the Valle del Jerte and you can seeRufous-tailed and Blue Rock Thrushes, Spectacled Warbler, Black Redstart,Common Kestrel and, if you are lucky, birds of prey such as Eurasian Spar-rowhawk, European Honey Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon, Booted and Short-toedEagles and Hobby. The route ends here and you must go back along the samepath. If you go back by the village of Piornal look out for swifts, as large num-bers of Pallid Swift breed here.


The regions of La Vera and Valle del Jerte are home to unique species ofbirds within Extremadura, with the best regional representation of forest andmountain birds. They are mostly birds of northern areas (Carrion Crow, LesserSpotted Woodpecker, Dunnock, Hawfinch, Mistle Thrush, Pied Flycatcher,etc.), but are complemented by certain Mediterranean mountain species, bothforest (Western Bonelli’s Warbler) and, in particular, scrubland (Dartford,Spectacled and Subalpine Warbler, Ortolan Bunting, Woodlark) and rockspecies (Crag Martin, Rufous-tailed and Blue Rock Thrushes, Black-eared andBlack wheatears). Amongst the birds of prey, it is easy to find European HoneyBuzzards, with a small presence of Peregrine Falcon, Hobby and EurasianSparrowhawks and the curious appearance of Lesser Kestrel and Montagu’sHarrier in the high mountains.


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Spectacled Warbler Ortolan Bunting


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Best time to visit

Unlike most of the routes of ornithological interest in Extremadura, this routeis highly suitable to being done in summer. The best months to visit are be-tween April and October, with May, June and July being particularly good. How-ever, winter can be a good time to do the first part of the route, bringing newspecies (Siskin, Goldcrest, wintering thrushes). However, at this time therearen’t usually many species in the final part, on foot, over the mountain scrub-land. Another winter attraction is the presence of snow, which is common herethen. In this instance you have to plan ahead and get information beforehand,as the Piornal mountain pass is normally closed to traffic when it snows.


Both La Vera and Valle del Jerte have places of great scenic beauty and manybathing areas. Just a couple of places we would recommend you to visit areLos Pilones (Garganta de los Infiernos) and the Cascada del Caozo waterfall(going down from Piornal towards the River Jerte). There are also several spe-cial trees: the large chestnut trees of Casas del Castañar (along a sign-postedroute starting in this village), Solana oak in Barrado and Prado Sancho oakin Cabezuela del Valle and the Aldeanueva de la Vera pine tree. The Puertode Tornavacas mountain pass is very interesting to see other breeding birdssuch as the Skylark, Northern Wheatear and Red-backed Shrike.The towns and villages in the area, particularly those of La Vera, have good ex-amples of traditional architecture. We recommend visiting Garganta la Olla,Cuacos de Yuste and its monastery (the final residence of Carlos V),Jarandilla de la Vera and its castle, converted into a National Parador, Guijode Coria and Madrigal de la Vera. In Jerte, Tornavacas, Jerte and the CherryMuseum in Cabezuela del Valle are interesting.As for typical products, any visit would be incomplete without trying the fa-mous Jerte cherries, La Vera paprika and chestnuts. La Vera’s goat’s cheesesare also well-known, as are Piornal’s sausages, trout and farmhouse sweetsand liquors. Notable festivals include “El Peropalo” in Villanueva de la Vera(during its carnival), “Los Escobazos” in Jarandilla de la Vera (7 December),“El Jarramplas” in Piornal (20 January), “Los Empalaos” in Valverde de laVera (Holy Thursday, during Easter) and “El cerezo en flor” - the cherry treesin blossom - across the whole of Valle del Jerte (date varies each year).


ACCOMMODATION

BARRADO

HS** ALMAZARA DE BA-RRADO, LAAVDA. DE PLASENCIA, 3927478328 / 679551435CR EL CALLEJÓNC/COSTANILLA,14927412406 / 678832955CR LOS MORALESCALLE MORALES, 45626952761ATR LA CASA DE LAS CALABAZAS Y LA BUHARDILLAC/ CHORRO,6646529599 / 927478094

CABEZUELA DEL VALLE

H* ALJAMAFEDERICO BAJO, 18927472291HS** CABEZUELAPARQUE DE SAN ANTONIO, S/N927472434 / 927472686CR LA CERECERAPARAJE DE VADILLO, S/N927472644 / 629365857CR LOS PORTALESPLAZA DE EXTREMADURA,17927472601 / 629422957CR LA CASA VIEJAC/ JOSE MARIA MUÑOZ, 34696516787AT LAS TURONASCALLEJA LAS SANCHEZ, S/N65417757 / 615179872AT PRADO DEL ABUELOPARAJE EL REVENTÓN S/N.AVDA. PLASENCIA, 65927472610 / 678646469ATR PICAZA DEL JERTESAYANS CASTAÑO, 8606557481 / 927472486ATR QUINTANAEL HONDÓN, 10927472070 / 617626477ATR TAUROAVDA. HONDÓN, 53 Y 55927472078 / 607746884ATR VALLE DEL JERTEAVDA. DE EXTREMADURA,52927414288

ATR EL BALCON DE CABEZUELALA PINA, 8927472677 / 617020553ATR EL CAHOZC/ CAHOZ,23927173490 / 696571718ATR LAS TURONASCALLEJA LAS SANCHAS S/N615179872 / 654177575

CABRERO

CR EL ABUELO SANTIAGOC/ SAN ISIDRO, 60678408927 / 927411113

CASAS DEL CASTAÑAR

HS* REGINOCTRA. NAC. 110, KM. 390927478246P ASPERILLALA RAÍZ, 1 / 927478555CR CASA DE LA CUEVAC/ BARRIO BAJO,6665551337CR CASA DEL CALLEJÓNLA GILA,2667768571 / 667768570CR CASA DEL PASADIZOBARRIO BAJO, 31667768571 / 667768570CB CASA GRANDERUFO MARTÍN RIVERA,9667768571 / 667768570CR LA VIGAC/ RUFO MARTIN RIVERA,4667768571 / 667768570CR VILLAFLORCTRA. NAC. 110, KM. 388,911927421448 / 927478375ATR MIRADOR DE LAS CASASFUNDADORES, 53927478176 / 639355227ATR LA GRANJA DEL PESCADORPARAJE EL MESON, CTRA.N.110, KM, 391,922927478307 / 660797646ATR LA PRADERA DEL VALLEVALLE DEL JERTE, KM. 17927478306 / 629685774ATR 3 NAVALARREINA

VENTOSILLA, 10629514529 / 676484069

EL TORNO

CR EL REGAJOPARAJE EL REGAJO S/N686092597CR LA SOLANAPLZ HONORIO URBANO, 2927175301 / 667450958ATR ABUELA PASTORAC/ POLEO,6927419408 / 686379314ATR EL MIRADORC/ CAMINO DEL PUENTE S/N927422680 / 657976230ATR EL PADRE DE LACALLEHELIODORO HERNÁNDEZ,14927175164 / 608100311ATR EL PORTUGALC/ PORTUGAL Nº 59927422083ATR ALAMEDA DEL JERTECRTA. DEL TORNO, KM 6927175043A ALBERJERTEC/ PLAZA MAYOR,1927175221 / 619800072

JERTE

H**** HOSPEDERÍA VALLEDEL JERTEC/ RAMÓN CEPEDA, 118927470403H** ARENALES, LOSCARRETERA NACIONAL 110,KM. 368927470250 / 927470059HR TUNEL DEL HADATRAVESIA FUENTE NUEVA, 2927470000CR EL CEREZAL DE LOSSOTOSCAMINO DE LAS VEGAS S/N927470429 / 607752197CR HURACÁSFINCA HURACAS927470253 / 656418558CR LA CASONAC/ Ramón y Cajal, 71927470313 / 647710078CR VALLE DEL JERTECAMINO REAL


39

Areas of interest (La Vera y El Jerte)



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927470313 / 647710018AT LAS PALOMASPARAJE LA PERALEDA, S/N927470204 / 689282116 AT LOS NARANJOSC/ PUENTE,10927470424 / 679984607AT LOS PAPUOSTEJERILLA, 21655159318AT VALLE DEL JERTECAMINO REAL927470313 / 647710018ATR CASA BETHONACORONEL GOLFÍN,34619885792 / 927470503ATR EL PONTÓNC/ CORONEL GOLFÍN,68927470451ATR LOS CHOZOSCTRA. NACIONAL110,KM.368927470376927470195ATR LOS HEBILESCTRA. NAC. 110, Nº 28927470185 / 660697779ATR EL NOGALÓNC/ DEL PUENTE, S/N927470130 / 639048048ATR LA PICOTARAMON Y CAJAL, 81927470253 / 656418558ATR LA VEGA DEL JERTETIERRA AL PARAJE DE LA VEGA610778189ATR LAS PALOMASPARAJE LA PERALEDA, S/N927470204 / 689282116ATR LOS PANJALOSLOS PANJALOS,6695244201CT VALLE DEL JERTECARRETERA NACIONAL 110,KM. 367,9927470127 / 927470259

NAVACONCEJO

HR XERETEPARAJE LA CERCA927194240 / 639187322CR EL MOLINO DEL SOLCarretera N-110, Km. 373,3927470313 / 647710078CR EL CERRILLOAVDA. DE EXTREMADURA,130927173276

CR LA CASERÍACarretera, C-110, Km. 378,5927173141CR LA PICOTA DEL JERTELAS VIGUILLAS927173609 / 615836309CR LOS CARAZOSPARAJE "LOS CARAZOS"651375610 / 927173507CR CASA BÁRBARAC/ CAÑADA REAL,73610088219 / 927472205CR CASA JOSEFINAC/ LA PRENSA,15927173297 / 636908395CR EL CAMINOPARAJE EL TUMBA, S/N927173453 / 607497961CR EL SERRANOPARAJE EL TUMBA S/N927173453CR LA CASA BLANCACRTA- N-110 KM. 378,5927173202 / 606914231CR LA CASA DEL BOSQUEPARAJE PAZUELAS S/N927173140 / 625176810CR LA PARRAC/ FELIPE MARCOS, 8927173220 / 699212064CR LA TAHONAPARAJE "LAS GUERRILLAS"927173013 / 927173654AT CASERÍA, LACN-110, KM.378,5927173141 / 626933146AT LA VIÑAPARAJE LA VIÑA927173276 / 699352926AT LOS ABUELOSC/REAL,19927173351 / 650957580ATR LA ANTIGUA TAHONACARRETERA NACIONAL 110 KM 376,7626147105 / 625669836ATR CARROYOSACTRA. NAC. 110, KM. 376, Nº 54927173315 / 615060387ATR CASA CARRIZOSACRTA. DEL CERRO REAL616800861 / 627089225ATR EL ALAMBIQUE & LAALQUITARAAVDA. RAFAEL ALBERTI, 64617886261 / 636184990

ATR EL ARROYOFUENTE POCITO,3927173659 / 679045129ATR EL CEREZALC/ ACERAS,3927173202 / 606914231ATR LA CAÑADA DELJERTEPARAJE "VEGA DE LA HIGUERA"927239951 / 652321781ATR LA POSADA DELVALLEC/ GABRIEL Y GALÁN,2927173540 / 615540308ATR RIO JERTEPARAJE LA VIÑA696171478 / 626515970ATR CLEVALC/ LOS CEREZOS,12927173001 / 600755499ATR EL CERROPARAJE GUERRILLAS POLIGONO 2 PARCELA 195-B689440780 / 927173386ATR EL CORDEL DELJERTEJOSE MARIA PIZARRO, 28600812294ATR EL SOTILLOPARAJE LOS SOTILLOS POLIG 5PARCELA 2886-87927418122ATR JOSEFINACAÑADA REAL,53927173297 / 636908395ATR LA RANACTRA. NAC. 110690678621ATR LA RIBERAPARAJE LAS VEGUILLAS, S/N927425428CT RIO JERTECARRETERA NACIONAL 110,KM. 375,8927173006

PIORNAL

H*** SERRANA, LACTRA. GARGANTA LA OLLA,KM. 1,5927476034 / 927476053CR EL BOSQUECTRA. LOCAL DE LA NACIONAL110 A PIORNAL KM. 11,600927476330 / 669858273

CR MAJADA DE ALBARRÁNCTRA. LOCAL DESDE LA N-110A PIORNAL, KM. 11,600927476330 / 669858273AT LA FLOR DEL CEREZOC/ HERNAN CORTES,13927476224 / 636064902AT SANTIC/ Estación, 9927476135 / 659315918ATR EL ARTESANOC/ LIBERTAD, 4927476135 / 659315918ATR EL PASTORCRTA. LOCAL DE LA N-110 APIORNAL KM 11,600927476330 / 669858273ATR LA ABUELA NICOLASAAVDA. DE LA VERA,63609198618ATR LA ESPIGADERAC/ LA ESPIGADERA,18669837979

REBOLLAR

CR LA PURIACALVO SOTELO,25 BIS927471015 / 620945996CR LAS GAMELLASC/ CALVO SOTELO,25927471015 / 620945996ATR EL RINCÓN DELJERTECTRA. REBOLLAR, KM, 0,7627913161 / 927471036ATR REGAJO DEL TEJARCTRA. DE REBOLLAR, KM,1606418166 / 610678960

TORNAVACAS

HS* PUERTO DE TORNA-VACASCARRETERA NACIONAL 110,KM. 356,8927177046 / 660838992HR FINCA EL CARPINTERONACIONAL 110, KM 360,500927177089CR ANTIGUA POSADAC/ Real de Abajo, 32608852131 / 927177019CR EL PUENTEC/ REAL DE ARRIBA,61927420101

CR LA ESCONDIDAC/ REAL DE ARRIBA,160637082515 / 927177232ATR EL PUENTEC/ REAL ARRIBA, 61927420101ATR TIA JOSEFAC/ REAL DE ARRIBA, 106927177297 / 654595110

VALDASTILLAS

H**** BALNEARIO VALLEDEL JERTENACIONAL 110 KM 383927633000 / 927633001CR GARZA REALPISCINA 12927475055 / 626982784

ALDEANUEVA

DE LA VERA

HS** NOGAMAESTRO APARICIO, 37927572547 / 645778047CR EL YEDRÓNAVDA.DE EXTREMADURA661202994CR PUERTO DEL EMPERADORAVDA. DE EXTREMADURA, 87927572540 / 615565369ATR LAS CABAÑAS DE LA VERACTRA. EX.203, KM. 45620970693ATR LA LANCHALA RENTA,44927572699 / 679381522CT YUSTECARRETERA DE PLASENCIA,KM. 47927572522 / 649780799

ARROYOMOLINOS

DE LA VERA

HR PEÑA DEL ALBACTRA. DE GARGUERA (FincaMatasanos)927177516 / 690662729CR LA TOZAAVDA. DE LA CONSTITUCIÓN, 39, 2º.927177549

COLLADO DE LA VERA

HR ALCOR DEL ROBLEFINCA LA JARA927460044 / 699390075CR EL OLIVAR DEL EJIDOCALLE CRUCERA, 14609575061 / 927460792CR GINKGOSAVDA. JARAIZ,10927461059 / 606201344CR VIÑA GRANDEPLAZA HERNAN CORTES, 4927460308 / 669231061

CUACOS DE YUSTE

HR ABADÍA DE YUSTEAVDA. DE LA CONSTITUCION,73927172241H** DATO VERAAVENIDA DE LA CONSTITU-CION, 5927172178 / 927172348H* MOREGÓNAVENIDA DE LA CONSTITU-CION, 77927172181HS* MIRAFLOR DE LASCADENASCRTA. COMARCAL 501 KM40,700689400082CR COLMENAREJOFINCA COLMENAREJO699988571 / 927172210CR HOSTERIA CANTARRANASC/ PIZARRO,4680435560 / 927194109CR LA CASA GRANDE DE YUSTEFUENTE LOS CHORROS, 6629235333 / 639112235CR LA CASONA DE VALFRIOCTRA. DE VALFRIO, KM.4927194222 / 629464572CR LA VERA DE YUSTETeodoro Perianes, 17927172289 / 689686216CR CASA LA CIEGAFINCA LOS ARROMADILLOS609071623 / 913527611


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42

CR EL CAMINO DE YUSTEAVDA. DE LA CONSTITU-CIÓN,31652927749927172345AT VERA HOTELAVDA. DE LA CONSTITUCIÍN, 5927172178 / 927172281ATR CASASTURGAPARAJE ASTURGA S/N927194090 / 605883777ATR LA HACIENDA DECUACOSCAMINO DE ARROMADILLOSKM 3637098138ATR ARROYO RIQUEJOFINCA EL RIQUEJO686305263 / 927194198ATR LOS BANCALESCTRA. VALFRIO, KM. 4,300676830988 / 927194491A EL LAGOCarretera Comarcal EX 203,km.38927460323A GREDOS ADVENTURECTRA. DE NAVALMORAL-JA-RANDILLA, KM. 27,500927194127 / 915447918CT CARLOS IAVENIDA CERALEJO, S/N927172092

GARGANTA LA OLLA

HS** YUSTEAvda. de la Libertad, 45927179604HR CARLOS IAVDA. DE LA LIBERTAD, S/N927179678 / 927179687CRMANSION "EL ABUELOMARCIANO"CTRA. ALCORCON, S/N. JARAIZDE LA V.927460426 / 608100905CR PARADA REALCHORRILLO, 28927179605 / 660074968

GARGÜERA

CR ROSA DE LOS VIENTOSERAS, 7-9927478900 / 699847732

GUIJO DE SANTA

BÁRBARA

HR CAMINO REALC/ DEL MONJE, 27927561119CR LA CASA DE LAABUELAC/ DEL TEJAR,63665614804 / 927561008CR SIERRA DE TORMAN-TOSC/EL BARRIO,6927560394 / 699701445CR SANTA BARBARACARRETERA NUEVA 11660886788 / 927560424

JARAIZ DE LA VERA

HR VILLA XHARAIZPARAJE SAN MARCOS, PARC.35, A,B,C. POLÍG. 2927665150H* JEFIAVENIDA DE GARGANTA, 7927461363HS* D'ACOSTAAVENIDA DE LA CONSTITU-CION, 22927460219CR CASA RURAL FINCALOS CEREZOSTOLEDO, 13606965484CR EL CERROCAMINO LOS MARTIRES, S/N667889412 / 927170057CR EL CERRO DE LA AURORACAMINO LOS MARTIRES, S/N667889412 / 927170057CR FINCA VALVELLIDOSFINCA VALVELLIDOS APART.CORREOS 181927194143 / 626122121CR PARQUE PUENTEBOLOSFINCA LLANADAS, S/N659449428 / 619361077927194275CR CANTAGALLOPARAJE CANTAGALLO927194320 / 609393347CR CASA CHURRUCAEL COSO, 47927170820 / 606351135

AT CUMBRES DE GREDOSC/ MAESTRO EUTIQUIANO BA-RROSO,2651698549 / 651698550AT VAQUERÍA CANTA EL GALLOPARAJE LAS LAGUNAS DECANTA EL GALLO608809925ATR LA OROPENDOLACRTA. EXTREMADURA 203 KM35,200689401291 / 620978578ATR FINCA VALVELLIDOSFINCA VALVELLIDOS. APTO. CO-RREOS 181927194143 / 626122121

JARANDILLA DE LA VERA

HR DON JUAN DE AUSTRIAAVENIDA SOLEDAD VEGA, 101927560206HR RUTA IMPERIALC/ MACHOTERAL, S/N927561330 / 927560312H**** MIRADOR DE LAPORTILLACTRA, PLASENCIA-ALCORCON,KM. 47927560604 / 679538374H**** PARADOR DE TURISMO CARLOS VCARRETERA DE PLASENCIA927560117HS** EL DESCANSO DELEMPERADORAVDA. SOLEDAD VEGA ORTIZ,93927560655 / 651355170HS** POSADA DE PIZA-RRO, LACUESTA DE LOS CARROS, 1927560727 / 605177707HS* GANTEPLAZA SOLEDAD VEGA, 3927561200CR COLORESC/ ANCHA.26927561081 / 669464784CR EL CASERIO DE LOS 10CEREZOSCRTA JARANDILLA A NAVAL-MORAL KM 29,5927198072 / 667654035

CR LA BODEGAC/MACHÍN,4659348077 / 927560222AT LOS CANCHALESEL GUINDO, S/N.660981542 / 927561328ATR LA VERAFRANCISCO PIZARRO, 16639885523CT JARANDAGARGANTA DE JARANDA-CTRA. N-501, KM. 52927560454CT VERA, LACARRETERA COMARCAL 501,KM. 53, 5927560611 / 609815450

LOSAR DE LA VERA

HR ANTIGUA CASA DELHENOFINCA "VALDEPIMIENTA"927198077 / 609603606HS** HOSTERIA FONTI-VIEJAPARAJE DE LOS MARTIRES, 11927570108HS** VADILLOPLAZA DE ESPAÑA, 2927570501 / 699428106HS* BREZO, ELAVDA. EXTREMADURA927570140 / 625579842HS* EL RINCON DE VI-CENTEC/ REAL,8609062028HS* JARDÍN, ELC/ EL JARDÍN, 14927570782P GODOYCTRA. EX-203, KM 60927570838 / 927570770CR LA GARZONAAVDA. CARLOS V, 21927570639 / 649287927CT GARGANTA DE CUARTOSCTRA. N-501, KM.59 (FINCA LOSGREGORIOS)927570727CT GODOYCTRA.N-501, KM.62,5 FINCALOS GREGORIOS927570838

MADRIGAL DE LA VERA

HS** CARDENILLOGARGANTA DE ALARDOS, 35927565301 / 927565121HS** HOSTERIA LAS PAL-MERAS CASA COLONIALCARRETERA DE PLASENCIA, 16927565011 / 669528237HS* VICTORIACARRETERA DE PLASENCIA, 3927565110CR LA PUENTE VIEJAGARGANTA DE ALARDOS, 7927565353CR ANTIGUA FABRICA DELA LUZCAMINO DE LA SIERRA S/N927565183 / 667304314CR ALMA DE GREDOSPARAJE LOS MALAGONES, S/N620893697CR LAR DEL CUCOCAMINO DE LA SIERRA S/N626888962 / 927565101ATMARCOSCARRETERA PLASENCIA927565297CT ALARDOSCARRETERA NACIONAL 501 ("ELVADO")927565066CT LA MATAGARGANTA DE ALARDOS S/N927565370 / 677768181927565238

PASARÓN DE LA VERA

HR LA CASA DE PASARÓNC/ LA MAGDALENA, 18927469407CR EL ROLLOC/ REAL, 38927469174CR ANTIGUA BOTICAC/ M. LOPEZ APARICIO, 12927469067 / 927469230CR EL TOMILLARREAL, 88927469368CR LOS SERRANOSC/ LOS SERRANOS,9670824669CR LA SOLANA DE LA VERAC/ REAL, 89670824669

ROBLEDILLO DE LA VERA

HR HALDON COUNTRYFINCA EL HALDON, S/N927571004 / 927570541ATR 3 HOSPEDERÍA DEL SILENCIOPARAJE DE LAS CAÑADASS/N927570730927570693

TALAVERUELA

DE LA VERA

CR LALISEAFINCA LA ALISEDA S/N618124955 / 610944610

TEJEDA DE TIÉTAR

HS* ROSALES, LOSPASEO DE LA VERA,19927404636HR HOJARANZOSCRTA. A PLASENCIA S/N927469381 / [email protected] LA VALLEJERACarretera C-501, Km. 15,300927194121 / 689198048CR LA ANTIGUA CASA DELOS PESCADORESC/ LA FUENTE, 35927469439

TORREMENGA

HR EL TURCALCTRA. EX203 KM 28,800616611116CR LA CASONAFINCA VALVELLIDOS927194145 / 629645930ATR LA CASONAFINCA VALVELLIDOS927194145 / 629645930ATR MIRADOR DE LOSCOTOSFINCA LOS COTOS S/N927194454

VALVERDE DE LA VERA

CR LA PICOTA DE VALVERDEBANASTEROS S/N, PZA. PICOTA649933890 / 927566361


43



44

CR EL HORCOCRTA. VVDE. DE LA VERA-BAR-QUILLA PINARES KM. 8.400629457714CR EL SOTANILLOREAL, 2666405254ATR ECOPANGEAFINCA LAS JARAS S/N660384288ATR LOS VERGELESC/ CABEZUELOS,33927566630 / 626509267

VILLANUEVA DE LA VERA

HR EL BALCON DE LAVERACTRA. EX-203, KM. 75,600927567164 / 927567092HR QUINTA DEL CASTROCRTA EX-203 KM 76927115509 / 625496774H** FINCA LA HERRERÍACRTA. DE VEGA DE LA BARCAKM 1,400605252065HS**EL ENCUENTROAVDA. DE LA VERA, 58927566595 / 635409258CR A TU VERAAPARTADO DE CORREOS,36927198038620159127 / 927567372

CR CASA VILLALBAOROPESA, 6620894148

CR ENTREAGUASPARAJE DE PIURRUYO, S/N667525095 / 667525098

CR LA CASA DEL POZOC/REAL, 36927566262 / 927566206

ATR EL CALAMBUCOURB. LAS SOLANAS927567324 / 609340061

TOURIST OFFICES

O.T. CABEZUELA DELVALLEPARAJE DE PEÑAS ALBAS S/N

TEL.: 927472558FAX: 927472558O.T. JERTEAV. RAMÓN Y CAJAL, S/N

TEL.: 927470453FAX: 927470379O.T. JARAÍZ DE LA VERAAV. CONSTITUCIÓN, 167TEL.: 927170587

FAX: 927460646

O.T. JARANDILLA DE LAVERAPZ. CONSTITUCIÓN, 1TEL.: 927560460FAX: 927560460O.T. NAVALMORAL DE LAMATAANTONIO CONCHA, 91TEL.: 927532328FAX: 927535360O.T. VILLANUEVA DE LAVERAAV. DE LA VERA, S/NTEL.: 927567031

INTERPRETATION CENTRES

C.I. DE LA RESERVANATURALCTRA N-110JERTETEL.: 927014936C.I. DE LA ALTA MONTAÑAY LA TRASHUMANCIAREAL DE ARRIBA, 3TORNAVACASTEL.: 927177018C.I. DEL AGUAPARAJE DE PEÑAS ALBAS, S/NCABEZUELA DEL VALLETEL.: 927472004

45

Location and access

The route is in the southwest of the province of Cáceres, on the border withPortugal marked out by the River Tajo, a section of river known as River TajoInternational and declared a Natural Park in 2006. The suggested route canbe reached from Valencia de Alcántara by the N-521 (Cáceres-Portuguese bor-der), turning off onto the EX-374 towards the town of Cedillo, or from the townof Membrío, by the CC-126. From the north you can reach it from the EX-117.


The suggested route is a circular trip combining roads and dirt tracks. Theroute is designed to be done by car in one day, making strategic stops at themost interesting observation points.The route takes you across plains, with pastureland and vast areas of broomscrubland, rich in small game and so highly frequented by birds of prey thatcome from the nearby mountain ranges and riverbanks. As it is a livestock

R U T A S O R N I T O L Ó G I C A S P O R E X T R E M A D U R ATajo Internacional 4


N-521

EX-374

EX-3

76

Tajo Internacional

46

Residents

Summervisitors

Wintervisitors

Spanish Imperial Eagle, Eurasian Black Vulture, GriffonVulture, Bonelli’s Eagle, Eagle Owl, Carrion Crow

Black-winged Kite, Black Stork, Egyptian Vulture, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle

Dunnock, Eurasian Bullfinch, Common Wood Pigeon

farming area, you can see various species of scavengers, such as Griffon Vul-ture, Eurasian Black Vulture and Egyptian Vulture patrolling the land in searchof food. As you continue you will see dehesas of purely Holm or cork oak ora mixture of both, which contain a lot of livestock drinking pools that are fre-quented by Black Stork. It is common to see the silhouette of Red Kite, Com-mon Buzzard and Short-toed Eagle perched above on the electricity pylons.Then the predominance of gentle undulating slopes gives way to the unevenand impassable riverbanks of Tajo International, thrust so violently and spec-tacularly into the landscape that they are invisible from afar. In fact, from Spainyou can see the towns and fields of Portugal but not the riverbanks of the Tajo,which are often only given away by the fog banks that cover the valley in win-ter. One of the largest breeding populations of Black Stork and Egyptian Vul-ture find refuge along the riverbanks, as well as other birds of prey, such asthe Griffon Vulture, Eurasian Black Vulture, Golden Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, andEagle Owl. The Spanish Imperial Eagle breeds on the neighbouring bank andin the nearby mountain ranges, completing the catalogue of birds that aresought after by birdwatchers. Away from the riverbank, the route goes up theSierra de Santiago, which overlooks a vast dehesa landscape. If the large birdsof prey in flight and the graceful silhouette of the Black Stork are spectacular,the flocks of tens of thousands of Common Wood Pigeons that winter in thisarea are no less so. They form clouds that fly to their feeding areas to eat theyoung, small cork oak acorns, or to their roosts, in the eucalyptus groves ofthe mountain ranges and riverbanks every day. From Valencia de Alcántara, on the N-521, take the turning towards Cedilloon the EX-374 and then towards Herrera de Alcántara on the EX- 376 to godown to the riverbanks of the Tajo International, where you can see the sceneryin all its splendour and the most representative habitats of this protected nat-


47

Black Kite

Tajo Internacional

48

ural area. At point (X:0636373, Y: 438969) there is a viewpoint next to theroad overlooking the valley of the River Tajo. The wonderful shade that coversthis area, with masses of strawberry tree, laurustinus, wild olive and olivegroves that grow on slate terraces, make this place an unbeatable spot to seesmall scrubland birds, thrushes, Hawfinch and Eurasian Bullfinch, mainly inautumn and winter, when there is a generous supply of fruits for the thou-sands of wintering birds. In the stretch towards Herrera de Alcántara you cansee flocks of Azure-winged Magpie as well as Black-winged Kite and CarrionCrow, a highly localized resident species in the region.From here return towards the town of Santiago de Alcántara along the CC-37,crossing rivers such as the Alburrel, which twists between slate rock faces, be-fore flowing into the River Tajo. It is easy to spot the striking Black Wheatearon the slates, always associated to rocky habitats. Once you reach Santiago deAlcántara go towards the Centre of Interpretation of Nature “El Péndere”,following the road signs. From here starts the short road towards GeregosaSpring (PR CC-59), 7 km long, leading to the banks of the Tajo and the fa-mous medicinal spring. The route isn’t difficult as it is well signposted and theroad is in a good state. At point (X:0650063, Y: 43486053) continue straighton. Once you have reached the bank of the Tajo you will find some public fa-cilities, such as a viewpoint and interpretative panels about the area. The siteoffers a good possibility of seeing riverside birds such as Grey Heron, GreatCormorant, Griffon Vulture, Black Stork, Egyptian Vulture, etc.Returning to Santiago de Alcántara, take the CC-126 towards the town of Mem-brío. Leaving this town, take the road on the left at point (X:0651072, Y:4386209), which will take you to the spot known as “Las Viñas”. The routeis easy and is sign-posted throughout (PR-CC 96). Once you reach the end ofthe road there are several public facilities, such as a car park, a viewpoint and

Bonelli's Eagle

a spectacular observation tower from which you can enjoy the beauty of therugged scenery of the Tajo International. From the viewpoint you can easily seethe slate rock faces that tower over the river where Griffon Vulture, Black Storkand Egyptian Vulture nest.Take the CC-37 back to Santiago de Alcántara, which will take you back to-wards the N-521, the start and end point of this route. At point (X:0651077,Y: 4384412) take a road on the left that will take you to the summit of Sierrade Santiago. We recommend you leave your car at the foot of the mountainrange and walk up to the viewpoint you will find at the top and that looks outover a spectacular dehesa landscape. On the way up you can see Peña de losBarreros, some quartzite cliffs on which there is a colony of Griffon Vulture.


The Spanish Imperial Eagle and Black Stork should be highlighted. They arespecies in “danger of extinction” and there are good numbers of breedingpairs, both in the mountain range and in the dehesa and riverbanks in the area.The Spanish Imperial Eagle extends eastwards from this area, following theslopes of the Sierra San Pedro and giving rise to the largest breeding groupin Extremadura. The Black Stork also has many pre-migration gatheringsspread over the pools of the dehesa and the riverbanks. The Eurasian BlackVulture, linked to the dense and impenetrable patches of Mediterranean scrub-land, is present in large numbers in the area, also continuing on from the nu-merous colonies in the neighbouring Sierra de San Pedro.It isn’t difficult to find species such as Bonelli’s Eagle, Golden Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Griffon Vulture and Eagle Owl, of which there aremany pairs nesting in the safety of the cliffs and trees. Egyptian Vulture hasone of its largest breeding populations in Extremadura here.The excellent degree of conservation of the scrubland of the riverbanks and theshade of the mountain range provide shelter and food for a countless numberof small species: Common Whitethroat, Robins, Dunnocks, etc.In the deshesa Black-winged Kite, Carrion Crow – very scarce and localized inthe region – and numerous flocks of the argumentative Azure-winged Magpiesare often present.In winter the flocks of tens of thousands of Common Wood Pigeons that formspiralling clouds as they move around are spectacular. The region of the TajoInternational, together with the Sierra de San Pedro, is by far the best areaduring winter in Extremadura. There are also large winter concentrations ofGreat Cormorant in the waters of the Tajo.


49

Tajo Internacional

50

Best time to visit

The route can be done at any time of the year. In winter you can enjoy thespectacle of the flocks of Common Wood Pigeon and in spring the summervisitors return: Black Stork, Egyptian Vulture, Booted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle,etc. Spring is also the breeding period, so you must keep to the establishedroutes to avoid disturbing the birds during this sensitive period. Summer isvery hot, so avoid the middle of the day, which is also less favourable forwatching birds. The pre-migration concentrations of Black Stork gather in thisseason.


The area includes the Sierra de San Pedro which is an SPA supporting one ofthe largest number of breeding pairs of Spanish Imperial Eagle and Black Vul-ture in the Iberian peninsular. The Alcántera and Brozas plains are also im-portant, combining natural pasture, rain-fed arable land, scrub and Holm oakgroves, rich in open-country birds such as Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Black-bellied Sandgrouse and Calandra Lark. The area is crossed by the Tajo riverand its network of tributaries, such as the Eljas, Salor, Aurela and Sever. Thesewaters are rich with fish and have good populations of Otter. During the au-tumn, the dehesas resonate with the sound of the rutting Red Deer stags, acommon sight thanks to healthy populations of game in this area. The district is well endowed with megalithic monuments. Particularly impor-tant are the groups of dolmens of Santiago de Alcántara, Herrera de Alcántaraand Cedillo. Prehistoric cave-paintings are well represented as well in the “ElBuraco” cave (Santiago de Alcántara).Alcántara offers good examples of vernacular architecture, such as its farmhouses, as well as palaces, estate houses and convents, such as San Benito,which hosts the Festival of Classical Theatre in the first fortnight of August orthe Convent San Bartolomé, which is now a hotel. One must not miss theRoman bridge over the Tajo, on the Vía de la Estrela.


ACCOMMODATION

ALCÁNTARA

H**** HOSPEDERIA CON-VENTUAL DE ALCANTARACTRA. DEL POBLADO DE IBER-DROLA, S/N927390638HS** KÁNTARA AL SAIFAVENIDA DE MERIDA, 2927390246 • 927390833HA* KANTARA-AL-SAIFAVDA. DE MÉRIDA S/N927390833 • 927390246CR LA CAÑADAC/ REGIMIENTO DE ARGEL, 20927390298 • 676826796CR LA NACENCIAALTOZANO, 7927390522CR SAN ANTONIOC/ SAN ANTÓN,40927390822 • 676847706CR EL GALAPEROCTRA. MATA-GARROVILLAS,KM. 17649551054ATR LA CASINASOLEDAD, 2655448881 • 927390105CT PUENTE DE ALCANTARAFINCA LOS CABEZOS, C-523KM. 53,300927390947

BROZAS

HR EL VAQUERILFINCAL EL VAQUERIL927375257 • 659101710H**** CONVENTO DE LA LUZCRTA. DE HERRERUELA S/N927395439H** BALNEARIO SAN GREGORIOCTRA. SAN GREGORIO S/N927191050H** LA LAGUNAEX-207 CRTA. CACERES ALCAN-TARA KM 33927395341HS* POSADA, LAPLAZA DE OVANDO, S/N927395019CR LA HUERTAPLAZA DEL COSO, S/N699354473 • 927395009

CARBAJO

HR BALDIO GRANDECTRA. CARBAJO A SANTIAGODE ALCÁNTARA, KM. 1,5927491014 • 696466773CR BALDIO GRANDECRTA. CARBAJO-SANTIAGO DEALCÁNTARA KM 1.5927491014 • 696466773ATR TAJO INTERNACIONALC/ LA CONSTITUCIÓN,13667743627 • 609361689

CEDILLO

P ROBLEDOANTONIO MORENO, 9927590068

HERRERA DE ALCÁNTARA

HS* PURICALLE ARRABAL, Nº 1927591002CR LA ROMERAFINCA " TRES RIVEROS"923238185 • 606434515CR LA SOLANAFINCA SOLANA. CTRA. DE CE-DILLO, KM. 24,300927491081 • 927491055CR CASA LOLAC/ SAN SEBASTIAN,3927591060CR LA GALANAFINCA "TRES RIVEROS"923238185 • 606434515CR LA MALVARROSAFINCA "TRES RIVEROS"923238185 • 606434515CR LA MALVAZULFINCA " TRES RIVEROS"923238185 • 606434515CR LA SERENAFINCA "TRES RIVEROS"923238185 • 606434515

HERRERUELA

HR SIERRA DE SAN PEDROZURBARÁN, 8927371641 • 686948442

MEMBRÍO

CR TURISMO RURAL LANORASAN BERNABÉ, 7927594125 • 927584178ATR LA NORASAN BERNABÉ,7927594125 • 617452233

SANTIAGO DE ALCÁNTARA

ATR EL BURACOCRTA. VALENCIA DE ALCAN-TARA S/N927592029 • 629515647A EL BURACOCAMINO DEL MIRADOR, S/N927592257 • 927234893

VALENCIA DE ALCÁNTARA

HR CONVENTO, ELCASERIA DE SAN PEDRO, S/N927584129H**** CASA ESCOBARJEREZALFACAR, 13927668139H* CLAVO, ELRAMON Y CAJAL, 14927580268 • 927581020H* IBERICAPASEO DE SAN FRANCISCO, 14927580150HS* NAIROBIHERNAN CORTES, 9927580136P SERRANA, LASAN JUAN, 8927580020CR LA PORTILLA DEL JINIEBROPARAJE EL JINIEBRO ACEÑA BORREGA, LA927599015CR SOTO DE NISAFINCA LA MORERA DE ARRIBA ACEÑA BORREGA, LA924220776 • 600432574CR LA TORACORTIJO DE LA TORA VALENCIA DE ALCANTARA686965445 • 927491066CR EL LINCECORTIJO LA TORA, APDO. 20VALENCIA DE ALCANTARA686965445 • 927491066CR EL ZORROCORTIJO LA TORA, APDO, 20VALENCIA DE ALCANTARA686965445 • 927491066CR LA JIGUERAC/ CASIÑAS BAJAS, S/NVALENCIA DE ALCANTARA669550655 • 927582591CR MONTENUEVOPARAJE MONTENUEVO S/N ACEÑA DE LA BORREGA927599021 • 630621385


51

Areas of interest (Natural Park TAJO INTERNACIONAL)

Tajo Internacional

52

CR VIRGEN DE LA CABEZAFINCA LA MORERA DE ARRIBA924251791 • 676830547CR EL CASTAÑAR IINAL. 521, KM.149,8. PUERTOROQUE927584040CR EL CASTAÑAR IIINAL. 521K, KM.149.8. PUERTO ROQUE927584040CR EL CASTAÑAR IVNAL.521, KM. 149,8. PUERTO ROQUE927584040CR EL CASTAÑAR INAL. 521, KM. 149,8 PUERTO ROQUE927584040CR EL CIERVOCORTIJO LA TORA, APDO, 20686965445 • 927491066CR EL JABALICORTIJO LA TORA. APDO. 20927491066 • 686965445CR SALTO DE CABALLOCASERÍO LA FONTAÑERA927580865ATR PINAR DE JOLAANTOLINA DURÁN, S/NJOLA690821624ATR EL ARROYOLOS ARROYOS DE ABAJO (LAS HUERTAS DE CANSAS)666829177 • 626195615

ATR HUERTA DEL SEVERHUERTA LUNA S/N APDO. 10639483667 • 924221157

ATR LA JIGUERACASIÑAS BAJAS927582591 • 669550655

ATR LA MACERAFINCA LA MACERA927582299 • 639548709

ATR LOS OLIVOSAVDA. LISBOA URB. LOS OLIVOS S/N927581006 • 927582312

ATR QUINTA DE LUNAACEÑA LA BORREGA, S/N924221157 • 639483667

ATR ROCAMADORFINCA LA MACERA S/N927582299 • 639548709

ATR VALBÓNFINCA LA MACERA927582299 • 639548709

ATR EL JINIEBROACEÑA LA BORREGA927584062 • 636417812

ATR EL REGATOHUERTA LUNA, S/N927491078 • 660451270

ATR MARCELINOC/ CASA NUEVA, S/N927599059 • 650408988

ATR PUERTO ROQUEPUERTO ROQUE, S/N

927584171 • 627483550

ATR ALBORADA DELSEVERHUERTA LUNA S/N.639483667ATR SAN PEDROHELECHO, S/N660080648 • 699051305CT AGUAS CLARASCTRA. DE JOLA, KM. 3927549099 • 927549099

ZARZA LA MAYOR

ATR PEÑAFIELAVDA.CONSTITUCIÓN927370465 • 616763958

TOURIST OFFICES

O.T. ALCÁNTARAAV. DE MÉRIDA, 21TEL.: 927390863FAX: 927390863O.T. VALENCIA DE ALCÁNTARAHERNÁN CORTÉS, S/NTEL.: 927582184FAX: 927582184


C.I. TAJO INTERNACIONALVELÁSQUEZ, S/NCEDILLOTEL.: 927590029C.I. EL PÉNDERELAGAR, 3SANTIAGO DE ALCÁNTARATEL.: 927592311


53

R U T A S O R N I T O L Ó G I C A S P O R E X T R E M A D U R ACanchos de Ramiro and Portaje Reservoir 5

Location and access

Towns of reference for this route are Torrejoncillo, Portaje, and Cachorrilla,all within the region of Coria. To access the route we recommend you take theA-66 (N-630), taking the turning off to Torrejoncillo-Coria (EX-371) at Puertode los Castaños (Cañaveral). Then once you reach Torrejoncillo go towardsCoria (EX-109) and after just over 4 km turn left onto a local road which willtake you to the towns of Portaje (5 km) and Cachorrilla (15 km; after turningoff towards Pescueza). Pages 1:50,000 numbers 621 and 622 of the IGN.

Griffon Vultures


EX-109

Canchos de Ramiro and Portaje Reservoir

54

Residents

Summervisitors

Wintervisitors

Griffon Vulture, Eurasian Black Vulture, Spanish Impe-rial eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, Golden Eagle, Grey Heron,Red-crested Pochard

Black Stork, Egyptian Vulture, Black Kite

Common Wood Pigeon, Common Crane, ducks

Passagemigrants

Aquatic birds


1) Canchos de Ramiro: Los Canchos de Ramiro (large rocky outcrops), to-gether with the riverbanks and mountain ranges in the area (Sierras de la Gar-rapata, Solana, etc.) have been declared SCI and SPA for their exceptionallyrich flora and fauna, forming part of the Network of Protected Natural Areas ofExtremadura. Los Canchos, in particular, form a spectacular quartzite passover the River Alagón, now dammed for the Alcántara Reservoir. The sug-gested route is 10 km long (there and back), so is perfect to be done in half aday, either on foot (recommended) or by car. Access to Los Canchos (or to Bo-querón) is very simple: you just have to take a sign-posted path that starts inCachorrilla. To be precise, take the road to Ceclavín and 200 m along, whenyou reach the Ermita del Cristo (chapel) and a small pool (29S-699309-442090), the path leads off to the right (called Camino del Chorrillo), passingthrough beautiful countryside of dehesa and riverbanks and leading to therocky outcrops of Los Canchos.2) Portaje Reservoir: This small man-made reservoir of great ornithologicalimportance is very close to the towns of Portaje (4.5 km) and Torrejoncillo (3km) and is reachable from them along asphalted roads. Altogether the sug-gested route is 17 km long, designed to be done by car in half a day. From thefirst town take the reservoir service track southwards for 2.5 km (next to thechapel Ermita del Cristo). At this point you will reach a crossroads (29S-70852-441903); turn left and, after going 800 m and crossing the Ribera deFresnedosa riverbank, you will reach the reservoir (where you will see theChapel of La Virgen del Casar). At the reservoir turn right, following the path


55

Green Sandpiper

56Peregrine Falcon


that goes all the way around the left bank of the reservoir, and after crossinga bridge at one of its ends you will reach the town of Torrejoncillo. Beforethis, at one of the crossroads (29S-714624-441808), very close to the water,you can take another track that goes round part of the reservoir’s right bank.


1) Canchos de Ramiro: Large concentrations of large birds of prey nest in thesteep quartzite crags of the pass. This includes a colony of Griffon Vulture(over 100 pairs) as well as several pairs of Golden Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle,Egyptian Vulture, Eagle Owl, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon and BlackStork. Walking along the riverbanks there are typical dehesa species (Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Azure-winged Magpie, as well as many other passer-ine species associated with this Mediterranean habitat).The Spanish Imperial Eagle, Red and Black Kite and Eurasian Black Vulturealso nest in the dehesa and mountain ranges in the area. In the reservoir it’spossible to see numerous species of water birds, including Great Cormorant,Grey Heron and different species of duck.


57

Grey Heron

58

2) Portaje Reservoir: This reservoir is one of the most important wetlandareas for water birds (in terms of number and diversity) in the Extremaduranbasin of the River Tajo, following habitat management activities (diversiondams at the ends, man-made islands, hides, etc.). During winter it supports,on average, more than 2500 birds of a great diversity of species (duck, grebes,coot, etc.). In the breeding season Red-crested Pochard are noteworthy, thisbeing one of only a few breeding sites for this species in Extremadura, as wellas the colony of Grey Heron and White Stork at the end of the reservoir.

Best time to visit

This route can be done at any time of the year, particularly in the spring breed-ing period and in winter.


Environmental values. Magnificent thick forests of Holm and cork oak coverthe whole region, especially the dehesa and plains around the Ribera deFresnedosa. This and other watercourses have wonderful ash tree forestsalong their banks. Ethnographic values, examples of traditional architecture in the small townsand villages (Cachorrilla, Pescueza, Portaje, etc.), and in the typical agriculturalconstructions in the area (stone walls, huts, wells, etc.).Traditional festivals. These include festivals that have been declared of Inter-est for Tourists: Las Carantoñas (Acehuche, 19-20 January), Los Sanjuanes(Coria, 24 June) and Encamisá (Torrejoncillo, 7 December).Monuments. Declared a site of interest for tourists, the historical-artistic cen-tre of the city of Coria has one of the most outstanding collection of fine build-ings in Extremadura (Roman walls and bridge, castle, cathedral, palaces,convents, etc.). The Monastery-convent of Palancar (Pedroso de Acim), de-fined as the “smallest monastery in the world”, is a wonderful example of re-ligious architecture.

Texts: Casimiro Corbacho Amado


ACCOMMODATION

CACHORILLA

CR EL BOQUERÓNPLAZA MAYOR,4927140748 • 606518463CR CASA CANDIDOPLAZA MAYOR, 1927140748 • 606518463CR LOS CANCHALESPLAZA MAYOR,6927140748 • 606518463

CASILLAS DE CORIA

ATR EL MOLINOPLAZA MAYOR, 1927146001 • 927146008

CECLAVÍN

P SAN MARCOSC/ RETIRO,1605571523CR EL LAGARC/ MOLINO ESQ. CALLES ELJAS927393397 • 627471134ATR LA BORRASCAC/RETIRO, 1605571523 • 927393282

CILLEROS

CR LA MESONERACAMINO DEL TESO MORENO, S/N646486338ATR LA MESONERACAMINO DEL TESO MORENO, S/N646486338

CORIA

H**** PALACIOPLAZA DE LA CATEDRAL, S/N927506449H** MONTESOLCALLE PUENTE DE HIERRO927501049 • 927500277H** SAN CRISTOBALCarretera Ciudad Rodrigo, km.33927501412H* KEKES, LOSAVENIDA SIERRA DE GATA, 49927504080 • 927500494P EL CASERO DE GUIJOC/ EL GUIJO,32927500245

MORALEJA

H* ENCOMIENDA, LAPLAZA DE ESPAÑA, 13927147759 • 927515833

HS** DELPHOSAVENIDA PUREZA CANELO, 15927515425 • 927515403HS* REYPALAVDA. LUSITANIA, 19927147942HS* VOLANTE, ELAVDA. DE PUREZA CANELO, 40927515177 • 927515406

ZARZA LA MAYOR

ATR PEÑAFIELAVDA.CONSTITUCIÓN927370465 • 616763958

TOURIST OFFICES

O.T. CORIAAV. DE EXTREMADURA, 39TEL.: 927501351FAX: 927500735 [email protected]. MORALEJAAV. PUREZA CANELO, S/NTEL.: 927147088FAX: [email protected]


59

Areas of interest (ZEPA Canchos de Ramiro and Ladronera)

Bonelli's Eagle


60

Eurasian Black Vulture and Griffon Vulture

61


6

Location and access

Monfragüe is roughly in the centre of the province of Cáceres, at the conflu-ence of the rivers Tajo and Tiétar. It is at present the only National Park in Ex-tremadura, with 18,118 ha under this protection. The park and its immediatesurrounding area, a total of 116,151 ha, are protected by the Natura 2000 net-work as a SPA. The centre of the park consists of several small, parallel moun-tain ranges, between which flows the River Tajo. The River Tiétar and otherlesser watercourses carve out deep gorges as they flow towards the Tajo, cre-ating a spectacular system of rocky cliffs in which a huge number of birdsbreed. Nowadays the river courses are dammed up by the reservoirs of Al-cántara, Torrejón-Tajo and Torrejón-Tiétar. Despite the area’s low height, theuneven relief and the water barrier has meant that areas of Mediterranean for-est and scrubland of extremely high value in terms of their fauna and florahave been conserved. But what really gives the area its value are the large de-hesa areas that extend to the north and south of the National Park, providingan abundant food supply for Monfragüe’s most valuable birds.

Monfragüe National Park


EX-208


62

Residents

Summervisitors

Wintervisitors

Grey Heron, Red-legged Partridge, Red Kite, Griffon Vul-ture, Eurasian Black Vulture, Northern Goshawk, SpanishImperial Eagle, Golden Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, PeregrineFalcon, Eagle Owl, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, BlackWheatear, Crag Martin, Thekla Lark, Blue Rock Thrush,Azure-winged Magpie, Red-billed Chough, Hawfinch

Black Stork, White Stork, Black Kite, Egyptian Vulture,Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Red-necked Nightjar,Alpine Swift, White-rumped Swift, Pallid Swift, EuropeanBee-eater, Red-rumped Swallow, Black-eared Wheatear,Western Orphean Warbler, Subalpine Warbler Specta-cled Warbler, Dartford Warbler, Golden Oriole

Great Cormorant, Dunnock, Eurasian Bullfinch, Redwing, Firecrest, Goldcrest, Siskin

Access to Monfragüe is easy and well sign-posted. Within the park there isonly one town, Villarreal de San Carlos, a municipality of Serradilla, whichis small and completely connected to the park, accommodating the visitor cen-tre and centre of interpretation. There are three roads you can take to get intothe park. From the north, by the EX–208, about 20 km from Plasencia and 15km from the EX-A1. From the south, also by the EX-208, but from Trujillo,about 50 km away, after going through Torrejón el Rubio. Or finally, from thenortheast, by a small road leading off from the EX-A1, the exit being by theRiver Tiétar. Also, from the south, the EX-390 connects the city of Cácereswith Torrejón el Rubio and the EX-385 connects the EX-208 with the A-5, pass-ing through Jaraicejo.


Most of the National Park is closed to visitors, with the area open to the publicbeing relatively small. However, this area offers all the best of the birds of Mon-fragüe. In fact, there are some world famous birdwatching spots here, thanksto the ease of observing some emblematic birds in exceptional conditions.Due to the restrictions the best way of enjoying a birdwatching trip to Mon-fragüe is to go round the main viewpoints, all along the road, well sign-postedand equipped with car parks. If visiting for several days the normal choice isto repeat the route round the viewpoints or to do one of the established walk-ing routes in the park or the surrounding area. The species you can see in var-ious places can vary slightly from year to year, as, like any biologicalphenomenon, they are subject to a certain dynamism. The park’s main viewpoints, from south to north, are:


63

Hoopoe


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Salto del Gitano-Peña Falcón. At the entrance from Trujillo, this incrediblerocky cliff is, without doubt, the most symbolic and most-photographed spotin Monfragüe. The community of birds it supports is equally amazing, withthe biggest colony of Griffon Vulture in an area open to the public (over 100pairs between both sides of the river and over 400 birds at times),Black Stork (2-5 pairs in recent years), Spanish Imperial Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle,Peregrine Falcon, Egyptian Vulture and Eagle Owl. It is also possible to seeGolden Eagle. Small birds you should look out for include White-rumped Swiftand Black Wheatear. La Serrana. At the entrance from Plasencia, here there are Griffon Vulture,Egyptian Vulture and, at times, Bonelli’s Eagle and White-rumped Swift.La Tajadilla. Next to the Torrejón reservoirs, this has a hide, picnic area andlarge car park. It is a small gorge that enables good observations of GriffonVulture and Egyptian Vulture, also being a good area to see Bonelli’s Eagle.Black Stork and White-rumped Swift have recently established themselveshere, but their presence could be temporary. La Báscula. This is a good site to see the Eurasian Black Vulture and, if youare lucky, the Spanish Imperial Eagle.

“Salto del Gitano”

La Higuerilla. This affords a pretty view of the River Tiétar, where you can seeBlack Stork and Egyptian Vulture. Eurasian Black Vultures breed on the op-posite bank.Portilla del Tiétar. At the park’s northeast exit, although it is smaller than thePeña Falcón, it is another of Monfragüe’s hot spots. It’s an exceptional site tosee, and hear, Griffon Vulture as well as Spanish Imperial Eagle, Eagle Owl (thebest place in the park) and Egyptian Vulture. We would also recommend you to follow the road towards La Bagazona andthe EX-A1, driving slowly, or even walking carefully, as this section goes firstlythrough an old cork oak forest where Lesser Spotted Woodpecker breeds and,perhaps, the Iberian Chiffchaff. Next there is a dehesa area that is a favouritehaunt of stags during their bellowing and where there is a colony of WhiteStork and Grey Heron in the west, next to the River Tiétar. The final part con-sists of deshesa and irrigated farmland and is of interest in winter due to therecent presence of noisy Common Cranes, as well as Brambling some years.You could complement your tour of the viewpoints mentioned earlier by doingthe three main foot trails:Red route. This is between Villarreal de San Carlos and the castle of Mon-fragüe. There are several options, with routes of between 10 and 16 km (be-tween 3 h 30 min and 6 hours). It goes through a variety of areas, such as olivegroves, rock rose patches, Holm oak groves and, in particular, a thick forestof strawberry tree and oaks in the shade of the castle. A visit to the castle ofMonfragüe is a must, which you can also reach from the south via an asphaltedroad between Holm oaks and wild olives. The view from the castle is magnif-icent and is made even more enjoyable by the spectacular flight of the vulturesand the possible presence of White-rumped Swift and Red-billed Chough. Yellow route. This is between Villarreal and La Tajadilla, about 8.5 km and 3hours there and back. This route goes through dehesa and rock rose patches.Green route. Between Villarreal and Cerro Gimio, about 7 km and 2 h 30 min-


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Griffon Vultures


66

utes there and back. It goes through scenery typical of Monfragüe, ending ata viewpoint with a beautiful view.


Monfragüe is possibly the best place to see birds, particularly birds of prey, inExtremadura. The following figures fully illustrate their variety and abundance.Perhaps the most characteristic species is the Eurasian Black Vulture, with amaximum of 339 pairs for certain and estimates of over 400 pairs. There are12 established pairs of Spanish Imperial Eagle, with some recently settled nearto the best viewpoints. There are more than 30 pairs of Egyptian Vulture andclose to this number of Black Stork. The most visible bird of prey is, un-doubtedly, the Griffon Vulture, of which there are 635 pairs for certain and es-timates of almost 800. There are small numbers of Golden Eagle (6-7 pairs),Bonelli’s Eagle (also 6-7 pairs) and Peregrine Falcon (3-4 pairs). There aren’tany precise figures for other birds of prey, but several dozen pairs of Eagle Owl,Red Kite, Common Buzzard, Booted Eagle and Short-toed Eagle occur in Mon-fragüe, above all in the dehesa in the area. The Black Kite is a lot more com-mon, with 150-200 pairs; but Northern Goshawk, Eurasian Sparrowhawk andBlack-winged Kite are much scarcer and more difficult to see.Apart from birds of prey, other birds of interest are those of rocky habitats,such as White-rumped Swift, Red-billed Chough, Black Wheatear, Blue RockThrush, Rock Sparrow, Red-rumped Swallow and Black Redstart. The forestbirds are less special, as most of them are common all over Extremadura,however, they include Western Orphean Warbler, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker,Iberian Chiffchaff, Hawfinch and Eurasian Bullfinch. Some birds of open andsteppe environments are more important, easy to see in treeless areas of thepark where the eucalyptuses are being eliminated. These are Black-earedWheatear, Thekla Lark and Spectacled, Dartford, Subalpine and SardinianWarblers.

Best time to visit

Spring, between March and May, is the best time to see all the variety of birds.However, it’s also the busiest time for visitors, especially at the weekends andduring the public holidays at Easter and in May. In any event, you can seecharacteristic species at any time of the year, although in July and August it isbest to make the most of the first and last hours of the day, as the middle ofthe day is usually very hot. Autumn and winter offer the attraction of non-breeding species being present in the area. Finally, between September and Oc-tober the spectacular bellowing of the many stag in the area takes place.


As well as the birds you can see other animals in Monfragüe, such as ap-proachable Red Deer, some tame foxes that frequent the viewpoints, elusiveWild Boar and, particularly in winter, Otters. On the other hand, there have notbeen any reliable sightings of the emblematic Iberian Lynx recently. Other at-tractions of Monfragüe are the scenery, spectacular in places, and the geo-logical formations, with explanatory panels in the places of greatest interest.There are also two special trees: the European Hackberry of Lugar Nuevo (nextto Villarreal de San Carlos, in Ojaranzo orchard, which has a circular trail anda small picnic area) and the Cork oak Abuelo de Toril (next to the road betweenPortilla del Tiétar and La Bazagona).The main artistic elements within the park are the castle of Monfragüe, theBridge del Cardenal (sometimes submerged under the waters of the Tajo) andthe prehistoric rock art, for which there are specific guided tours. Places of in-terest in the municipal areas just outside the park include the pre-Roman ste-las and settlement of Torrejón el Rubio, the Convent del Santo Cristo and theethnographical museum of Serradilla, the parish churches of Serrejón andMalpartida de Plasencia, Mirabel Castle and the traditional architecture of theCasas of Miravete. The monumental architecture of Plasencia and Trujillo area bit further away. Food specialities are cheeses, honey, “migas extremeñas” (fried breadcrumbs)and large game dishes. Las Candelas in Torrejón el Rubio and Cristo de la Vic-toria in Serradilla are the most notable festivals. Regarding handicrafts, insome of the towns and villages in the area you can find wood and textile works(lace, traditional dress).



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Sardinian Warbler Eurasian Black Vulture


68Spanish Imperial Eagle

ACCOMMODATION

JARAICEJO

HS** MONT-BLANCCARRETERA N-V, KM. 226927336030 / 927336148HRMONTEFRAGOSOPLZ. DE LA CONSTITUCIÓN 15-16927336189 / 927336289

MALPARTIDA DE PLASENCIA

H*** CAÑADA REALCARRETERA EX-108., KM. 42927459407 / 927459434H* SANTA MARTACARRETERA NACIONAL 630,KM. 491927453260 / 927453416HS* ROSALES, LOSPLAZA DE LA DIPUTACION, 21927404636CR DEL CORRALC/ CABRERO, 2927459522 / 636144910CR LA POSADA DE AMONARIAC/ Nuestra Señora de la Luz, 7927459446 / 608702070CR TIA TOMASAC/ JUEGO DE LAS CARAS, 6696634156CR FLOR DE JARAMUSICA,11927459430 / 605877788ATR DEL CORRALC/ CABRERO,4927459522 / 636144910ATR LA SOLANAC/ MUÑOZ TORRERO, 31653799213 / 927404270ATR MAJALONFINCA MAJALON605940878 / 608504019A EL CARRASCALFINCA EL CARRASCAL927459475 / 620941778CT MONFRAGÜECTRA. DE TRUJILLO, KM. 10927459233 / 605940878

SERRADILLA

H* LAURELPAIJUAN, 17927407481 / 625496971CR LA SIERRA DE MONFRAGÜECTRA. EXTREMADURA 208(PLASENCIA-ZORITA), KM. 14616192917 / 676450921

CR LA ALMAZARA DEL CRISTOLIBERATO ALONSO, 27927407090 / 636495283

SERREJÓN

H**** AGUAS DE SERREJONFINCA CASADELMAZO, 927547749 / 617355479HR EL ALCAUDÓNC/ CAGANCHAS, 13927547600 / 924547601

TORIL

HR PUERTA DE MONFRAGÜELA HERGUIJUELA - VEGA DELCHIQUERO927198110 / 609202425

TORREJÓN EL RUBIO

H**** HOSPEDERÍA PAR-QUE DE MONFRAGÜECTRA. PLASENCIA-TRUJILLO,KM 39,100927455278 / 927455279H* CARVAJALPASEO DE PIZARRO, 54927455260 / 927455254P AVENIDASAN JOSE, S/N927455050P MONFRAGÜEPASEO DE PIZARRO, 25927455026CR PALACIO VIEJO DE LAS CORCHUELASFINCA CORCHUELAS DEL PALA-CIO VIEJO626812318 / 608821961CR CASA BABELMONFRAGÜECERVANTES, 8699769177 / 655027891CR PEÑA FALCÓNC/ BREZO,21927455184 / 620978624CR POSADA EL ARRIEROPASEO PIZARRO,22927455050CR REFUGIO LA SERRANASAN MIGUEL, 45927455159 / 687476049CR LA CAÑADAAvda. Virgen de Guadalupe, 5927455288 / 927455161

ATR LA CAÑADACAÑADA REAL S/N927455295 / 920818967ATR NATURAC/ TRAVESÍA DE PIZARRO,11679475955 / 679475956ATR SIERRA DE MONFRAGÜEPLAZA DE PIZARRO,8699729500 / 927455205ATR LEYENDAS DE MONFRAGÜEPº. PIZARRO, 16650408971 / 927455153ATR MONFRAGÜECORCHITO, 27927455079 / 618712980

VILLARREAL DE SAN CARLOS

CR AL-MOFRAGVILLARREAL, 19927199205 / 686454393CR EL CABRERINVILLARREAL, 3927199191 / 927199002CR MONFRAGÜEVILLARREAL, 15927199002 / 927199191

TOURIST OFFICES

O.T. CENTRO DE INFORMACIÓN DEL PARQUE NACIONAL DEMONFRAGÜEVILLARREAL DE SAN CARLOSTEL.: 927199134FAX: 927198212O.T. TORREJÓN EL RUBIOMADROÑO 1 (URB. CERCA DEL OLIVO)TORREJÓN EL RUBIOTEL.: 927455292FAX: 927455234 [email protected]


C.I. DEL PARQUE NACIO-NAL DE MONFRAGÜE VILLARREAL DE SAN CARLOS TEL.: 927199134C.I. DEL AGUAVILLARREAL DE SAN CARLOSTEL.: 927199134C. DE DOCUMENTACIÓN EINVESTIGACIÓN VILLARREAL DE SAN CARLOSTEL.: 927199134


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Areas of interest


70

Black-crowned Night Heron

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R U T A S O R N I T O L Ó G I C A S P O R E X T R E M A D U R AArrocampo Reservoir 7

Location and access

The Arrocampo Reservoir is in the northeast of the province of Cáceres, at thewestern border of the region of Campo Arañuelo and very close to Monfragüe.Today 687 ha of the reservoir and its surrounding banks are protected withinthe Natura 2000 Network with the category of SPA. An Ornithological Park hasalso been created in Saucedilla to make visiting the area easier.Arrocampo Reservoir has such exceptional characteristics that it has becomea unique site within Extremadura, with unusual birds that are difficult to seeinland in most of the peninsula. The reservoir’s function is to cool Almaraznuclear power station, so the water level is constant; thanks to the constantpumping from the River Tajo it doesn’t undergo the fluctuations that are typ-ical of other reservoirs. As a result a lot of the bank is covered by masses ofmarsh vegetation. The higher than normal water temperature and the plainsthat surround it, used to grow irrigated crops, also favour the diversity of birds.The reservoir is easily accessible as it is near to two major roads. From thenorth, from the EX-A1 between Navalmoral de la Mata and Plasencia, turn offtowards Casatejada and continue to Saucedilla, where you will find the Or-nithological Park Information Office at the southern end of the town. Coming


A-5

Arrocampo Reservoir

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Residents

Summervisitors

Wintervisitors

Grey Heron, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Little Bittern,Squacco Heron, Purple Swamphen, Great Crested Grebe,Common Coot, Gadwall, Marsh Harrier, Red Kite,Eurasian Black Vulture, Black-winged Kite, Penduline tit,Bearded tit, Red Avadavat

White Stork, Eurasian Spoonbill, Black-crowned NightHeron, Black Kite, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle,Lesser Kestrel, Gull-billed Tern, Red-necked Nightjar,European Bee-eater, Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Savi’s Warbler

Great Cormorant, Great Bittern, Osprey, Merlin, GoldenPlover, Bluethroat, Reed Bunting

from the south, from the A-5 between Navalmoral de la Mata and Trujillo, thereare two options: you can take exit 190 towards Saucedilla or go through Al-maraz, which has three exits from the A-5 between kilometre 193 and 200.The road between Almaraz and Saucedilla crosses one of the ends of the reser-voir via a low bridge.


The trip suggested is the two routes offered by the Ornithological Park ofSaucedilla. Route 1 is 4 km long over dirt tracks, with stops at four hides. Itcan be done on foot or by car, if the track is in an adequate state. Route 2 is ashort car journey between Saucedilla and a nearby irrigation pool. Both routesstart at the Information Office, at the south end of the town of Saucedilla, nextto a canal and a football pitch. Inside the office there is a panel describing theroutes, which are easy to follow as they are well marked out and sign-posted.In total there are five hides, which are relatively small and, unless someone isusing them, are kept locked. The keys can be borrowed from the InformationOffice, but this has slightly irregular opening times and days that aren’t alwaysadapted to the best times to see birds (dawn, for example). If you find thehides locked an alternative is to use the access ramps as viewpoints. Althoughcertain species are mentioned here at each stop point in reality it’s possible,with time and luck, to see these birds throughout the whole route.Route 1 starts at the office and Hide no. 1 is only 200 m further on. It offersa wide view and the possibility of seeing marsh birds such as PurpleSwamphen, Water Rail, Little Bittern, Savi’s Warbler and Squacco Heron. Con-tinuing southwest you reach Hide no. 2, perhaps more interesting, with the dif-ficult Great Bittern and Bluethroat present in winter and the Purple Heron,Bearded Tit and Penduline Tit in spring. Again going southwest you will findHide no. 3, with a good view of the reservoir and its inner wall, a nesting sitefor White Stork and a resting place for Great Cormorants and herons. It’s alsoa good place to see duck, Common Coot, Great White Egret and grebes. Re-turning eastwards you will reach Hide no. 4, located next to the road bridge.Although the main windows look over a mass of bulrushes populated by theusual marsh birds, the view towards the east is more interesting, towards anend of the reservoir that is a favourite haunt of Marsh Harrier and all speciesof heron. You can also watch from the road bridge, which has a large impro-vised car park and where you can also walk. The water extends on both sidesof the bridge, and is a good place to watch birds in flight, such as herons (andbitterns), Gull-billed Tern and Osprey. Return to the starting point on foot via


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Squacco Heron

Arrocampo Reservoir

74

a path parallel to the road. You can vary the route by doing it in reverse, justvisiting some of the hides or stopping as you choose along the banks.Route 2 also starts at the Information Office, crossing Saucedilla northwardsand taking the last street on the left in the town. It continues along a paved anddirt track that passes through farmland, pasture and dehesa for 3.8 km. In thissection it’s possible to see Black-winged Kite and Great Spotted Cuckoo,among other birds. At the end of the track there is a large concrete tower (toraise the irrigation water), where you should turn left, staying on the right ofCerro Alto pool, where you will find Hide no. 5. There are remains of floodeddry Holm oaks within the pool, which in their day had a colony of Grey Heronand that now serve as a roost for Great Cormorant and, occasionally, GreatWhite Egret and Osprey. Route 2 ends at this point, however, Dehesa Nuevapool is about 2.5 km southwards and several kilometres after you cross an-other end of Arrocampo Reservoir. This expanse of water opens up new pos-sibilities of seeing more aquatic birds: European Bee-eater during the breedingseason; geese, Golden Plover and Stone Curlew in winter; and various birdsof prey throughout the year. Finally, don’t forget that the towns and villages inthe area (Saucedilla, Casatejada, Almaraz) have colonies of Lesser Kestrel liv-ing in their churches, birds that abound throughout the route.


Arrocampo Reservoir is the best place to see marsh birds in Extremadura. Thebiggest populations in the region, and sometimes the only ones, of variousspecies can be found here, such as Purple Swamphen, Purple and SquaccoHerons, Savi’s Warbler and Bearded Tit. You are almost certain to see Marsh

Harrier and it’s possible to see HenHarrier in winter. During the migra-tion periods the richness of thespecies here is increased by the ap-pearance of Bluethroat (present inwinter), Sedge Warbler, EurasianSpoonbill, Great White Egret andLittle, Spotted and Baillon’s Crakes.In general, amongst the aquaticbirds the herons are best repre-sented, with the possibility of see-ing all the Spanish species. Thereis also a large group of rallidae(Purple Swamphen, crakes, WaterRail, Moorhen, Common Coot),ducks (particularly Gadwall andMallard), Great Cormorants, storksand grebes. All these make Arro-campo, without doubt, the bestplace in Extremadura to watchmarshland species.

Best time to visit

Arrocampo can be visited throughout the year, although in July and August thehigh temperatures can be uncomfortable during the middle of the day. In thesemonths we recommend doing the route at dusk or dawn. The biggest attrac-tions in spring are watching the herons that breed here (Little Bittern, Purple,Grey, Squacco and Black-crowned Night Herons, with recent attempts by theEurasian Spoonbill to breed) and marsh birds (warblers, including Savi’s War-bler, Bearded and Penduline Tit, Purple Swamphen). In winter, if you are lucky,you can see Great Bittern and Osprey and there are numerous Marsh Harri-ers and Great Cormorants. Due to the exceptional conditions of the water tem-perature occasionally there are birds typical of the summer here in winter,such as various species of swallows, Squacco Heron and Little Bittern. Dur-ing migration periods (August to October and March and April) there is a mix-ture of the species previously mentioned, plus the appearance of numerousbirds on passage, increasing the ornithological richness of Arrocampo.


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Osprey

Arrocampo Reservoir

76


There is a large expanse of dehesa between Arrocampo and Monfragüe. It’sbest to keep to the minor roads to enjoy them, such as that linking Serrejónand La Bazagona or those leading to Toril. The hundred-year old cork oak tree“El Abuelo” (the grandfather) is in this municipality and the enormous Holmoak “La Marquesa” is in Navalmoral de la Mata. The ecological corridor of thepine groves of the River Tiétar is also nearby, with the only indigenous pinegroves in Extremadura. They grow along the banks of the Tiétar in the munic-ipalities of Talayuela, Casatejada, Majadas and Toril. Some of these pine grovesshelter magnificent colonies of White Stork, Grey Heron and Black Kite.The towns and villages in the area have small examples of traditional and mon-umental architecture, such as the parish churches of Saucedilla, Casatejadaand Almaraz and the medieval castle of Belvís de Monroy, dating from the 13th

and 14th centuries. You can also see the remains of another castle in Almaraz.Food specialities include cheeses, sausages, “migas extremeñas” (fried bread-crumbs) and large game dishes. The Romería de Rocamador in Almaraz (areligious procession) and the Carnivals of Navalmoral de la Mata are the mostnotable festivals.


Birdwatchers

ACCOMMODATION

ALMARAZ

HS* PORTUGALAVENIDA DE LA CONSTITU-CION, 7927544070 / 927544095HS* PORTUGAL IIAUTOVÍA DE EXTREMADURA,KM. 200927545161 / 927545162

ROMANGORDO

HS* LA PLAYA DE ROMAN-GORDOCTRA. NACIONAL VCR LA SARTENILLAC/ RETAMAR, 22927576538 / 686089117

SERREJÓN

H**** AGUAS DE SERREJONFINCA CASADELMAZO, 927547749 / 617355479HR EL ALCAUDÓNC/ CAGANCHAS, 13927547600 / 924547601

NAVALMORAL DE LA MATA

H* LOS GRANADOSCTRA. NACIONAL V, KM. 181927530750 / 927530758H* MOYACARRETERA N-V, KM. 180,800927530500HS** BAMBA, LACTRA. NACIONAL V, KM. 178,7927530850 / 927530854

HS** SAUCES, LOSCTRA. NACIONAL V, KM. 182,2927533303

P SALAMANCAANTONIO CONCHA, 67927534844 / 627034122

P ZARAGOZAZARAGOZA, 10927531822

CASATEJADA

HS* NOGAL DE CASATEJADA, ELCARRETERA NAVALMORAL,KM. 9,7927547325

CR EL BOTANICOPLAZA ESPAÑA, 5927547325


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Areas of interest (ZEPA Embalse Arrocampo)

White Stork


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Blackcap

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R U T A S O R N I T O L Ó G I C A S P O R E X T R E M A D U R ASierra de San Pedro 8

Location and access

The route is in the region of the Sierra de San Pedro, on the border of theprovinces of Cáceres and Badajoz, although this route is completely in the last.It starts from the town of Alburquerque, which can be reached from Badajozby the EX –110, from Herreruela by the EX -324, from Aliseda by the EX -303,or from San Vicente de Alcántara by the EX -110.


The route is 27.4 km long, there and back, from Alburquerque to the Castle ofAzagala. It is best done partly by car and partly on foot, in one day. The most no-table thing about this route is that it goes through a thinly populated area, whichhas not been altered by any large infrastructures (except for the Peña del ÁguilaReservoir). From the top of Sierra de Santiago you look over a large dehesa areaflanked by mountain ranges of less than 600 m.a.s.l. (only Mount Torrico ishigher than this, at 703 m.a.s.l.), with a few farmhouses dotted around them


Sierra de San Pedro

80

Residents

Summervisitors

Wintervisitors

Spanish Imperial Eagle, Eurasian Black Vulture, GriffonVulture, Bonelli’s Eagle, Common Stonechat

Black Stork, Egyptian Vulture, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle

Dunnock, Eurasian Bullfinch, Common Wood Pigeon,Common Crane

Passagemigrants

Osprey, Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher

and hardly any electricity cables, thanks to the various actions to modify thesecarried out within LIFE projects by the General Directorate of the Environment.This means you can see many species of birds in a density that would be un-thinkable in other areas of Europe. This interesting route in the Sierra de SanPedro goes through the most representative habitats of this protected naturalarea and, with a bit of luck, you will be able to see the most representative birds,as in the area of this route several pairs of Spanish Imperial Eagle, EurasianBlack Vulture, Black Stork, Golden Eagle and Egyptian Vulture nest.The route starts from the town of Alburquerque, at the street San Antón, nextto the bullring “plaza de toros” (X:0673458, Y: 4343090), (it is best to do thisfirst part by car, as it is quicker and the asphalted road doesn’t have a hardshoulder so could be dangerous to walk along). The first part of the route isalong an asphalted road that runs between traditional stone walls and somewire fencing, next to small orchards and family farms set in a wonderful dehesaof Holm and cork oaks. The route goes along the side of the Sierra del Puertodel Centinela, which is very close by, on the right, and dehesa and plains on theleft, with Mount Torrico of the Sierra de San Pedro in the background.(X: 0675300, Y: 4342685) At this point the turn off to the entrance of the Con-vent de los Frailes Viejos is on the right and at the top of the mountain rangeyou can make out a large hollow known as “El Ojo del Diablo” (the devil’seye). Continue straight on along the road and at point (X:0676387, Y:4342515) you will find the turn off on the right, in a eucalyptus grove, to thecork oak “El Abuelo” (the grandfather) which is 600 m away in a pretty live-stock dehesa. Keep going straight on along the road, which now has a euca-lyptus grove on the right and an orange orchard on the left. A little further onyou will find the spring “Elvira Vaca” on the right, with a large pool in whichyou can refresh yourself on hot days. From here you will have a good view ofa large part of the Sierra de San Pedro and a magnificent Holm oak in front ofyou. Continue along the road to point (X:068547, Y: 4341837), where youshould turn left. Here you will find a slate sign with “al Castillo” (to the castle)written on it. It is best to leave your car here and continue on foot, as some sections of theroad are in a bad state, not suitable for cars, and as it will also then be possi-ble to see more species of birds and enjoy the nature around you. By this pointyou have already done about 6 km of the route, with about 12 more to go, outand back, which can be done in a few hours, stopping to eat something at mid-day. Continuing straight on down the road you will see several pig farms and alot of sheep. There are also some slate signs with “al Castillo” (to the castle),to help you find the way. When you reach point (X: 0678840, Y: 4343035) youwill find a sign saying “Ermita de los Santiagos” (a small chapel which isworth visiting) and a sign with “al Castillo” on the right, which you should fol-


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Sierra de San Pedro

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low. After a fair walk between dehesa with varying densities of trees and goingpast a large Iberian pig farm you will reach point (X: 0683882, Y: 4342860),where there is another fork in the road, signposted “el Pantano” to the rightand “al Castillo” to the left. You can clearly see both from here: the castle is ontop of the low Sierra de Santiago and the reservoir is within the gully of the val-ley of the River Albarragena. Go left and continue on until you reach the castle.It is 13.7 km from the start of the route in Alburquerque to here and the roadup to the castle is private so it’s a good spot to stop for a picnic lunch, enjoythe view and rest a little before starting back. From the Castle of Azagala thereis a good view of most of the Sierra de San Pedro and its spurs. You can alsosee Mount Torrico and the mountain ranges Sierra de Los Leones, Sierra delPuerto del Centinela, Sierra de La Caraba, Sierra Fría, etc.


The jewel of this route is, without doubt, the Spanish Imperial Eagle, of whichthere are four breeding pairs in a 15 km radius from the route. It is also easy tosee Eurasian Black Vulture, which has a large breeding population in the area;Black Stork, which, as well as breeding in the area, uses the end of the reservoiras a gathering area before migration; and Bonelli’s Eagle, of which there are sev-eral pairs nesting in the cliffs and trees. However, Peregrine Falcon is veryscarce; it nested in the gully of the Albarragena for some years, but now it’s onlypossible to see in winter. In contrast, Golden Eagle can frequently be seen atany time of year, as can Griffon Vulture, which has a large breeding populationand so can easily be found right from the start of the route. Other frequentlyseen birds of prey are Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Egyptian Vulture andEurasian Sparrowhawk and in the historical centre of Alburquerque there is alarge breeding population of Lesser Kestrel. Nocturnal species include EagleOwl, a rock-dwelling species that lives in large numbers in the rocky cliffs, evenin the area close to the town. The most abundant owl is Little Owl, which can befound at dusk in most open Holm oak groves and the areas of granite rocks.Tawny Owl can be found in the thickest Holm oak groves and Barn Owl in vari-ous farmhouses in the area and in some of the old, ruined houses in the town.Other common species in the area are European Nuthatch, closely linked to themature cork oak groves and very frequent in the area around the cork oak “ElAbuelo”; Azure-winged Magpie, a very pretty colonial corvid associated withdehesa; Woodlark, the lark species most closely connected to wooded areasin Extremadura, easily detected by its melodic song, Hoopoe, CommonCuckoo, Nightingale, Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tits.

Best time to visit

This route can be done at any time of the year and won’t be disappointing inany season, although you should take some considerations into account.There are more species to observe in spring and summer, as there are variousmigratory species in the area in these seasons, such as Black Stork, EgyptianVulture, Booted and Short-toed Eagles. However, you must bear in mind thatspring is the breeding period, so you must keep to the route to avoid causingany disturbance that could affect the breeding success. This area is very hot in summer, so avoid the middle hours of the day (whichare also the hours in which the birds are less active and so it’s difficult to seethem). The stag rutting occurs in autumn and it’s easy to hear the bellowing andcrashing of antlers on the banks of the reservoir. From some look-out posts itis also easy to watch the event if you have good optical equipment (telescopesor binoculars).Winter is the hunting season. The farms that surround the route in the area ofthe castle and the reservoir are private farms dedicated to big game huntingand hunts often take place between November and February. As a result youshould check in the village if there are any hunts happening and you should-n’t do the route if there are.


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Eurasian Black Vulture (behind) and Griffon Vulture Cork oak “El Abuelo”

Sierra de San Pedro

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Don’t forget:Don’t disturb the people who live or work in the surrounding area. Mostof the farms that surround the route are private farms so you must notleave any gate open or disturb the livestock.


The stag rutting season is at the end of August and in September (the date canvary according to the climatic conditions), commonly known in Extremaduraas the “berrea” (bellowing). The males fight to keep the harem of females withwhich they mate, becoming more confident at this time and leaving the thickcover of the forests for the open plains and dehesa.It’s worth making the 600 m deviation from the route to see the cork oak “ElAbuelo” (the grandfather). This magnificent cork oak was designated an “out-standing tree” by the botanist Diosdado Simón Villares. Ethnographic interest: In the surrounding area there are a lot of traditionalconstructions built using local materials which are worth stopping to have alook at, such as stone walls, traditional huts, stone ovens, pigsties, etc.Mushrooms: in autumn you can find a lot of species of edible mushrooms inthe area, including Boletus aereus, Boletus edulis, Macrolepiota procera and,less common, Amanita caesarea.Rock Art: there are a lot of expressions of rock art in the area, such as thepaintings of La Cruz de San Blas, or in the gully of the castle. There are alsoothers in various small caves in the crags in the area, but these are more dif-ficult to get to. There are numerous megalithic monuments in the area aroundSan Vicente de Alcántara and Valencia de Alcántara, with almost a hundreddolmens and menhirs.Castles, apart from the Castle of Azagala, which this route takes you to, thereare three more castles you can see nearby:Castle of Luna in Alburquerque, to which you can take a guided tour.Castle of Mayorga in the farm Galana de Mayorga, which is on the road thatconnects La Codosera and San Vicente de Alcántara. This is a private farm buta minor road crosses the bottom of the farm, leading to Alcorneo, which willtake you up to the castle, set in well-conserved countryside. Castle of Piedrabuena, in the dehesa of Piedrabuena, you can reach this cas-tle via an asphalted road that connects the road from San Vicente de Alcántarato Alburquerque with the road that connects Alburquerque and Herreruela. Thecastle is very well conserved but is privately owned, so you can’t go inside.

Texts: Juan Pablo Prieto

ACCOMMODATION

ALISEDA

A EL PERICUTOPARAJE DE LA MINA699817346AT LOS ALISOSCRTA. ALBURQUERQUE660503384 / 927277388APARTAMENTOS TURÍSTICOSAT EL POZOCRTA. DE ALBURQUERQUE,10927239973CR LOS ALISOSCTRA. DE ALBURQUERQUE927240568 / 927277388

CARBAJO

AT TAJO INTERNACIONALC/ LA CONSTITUCIÓN,13667743627 / 609361689CR BALDÍO GRANDEBALDIO GRANDECRTA. CARBAJO-SANTIAGO DEALCÁNTARA KM 1.5927491014 / 696466773

CÁCERES

H***** PALACIO DE ARENALESCN-521, KM.52,100927620490 / 927620491H**** A.H. AGORAC/ PARRAS,25927626360 / 927260456H**** EXTREMADURAHOTELAVDA. V. DE GUADALUPE, 28927629639H**** GRAN HOTEL DONMANUELSAN JUSTO, 15927215478H**** HOTEL CACERESGOLFCN-630, KM.558927234600H**** NH PALACIO DEOQUENDOPLAZA DE SAN JUAN, 11-13927215800

H**** PARADOR DE TU-RISMO DE CACERESANCHA, 6927211759H**** V CENTENARIOMANUEL PACHECO, S/N927232200H*** CASA DON FER-NANDOPLAZA MAYOR, 30927214279 / 927627176H*** HUSA ALCANTARAAVENIDA VIRGEN DE GUADA-LUPE, 14927223900H** ALFONSO IXMORET, 20927246400 / 927246404H** DON CARLOSC/ DONOSO CORTÉS, 13-15927225527H** DON JOSEPINTORES, 28927240470 / 927213990H** IBERIA-PLAZA DEAMÉRICAHERMANDAD, 12927210906H** NARANJOS, LOSALFONSO IX, 12927243508 / 927243512H* ARAJUAN XXIII, 3927223958H* ARABIA RIADPLAZA DEL DUQUE, 5927220065 / 661304061H* CASTILLARIOS VERDES, 3927244404H* IBERIAPINTORES, 2927247634HS** ALAMEDAPLAZA MAYOR, 33-3º927211262HS** ALAMEDA PALACETEMARGALLO, 45927211674 / 627474404HS** ARGENTINASANGUINO MICHEL, 7927222854HS** HERNAN CORTESFRAY BARTOLOMÉ DE LASCASAS, 5927243488

HS** NEPTUNOAVDA. DE ALEMANIA, 19-1º927236423HS** PLAZA DE ITALIAC/ CONSTANCIA, 12927627294HS** ROSA, LASANGUINO MICHEL, 8927221750HS* AL-QAZERESCAMINO LLANO, 34927227000 / 927626959P AMADOGENERAL MARGALLO, 61927226329 / 927230402P CARRETEROPLAZA MAYOR, 22927247482 / 927216122P VIRGEN DE FATIMAAVDA. VIRGEN DE LA MON-TAÑA, 17, 2º IZQUIERDA927211844P ZURBARÁNROSO DE LUNA, 11927210452A LAS VELETASC/ MARGALLO,36927211210A CIUDAD DE CÁCERESAVDA. UNIVERSIDAD, S/N927102001 / 927216109AT CASA PINTADA "ELLIBRO"PLAZA LAS CANTERÍAS,7695690556AT CASAS PINTADAS URBANAS "EL CUADRO"SANJUSTO, 45.695690556 / 927626312AT SALORPLAZA DE OBISPO GALARZA, 2927246400AT CACERES APLAZA DE LA CONCEPCIÓN,19,BAJO927225150 / 645895361AT CACERES BPLAZA DE LA CONCEPCIÓN, 19, 1ºA927225150 / 645895361AT CACERES DCALLE VALDES,18 BAJO A645895361AT CACERES EC/ VALDES,18 BAJO B645895361


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Areas of interest (ZIR Sierra de San Pedro)

Sierra de San Pedro

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AT CASA PINTADA CUM LAUDEC/ MARGALLO Nº 102-A927626312AT CASA PINTADA LA PLAZUELAC/ GODOY,12 BAJO695690556AT CASA SIERPESSIERPES, 2927180072 / 659706336AT CASAS DE LA JUDERIABARRIO DE SAN ANTONIO, 30927220065AT CIUDAD MONUMENTALPLAZA DE LA CONCEPCIÓN ,19, 2ºB927216306 / 627502749

HERRERUELA

HR SIERRA DE SAN PEDROZURBARÁN, 8927371641 / 686948442

MEMBRÍO

AT LA NORA927594125 / 617452233CR TURISMO RURAL LA NORASAN BERNABÉ, 7927594125 / 927584178

PUEBLA DE OBANDO

HS* KILOMETRO 40CARRETERA CACERES K. 40924407196HS* HERMANOS MENDEZCTRA. CACERES-BADAJOZ, KM 39924407509HS* MIRASIERRA PA-CHECOCTRA CACERES-BADAJOZ, KM 39.5924407316 / 669957883

SANTIAGO DE ALCÁNTARA

A EL BURACOCAMINO DEL MIRADOR, S/N927592257 / 927234893

AT EL BURACOCRTA. V. DE ALCANTARA S/N927592029 / 629515647

SAN VICENTE DE ALCÁNTARA

H***** RIO SUBERCAMINO DE PIEDRA BUENA S/N924410143 / 924410970HR DEL PUEBLOAVDA. DE EXTREMADURA,21667078020AMOLINO DE JOLACARRETERA SAN VICENTE-LACODOSERA, K. 14616346762CR SIERRA DE SAN PEDROFINCA PARAJE LAS COSTERAS,924410070 / 649303865CR LA VEGACAMINO DE LA VEGA S/N924411202 / 616740091

VALENCIA DE ALCÁNTARA

HR CONVENTO, ELCASERIA DE SAN PEDRO, S/N927584129H**** CASA ESCOBARJEREZALFACAR, 13927668139H* CLAVO, ELRAMON Y CAJAL, 14927580268 • 927581020H* IBERICAPASEO DE SAN FRANCISCO, 14927580150HS* NAIROBIHERNAN CORTES, 9927580136P SERRANA, LASAN JUAN, 8927580020CR LA PORTILLA DEL JINIEBROPARAJE EL JINIEBRO ACEÑA BORREGA, LA927599015CR SOTO DE NISAFINCA LA MORERA DE ARRIBA ACEÑA BORREGA, LA924220776 • 600432574CR LA TORACORTIJO DE LA TORA VALENCIA DE ALCANTARA686965445 • 927491066

CR EL LINCECORTIJO LA TORA, APDO. 20VALENCIA DE ALCANTARA686965445 • 927491066CR EL ZORROCORTIJO LA TORA, APDO, 20VALENCIA DE ALCANTARA686965445 • 927491066927491140CR LA JIGUERAC/ CASIÑAS BAJAS, S/NVALENCIA DE ALCANTARA669550655 • 927582591CR MONTENUEVOPARAJE MONTENUEVO S/N ACEÑA DE LA BORREGA927599021 • 630621385CR VIRGEN DE LA CABEZAFINCA LA MORERA DE ARRIBA924251791 • 676830547CR EL CASTAÑAR IINAL. 521, KM.149,8. PUERTOROQUE927584040CR EL CASTAÑAR IIINAL. 521K, KM.149.8. PUERTO ROQUE927584040CR EL CASTAÑAR IVNAL.521, KM. 149,8. PUERTO ROQUE927584040CR EL CASTAÑAR INAL. 521, KM. 149,8 PUERTO ROQUE927584040CR EL CIERVOCORTIJO LA TORA, APDO, 20686965445 • 927491066CR EL JABALICORTIJO LA TORA. APDO. 20927491066 • 686965445CR SALTO DE CABALLOCASERÍO LA FONTAÑERA927580865ATR PINAR DE JOLAANTOLINA DURÁN, S/N (JOLA)690821624ATR EL ARROYOLOS ARROYOS DE ABAJO (LAS HUERTAS DE CANSAS)666829177 • 626195615ATR HUERTA DEL SEVERHUERTA LUNA S/N APDO, 10639483667 • 924221157ATR LA JIGUERACASIÑAS BAJAS927582591 • 669550655

ATR LA MACERAFINCA LA MACERA927582299 • 639548709ATR LOS OLIVOSAVDA. LISBOA URB. LOS OLIVOS S/N927581006 • 927582312ATR QUINTA DE LUNAACEÑA LA BORREGA, S/N924221157 • 639483667ATR ROCAMADORFINCA LA MACERA S/N927582299 • 639548709ATR VALBÓNFINCA LA MACERA927582299 • 639548709ATR EL JINIEBROACEÑA LA BORREGA927584062 • 636417812ATR EL REGATOHUERTA LUNA, S/N927491078 • 660451270ATR MARCELINOC/ CASA NUEVA, S/N927599059 • 650408988ATR PUERTO ROQUEPUERTO ROQUE, S/N927584171 • 627483550ATR ALBORADA DELSEVERHUERTA LUNA S/N.639483667ATR SAN PEDROHELECHO, S/N660080648 • 699051305

CT AGUAS CLARASCTRA. DE JOLA, KM. 3927549099 • 927549099

VILLAR DEL REY

HS* GALLEGOCALLE EMILIO RIVERO, 1924414098CR HACIENDA LOS CANCHALESNTRA. SRA. DE GUADALUPE,S/N685745103 / 924414475

TOURIST OFFICES

O.T. CÁCERESPLAZA MAYOR, 3 TEL.: 927010834 / 36FAX: 927010835O.T. MUNICIPAL DE CÁCERESANCHA,7 TEL.: 927247172 O.T. ALBURQUERQUEPLAZA DE ESPAÑA, S/NTEL.: 924 40 12 02FAX: 924 40 12 02 O.T. ALISEDATESORO, S/NTEL.: 927277002

O.T. VALENCIA DE ALCÁN-TARAHERNÁN CORTES, S/N

TEL.: 927 58 21 84FAX.: 927 58 21 84


C.I. DE LA NATURALEZAALASPL. JOAQUÍN SALGADO, S/N SAN VICENTE DE ALCÁNTARA

TEL.: 924 00 23 95C.I. EL PÉNDERELAGAR, 3SANTIAGO DE ALCÁNTARA

TEL.: 927592311C.I. DEL RÍO ZAPATÓNGUARDIA CIVIL S/NVILLAR DEL REY

TEL.: 924414002

WILDLIFE RECOVERY CENTRE

C.R. DE FAUNA Y EDUC. AMBIENTAL LOS HORNOSCTRA. DEL RISCO S/NSIERRA DE FUENTES

TEL.: 927200170


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Great Bustard

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Location and access

A large plateau extends to the south of the River Tajo, cleaved by the Rivers Al-monte and Tamuja, forming a gently undulating landscape, used mainly for live-stock farming in the pastures and for growing rain-fed cereal crops. The routeruns between the towns of Cáceres, Santa Marta de Magasca and Trujillo.It is most easily accessed via the A-58 (formerly the N-521), which connectsTrujillo and Cáceres. The main road to Cáceres is the A-66, whether coming fromMérida or from Plasencia. To reach Trujillo, take the A-5 from Mérida or Naval-moral de la Mata. If you are starting out from Monfragüe National Park there arevarious routes you can take, along less busy roads through beautiful country-side. As you leave Torrejón el Rubio you will find a crossroads from where youcan head towards Trujillo along the EX-208 or to Cáceres via the EX-390.

Plains of Cáceres,Magasca and Trujillo


A-58

N-521

N-521

A-5

Plains of Cáceres, Magasca and Trujillo

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The route starts at the exit off the A-58 onto the CC-99 towards Santa Martade Magasca. If you are travelling from Cáceres this exit is 7 km after the turn-ing to Sierra de Fuentes (on the right) and from Trujillo the exit is10 km afterthe road crosses the River Gibranzos.

Residents

Summervisitors

Wintervisitors

Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse,Black-bellied Sandgrouse, White Stork

Lesser Kestrel, Montagu’s Harrier, European Roller,Short-toed Lark

Northern Lapwing, Golden Plover, Meadow Pipit, Skylark

Passagemigrants

Northern Wheatear, Black-eared Wheatear, Whinchat,Tawny Pipit

Once you are on the CC-99 continue along this road for 14 km until you reachthe town of Santa Marta de Magasca, after having passed the deep valley ofthe River Tamuja. Just after you enter the town, past the bus stop, take the roadon the left that goes around the town. The route goes through an area of de-hesa first and then goes down to the banks of the River Magasca before againcrossing a vast area of pastures and farmland. 8 km from Santa Marta de Ma-gasca you will reach a junction at which you can turn towards Monroy (22.2km away) or to Trujillo (23.8 km). If you choose the first option you will get tothe spectacular valley of the River Almonte (18 km from the junction), aftergoing through areas of pastureland and some opendehesa. If you go towards Trujillo you will reach the EX-208, 18 km from thejunction, which will take you directly to the town. The route ends in the his-torical centre of Trujillo, where you will continue to see interesting birds.


This route goes through one of the most interesting areas in the region forbirdwatching, not by chance crossing four areas that have been designatedas Special Protection Areas for birds (SPA “Llanos de Cáceres y Sierra deFuentes”, SPA “Magasca”, SPA “Riveros del Almonte” and SPA “Colonias deCernícalo primilla de Trujillo”).The complete route will allow you to see a great diversity of species in themost representative habitats of the region, with a clear predominance of nat-ural pastureland and rain-fed cereal crops, interspersed with areas of Holmoak grove dehesa and scrubland (mostly broom and Spanish lavender). Themain scenic contrasts arise around the river valleys, where there is an abruptchange from the dryness of the plains to the leafiness of the river courses,whose steep sides are completely covered by a dense vegetation of Holm oaksand wild olives.There is a complete representation of steppe bird species in the areas of pas-tureland, with the populations of Calandra and Thekla Larks, Corn Buntingand Spanish Sparrow standing out for their abundance, which you can seethroughout the route. Other species in this area include the Little Owl, GreatSpotted Cuckoo, Hoopoe, Common Stonechat, Zitting Cisticola, Spotless Star-ling, Southern Grey Shrike and European Bee-eater. If you stop your car andlook carefully you can also spot other birds that are present in smaller num-bers, such as Short-toed Lark and Black-eared Wheatear.You can see Great Bustards at any time of year, but they are easier to spot inspring when they are in display. It’s advisable to station yourself in high areas


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with good visibility and scan around the area using binoculars or a telescopeto find these birds in these extremely vast areas. Little Bustards are also veryabundant, although they can pass by unnoticed in the areas where the pastureor cereal crops have grown very high. Their insistent call during the mating pe-riod usually gives away their presence, as well as the sound they make in flight,which is a spectacular sight when they are in large flocks.It’s best to stay in one place or walk around to see other pastureland species,such as Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Black-bellied Sandgrouse and Stone Curlew;you could follow the drovers’ trails that cross the route, for example.There are also large numbers of European Roller and Lesser Kestrel, withsome of the nesting boxes on the electricity poles being occupied by thesespecies.Colonies of Montagu’s Harrier have established themselves in various sec-tions of the route, nesting in the cereal fields next to the road. They are in-tensely active from May onwards, when the first chicks hatch.At the end of spring and start of summer the populations of migratory locustand other orthoptera are at their highest numbers and the birds feed on thisresource. You can often see European Rollers, kestrels, Black Kites and otherbirds that feed on the thousands of invertebrates that can be found on the roadalighted on the electricity poles and cables and on the wire fences near to theroads, where they are much more visible than in the pastures. This also formsthe basis of the diet of the White Stork and Cattle Egret, species that formlarge colonies in the few trees in the area.You shouldn’t be surprised to see Eurasian Black Vulture, Griffon Vulture,Raven or Egyptian Vulture, as the large numbers livestock feeding on thesepastures offer a source of carrion for these scavengers. This area provides themain food supply for the large colonies of Eurasian Black Vulture that nest inthe SPA “Sierra de San Pedro”. In the same way, large birds of prey, such asSpanish Imperial, Golden and Bonelli’s Eagles hunt in this area, attracted bythe abundance of prey (rabbits, hares and partridges).

Montagu’s Harrier

During the autumn passage there are large numbers of Northern Wheatear,Black-eared Wheatear, Tawny Pipit, Pied Flycatcher, Whinchat and YellowWagtail, which you can often see from the road.In winter species such as Golden Plover, Northern Lapwing, Hen Harrier,Meadow Pipit, Skylark, White Wagtail are common and even Black-headed andLesser Black-backed Gulls, which fly around the many livestock pools. Largeflocks of finches, mainly Goldfinch, Linnet, Greenfinch and European Seringather in the large areas of thistles and other plants with seeds attractive to birds.In the dehesa and scrubland areas that you’ll find before you reach the riversTamuja and Magasca the bird species change notably, with Common Buzzard,Booted Eagle, European Turtle Dove, Azure-winged Magpie, Blackbird, MistleThrush, Subalpine Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Dartford Warbler, Blue Tit,Great Tit, etc. being common in this habitat. On the slopes down to the river-banks the vegetation is usually much thicker and more wooded, almost im-penetrable. Some birds of prey exploit the safety of this thick cover to nest in(Black Kite, Short-toed Eagle, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Eagle Owl), along withBlack Stork and typical forest species (Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Jay,Wren, European Nuthatch, Short-toed Treecreeper, Melodious Warbler). Inthe rocky outcrops of the slopes you can also find Blue Rock Thrush, BlackWheatear and Rock Bunting. Along the river courses the presence of birds that nest on bridges is of interest,such as Crag Martin (easy to spot on the bridge over the River Tamuja), Red-rumped Swallow and House Martin. There are good numbers of Little RingedPlover, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, White Wagtail and Grey Wagtailon the sand and gravel banks, incessantly moving up and down the river. At the end of this route you reach the town of Trujillo, one of only a few urbancentres that have been declared a SPA, due to its large colonies of LesserKestrel. As you explore the streets of its historical centre you can see many ofthis species in flight, making their characteristic sound. You can also visit thebreeding colonies that can be found in Plaza Mayor, the Convent of San Fran-


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Male Montagu’s Harrier Calandra Lark


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cisco, the Parador Tourist Hotel, Encarnación Street and the Palace of Albaida,the Palace of Luís Chaves and Plaza de Toros (this bullring is located in the out-skirts of the town and has the biggest colony). You can also enjoy watchingthe many pairs of White Stork that build their nests on the roofs and bell tow-ers of the historical buildings and have become one of the symbols of Trujillo.The breeding population of Pallid Swift is also worth mentioning, which sharesthe habitat with the Common Swift.

Best time to visit

Spring is the best time to do this route, as the birds in these areas includemany summer visitors. It is also interesting in winter, when the winter visitorsare present. The beauty of the steppe landscapes and their huge contrast withthe river valleys makes this route a pleasure at any time of the year, even sum-mer (avoiding the middle hours of the day).Due to the low volume of traffic on the roads you can drive slowly so you canspot the birds more easily.You mustn’t stay too long in the areas around the nesting colonies (Montagu’sHarrier, White Stork, Lesser Kestrel, Cattle Egret) and it’s advisable to keep asafe distance away to avoid disturbing the birds.


You should visit Cáceres, a city that has been declared a World Heritage Site.It has a very beautiful historical centre, which is in an excellent state of con-servation, as well as a variety of cultural attractions.Trujillo also has a lot of tourist appeal; within its historical centre you can visitthe Jewish quarter, Church of San Martín, Church of Santiago, Arabic Castleand the museums of Pizarro and of Cheese and Wine.In Cáceres you can also visit the Centre of Environmental Education “Olivar delos Frailes”, which has a lot of information about the protected areas in the re-gion. In the town of Sierra de Fuentes you can visit the Centre of Recupera-tion of Fauna and Environmental Education “Los Hornos”.

Texts: Atanasio Fernández García

ACCOMMODATION

ALDEA DEL CANO

CR VÍA DE LA PLATAPLAZA MAYOR, 8927383060 / 666431420

CÁCERES

H***** PALACIO DE ARENALESCN-521, KM.52,100927620490 / 927620491H**** A.H. AGORAC/ PARRAS,25927626360 / 927260456H**** EXTREMADURAHOTELAVDA. VIRGEN DE GUADALUPE, 28927629639H**** GRAN HOTEL DONMANUELSAN JUSTO, 15927215478H**** HOTEL CACERESGOLFCN-630, KM.558 (RESIDENCIALCERES GOLF)927234600H**** NH PALACIO DEOQUENDOPLAZA DE SAN JUAN, 11-13927215800H**** PARADOR DE TU-RISMO DE CACERESANCHA, 6927211759H**** V CENTENARIOMANUEL PACHECO, S/N927232200H*** CASA DON FER-NANDOPLAZA MAYOR, 30927214279 / 927627176H*** HUSA ALCANTARAAVENIDA VIRGEN DE GUADA-LUPE, 14927223900H** ALFONSO IXMORET, 20927246400 / 927246404H** DON CARLOSC/ DONOSO CORTÉS, 13-15927225527H** DON JOSEPINTORES, 28927240470 / 927213990

H** IBERIA-PLAZA DEAMÉRICAHERMANDAD, 12927210906H** NARANJOS, LOSALFONSO IX, 12927243508 / 927243512H* ARAJUAN XXIII, 3927223958H* ARABIA RIADPLAZA DEL DUQUE, 5927220065 / 661304061H* CASTILLARIOS VERDES, 3927244404H* IBERIAPINTORES, 2927247634HS** ALAMEDAPLAZA MAYOR, 33-3º927211262HS** ALAMEDA PALACETEMARGALLO, 45927211674 / 627474404HS** ARGENTINASANGUINO MICHEL, 7927222854HS** HERNAN CORTESFRAY BARTOLOMÉ DE LASCASAS, 5927243488HS** NEPTUNOAVDA. DE ALEMANIA, 19-1º927236423HS** PLAZA DE ITALIAC/ CONSTANCIA, 12927627294HS** ROSA, LASANGUINO MICHEL, 8927221750HS* ALMONTEGIL CORDERO, 6927240925HS* AL-QAZERESCAMINO LLANO, 34927227000 / 927626959P AMADOGENERAL MARGALLO, 61927226329 / 927230402P CARRETEROPLAZA MAYOR, 22927247482 / 927216122P VIRGEN DE FATIMAAVDA. VIRGEN DE LA MON-TAÑA, 17, 2º IZQUIERDA927211844P ZURBARÁNROSO DE LUNA, 11927210452

A LAS VELETASC/ MARGALLO,36927211210A CIUDAD DE CÁCERESAVDA. UNIVERSIDAD, S/N927102001 / 927216109AT CASA PINTADA "ELLIBRO"PLAZA LAS CANTERÍAS,7695690556AT CASAS PINTADAS URBANAS "EL CUADRO"SANJUSTO, 45.695690556 / 927626312AT SALORPLAZA DE OBISPO GALARZA, 2927246400AT CACERES APLAZA DE LA CONCEPCIÓN,19,BAJO927225150 / 645895361AT CACERES BPLAZA DE LA CONCEPCIÓN, 19, 1ºA927225150 / 645895361AT CACERES DCALLE VALDES,18 BAJO A645895361AT CACERES EC/ VALDES,18 BAJO B645895361AT CASA PINTADA CUM LAUDEC/ MARGALLO Nº 102-A927626312AT CASA PINTADA LA PLAZUELAC/ GODOY,12 BAJO695690556AT CASA SIERPESSIERPES, 2927180072 / 659706336AT CASAS DE LA JUDERIABARRIO DE SAN ANTONIO, 30927220065AT CIUDAD MONUMENTALPL. LA CONCEPCIÓN , 19, 2ºB927216306 / 627502749

CÁSAR DE CÁCERES

HS** ENCINAS, LASCARRETERA NACIONAL 630,KM. 543 (Apdo. 10)927291228 / 927291260HS** RICHARDSONCTRA. NACIONAL 630, KM 541927290001CR LA ENCARNACIÓNCAMINO DE LA ENCARNACIÓN S/N927290701 / 630071070


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Areas of interest (ZIR Llanos de Cáceres y Sierra de Fuentes,ZEPA Magasca y ZEPA Llanos de Trujillo)


96

SIERRA DE FUENTES

CR LAS AVUTARDASPLAZA DE COLON,12927226233 / 652944335

TORREORGAZ

HS** PARADOR DE LOSLLANOSC/ LA CRUZ,26 / 927205158

LA CUMBREHS** NAYAAVDA. DE LA CONSTITUCION, 28927331275 / 927331337

SANTA MARTA DE

MAGASCA

HS** SANTA MARTAPLAZA DE ESPAÑA, S/N927284021 / 615936664

TRUJILLOHR PATRICIOPLAZA DEL CAMPILLO ,16927659257HR LAS HUERTASPALMERA, 1927659209 / 650953137HR VIÑA LAS TORRESCAMINO DE BUENAVISTA S/N927319350H**** ISLA DEL GALLOPLAZA DE ARAGÓN,2927320243H**** NH PALACIO DESANTA MARTAC/ BALLESTEROS,6927659190 / 927323165H**** PARADOR DE TU-RISMO DE TRUJILLOPLAZA DE SANTA BEATRIZ DESILVA, 1 / 927321350H**** IZAN TRUJILLOPLAZA DEL CAMPILLO, 1927458900H*** CIGÜEÑAS, LASAVENIDA DE MADRID, S/N927321250 / 927321251H*** VICTORIAPLAZA DEL CAMPILLO, 22927321819 / 927322962H*** CASA DE ORELLANAPALOMAS, 5-7927659265H** PERÚCTRA. DE MADRID, KM 251927320745 / 927322599H* JULIOPLAZA CAMPILLO, 9

927321963 / 927659351HS** CONDE DE LA ENCINAConde de la Encina, 16927323176 / 699485286HS** EL MIRADOR DE LASMONJASPLAZA SANTIAGO, 2927659223HS** LEÓNPLAZA DEL CAMPILLO, 23-25927321792HS** PAULINOAVDA. MADRID, Nº 48927659108 / 653994281HS** EMILIAPLAZA DEL CAMPILLO, 28927320083 / 927321216HS** SAN MIGUELSAN MIGUEL, 3927322571HS** HUESOC/ ARQUILLO, 1927322820HS** HIGUERA, LACañada Fria, s/n 927319041HS** DOS ORILLASC/ CAMBRONES,6927659079HS* ESTACIÓN, LACARRETERA N-V, KM. 252927321253HS* VENTA DE MAGASCAApartado Correos nº 63927320149 / 927320132HS* JULIOPlaza del Campillo, 13927321963 / 675615736HS* TRUJILLOFRANCISCO PIZARRO, 4927322274HS* PAULINO IIAVDA. DE LOS QUINTOS, 35679424767HS* NURIAPLAZA MAYOR, 27927320907HS* CADENA, LAPLAZA MAYOR, 5927321463HS* BLASÓNC/ SAN MIGUEL,19927323406 / 619213608HS* ORELLANAC/ RUIZ DE MENDOZA,2610819847 / 927320753P CASA ROQUEDOMINGO DE RAMOS, 30927322313

P CRUCE, ELCARRETERA N- V, KM. 240927338304P BONIDOMINGO RAMOS, 11927321604P PLAZA MAYORPLAZA MAYOR,6927322313AT ARQUILLOARQUILLO, 2629781541AT CASA BALLESTEROSC/ BALLESTEROS, 12B927321695 / 627506855CR EL RECUERDOPAGO DE SAN CLEMENTE927319349 / 609684719CR SANTA TERESAPAGO DE SAN CLEMENTE927319203 / 658914355CR LOS ÁLAMOSPAGO DE SAN CLEMENTE927319203 / 658914355CR LOS TORREJONESFINCA LOS TORREJONES927490049 / 626747200CR LAS CANTERASCTRA. DE TRUJILLO A MON-ROY, KM. 6609861315

PLASENZUELA

P MOLOKAYTIENDA, 37927331198HR EL LABRIEGOC/ TIENDA S/N927313716 / 927313715

TOURIST OFFICES

O.T. MALPARTIDA DE CÁCERESMUÑOZ TORRERO, S/N MALPARTIDA DE CÁCERES927276723 / 927276723


C.I. SOBRE EL MONUMENTONATURALCTRA. BARRUECOS, S/NMALPARTIDA DE CÁCERES927276236C.I. DEL AGUA EL MOLINILLOCTRA. BARRUECOS, S/NMALPARTIDA DE CÁCERESTEL.: 927276236


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R U T A S O R N I T O L Ó G I C A S P O R E X T R E M A D U R ASierra de Las Villuercas 10

Location and access

This route is in the mountainous massif of the Sierra de Las Villuercas, in thesoutheast of the province of Cáceres. The suggested route starts in the townof Guadalupe, which can be reached, from the north, from the A-5 (Naval-moral de la Mata) by the EX-118; from the south, from the N-430 by the EX-116 and the EX-102; from the east, from the A-5 (Miajadas); and, from thewest, from Talavera de la Reina.


The route is about 54 km long, out and back, along a mix of roads and foresttrails, from the town of Guadalupe to the end of the suggested route. It’s de-signed to be done by car in one day, stopping and taking short walks at themost interesting observation points. The route goes through varied habitats.At first it takes you towards the sources of the Rivers Guadalupejo and Ibor,between thick of groves of alder, ash, hazel and black poplar trees, then it goesup the mountain of Pico Villuercas, the highest point in the region at 1601 m.


EX-118

Sierra de Las Villuercas

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The route starts in the town of Guadalupe, taking the small road that leads to-wards the viaduct of the abandoned railway line. Turn right at point(X:0299392, Y: 4368912), which coincides with a hairpin bend. From here theroute takes you along a dirt track up the River Guadalupejo, a protected nat-ural area that has been declared an Ecological Corridor. As you go along you

Residents

Summervisitors

Wintervisitors

Eurasian Black Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Bonelli’s Eagle,Coal Tit, Red-billed Chough

Black Stork, Egyptian Vulture, European Honey BuzzardShort-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Rufous-tailed RockThrush, Alpine Swift

Dunnock, Alpine Accentor, Eurasian Bullfinch,Common Wood Pigeon

will discover a very well conserved riverine grove which is good for wood-peckers: Great Spotted, Green and Lesser Spotted. It’s also possible to seeDipper here, flying rapidly over the currents, hopping over the stones or div-ing in the clean, transparent water that is so essential to its survival. It has asmall population in these mountain ranges. As well as the natural and scenicvalues of the area you can also enjoy the presence of flourmills, and black-smiths, associated with the prosperity of Guadalupe and its monastery, de-clared a Historical-Artistic Ensemble and a World Heritage Site, respectively.The route takes you to Los Molinos Reservoir, from where there is a magnif-icent view of the area known as Los Hoyicios, the source of the River Guadalu-pejo. Griffon Vulture, Egyptian Vulture and Peregrine Falcon nest in thequartzite crags of this spot. Continue along the track and turn right at point(X:0296656, Y: 4370768). From here you go upwards, skirting the mountainrange, to admire one of the route’s most spectacular views: a mosaic of leafyPyrenean oak, chestnut, black pine and gall oak groves and riverbank grovesof alder, ash and poplar trees. The scenery is even more spectacular in au-tumn, when the deciduous trees turn golden. In spring and summer it’s pos-sible to see European Honey Buzzard, which has a small breeding populationin this area, the most southern in all of Spain. Continue along the track untilyou reach Guadalupe.From here you should take the EX-118 towards Navalmoral de la Mata, thenturn left at point (X:0297920, Y: 4371232) and take the road known as “laCarrera del Caballo”. This beautiful route runs next to the River Ibor alongthe Camino Real, a centuries-old pilgrimage road from Madrid to Guadalupe.The nearby Humilladero is worth visiting, a Mudejar style chapel where pil-grims knelt down on seeing the Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe forthe first time.We would recommend you carry on by car, parking next to the sawmill locatedat point (X:02979900, Y: 4372083), to then continue on foot along the bankof the River Ibor, where it’s possible to see – or hear – the Western Bonelli’s


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Castle of Cabañas del Castillo


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Warbler, restricted to the mountain tops of the Sistema Central, Villuercas andSierra de Tentudía in Extremadura. You can also see other species of birdstypical of deciduous woods and groves: Golden Oriole, Cirl Bunting, Nightin-gale, Eurasian Jay, Long-tailed Tit, etc. With a bit of luck you will also seesome indigenous species such as the Iberian Frog, Schreiber’s Green Lizardand Roe Deer, which will bark at you from the thickness of the chestnut groves. Go back to your car when you reach the point where the path starts veeringaway from the river. From here return to the turning off point, then take the nar-row road that leads up to a military base (now disused) and the highest pointin the region: Pico Villuercas (1.601 m). As you go upwards you will see anobvious change in the vegetation, with the forest masses of chestnut, pine,Pyrenean oak, gall oak and whitebeam being progressively substituted by thejunipers, brooms and heathers of the mountains, where the conditions aremore hostile towards vegetation. The geological beauty of the scenery and itsextraordinary relief is equally striking; called Appalachian relief, it is a pecu-liar succession of parallel valleys and mountain ranges, with many folds, faultsand residual rocky areas. It is a perfect nesting habitat for lots of species: Grif-fon Vulture, Bonelli’s Eagle, Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Black Stork,Egyptian Vulture, Eagle Owl, etc.As a curious aside it’s worth mentioning that the road up to the summit formsthe dividing line of waters between the basins of the Tajo and Guadiana in sucha way that the currents that flow on the left belong to the Guadiana (RiversGuadalupejo, Ruecas, Gargáligas, etc.) and those on the right to the Tajo(Rivers Viejas, Ibor, Almonte, etc.).Park your car on the left at point (X:0295440, Y: 4371720) to visit “Pozo dela Nieve”. This huge well, dug out of the rock, was filled with ice during win-ter in order to conserve the food and medicines of the Monastery and town ofGuadalupe. From here you can see the vast landscapes of the valley of theRiver Guadalupejo and the low mountain range of Rañas de Cañamero.

Peregrine Falcon


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Eurasian Black Vulture

Once you reach the summit it isn’tdifficult to see characteristicspecies of mountain scrubland androcky outcrops, including: BlackWheatear, Black Redstart, Dun-nock, Alpine Accentor, Blue RockThrush and Rufous-tailed RockThrush, a rare breeding summerspecies that only nests in thesemountain tops in Villuercas. Youcan also hear the shrill carrouselsof the Alpine Swifts, a species thathas important breeding areas inthese mountain ranges, and the ju-bilant calls of the flocks of Red-billed Chough, a bird which has anirregular and localized distributionin Extremadura.


Due to the diversity of the habitats this route has many and varied ornitho-logical interests. The summer visitors that breed here stand out, such as theEuropean Honey Buzzard, Black Stork, Booted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, BlueRock Thrush, Alpine Swift and Egyptian Vulture. The deciduous forest massesare the perfect habitat for nocturnal birds such as the Tawny Owl and there areisolated groups of Coal Tit in the pine groves. Western Bonelli’s Warbler andLesser Spotted Woodpecker are common in the best conserved mountainforests. Peregrine Falcon, Golden Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, Eagle Owl and Grif-fon Vulture nest in the crags and rocky outcrops, among other species. Nu-merous species, such as the Black Wheatear, Black Redstart, Dunnock, AlpineAccentor, Blue Rock Thrush and Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, can be found inthe summits, between the rocks and the creeping bushes. The Spanish Im-perial Eagle, which still doesn’t breed regularly in this region, shares the habi-tat with another large scavenger, the Eurasian Black Vulture, which started tonest in these mountain ranges just over a decade ago, in what appears to bean expansion from the colonies of Monfragüe. Pairs now nest in the mostnorthern enclaves of the region, giving almost spatial continuity to the coloniesof Monfragüe.


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Best time to visit

It can be done at any time of the year. Spring is the most productive season,with good daytime temperatures and the return of the summer birds: BlackStork, Egyptian Vulture, Booted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, European HoneyBuzzard, etc. Spring is also the breeding season and, as a general recom-mendation for all the routes, you must not stray from the established route toavoid disturbing the birds during this sensitive period. Although part of theroute goes through a mountain area it is very hot in summer, so make sure youdrink plenty of fluids and protect yourself properly from the sun, avoiding themiddle hours of the day, which are also less favourable for watching the birds.In autumn the colour of the deciduous trees, with their golden and yellow hues,marks this region culturally and scenically.


The Villuercas mountains are scenically outstanding because of their forma-tion, a succession of valleys and mountain ridges in parallel, known as Ap-palachian relief. Both within the central zone as well as the edges one can finda great diversity of residual reliefs, folds, fossils, old quarries and deposits. The area is important in terms of endemism and botanical interest, with nu-merous species of woodland orchid, relict trees such as the laurel (Prunuslusitanica ssp. lusitanica), a survivor of the temperate periods of the Tertiary.There is a high diversity of butterflies and dragonflies, indicators of the qual-ity and diversity of the environment in this district. Without doubt, Guadalupe with its monastery, declared a World Heritage Siteby UNESCO in 1993, and surrounding historic buildings, stands out amongstthe towns and villages of the district. On the summits and strategic ridges, there are many pre-Roman settlementsand castles, which formed a defensive line along the Tajo valley during the re-conquest. The mountains conserve one of the most important collections of cave paint-ings in Extremadura, with more than 90 known sites where rock paintings canbe found in sheltered overhangs, small caves and even exposed rocks. InCañamero the Cueva Chiquita or Álvarez (Álvarez or Chiquita cave) is easy tovisit. Some of the small caves around Berzocana are sign-posted and have in-formation boards in place.


ACCOMMODATION

ALÍA

H* VALMAYORCARRETERA EX-102, PARC. 91.POL. 21927366515 / 927366270P GARCÍAPANTANO DE CIJARA927366475P MONTERO, ELAVDA. LUIS CHAMIZO, 40927366011CR EL ESTRECHO DE LAPEÑACTRA. EX.102, KM.92,300927366289 / 616683486ATR EN PLENA SIERRALA CALERA616683486

ALDEACENTENERA

ATR LA CORAJAHERNAN CORTES,99927314129 / 676098523AT CRISTINALIBERTAD, Nº 7927419028 / 653068019

BERZOCANA

HR REAL VILLA DE BERZO-CANAPLAZA DE ESPAÑA,15927150052 / 927150139CR EL RINCÓN DE LOS CEREZOSFINCA SOLANA DEL CUERVO927195001 / 690667582CR FINCA LA SIERRAFINCA LA SIERRA (CASARURAL)669264449 / 676806861ATR FINCA LA SIERRAFINCA LA SIERRA669264449 / 676806861

CABAÑAS DEL CASTILLO

CR LA PEÑAPLAZA DE JUAN URETA, 8927151067 / 620254612

CR PUERTA SOLANAC/ LOS POSITOS,4927150225

CR LA COSTANAFINCA LOS CONCEJILES927151626

CR LA JARA DE LAS VI-LLUERCASCALLE ESTRECHA, 2927151009 / 676631137

ATR EL NIDO DE LA CO-LLALBAPlaza Juan de Ureta,13927151009 / 676631137

AT LA PEÑAC/ CUESTA, 2,4,6,8927151067 / 620254612

CAÑAMERO

H** RUIZPABLO GARCIA GARRIDO, 2927157125 / 927157075

CR EL TALLER DE BENITOC/ALCORNOCAL, 2927369471 / 646951533

ATR CANCHO DEL FRESNOUMBRÍA DEL COLMENAR680452006 / 659230881

ATR LA ALBERGUERÍACRTA. EX102 KM. 61,700902193014 / 670432681

ATR CANDELAPARAJE "HORCAJO" PARECELA97 POL. 4653673373 / 927195316

CARRASCALEJO

CR LA CASA DEL PRACTICANTEGARCIA TAFALLA, 14689037634

ATR CARRASCALEJO RUSTICOCTRA. DE NAVATRASIERRA S/N927555058 / 927555200

CASTAÑAR DE IBOR

HS** SOLAIRECTRA. DE GUADALUPE, 29927554125 / 927554125

HR LAS MOZASAVDA. DE GUADALUPE, 10927554387

CR AMANECERC/ EUROPA,17927554730 / 927554733

CT LOS IBORESCRTA. GUADALUPE-NAVALMO-RAL DE LA MATA KM 30927554654 / 927554654

DELEITOSA

CR LLANO DEL PINOCTRA. RETAMOSA, KM. 650659962323

FRESNEDOSO DE IBOR

HR LOS IBORESC/ CALVO SOTELO,21-23927575251 / 927575238

CR CASA GRANDEC/ CALVO SOTELO, 13927575382 / 679818120

ATR ALVAREZC/PRIMO DE RIVERA,8927575346

GUADALUPE

HR ATALAYACTRA. DE NAVALMORAL, S/N927154322 / 927154226

HR POSADA DEL RINCÓNPLAZA DE SANTA MARÍA DEGUADALUPE,11927367114

H**** PARADOR DE TU-RISMO ZURBARÁNMARQUES DE LA ROMANA, 12927367075

H** HISPANIDADBLAS PEREZ, 1

927154210


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Areas of interest (ZEPA de las Villuercas y Valle del Guadarranque)


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H** HOSPEDERÍA DELREAL MONASTERIOPLAZA DE JUAN CARLOS I927367000HS** ALBA TARUTAEL CHORRO GORDO, 2927154444 / 927367301HS** ALFONSO XIALFONSO ONCENO, 21927154287HS** CEREZO IIPLAZA SANTA MARIA DE GUA-DALUPE, 33927154177HS** ISABELNUEVA DE LOS CAPELLANES,10927367126 / 676233675HS** LUJUANGREGORIO LOPEZ, 21927367170HS** POLKYAVENIDA ALFONSO XI, 26927367057 / 927367375HS* ALTAMIRALA CRUZ, 4927367493 / 927154265HS* CEREZOGREGORIO LOPEZ, 12927367379HS* ISABELPLAZA SANTA MARIA DE GUA-DALUPE, 13927367126HS* TARUTA

ALFONSO ONCENO, S/N927367301 927154144CR BAÑOSALFONSO MORENO, 25649857541 / 646247383CR LA CLARAPLAZA DE SANTA MARIA,44927154067 / 665818001CR ABACERIAC/ NUEVA, 22927154282 / 650208405CR LOS CHORRANCOSCUARTEL, 9675954106CR MOLINO EL BATÁNCAMINO DEL MATO KM 7927154184 / 927154287AT PISCINA SILOECARRETERA DE VILLANUEVA,S/N927367139 / 927367028C LAS VILLUERCAS-GUA-DALUPECARRETERA VILLANUEVA(HUERTA DEL RIO)927367139 / 927367561

NAVEZUELAS

HS** J.B.AVDA. DE EXTREMADURA,66927151800 / 927151688CR VALLE DEL ALMONTEC/ ROTURAS 7 A927151624 / 650923739

VILLAR DEL PEDROSO

CR LAS LUCIASFINCA LAS LUCIAS, CTRA. GUA-DALUPE, S/N(NAVATRASIERRA)927198626 / 629784609

CR EL PEDROSOPLAZA DEL AYUNTAMIENTO,7607943314 / 648113786

TOURIST OFFICES

O.T. GUADALUPEPZ. STA. Mª DE GUADALUPE

GUADALUPE

TEL.: 927154128 FAX: 927154128


C.I. SOBRE EL MONU-MENTO NATURAL Y LA COMARCACTRA. DEL CAMPING, S/NCASTAÑAR DE IBOR

TEL.: 927554635

Common Swift


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11

Location and access

The River Guadiana is dammed by a diversion dam as it flows past the city ofBadajoz, a small regulation dam that keeps the level of the river practicallyconstant. Downstream from the diversion dam the River Guadiana returns toits natural form and 6.5 km later the River Caya flows into it on its right side.Both banks of the river are reached from Badajoz.


You can make an ornithological trip along the River Guadiana along either ofits banks, as both have good access and present lots of opportunities for bird-watching.

Diversion Dam RiversGuadiana and Caya


A-5

EX-10

7

EX-3

10

Diversion Dam rivers Guadiana and Caya

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ROUTE ALONG THE LEFT BANKSection 1. The route starts at the bridge “Puente de la Autonomía”, which isthe first of four bridges over the Guadiana as you go downstream. It can bereached without problems from any point of the city, as it is one of main exitroutes towards Cáceres by the EX-100 via the ring road (Ronda de la Circun-valación). The way up to the bridge is at the junction of the streets SuárezFigueroa, Morales, San Antón and Joaquín Costa, where you will find a round-about presided over by the unmistakable sculpture of “The Three Poets”. From

Residents

Summervisitors

Wintervisitors

Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Common CootMallard, Common Sandpiper

Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Sand Martin,European Bee-eater, Black-crowned Night Heron,Little Bittern

Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, CommonSnipe, Great Cormorant

Passagemigrants

Squacco Heron, Wood Sandpiper, Osprey, Water Pipit

the bridge you can enjoy excellent views of a section of the river where itscourse narrows, coinciding with the River Zapatón flowing into it from the leftand the River Gévora from the right, a bit further up. There are also excellentviews of the Arabic Castle (Alcazaba) and the Old Centre of Badajoz. From thehead of the bridge you can comfortably travel along the bank, reaching a sec-tion over 800 m long that has been perfectly conditioned for its recreationaluse (benches, terraces, viewpoints, landscaped areas) and that affords mag-nificent views of the river, completely isolating you from the hustle and bus-tle of the city. Keep going along this path until you reach the bridge known asPuente Viejo or Puente de Palmas, opposite Puerta Palmas, a monumentalgate that formed part of the wall that surrounded the city in ancient times andwhich is one of the symbols of Badajoz. Puente Viejo is a footbridge, so it’sperfect for birdwatching, giving an exceptional viewpoint. It’s possible to seemany species in the water and the thick vegetation along the banks, as well asbirds in flight over the river. Next the route continues parallel to the riverbankuntil you reach the third bridge, Puente de la Universidad, where the foot-path ends and a narrow track starts that goes through river groves for 1 km.The track ends at Puente Real (the fourth bridge), easily recognisable due toits central pillars, over 80 m high, and radial support braces. The first sectionalong the left bank, which is 1.9 km long and can only be done on foot, endsat this point.

Section 2. At the junction of the Calle del Paseo Fluvial and the Avenida delGuadiana a dirt track leads off that goes under the bridge Puente Real andthat, 250 m later, joins an asphalted road that runs parallel to the river. The roadis 1800 m long and ends at a roundabout after the building of Badajoz Ca-noeing Club.This section of the route can be done by car, stopping to watch birds or takeshort walks. The route can also be done on foot, following the path betweenthe asphalted road and riverbank, which lets you get closer to the water andvegetation of the riverbank. A dirt track leads off from the roundabout, 270 mlong, which leads to the wall of the diversion dam, where you will find an ex-cellent viewpoint for birdwatching. You can end the route here or continuedownstream on foot along a dirt track.

ROUTE ALONG THE RIGHT BANKYou will find a roundabout in the Avenida de Elvas (going towards Portugal andcoinciding with the N-V), in the section of the road between the bridges Puentede la Universidad and Puente Real, on which you must take the third exit (tothe left), following the sign saying “Cañada Sancha Brava”. Once you’ve goneunder the Puente Real continue along the road until you reach a turning on the


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left (about 1250 m from the bridge) and a dirt track will take you to anotherasphalted road that runs along the riverbank until it reaches the wall of the di-version dam. From here there are two options you can take. The first is to con-tinue downstream along a dirt track in good condition that runs parallel to theriverbank for about 7 km, until it reaches the mouth of the River Caya. Theother possibility is to take the dirt track that leads out from the diversion damand takes you to an asphalted road (passing a ham factory on the left). Fromthis point follow the road until it crosses a small ford, at which point the roadturns into a dirt track. Keep on this track and after 1250 m you will reach a forkwhere you should take the path to the left, which will take you to the banks ofthe River Guadiana and, just after, the mouth of the River Caya.


The diversion dam of the River Guadiana has been declared a Special Pro-tection Area for birds (SPA) due to its importance for numerous species ofbirds. One of its main attractions are the breeding colonies of herons, in whichmore than 2000 pairs of Cattle and Little Egret congregate, accompanied byother species, such as Black-crowned Night Heron, White Stork and GreyHeron. The main colony can be found just downstream from the diversiondam, in the trees on several islands in the middle of the river. Other smallercolonies can be found dispersed over several areas of the river between the di-version dam and the bridge Puente Viejo, also on wooded islands. FromMarch to the middle of July these areas are spectacular due to the multitudesof birds that cover the trees and their incessant activity, much greater aftertheir chicks have hatched. The nesting population of Black-crowned NightHeron is considered to be one of the most important at a regional level. In therest of the year these areas are also communal roosting sites for Cattle and Lit-tle Egret, with thousands of birds gathering together, sharing the area withlarge flocks of Eurasian Jackdaws and Spotless and Common Starlings. It is also possible to observe another three species of heron of great interestin this section of the River Guadiana: Purple Heron (nesting in the dense giantreed thickets along the riverbanks), Squacco Heron (more frequent in pas-sage and even in winter) and the Great White Egret (more and more regularin the area).At the end of August the first Great Cormorants begin to arrive at the river andtheir population continues to increase, reaching its maximum in winter. Youcan see them in many sections of the river, fishing or sunning themselves,with the bridge Puente Viejo being a very good place to observe them at your


leisure. The main roosting site for the Great Cormorants is on an island 1200m downstream from the bridge Puente Real, upon which several hundred birdsgather. The site can be easily recognised as all the branches of the trees aredyed white as a result of the amount of bird droppings and it’s visible fromboth banks of the river. The vegetation along the riverbanks is particularly ex-uberant between the diversion dam and the mouth of the River Caya, where thecourse recovers its most natural appearance, with thick willow copses in whichbirds such as Golden Oriole, Penduline Tit, Nightingale, Cetti’s Warbler, Melo-dious Warbler, Wren, Long-tailed Tit and Common Chaffinch nest.The giant reed thickets, often mixed with willows, form another of the most in-teresting habitats for birds, although due to their dense cover it’s easier tohear their song than to see them. Species such as Little Bittern, Water Rail,Common Moorhen, Great Reed Warbler, Reed Warbler, Red Avadavat andCommon Waxbill are common in the breeding season. The presence ofBluethroat and Common Chiffchaff stand out in winter. Purple Swamphen oc-curs in the area of the diversion dam. In the open waters between the bridgePuente de la Autonomía and the wall of the diversion dam the presence of var-ious species of duck is noteworthy, such as Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Gad-wall as well as Common Coot. In summer, on passage, Osprey move up anddown the deepest waters, trying to capture fish. Other species, typical of theshallower waters and islands, which you can see without difficulty, are WhiteWagtail, Grey Wagtail, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Black-wingedStilt and Common Snipe (in winter).It’s also worth highlighting the birds that nest on the sandy riverbanks, suchas the Sand Martin, European Bee-eater and Common Kingfisher, which havesome of their largest colonies in the gravel areas near the road that leads tothe River Caya.The two viewpoints located at either end of the wall of the diversion dam andthe downstream section are, without a doubt, the most interesting areas ofthe route. On good days it’s possible to see more than 15 different speciesjust from the wall of the diversion dam.


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Cattle Egret Great Cormorant roost

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In winter, as the day progresses, the diversion dam becomes a site of con-centration of Lesser Black-backed Gulls, with over 2000 individuals congre-gating here at times, also accompanied by Black-headed Gulls. The bridgePuente Viejo has a large colony of House Martins as well as several pairs ofAlpine Swift, which are an amazing sight to see flying nearby.

Best time to visit

Spring is a good time to visit the areas that have large colonies of herons,such as the river groves, which are also full of the song of numerous species.In winter you should visit the roosting sites of the cormorants and egrets. Anytime of year is good to see the birds in the area around the diversion dam.


The city of Badajoz has excellent cultural attractions that can be combinedwith the birdwatching trips. We would recommend visiting the Arabic Castleor Alcazaba, and Plaza Alta, the most emblematic place in the historical cen-tre. You can also visit the Latin-American and Extremaduran Museum of Con-temporary Art (MEIAC), the Provincial Archaeological Museum of Badajoz orthe Museum of the City “Luís de Morales”. You can discover a lot of Bada-joz’s heritage values wandering around its streets, such as the bastions of thedefensive wall that surrounded the city in ancient times, its main entrancegates (Puerta de Mérida, Puerta Palmas and Puerta Pilar), the Mudejarhouses, churches and convents, its many squares and parks, etc.It’s always a good decision to plan a visit to the city to coincide with the mainfestivals, such as the Feria de San Juan (24 June), the religious processionsof Semana Santa (at Easter), the celebration of the Carnivals (one of thebusiest and most enjoyable in Spain) or the commemoration of the foundationof Badajoz by the Arabs during the Festival Al-Mossassa Batalyaws (betweenSeptember and October).



ACCOMMODATOIN

BADAJOZ

H***** GRAN HOTEL CA-SINO DE EXTREMADURAAVDA DÍAZ AMBRONA, 13924284402 / 924275175H**** LOS JARDINES DELAS BOVEDASAUTOVIA MADRID-LISBOAP.K.405.715924286035H**** AC BADAJOZAVDA DE ELVAS S/N924286247 / 924286248H**** ZURBARÁNPASEO CASTELAR, 1924001400 / 924220142H**** BADAJOZ CENTERAVDA DAMIAN TELLEZ LA-FUENTE, S/N924212000 / 924212002H*** ACUARELCTRA.BADAJOZ-GRANADA, K. 65924239606 / 924241620H*** LISBOAAVDA. DE ADOLFO DÍAZ AM-BRONA, 13924272900 / 924272250H*** RIOAVDA. A. DIAZ AMBRONA, 13924272600 / 924273874HS** DON PACOCALLE SANCHEZ DE LAROCHA, 7924286415

HS** CERVANTESCALLE TRINIDAD, 2924223710 / 924222935HS** CONDEDUCALLE MUÑOZ TORRERO, 27924207247 / 924207248HS** GONGORAC/ DOBLADOS, 17924223710 / 924235962HS** SAN MARCOSMELÉNDEZ VALDÉS, 53924229518 / 924229250HS* DE LAS HERASCALLE PEDRO DE VALDIVIA, 6924224014 / 924224014HS* NIZACALLE ARCO AGÜERO, 34924223173 / 924200584HS* NIZA IICALLE ARCO AGÜERO, 45924223173 / 924200584HS* VICTORIACALLE LUIS DE CAMOENS, 3924271662 / 924277551HS* HOSTAL BADAJOZC/ GENERAL EMILIO MOLAVIDAL, 5924247402HS* TITTY TWISTERN-432, KM 11.200924275841HS* PLAZA DE ESPAÑACALLE ZURBARAN, 2-1º924222005HS* PINTORCALLE ARCO AGÜERO, 26 924224228 / 924233345

P GALICIAAVENIDA ADOLFO DIAZ AM-BRONA, 24924271902 / 924271902HA*** ASCARZACastillo Puebla de Alcocer, 28924286370 / 924286371

GUADIANA DEL CAUDILLO

P MARI LOLIPLAZA DEL PARQUE, 3924471080

PUEBLONUEVO DEL GUADIANA

H* LA FINCACARRETERA BADAJOZ -MON-TILJO K. 22924140718

VALDELACALZADA

HS** VELASCOCALLE CALZADA, 26924447109 / 924447109

VILLAFRANCO DEL GUADIANA

H**** CONFORTEL BADAJOZCARRETERA N-V, KM 393924443711 / 924443708


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Areas of interest (ZEPA Azud de Badajoz)

Common Coot


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Little Egret

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R U T A S O R N I T O L Ó G I C A S P O R E X T R E M A D U R ACornalvo / Los Canchales 12

Cornalvo Reservoir

Location and access

This route is at the heart of Cornalvo Natural Park, which is situated betweenthe Vegas del Guadiana and the spurs of the Sierras de San Pedro and Mon-tánchez. It goes through the municipal areas of Mérida and Trujillanos (Badajoz).It’s best to access the route from the “Autovía de Extremadura” (A-5), contin-uing along it until you reach the town of Trujillanos, taking exit 334 (towardsMadrid) or 325 (towards Mérida). Before you enter Trujillanos you will find aroundabout, where you should take the first exit, to the right, which will takeyou straight to Cornalvo Reservoir.


A-5

A-5

A-66

Cornalvo / Los Canchales

114

Residents

Summervisitors

Wintervisitors

European Nuthatch, Short-toed Treecreeper, Hawfinch,Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Black Stork, Nightingale, Melodious Warbler, Booted Eagle, Black Kite

Dunnock, Eurasian Bullfinch, Common Wood Pigeon,Common Teal, Gadwall

Passagemigrants

Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Common Redstart

Residents

Summervisitors

Wintervisitors

Cattle Egret, Grey Heron, Great Crested Grebe, CommonCoot, Mallard, Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover

Little Tern, Gull-billed Tern, Black-winged Stilt, CollaredPratincole, Whiskered Tern

Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, CommonCrane, Pintail, Eurasian Wigeon, Greylag Goose

Passagemigrants

Eurasian Spoonbill, Curlew Sandpiper, Red Knot, Green-shank, Grey Plove, Turnstone, Wood Sandpiper, Osprey

CORNALV

OLOS C

ANCHALES


This birdwatching route starts from the Centre of Interpretation of CornalvoNatural Park, which we strongly recommend you to visit and where you canget more information about this protected area and other possible routes.About 7 km from the Centre of Interpretation you will find a turning on theright that will take you to the Dam of Cornalvo Reservoir. If you have come thisfar by car you must park here before you get to the dam and continue on foot.The route goes around the reservoir, always following the paths. Start bycrossing the wall of the dam, and then continue along a path that takes you firstthrough a thick cork oak grove and then through more open areas with viewsof the reservoir. You will reach the end of the reservoir after about 2800 m, atwhich point you will have done almost half the route and will start going backtowards the starting point. From the end to the wall of the dam the route goesalong a path that is in a good state and which keeps parallel to the reservoir.The whole route round the reservoir is 6800 m long; although when the waterlevel is low you can take different routes, shortening the distance, particularlyin the end section.


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Little Owl Grey Heron


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Cornalvo Natural Park was one of the first areas to be declared a Special Pro-tection Area for birds (SPA) in Extremadura, called “Embalse de Cornalvo ySierra Bermeja”.The predominant habitats between the Centre of Interpretation and CornalvoReservoir are rain-fed cereal fields, olive groves and open dehesa of Holm oakgroves. 2.3 km from the start you will reach a bridge over the River Albar-regas, where there is a dense wooded area and it’s worth stopping here towatch birds. Large pools of water usually remain in summer attracting nu-merous species to drink (warblers, tits, finches, larks). In the cereal fields andpastures that extend from the bridge to Cortijo de Campomanes it’s possibleto see Montagu’s Harrier, Black-winged Kite, Little Owl, Stone Curlew, LittleBustard, Southern Grey Shrike, Zitting Cisticola and Thekla Lark.It’s good to have a telescope with you when you reach the dam as the waterbirds are normally in the middle of the reservoir. The most frequent species areMallard, Northern Shoveler, Common Teal, Gadwall, Pintail, Eurasian Wigeon,Common Coot, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe,Great Cormorant, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull and LittleRinged Plover. If you are lucky you can see Black Stork feeding on the banks,one of the emblematic birds of this protected area. In the shallower areas (suchas the islands, islets and the shoreline) you can see several species of waders,the diversity of which is much greater during the autumn passage (from Julyto October), and which include Black-winged Stilt, Common Redshank, Dun-lin, Curlew Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover.A path begins at the end of the dam that goes up into a thick cork oak grovewhere you can see typical forest species such as European Nuthatch, Short-toed Treecreeper, Nightingale, Wren, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch,Hawfinch, Blue, Crested and Great Tits, Blackbird, Common Wood Pigeon,Eurasian Jay, and Great and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers. In the areas pre-dominated by bushes (mostly rock rose patches and moorland) it’s easy to findspecies typical of this type of vegetation, such as Sardinian and Dartford War-blers and Dunnock (the latter only in winter).Once the path leaves the slope the density of Holm and cork oaks lessens,with dehesa areas appearing that alternate with scrubland and pastures, andit’s easier to see the birds. Spotted Flycatcher, Azure-winged Magpie, Hoopoe,Woodlark and Woodchat Shrike occur in the dehesa areas. With more openvisibility it’s easier to see breeding birds of prey (Booted Eagle, Common Buz-zard, Short-toed Eagle, Black Kite) and other species that search for food in thedehesa such as Griffon Vulture, Eurasian Black Vulture and even Spanish Im-perial Eagle.

Best time to visit

The route is interesting at any time of year, but spring is the best time to watchthe birds associated with forests and dehesa. The reservoir has a greater di-versity of species in winter and at the end of summer.


Hide at Muelas Reservoir. This small regulation dam is about 7 km from theturning that leads to Cornalvo Reservoir, continuing along the asphalted road,and has a birdwatching hide where you can see many species.Cornalvo Dam has been declared a National Monument, as it is one of thebest-conserved hydraulic works from the Roman era.A cultural visit to the city of Mérida, a World Heritage Site, is the perfect com-plement to the birdwatching route around Cornalvo Natural Park.


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Hoopoe

Hawfinch


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Los Canchales Reservoir

Location and access

Los Canchales Reservoir is in the province of Badajoz, to the northwest of thetowns of La Garrovilla and Esparragalejo, and was built over Lácara Brook,a water course that originates in the Sierra de San Pedro and flows into the leftside of the River Guadiana. It can be reached from the EX-305 between Mon-tijo and Nava de Santiago, with two entrances between kilometre points 8 and13 that lead towards the western area of the reservoir. You can also get to thereservoir via a track that starts in the outskirts of Esparragalejo.It is recommended to reach it from the EX-209 as it goes through the town ofLa Garrovilla, where you will find a sign-posted asphalted track that leadsstraight to the wall of the dam, the perfect starting point for a birdwatching trip.


The route starts in La Garrovilla, reaching the wall of Los Canchales Reservoirafter about 7.5 km along an asphalted road. This first section is of great interestas it crosses land used for the dry-farming of cereals, sunflowers and olivetrees. In the area around the reservoir there are several information panelsabout visiting regulations and routes to follow.The rest of the route goes along a dirt track around the reservoir, over 23 kmlong, built above the maximum flood level of the reservoir and which enablesyou to go all the way around it.About 80 m before you reach the dam take the road on the right, just before thecar parking area and the Centre of Interpretation of the Hydrographic Confed-eration of the Guadiana, leading straight down to the banks of the reservoir. Thefirst stop is 800 m along, at a man-made dyke that flows into the reservoir andhas a hide at its end. You’ll reach the end of the reservoir about 4 km further on:an area of shallow water where you can still see the winding branches of LácaraBrook. When the water level is very low you can take an alternative track that sig-nificantly reduces the length of the route. The route continues along the rightbank of the reservoir, passing two of the islets most used by the birds, situatedopposite a group of man-made islands. Next the track goes away from the reser-voir and momentarily takes you to the EX-305 (Montijo-La Nava de Santiago)where you must go 1770 m towards Montijo until you reach a track on the leftthat will lead you back to the reservoir. Follow the track until you reach a smalldam built in one of the reservoir’s islets and 600 m later you will find a dyke to

observe the birds and a path along the bank that you can go along on foot andthat goes up a thick scrubland slope. The last 3 km of the track goes up a smallhill before arriving at the wall of the dam, where the route ends.


Los Canchales Reservoir has been declared a Special Protection Area for birds(SPA) and is also recognised as a “Wetland of International Importance”. Ithas highly favourable conditions for numerous species of birds, as it has largeareas of shallow water, diverse types of vegetation associated with water (bul-rush and giant reed thickets, grasslands and formations of spurges, ashes andwillows) and is surrounded by Holm oak dehesa and large areas of irrigatedand rain-fed farmland. The Hydrographic Confederation of the Guadiana hasalso carried out numerous activities to favour the presence of birds, such asthe construction of islands, pools and lakes, dykes, water retaining dams andimprovements to the habitat, etc.During the breeding season the populations of colonial birds that nest on the is-lands are important, including large numbers of Collared Pratincole, Gull-billedTern, Little Tern and Black-winged Stilt. Other water birds also nest here, such asMallard, Gadwall, Common Coot, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe and Black-headed Gull. There are also breeding pairs of Whiskered Tern and Black Tern. During the autumn passage many species and large concentrations of birdsgather here. The presence of waders is noteworthy, with the possibility of see-ing Dunlin, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Red Knot, Ringed Plover, Commonand Spotted Redshanks, Greenshank, Grey Plover, Turnstone, Wood Sand-piper and Bar-tailed Godwit. The concentrations of White Stork on the banksare spectacular in summer, with over 500 birds. It is considered to be one ofthe most important areas for the wintering and passage of the EurasianSpoonbill, which has even bred in the reservoir.In winter the waterfowl are of interest (Mallard, Pintail, Eurasian Wigeon, Gad-wall, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Common Teal, Greylag Goose),with over 10,000 birds, as well as concentrations of Lesser Black-backed Gulland Black-headed Gull and a wintering flock of Common Crane of more than1500 birds, which roost on the banks of the reservoir.You can also see very interesting species in the rain-fed farmland and dehesaaround the reservoir (birds of prey, steppe species) and it’s also good to stopat the frequent patches of Kermes oak, myrtle and wild olive, as they usuallyshelter several passerines (Subalpine, Western Orphean and Melodious War-blers, Black Wheatear and Rufous Bush Robin).


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Best time to visit

This route is good at any time of year but you must bear in mind that thespecies you will find depends on when you visit. Unlike other places the sum-mer months are very interesting for birdwatching.


Mouth of the River Aljucén. If you take the EX-209 towards Mérida you willfind the course of the River Aljucén after you have gone past the town of Es-parragalejo It’s a very good place for birdwatching (Squacco Heron, PurpleSwamphen and Purple Heron) and has a hide.Dolmen of Lácara. This interesting collective tomb is to the north of Los Can-chales Reservoir. It is a large tomb in an excellent state of conservation anddates from the Calcolithic period. It is reached by following the EX-214 fromLa Nava de Santiago to Aljucén.


Turnstone Common Cranes

ACCOMMODATION

GUAREÑA

H EL COTOCARRETERA D. BENITO924350378 / 924350525

MÉRIDA

H***** MERIDA PALACEPLAZA DE ESPAÑA 19924383800H**** ADEALBAC/ ROMERO LEAL, Nº 18665402105 / 924388271H**** LA LOMASAVDA. REINA SOFÍA, 78924311011 / 618518431H**** PARADOR DE TU-RISMO VIA DE LA PLATAPLAZA CONSTITUCION, 3924313800H**** TRYP MEDEAAVENIDA PORTUGAL S/Nº924372400H**** VELADA MERIDAAVENIDA PRINCESA SOFIA s/n924315110H*** NOVA ROMACALLE SUAREZ SOMONTE, 42924311261 / 924311201H*** ZEUSAVDA. REINA SOFÍA, 8924318111H** CERVANTESCALLE CAMILO J. CELA, 8924314961H** HOTEL RAMBLA EMÉ-RITARAMBLA SANTA EULALIA, 17924387231H** LUSITANIACALLE OVIEDO, 12924316112HS** ANASAVENIDA REINA SOFÍA, 9924311113

HS** LAS ABADÍASRONDA DE LOS EMERITOS, S/N924313326HS* ALAMEDAPLAZA MAGDALENA, 1924300474HS* BUENOCALLE CALVARIO, 9924302977 / 696230075HS* EL ALFAREROCALLE SAGASTA, 40924303183 / 678311783HS* EL TOREROCARRETERA ALANGE, 1924371789HS* NUEVA ESPAÑAAVENIDA EXTREMADURA, 6924313356 / 924304016HS* SALUDCALLE VESPASIANO, 41924312259HS* SENEROCALLE HOLGUIN, 12924317207HS* TORERO IICTRA. ALANGE, 1924371789HR EL PANTANOFINCA EL PANTANO. CTRA.MONTIJO A LA ROCA, KM.15,700924140194 / 617386611CR M CORTIJO DE LA SERRANACTRA. LA ROCA DE LA SIERRA-MONTIJO, KM. 14924452874 / 646335382CT MÉRIDACARRETERA N-V, K. 336924303453

MIRANDILLA

CR CASA DEL MOLINEROURBANIZACION LOS CANCHALES658561076 / 608924166

MONTIJO

H* GRAN SOL DE EXTRE-MADURAAVDA DEL PROGRESO, 10924456032 / 924456132HS** HOSTAL KATYAPLAZA ESPAÑA,2924450179HS** LA ISLACARLOS I, 1924455557 / 667572320HS* CASA ANDRESCALLE PORTOCARRERO, 9924452215P PRINCESACARRETERA ESTACIÓN, 9924455070CR BARBAÑOTORREÁGUILACTRA. BARBAÑO-TORREMA-YOR, S/N617457496

TOURIST OFFICES

O.T. MUNICIPAL DE MÉRIDASANTA EULALIA, 64MÉRIDATEL.: 924330722


C.I. DEL AGUA DEL PARQUE NATURALCTRA. TRUJILLANOS-EMBALSEDE CORNALVOTRUJILLANOSTEL.: 924002386


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Areas of interest (ZEPA Parque Natural de Cornalvo y ZEPA Embalse Los Canchales)


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Common Cranes

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R U T A S O R N I T O L Ó G I C A S P O R E X T R E M A D U R AMoheda Alta / Sierra Brava 13

Location and access

This route goes through the areas known as Zona Centro and Vegas Altas delGuadiana, in the centre-east of Extremadura, taking you over land within themunicipal areas of Obando, Navalvillar de Pela, Vegas Altas and Madri-galejo. The old dehesas here hardly retain any traces of the vast original areathey used to occupy due to the transformation caused by the implementationof the Irrigation Plan of Zona Centro. However, on the other hand, this hasalso given rise to the appearance of new species.You can reach the start of the route via the EX-116 that connects Navalvillarde Pela to the south with Guadalupe to the north. Coming from the south youwill find the road of the canal on the left, from which you can reach Cubilarreservoir, where the route starts. You can reach Navalvillar de Pela via the N-430, which starts from the A-5 at Torrefresneda to the west and continuesuntil the province of Ciudad Real to the east.


E-1

16

Moheda Alta / Sierra Brava

124

Residents

Summervisitors

Wintervisitors

Mallard, Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, Black-winged Kite,Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Common Kestrel, GreatBustard, Little Bustard. Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse

Black Stork, Booted Eagle, Montagu’s Harrier, Gull-billed Tern, Collared Pratincole, European Bee-eater

Common Crane, Greylag Goose, Pintail, Black-tailedGodwit, Hen Harrier, Short-eared Owl

Passagemigrants

Garganey, Common Shelduck, Ruddy Shelduck, Avocet,Osprey


The route is 37 km long, from Cubilar reservoir to Sierra Brava reservoir. It canbe done in a day, alternating travelling by car with short walks, and finishingat lunchtime at Sierra Brava, where, after eating, you can go for a walk alongthe banks to the end of the reservoir, where you will see the most species. Youwill find different habitats along the route, most highly transformed and usedfor agriculture, making a very wide range of bird species easy to spot. Start-ing from a small reservoir surrounded by dehesa this route will take you pastdifferent crops, such as corn, wheat, barley, fruit trees…and rice. This last de-serves special attention as it is grown by flooding, which, by creating a massof shallow water, attracts numerous waders and water birds in search of food,as well as serving as a roosting area for large flocks of Common Cranes,Black-tailed Godwits, Marsh Harriers and Hen Harriers. The route also goes bydehesa and pastures, ending at a reservoir (Sierra Brava) in the middle of alarge plain.


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European Bee-eater


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Start from point X: 286357, Y: 4.346.346 at Cubilar Reservoir. It’s worth walk-ing a little in the area around the reservoir and watching the numerous speciesof ducks and geese, herons and egrets and waders, in the area from an ele-vated point (the wall of the dam makes a good viewpoint) with a telescope.Most of these birds use this area as a roosting site in winter. There are also alarge number of Common Cranes, so birdwatchers will find the view from thedam at dawn in winter a wonderful spectacle.Continue by car until you pass above the canal and at point X: 286.435, Y:4.345.535 turn left, around the canal. From here you will see different cerealcrops on your right and up above the riverside forest that flanks the River Cu-bilar, with dehesa in the background. Keep on the canal track, scattered withstone pine trees that form the lookout points for many of birds of prey, suchas Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Kestrel, Black-winged Kite and CommonBuzzard. When you reach point X: 289.100, Y: 4.344.836, where the trackcrosses the EX-116 that connects Navalvillar de Pela and Guadalupe, turnright, towards Navalvillar de Pela. From the road you will see rice fields on theleft and livestock dehesa on the right. At point X: 288.196, Y: 4.343.543 you’llfind the entrance to the dehesa “Dehesa de Zarzalejos”, an alternative route youcould follow to see Black-winged Kite, Common Buzzard, Azure-winged Mag-pie, etc. and family groups of Common Cranes foraging and eating acorns inwinter. But continue onwards to point X: 284.836, Y: 4.338.512 where you willfind a path with a birdwatching hide on the left, via which you can reach alarge irrigation pool where you see lots of water birds. Beneath this pool, in theextensive crop fields, a large number of Common Cranes, Greylag Geese andMarsh Harriers roost in autumn and winter.Continue to point X: 284.720, Y: 4.336.634, where, on the left, you will findthe Centre of Interpretation Moheda Alta (within the 150 ha of the Periur-ban Park of Conservation and Leisure), which is worth visiting. Take the roadon the right to Gorbea farm, leaving the asphalted road and going by a mag-nificent mature dehesa, evidence of the habitat that existed before the irri-gation system was established. After the dehesa you will see rain-fed cerealfields and rice fields that serve as roosting places for Common Cranes andMarsh and Hen Harriers. When you reach point X: 280.287, Y: 4.335.636turn right and continue on until you leave the village of Vegas Altas to yourright and reach point X: 276.936, Y: 4.333.062 where you cross the EX-102and turn right towards Madrigalejo. Go past this village and continue alongthe road, which leads to Zorita, but, at point X: 269.288, Y: 4.341.724 turnright and after barely 800 m you will get to Sierra Brava reservoir, the endof the route. It is worth taking your telescope and taking the path around thereservoir that starts on the left before the dam, where you can see manyspecies of water birds.


The most representative species is, perhaps, the Common Crane (in autumnand winter). You can see over 30,000 birds in the various roosting sites in thisarea, many of which have been ringed, with it being possible to read thosethat have a colour code. Other species that are important in winter for theirnumber in the pools and reservoirs are Greylag Geese, various species ofducks, such as Pintail, Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, Red-crested Pochard,Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Teal, and other water birds, such asGreat Crested, Little and Black-necked Grebes. In the rice fields you can seeCommon Snipe and other waders such as Black-tailed Godwit, Ringed Plover,Black-winged Stilt, Golden Plover, Little Stint, Dunlin, and Common, Greenand Wood Sandpipers. Amongst the wintering birds of prey Red Kite, Merlinand Short-eared Owl are important. It’s also possible to find NorthernGoshawks and Eurasian Sparrowhawks, , as well as Common Buzzard, thenumber of which increases in winter with the arrival of birds from the north.Curiously, several Black Stork stay in the area throughout winter, without mi-grating to warmer sub Saharan lands.Birds that breed in the area include Black-winged Kite, Gull-billed Tern (SierraBrava), Collared Pratincole, Marsh Harrier, Montagu’s Harrier, Red Avadavat,


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Short-eared Owl Common Waxbill


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Common Waxbill, Azure-winged Magpie, Common Kestrel, Lesser Kestrel etc.You can see species typical of steppe areas in the plains surrounding SierraBrava reservoir, such as Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Stone Curlew, Black-bellied Sandgrouse and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse.Species that are rare elsewhere in Extremadura appear in passage here, suchas Bluethroat, Garganey, Avocet, Common Shelduck and Ruddy Shelduck.Other species have been recorded in the area, such as White-fronted Goose,Bean Goose, Squacco Heron, Whiskered Tern, Great White Egret, Glossy Ibis,Eurasian Curlew and Osprey.

Best time to visit

This route can be done at any time of year, as many interesting species residein the area. However, in autumn and winter the large number of birds such asCommon Crane (the largest density in the peninsula throughout winter), Grey-lag Geese, Black-tailed Godwits, Northern Lapwings, etc. will delight any bird-watcher, with hardly any effort, without leaving the route.Spring is also a good time; as well as the nesting species that come to thearea numerous passage migrants appear until well into April.


The Holm oak “El Convenio” stands out amongst the others in the dehesa dueto its height. Sadly it has now dried up. The sale and division of Gorbea farmwas agreed beneath its branches, and in olden days it was also here that farm-ing advice was given. Serapias perez-chiscanoi, a species of orchid, is easy to find in the areaaround the Centre of Interpretation Moheda Alta. The species is classed as InDanger of Extinction in the Regional Catalogue of Endangered Species of Ex-tremadura and was discovered by the Extremaduran pharmacist José LuísPérez-Chiscano.Other orchids; there are other species of the genus serapias in the area suchas Serapias lingua, S. vomeracea, and other genuses such as Oprhys ten-thredinifera, O. conica, Orchis morio, etc.

Texts: Juan Pablo Prieto Clemente

ACCOMMODATION

LOGROSÁN

H JARAAVENIDA HERNANDEZ SE-RRANO, S/N927360109H ROSALES, LOSCARRETERA DE GUADALUPE927360220CR EL PORTALONC/ BROCENSE, 5927360218 / 628453033CR LA CASA DEL MARQUÉSGREGORIO LOPEZ, 5927360777 / 927360169

CR EL OLIVOCALLE DELICIAS, 14609748722 / 927158122

MADRIGALEJO

H PEDROC/ SAN JUAN Nº 9927354572H MAYVECARRETERA DE ZORITA, S/N927354081

NAVALVILLAR DE PELA

H LAS DEHESASCARRETERA N-430, K. 135

H DON JUANCARRETERA N-430 K. 139924860606 / 924860296H EL IMPREVISTOCARRETERA N-430 K. 139924860311H LOS OLIVOSCARRETERA N-430 K. 139924860580CR S LA LOZANACALLE MORENO NOGALES, 18924824291

ZORITA

P EL AMIGO PABLOAVDA. CONSTITUCION,2927168213


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Areas of interest (ZEPA Llanos de Zorita y Embalse de Sierra Bravay ZEPA Vegas del Rueca Cubilar y Moheda Alta)

Pin-tailed Sandgrouse


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Griffon Vulture

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14

Location and access

Orellana Reservoir is the last of the three large reservoirs that regulate theRiver Guadiana upon its entry into Extremadura and it can be found betweenthe regions of La Serena and Vegas Altas del Guadiana, in the province ofBadajoz. The landscape is dominated by the water collected in the reservoir,which is flanked by medium-height mountain ranges (Sierra de Pela, 724 m;Sierra del Castillo, 697 m) that stand out over vast areas of dehesa, pasturesand rain-fed crops. The main road to it is the N-430, from which you can reach the towns of Orel-lana la Vieja (taking the BA-105), Navalvillar de Pela and Casas de DonPedro, from where you can easily get to Talarrubias and Puebla de Alcocervia the EX-115, EX-103 and BA-137.

Embalse de Orellanay Puerto Peña


N-430

EX-1

15

EX-103

BA-137

BA-1

38

Orellana Reservoir and Puerto Peña

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Residents

Summervisitors

Wintervisitors

Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Bonelli’s Eagle, GoldenEagle, Griffon Vulture, Calandra Lark

Black Stork, Egyptian Vulture, Lesser Kestrel, Montagu’sHarrier, European Roller, Little Tern

Meadow Pipit, Common Teal, Eurasian Wigeon, TuftedDuck, Black-necked Grebe, Lesser Black-backed Gull

Passagemigrants Northern Wheatear, Black-eared Wheatear, Osprey


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Section 1. Casas de Don Pedro-Puerto Peña. The route starts in thetown of Casas de Don Pedro, whereyou should take the BA-137 thatgoes around the town to the east,continuing on towards Talarrubias.Barely 1 km after you’ve passed thelast houses of the town you willfind a junction with an asphaltedroad that runs parallel to the Canalde las Dehesas. You can make asmall diversion from the route and turn right at the junction, to the DiversionDam of Casas de Don Pedro, an interesting place to watch water birds. Toreach it you must drive along the canal service road for about 2250 m until youreach a dirt track on the left (opposite one of the regulation sluice gates) thatgoes down to the diversion dam, although it’s a good idea to park your car atthe canal and go down the 500 m to the bank on foot, so you don’t frightenaway the birds. Then go back to the junction with the BA-137 and continue allthe way along the canal service road (15 km), until you reach a junction atwhich you can return to the N-430 or go to “Puerto Peña” campsite. Next tothe campsite you’ll find the Centre of Interpretation of the Rock-dwelling Faunaof Puerto Peña, with interesting information panels and remote control cam-eras to observe the birds of the rocky crags. Continue along the route, leav-ing the Canal de las Dehesas behind and continuing towards Valdecaballerosalong a road that crosses under the N-430. Immediately after this you willreach the Viewpoint of Puerto Peña, where you should stop to watch the birdsof the rocky crags of Puerto Peña mountain pass.Section 2. Puerto Peña-Puebla de Alcocer. After the viewpoint continue to-wards Peloche-Herrera del Duque, crossing the wall of the dam of García deSola and then 200 m later take the turn off on the right onto the BA-138 to-wards Talarrubias. Without going into the town, continue until the road joinsthe EX-103 towards Puebla de Alcocer. In the outskirts of Puebla de Alcocer,on the left hand side of the road (800 m after the petrol station) you will findthe ruins of the Convent of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, in which there is aspectacular colony of Lesser Kestrel. You could also go for a walk around thetown and up to the castle, where it’s possible to see many birds.

Puerto Peña


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Section 3. Puebla de Alcocer-Cogolludo-Orellana la Vieja. Continue alongthe EX-103 towards Orellana la Vieja and Castuera and about 3.8 km fromPuebla de Alcocer you will find a dirt track in a good state that leads off on theright, just after you pass the junction to Esparragosa de Lares. Keep on thistrack and, about 12 km later, you will reach the area of Cogolludo, where abridge crosses Orellana Reservoir. Continue on for another 8 km and you willreach the road that connects Navalvillar de Pela and Orellana la Vieja (Ex-115),where you should turn left and carry on until you get to the latter town.Section 4. Orellana La Vieja-Puebla de Alcocer. From Orellana la Vieja takethe EX-115 towards Campanario and La Coronada, going past the wall of thedam of Orellana Reservoir, and after about 5 km you will reach the junctionwith the EX-103, which will take you straight to Puebla de Alcocer. If you wishyou could also get there via the livestock track that leads off from the samejunction and runs parallel to the EX-103.


All the suggested routes are within the Special Protection Area for birds (SPA)“Embalse de Orellana y Sierra de Pela”, which was one of the first places inExtremadura to be given this recognition. Orellana Reservoir was also includedin the List of Wetlands of International Importance of the Ramsar Convention,due to the value of its habitats and the species present.The diversion dam of Casas de Don Pedro, in the first section of the route, iswell worth visiting, where large numbers of water birds, particularly duck,gather in summer and winter. There are man-made islands for colonial speciesto nest on and in spring you can find Little Tern, Gull-billed Tern, Black-wingedStilt, Collared Pratincole and Little Ringed Plover in this area. The breeding ofGadwall is highly notable. The route along the “canal de las dehesas” towardsPuerto Peña mountain pass mainly crosses areas of dehesa and pastures,where you can see typical species such as Black-winged Kite, Common Buz-zard, Bonelli’s Eagle, Booted Eagle, Black Kite, Common Crane, Azure-wingedMagpie, Hoopoe, Woodchat Shrike, Thekla Lark, etc. There are excellent viewsof Orellana Reservoir at all times from the canal road, including the end sec-tion (which looks like a river when the water level is low) and some interest-ing islets. It’s a good idea to stop in some places with good visibility and tryto locate the birds with a telescope. These are mainly duck and herons, as wellas colonial species that nest on the islands. About 5 km before the camp sitethere is an enormous colony of heron, with over 2000 pairs, with Cattle Egret,Little Egret, Black-crowned Night Heron, Grey Heron, Squacco Heron (only

confirmed in some years) and White Stork nesting here. The colony is on alarge island covered in tamarisks, on which you can also see Little RingedPlover, Black-headed Gull, Gull-billed Tern and Little Tern. You can get to thebank of the reservoir via a track sign-posted by the owners of the farm. Whenthe water level drops at the end of summer you can see groups of Black Storkin this area of the reservoir, with over 100 birds on occasions.This first section ends at Puerto Peña viewpoint, one of the most spectacularsites in Extremadura for birdwatching. It’s the only spot in which up to 4 pairsof Black Stork nest in the same crag, which are also accompanied by birds ofprey, such as Bonelli’s Eagle, Griffon Vulture (over 20 pairs), Egyptian Vulture,Peregrine Falcon and Common Kestrel. It’s easy to see other species typicalof rocky crags, such as Black Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Alpine Swift, CragMartin, Raven and Red-billed Chough. There is also a winter sighting of Wall-creeper in this area and the presence of Alpine Accentor is regular at this time.There’s very little traffic in the second section of the route so you can enjoy aquiet drive until you reach Talarrubias, going past diverse habitats (dehesa, olivegroves, pastures) and leaving the rocky crags of Puerto Peña and the Sierra delos Golondrinos behind you. One of the sites you should visit is the colony ofLesser Kestrel in the ruins of the Convent de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción,which supports over 40 pairs, which are possible to watch at your leisure. WhiteStork, Little Owl, Barn Owl, Common Swift and Pallid Swift also nest in the build-ing. You can go up to the castle of Puebla de Alcocer to complete your day,where there is the possibility of seeing numerous rock-dwelling birds, as well assome incredible views of the regions of La Serena and La Siberia.The third part of the route leaves the road for a quiet track that goes through pas-tures and dehesa until it reaches Cogolludo, a curious spot where the course ofthe River Guadiana is squeezed between two mountain ranges, with a bridge con-necting both banks. The mountain ranges, covered by dense vegetation of Holmand cork oaks, wild olives and strawberry trees, are crowned by quartzite cragswhere Eagle Owl, Egyptian Vulture, Black Stork, Golden Eagle, and Bonelli’s Eaglenest. There is also a small colony of Red-billed Chough, which is usually ac-companied by Eurasian Jackdaws. There is a large colony of House Martins in the


135

Black-headed Gulls


136

spans of the bridge of Cogolludo, which also nest in the cliffs along with CragMartins. There are excellent views of the reservoir and its birds from the bridge.In winter numerous duck are present (Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Pin-tail, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Teal, Greylag Goose, Common Pochard, TuftedDuck, Red-crested Pochard) and large flocks of Common Coot, Great CrestedGrebe, Little Grebe and Black-necked Grebe. Large numbers of Great Cormorant,Lesser Black-backed Gull and Black-headed Gull also roost here. The last section is the best for watching steppe species, as most of the routealong the EX-103 goes through areas of natural pastureland and cereal fields.During the breeding season you can easily see such emblematic birds as GreatBustard (with the possibility of seeing individuals displaying), Little Bustard,Lesser Kestrel and Montagu’s Harrier, the latter has a large breeding colonythat can be seen from the road. It’s also easy to see European Roller (commonon electricity poles), Hoopoe, Little Owl, Stone Curlew and, with a bit moretime, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Black-bellied Sandgrouse and Collared Pratin-cole. Calandra Lark, Thekla Lark, Zitting Cisticola, Corn Bunting and SpanishSparrow are abundant in the pastures. In winter Golden Plover, Lapwing,Meadow Pipit and White Wagtail are present here.

Best time to visit

The best time for the steppe areas and rocky crags is spring, as most of the birdspecies are summer visitors and aren’t present in winter. However, the reservoirsupports more species and in a greater number both during autumn passage andin winter, with the concentrations of moulting duck particularly notable.


The most well known of the traditional festivals is “La Encamisá” in Navalvil-lar de Pela, which is celebrated every year on 16 January in honour of SaintAntón Abad. At nightfall hundreds of horses, lavishly adorned, parade aroundthe town’s streets, among bonfires, attracting a huge crowd of local people andvisitors. The festival has been declared one of Regional Tourist Interest.The ruins of the ancient city of Lacimurga Constantia Iulia can be found in thevicinity of Cogolludo, a Roman settlement of a sub-urban and rural nature,which deserves a leisurely visit. The schematic rock paintings that can be found in the farm “Hoyo de Pela”,in the municipal area of Orellana la Vieja, are very interesting.


ACCOMMODATION

CAMPANARIO

CR JARA-SERENACARRETERA LA HABA-LAGUARDA, KM 7 FINCA HOYA DEL LOBO658869391CR LOS CASARESCARRETERA DE QUINTANA, 7606706676

CASAS DE DON PEDRO

CR CASA LARESZAMORA, 26924864027 / 654211578

NAVALVILLAR DE PELA

H LAS DEHESASCARRETERA N-430, K. 135H DON JUANCARRETERA N-430 K. 139924860606 / 924860296H EL IMPREVISTOCARRETERA N-430 K. 139924860311H LOS OLIVOSCARRETERA N-430 K. 139924860580CR S LA LOZANACALLE MORENO NOGALES, 18924824291

ORELLANA DE LA SIERRA

H*** EMBALSE DE ORELLANACERRO DE LAS HERRERIAS924866400 / 924866413P EL CAPITANCALLE REAL, 12924866028P LAS VIGASCALLE REAL, 25924866150

PUEBLA DE ALCOCER

CR VALLES DE CONSOLACIÓN AFINCA LOS VALLES DE LA CON-SOLACION924145039 / 913510931

CR VALLLES DE CONSOLACION BFINCA LOS VALLES DE CONSO-LACION924145039 / 913510931CR LA CASA DE LOS TEMPLARIOSGARCIA MESONERO, 11924620085 / 669936927CR LA BOTICACALLE FERNANDO HERNAN-DEZ GIL, 24924620315 / 610374524

TALARRUBIAS

C 1ª PUERTO PEÑACARRETERA N-430, KM. 169924631411 / 924631411P NUÑEZCALLE RAMON Y CAJAL, 2924630309 / 924630309P CALDERONCALLE FUENTE VILLA, 9924630360 / 924630503

ALÍA

H* VALMAYORCARRETERA EX-102, PARC. 91.POL. 21927366515 / 927366270P GARCÍAPANTANO DE CIJARA927366475P MONTERO, ELAVDA. LUIS CHAMIZO, 40927366011CR EL ESTRECHO DE LAPEÑACTRA. EX.102, KM.92,300927366289 / 616683486ATR EN PLENA SIERRALA CALERA616683486

CASTILBLANCO

CR LOS HUERTOSC/LOS HUERTOS, 24924654398 / 628266403CR LA TAHONAAVDA. EXTREMADURA, 39626185503 / 927654398

VALDECABALLEROS

AT SIERRA JARAURBANIZACIÓN SIERRA JARA670850183HS** LA HOSTERIA DELOS ENCINARESCARRETERA GUADALUPE S/N924643212 / 924643235HS* LA VAGUADACARRETERA BADAJOZ K. 3924643426 / 924643092

FUENLABRADA DE LOS MONTES

H** EL TORREONCALLE VILLANUEVA, 12924642107 / 924642042HS* CARLOS ICALLE COMENDADOR ARIASPÉREZ, 12924650871 / 654450905HS* EL FOGÓN DE FELISAAVENIDA JUAN CARLOS I, 1924650148HS* PACO`SCALLE COMENDADOR ARIASPEREZ, 24924642202 / 924650801

TOURIST OFFICES

O.T. HERRERA DEL DUQUEAV. DE LA PALMERA, 1HERRERA DEL DUQUETEL.: 924650231FAX: 924650025O.T. TALARRUBIASC. DE OCIO PUERTO PEÑACTRA. DE PELOCHE, KM. 1PANTANO DE PUERTO PEÑATEL.: 924630100


C.I. DE LA FAUNA RUPÍ-COLA DE PUERTO PEÑAEMBALSE DE PUERTO PEÑATALARRUBIAS924630100C.I. SOBRE LAS GRULLASCTRA. OBANDO - GUADALUPENAVALVILLAR DE PELA924002386


137

Areas of interest (ZEPA Embalse de Orellana y Puerto Peña)


138

Little Bustard

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15Lakes and Plains of La Albuera

Location and access

The reference points for this route are the towns of La Albuera and Valverdede Leganés, both of which are very close to the capital of the province, Bada-joz. The best way to reach the area is via the N-432 (Badajoz-Granada), whichyou can take towards La Albuera either from the city of Badajoz itself, from thenorth, or from Zafra via the A-66, from the south. Pages 1:50,000 numbers801 and 802 of the IGN.


The suggested birdwatching route is composed of two parts, according to thedifferent geographical location and, above all, ecological characteristics thatdefine each part (lakes and steppe plains, respectively). Lakes of La Albuera:These endorheic (closed drainage) natural wetlands are the best representa-


1,5 km

N-432

N-435

Cortijo deLa Campana

Valverde de Legan�s

La Albuera

Lakes and Plains of La Albuera

140

Residents

Summervisitors

Wintervisitors

Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Black-bellied Sandgrouse,Stone Curlew, Black-winged Kite, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe

Montagu’s Harrier, Lesser Kestrel, European Roller,Western Orphean Warbler, Black-winged Stilt, Whiskered Tern

Common Crane, Hen Harrier, Golden Plover , ducks

Passagemigrants Eurasian Spoonbill, Garganey, waders

tion of this type of habitat (temporary Mediterranean lakes) in Extremadura.The area called “Complejo Lagunarde La Albuera”, consists of a series of temporary Mediterranean lakes andponds (Lagunas Grande, Llana, Marciega, Chica, del Burro, del Carril and other,smaller ones), small areas of saline steppe habitats and open dehesa of Holm

oaks. It has been declared a Site of Community Importance (SIC) and an Areaof International Importance for water birds (Ramsar site). Along with the agri-cultural plains between this town, Badajoz and Valverde de Leganés (see later)it also forms part of the SPA “Llanos y Complejo Lagunar de La Albuera”. Thebirdwatching route suggested to access the complex of lakes starts in La Al-buera and can be done in half a day, partly by car, partly on foot. Take the N-432 southwards from this town, towards Zafra, and after about 6 km, atkilometre point 29.400 (at this point there is an information panel about thenatural area; 29S-694770-428368) turn left onto a small dirt track. Park yourcar by the road and walk straight along the track for about 2 km, which will takeyou to the centre of the complex of lakes formed by Lagunas de la Marciega,Laguna Grande and Laguna Llana, all of which are amongst the Holm oaks ofDehesa del Caballo. Next go back to your car and about 100 m further downthe road you will find another track on the left that will take you to the lake La-guna Chica, about 1 km distance, going past the farmhouse Cortijo de las Nat-eras Altas. The lake called Laguna del Burro, which is very shallow, is reachedby the road called Carril de las Vacas, which is also a left turn off the N-432,at kilometre point 27.300 (29S-693025-428479). Park your car by the roadagain and after walking for 1.7 km you will see the lake on the right. Otherlakes belonging to this complex can be found next to the N-432, at kilometrepoints 31.500 (Laguna del Carril) and 33.000 (Laguna de La Gitana). SteppePlains of La Albuera-Valverde de Leganés: the suggested birdwatching route(20 km) goes through these agricultural and pseudo-steppe plains and takeshalf a day (by car and on foot). Broadly speaking, it consists of the local roadbetween the towns of La Albuera and Valverde de Leganés (BA-006; 15 km).When you reach the first town drive through it along the former N-432 andwhen you reach a cereal silo you will find the afore-mentioned local road onthe left. From this point in the town, after 5700 m, when you reach a pig farmabout 200 m from the road on the right, park your car and, on foot, turn rightdown the track called Carril del Conde (which leads off in both directions fromthe road, 29S-683726-428685). This livestock track will take you to the areaknown as El Adobal, a magnificent representation of the typical agro systemthat dominates this natural area, rain-fed crops (vineyards, cereals) and irri-gated ones (alfalfa, sunflowers, etc.). We would recommend you to walk about3-3.5 km, to a large irrigation pool on the right of the track (Charca de ElAdobal), which is very close to the junction with the track Carril de las Lanas.Towards the left of the road, the track takes you to the spot called El Campillo-Valdesevilla (2 km). Once you have finished these walking routes, go back tothe road and drive towards Valverde de Leganés. After 3.2 km, and after a bigleft-hand bend, a new track leads off to the right (29S-680654-428723) thatwill lead you to a large half-ruined farm (Cortijo de la Campana; about 250 m


141


142

from the road). You can stop and go for a walk at any time along this track, andalso enjoy the steppe habitat that is characteristic of the region. When you re-turn to the road go towards Valverde de Leganés again (the end of this route;6.5 km), stopping and walking a bit more should you so wish.


1) Lakes of La Albuera: The community of aquatic birds that reside in this se-ries of wetland areas over the course of the year is of high diversity and valuein conservation terms, with different communities and/or species dependingon the season. In total more than 150 species of birds have been recordedhere, demonstrating the importance of this wetland system. In spring or thebreeding season the typical species nesting in the area are Great CrestedGrebe, Little Grebe, Common Coot, Gadwall and Mallard. The community ofbreeding waders is important, with species such as Black-winged Stilt, Col-lared Pratincole and Northern Lapwing (with this being one of the few breed-ing sites of this species in the region), as well as Whiskered Tern. MarshHarrier also breeds at the lake some years. In winter there are large popula-tions of different species of wildfowl (Greylag Goose, Common Teal, Pintail,Northern Shoveler, Eurasian Wigeon, Red-crested Pochard and CommonPochard, which breed some years). The area is also a traditional area for Com-mon Crane to winter and feed in (over 1000 individuals), using the lake LagunaGrande to roost. Passage migrants include some flocks of Eurasian Spoonbill,Black and White Storks, Garganey and waders (sandpipers, Redshank, Ruffetc.). In the Holm oak dehesa around the lakes there are breeding species suchas Black-winged Kite, Booted Eagle, Common Buzzard, Azure-winged Magpie,Western Orphean Warbler, Hoopoe, as well as many other bird species.

Female Pin-tailed Sandgrouse drinking

2) Plains of La Albuera-Valverde de Leganés: The pseudo-steppe agro sys-tem here is one of the best representations of this type of environment in Ex-tremadura, despite the small area it covers, with most “steppe bird” specieshaving been recorded here. The birds that breed here include Great Bustard(250 birds in spring and over 1000 in winter), Little Bustard, Black-belliedSandgrouse, Stone Curlew, European Roller, Montagu’s Harrier, LesserKestrel, Calandra Lark and Short-toed Lark. In winter the area also providesshelter for wintering groups of Hen Harrier, Merlin (with interesting commu-nal roosts), Northern Lapwing, Golden Plover, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, amongother species. In the few patches of dehesa and scattered Holm oaks still pres-ent in the area there is a large population of Black-winged Kite (one of thebiggest in the region with 10-15 pairs) and Long-eared Owl also breeds inthese cultivated dehesas.

Best time to visit

This route can be done at any time of the year, except, maybe, the middle ofthe scorching summer. However, it’s recommended to do it in spring (March-May) or winter (December-February). Bear in mind, however, that in the win-ter the state of the tracks is often very poor, due to the clayey nature of theland, mud and water. Also we should mention that it’s only in years of normalrainfall, with plenty of rain in autumn and spring, that the lakes contain waterthroughout the rainy period; if not, they can remain completely dry for thewhole year.


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Great Bustard Young Montagu’s Harrier


144


Environmental interest. The Ribera of Nogales-Los Limonetes, whichcrosses the SPA, has been declared a SCI for the value of its indigenous fishand the good state of conservation of its riverside corridors (ash, oleanderand spurge groves). The nearby lime-rich mountain ranges (Sierra de Alor,Monsalud, María Andrés, etc.) are home to botanical endemics and richgroups of orchids. Along the road from Valverde de Leganés to Badajoz thereis an interesting mixed forest of Holm and cork oaks and stone pines, withabundant species of birds of interest (storks, kites, Booted Eagle, Long-earedOwl, Tawny Owl, etc.). Badajoz rubbish dump, on the same road, is anotherarea with a large number and diversity of birds.Historical-cultural interest. The historic areas of Badajoz (Arabic castle (Al-cazaba), walls, medieval bridge, cathedral, churches, old centre, museums),Olivenza (Ajuda bridge, fortress, barracks, churches, Portuguese traditionaland religious architecture, ethnographic museum) and Zafra (castle-palace,convents, plazas, traditional architecture) are worth visiting. In Valverde deLeganés and Barcarrota there are many megalithic monuments (dolmens andmenhirs), which the respective town councils have published leaflets aboutfor visitors.


Dusk at the Lakes of La Albuera

ACCOMMODATION

ACEUCHAL

H** FRIJÓNCARRETERA CTRA. VILLALBA,1924687321

LA ALBUERA

HS** VILLAFRESAVDA EXTREMADURA, 84924480378HS* DON PEPEAVDA.EXTREMADURA 115924480033

BADAJOZ

H***** GRAN HOTEL CA-SINO DE EXTREMADURAAVDA DÍAZ AMBRONA, 13924284402 / 924275175H**** LOS JARDINES DELAS BOVEDASAUTOVIA MADRID-LISBOAP.K.405.715924286035H**** AC BADAJOZAVDA DE ELVAS S/N924286247 / 924286248H**** ZURBARÁNPASEO CASTELAR, 1924001400 / 924220142H**** BADAJOZ CENTERAVDA DAMIAN TELLEZ LA-FUENTE, S/N924212000 / 924212002H*** ACUARELCTRA.BADAJOZ-GRANADA, K.65924239606 / 924241620H*** LISBOAAVDA. DE ADOLFO DÍAZ AM-BRONA, 13924272900 / 924272250H*** RIOAVDA A. DIAZ AMBRONA, 13924272600 / 924273874HS** DON PACOCALLE SANCHEZ DE LAROCHA, 7924286415HS** CERVANTESCALLE TRINIDAD, 2924223710 / 924222935

HS** CONDEDUCALLE MUÑOZ TORRERO, 27924207247 / 924207248HS** GONGORAC/ DOBLADOS, 17924223710 / 924235962HS** SAN MARCOSMELÉNDEZ VALDÉS, 53924229518 / 924229250HS* DE LAS HERASCALLE PEDRO DE VALDIVIA, 6924224014 / 924224014HS* NIZACALLE ARCO AGÜERO, 34924223173 / 924200584HS* NIZA IICALLE ARCO AGÜERO, 45924223173 / 924200584HS* VICTORIACALLE LUIS DE CAMOENS, 3924271662 / 924277551HS* HOSTAL BADAJOZC/ GENERAL EMILIO MOLAVIDAL, 5924247402HS* TITTY TWISTERN-432, KM 11.200924275841HS* PLAZA DE ESPAÑACALLE ZURBARAN, 2-1º924222005HS* PINTORCALLE ARCO AGÜERO, 26 924224228 / 924233345P GALICIAAVENIDA A. DIAZ AMBRONA,24924271902 / 924271902HA*** ASCARZACastillo Puebla de Alcocer, 28924286370 / 924286371

GUADIANA DEL CAUDILLO

P MARI LOLIPLAZA DEL PARQUE, 3924471080

PUEBLONUEVO DEL GUADIANA

H* LA FINCACARRETERA BADAJOZ -MON-TILJO K. 22924140718

VALDELACALZADA

HS** VELASCOCALLE CALZADA, 26924447109 / 924447109

VILLAFRANCO DEL GUADIANA

H**** CONFORTEL BADAJOZCARRETERA N-V, KM 393924443711 / 924443708

SANTA MARTA DE LOS BARROS

H* KIKACALLE TTE CORONEL SEGUÍ, 44924690527

VALVERDE DE LEGANÉS

HS* LOS HERMANOSCARRETERA BADAJOZ S/N924496400HS* CHIRINGUITOCARRETERA BADAJOZ S/N924496153CR VALLE DE MIRACRTA DE VALVERDE-TALIGA KM 4.1927127474CR LOS GAITANESC/ LAS TORRES S/N678726098


145

Areas of interest (Lagunas y Llanos de La Albuera)


146

Black-winged Stilt

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16

Location and access

This route is in the centre of the province of Badajoz. Towns that can be usedas reference points are Almendralejo, Alange, Oliva de Mérida and Hornachos.There are many easy ways to reach it: both from the A-5 Madrid-Badajoz (E-90) and the “Autovía de la Plata” (A-66). Pages 803, 804 and 830 of the IGN.


The route suggested here is a long one, due to the places of ornithological in-terest being spread out and the links necessary between them. It is designedto be done by car, with short walks, over two whole days. You could start theroute by visiting the “Church de la Purificación de Almendralejo”, a religiousbuilding declared an SPA as it is home to a large colony of Lesser Kestrel(over 100 pairs). Afterwards continue onwards along the historic road “Vía dela Plata” towards Mérida, crossing the fertile plain of Tierra de Barros between

Central Sierrasof Badajoz


A- 6

6

N-6

30

EX-105

EX-

335

EX-212

EX-334

EX-344

Central Sierras of Badajoz

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Sedentarias

Estivales

Invernantes

Griffon Vulture, Bonelli’s Eagle, Golden Eagle, EagleOwl, Blue Rock Thrush, Black Wheatear, Rock Bunting

Egyptian Vulture, Alpine Swift, Black-eared Wheatear,Whiskered Tern, Black-winged Stilt

Alpine Accentor, Common Crane, Great CormorantLesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull

En Paso Eurasian Spoonbill

vineyards and olive groves. 2.5 km after the town of Torremejía and before thePuerto de Sevilla mountain pass that divides the mountain range turn right(EX-105: Alange-Don Benito). By this point you will already be in the foothillsof the mountain ranges that make up the area to be visited in this route, theSPA of “Embalse de Alange y Sierras Centrales de Badajoz”. Specifically,you will be going round the Sierra Grajera (Grande and Chica), covered bythick sun-loving bushes (mastics, wild olives, rock roses, etc.), after having leftbehind Sierra Moneda. As soon as you have passed this mountain range, a lit-tle over 4 km from the start of the road, you will reach a junction at which youshould turn right towards Almendralejo. Stop 500 m later, where you will findthe Lake of Melchor Gómez, on the right, next to the road, before an enormoussolar park. This small wetland area, covered by aquatic vegetation (Scirpus,Eleocharis, Juncus), only contains water after very wet winters. Next continuealong the previous road and, just over 4 km further on, you will reach the enor-mous dam wall of Alange Reservoir; go across it and stop in the car park onthe right, right under the crags of the Hill of the Castle of Alange (this pointcan also be easily reached straight from Mérida, via the EX-089 Mérida-Alange). At this perfect birdwatching spot we recommend you walk along thetrack that goes along the southern side of the castle to Alange (2 km). Alongthis track, which affords magnificent views of the reservoir, there is an ar-chaeological site from the Calcolithic period that you could also stop at. Thereis also a good birdwatching walk along the road on top of the dam. Onceyou’ve finished here continue along the EX-105 towards La Zarza (6 km), aftergoing round the northern side of the castle and then leaving behind the spursof Sierra de Peñas Blancas on the right, whose opposite end is the next des-tination. Just before La Zarza and after crossing Calera Stream, turn right ontothe town’s ring road (ZA-30), continue for 1.9 km and, at the highest point ofthe road (29S-742435-430013), where there is a turn off into the town down


149

Black Kite


150

an asphalted road, turn right again, onto the road known as Camino JuanBueno (“Janbueno”). This will take you to the Mines of Tierrablanca de La Za-patera (kaolin or sericitic slate, used to whitewash walls), a part of the routein which you can enjoy magnificent views of Sierra de Peñas Blancas, cov-ered by olive groves in rows (or on slopes) and almond trees and stonyground, crowned by quartzite crags. Once at the Mines, an enormous open-cast mineral pit, a pair of small roads lead off on the right (29S-743796-429979), but continue along the main road (to the left), going between themine’s embankments. Once you have gone past these and the mine itself theroad goes down opposite the Cave de la Zapatera in Sierra de Juan Buenoand narrows; keep on it for about 400 m until you reach a dirt track in a goodstate (29S-74422-430019). Turn right onto this track and continue to Olivade Mérida (6 km), keeping the afore-mentioned mountain range always onyour left, highly degraded by forest repopulations of eucalyptus. You will reacha road, at the exit of the town, with the old chapel “Ermita del Espíritu Santo”,in ruins, opposite, in which there is a fine colony of Lesser Kestrel. Now turnright towards Palomas (EX-335), parallel to the Cañada Real Leonesa Occi-dental trail; after 2 km turn onto the route of the old road, crossing HiguerejaStream and stopping in the rest area beneath the crags of Sierra Utrera (“butr-era”). As the name suggests (butrera means vulture nesting site) the moun-tain range is home to a large colony of vultures, as well as other large birds ofprey (see later). After a well-deserved birdwatching stop continue along theroad to Palomas (10 km), towards your destination: Sierra de Hornachos (25km). If you wish, you could make a quick trip onto the sun-bathed areas, cov-ered by magnificent wild olive groves between rocky crags. For this, after goingover Puerto de Palomas mountain pass and leaving behind the Chapel of SanIsidro, a short distance (200 m) later a track leads off on the right from whichyou can enjoy spectacular and different views of Sierra de Peñas Blancas. Backon the road, when you reach Palomas go towards Puebla de la Reina (EX-210)and, from there, to Hornachos (EX-344). The natural area “Sierra Grande deHornachos” (SPA, SCI and ARI), a birdwatching destination of the first order,has an exceptional richness of birds. We suggest two walks, over the tworanges that make up this magnificent mountain range: Sierra de Pinos andSierra Grande. From Hornachos, at the lower part of the town, next to a pillarat the junction of several roads, take the EX-344 towards Puebla de la Reina.Then after 2.8 km take the track on the right (29S-75382-427412), 100 m be-fore the entrance (on the left) to the Chapel of San Isidro, where you will findan information panel. Go 2.2 km along this track and when you reach a junc-tion (29S-755364-4275325) turn right. This track (best done on foot), whichaffords magnificent views, will take you to the Umbría de Sierra Grande, cov-ered by dense Mediterranean forest and scrubland, dotted with stony areas

and crowned by enormous quartzite crags. You can continue along this track,using the wire fence that goes along it on the right as a reference (passingsome tracks that lead off on the left) for 4-5 km, until you reach some attrac-tive cork oak groves. Return along the road towards Puebla de la Reina, andafter the mountain range crosses Bejarano Valley, providing pretty views, aftera little over 4 km leave the road, turning left down the road signposted to therural house Sierra del Mampar (29S-752791-4277720). Park at the edge ofthis road and walk around the spectacular Sierra de Pinos, marked out by nu-merous crags and covered by an impenetrable Mediterranean forest. Once youget back to your car this birdwatching route is finished. Of course, if you arecoming from Puebla de la Reina these two routes can be done in reverse.


The mountain ranges that occupy the centre of the province of Badajoz (Sier-ras de San Serván, Grajera, Peñas Blancas, del Conde-Vistalegre, Manchitaand Hornachos), are authentic “ecosystem-islands” in a highly degraded agri-cultural environment, and boast a community of large birds of prey as themain ornithological value. Throughout the route and at each one of the sug-gested observation points and/or walking routes (Hill of the Castle-Dam ofAlange, Mines of Tierra Blanca, Sierra Utrera, Sierra Grande and Sierra dePinos), you can see birds of prey. The populations of Bonelli’s Eagle (10 pairs),Golden Eagle (9 pairs), Egyptian Vulture (8 pairs) and Griffon Vulture (over 100pairs) are very important in conservation terms. Other important species(Short-toed Eagle, Eagle Owl, Common and Lesser Kestrels, Eurasian Spar-rowhawk, etc.) as well as those that are of more general interest (Black Kite,Booted Eagle, Common Buzzard) can also be seen along the route. Otherspecies of interest include Black Wheatear, Black-eared Wheatear, Blue RockThrush, Rock Bunting, Western Orphean, Dartford and Subalpine warblers,amongst others closely linked to rocky crags, Mediterranean forests and de-hesa. In winter species such as Alpine Accentor appear, as well as a smallpopulation of Common Crane that feeds in the dehesa and roosts in the reser-voirs. On the wall of the dam of Alange the biggest breeding colony of AlpineSwift in Extremadura is established (over 300 birds; and they are also presentin some mountain crags in the area), as well as a large number of House Mar-tins, Eurasian Jackdaws, etc. In the wetlands of the area, particularly AlangeReservoir (difficult to access as it is so large), a large group of water birds canbe found throughout the whole year, but mainly in winter (grebes, rails, ducks,herons, gulls, terns, cormorants, etc.) but also during the breeding period


151


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(particularly colonial ducks and waders). Black-winged Stilt, Little Grebe andCommon Coot regularly breed in the Lake of Melchor Gómez, and occasion-ally Whiskered Tern, Collared Pratincole and Northern Lapwing. The commu-nity is enriched by other species (chiefly waders) during the migration, whichcan also include Eurasian Spoonbill. In short, there is a great ornithologicalrichness here, as befits a diverse and heterogeneous area.

Best time to visit

Spring is the perfect time to do this birdwatching route, for the richness ofboth the fauna and botanical species (see later). However, the middle of win-ter (December-February) also offers pleasant rewards.


Environmental interest. There is another series of Natural Areas of the Natura2000 Network in the area (SCIs Guadiana alto, River Matachel, River Palomil-las; SPAs Colonia de primillas de la Iglesia de Guareña (Lesser Kestrel) andCornalvo Natural Park; you can find more information at http://www.ex-tremambiente.es). The area also has interesting botanical values, such as thebest and almost only Spanish populations of the geranium “Geranio de roca”(Erodium mouretii), and excellent populations of Orchids and Daffodils (Nar-cissus spp.). Molinos Reservoir (Hornachos) is another area you could visit(roosting area for Common Crane, concentrations of Black Stork, ducks, etc.after the breeding season).Historical-cultural interest. The mountain ranges mentioned have, withoutexception, one of the best collections of schematic rock art in the Southwestof Spain. There is a sign-posted route in La Zarza to visit the famous “Rockpaintings of La Calderita”. The historical areas or monumental centres ofMérida (World Heritage Site), Alange (Roman thermal springs-spa, Castle,parish church, chapels) and Hornachos (“Moorish enclave”: Arabic castle (al-cazaba), pillars and fountains, orchards and irrigation channels, ancestralhouses, chapels) have outstanding historical interest. The Mudejar churchesof Palomas, Puebla de la Reina and Hornachos are also worth visiting.


ACCOMMODATION

ALANGE

H**** GRAN HOTEL AQUA-LANGEPASEO DE LAS HUERTAS, 3924365608H*** VARINIA SERENACALLE BAÑOS,, 63924365213H* LA CORDOBESACALLE NUEVA, 8924365323H* MARÍNCALLE BAÑOS, 6924365385HS* ATENEACALLE NUEVA, 22924365366HS* JUAN DE DIOSCALLE BAÑOS, 34924365262HR LA SINFOROSAC/ NUEVA,10924365606

ATR TRINIDADC/ CASTILLEJOS,3924365066CR LA CASINAC/ ALMENDROS, 27646751139CR LA CASA AZULCALLE BAÑOS, 57924365213CR EL BALCÓN DEALANGECOSO, Nº 67695498731

ARROYO DE SAN SERVÁN

P EL CRUCECARRETERA N-V KM. 352924342112HR LOS POZITOSPOLIGONO II, PARCELA 5004665992490ATR LOS POZITOSPOLIGONO II PARCELA 5004665992490

CALAMONTE

HS** LAS PALMERASCTRA N-630 KM 628639976357

GUAREÑA

H* EL COTOCARRETERA D. BENITO,924350378P ACUARIOCARRETERA D. BENITO,924351379

HORNACHOS

AT PARAJE LA AGUSTINAPARAJE LA AGUSTINA924533001CR LOS CASTILLEJOSLUIS CHAMIZO, 10927534067CR SIERRA DE MAMPARCALLE SIERRA DE MAMPAR924124020CR TITA SACRAMENTOLUIS CHAMIZO, 12924534218CR TITA SACRAMENTOLUIS CHAMIZO, 12924534218P CASTILLO DE HORNACHOSNTRA SRA DE GUADALUPE 16924533606

LA ZARZA

CR LOS CORTINALESAVDA. ALANGE647776684HS* CASA LÓPEZCALLE MERIDA, 3924366350HS* MOLINAJUAN CARLOS I S/N924366103HR EL ARRIERODULCE CHACON, 4924367968

MÉRIDA

H***** MERIDA PALACEPLAZA DE ESPAÑA 19924383800H**** ADEALBAC/ ROMERO LEAL, Nº 18665402105 / 924388271H**** LA LOMASAVDA. REINA SOFÍA, 78924311011 / 618518431H**** PARADOR DE TU-RISMO VIA DE LA PLATAPLAZA CONSTITUCION, 3924313800H**** TRYP MEDEAAVENIDA PORTUGAL S/Nº924372400H**** VELADA MERIDAAVENIDA PRINCESA SOFIA s/n924315110H*** NOVA ROMACALLE SUAREZ SOMONTE, 42924311261 / 924311201H*** ZEUSAVDA. REINA SOFÍA, 8924318111H** CERVANTESCALLE CAMILO J. CELA, 8924314961H** HOTEL RAMBLA EMÉRITARAMBLA SANTA EULALIA, 17924387231H** LUSITANIACALLE OVIEDO, 12924316112HS** ANASAVENIDA REINA SOFÍA, 9924311113HS** LAS ABADÍASRONDA DE LOS EMERITOS, S/N924313326HS* ALAMEDAPLAZA MAGDALENA, 1924300474HS* BUENOCALLE CALVARIO, 9924302977 / 696230075HS* EL ALFAREROCALLE SAGASTA, 40924303183 / 678311783


153

Areas of interest (Sierras centrales de Badajoz)


154

HS* EL TOREROCARRETERA ALANGE, 1924371789HS* NUEVA ESPAÑAAVENIDA EXTREMADURA, 6924313356 / 924304016HS* SALUDCALLE VESPASIANO, 41924312259HS* SENEROCALLE HOLGUIN, 12924317207HS* TORERO IICTRA. ALANGE, 1924371789HR EL PANTANOFINCA EL PANTANO. CTRA. MONTIJO - LA ROCA, KM. 15,700924140194 / 617386611

CR CORTIJO DE LA SERRANACTRA. LA ROCA DE LA SIERRA-MONTIJO, KM. 14924452874 / 646335382CT MÉRIDACARRETERA N-V, K. 336924303453

PUEBLA DE LA REINA

AT LOS PALACIOSCARRETERA HORNACHOS, S/N924360033CR LA POSÁ DE MARIAZURBARÁN, 22924360077 / 620900393

RIBERA DEL FRESNO

CR POSADA NOSTRACURA, 10924536116

TORREMEJÍA

HS** MILENIUMAVDA EXTREMADURA, 56924340207


155


17

Location and access

La Serena is a region in the east of the province of Badajoz. Its main distin-guishing features are the vast plains that dominate the landscape. The RiverZújar and its tributaries cut across this plateau of slates, with a gently undu-lating relief. The plateau is flanked by a series of mountain ranges to the southand east, which are less than 950 m high and covered by dense vegetation ofMediterranean forest and scrubland.It’s best to follow the EX-104 to visit the area, using the town of Villanueva dela Serena as a reference point. This road goes through the region’s maintowns, including La Coronada, Campanario, Castuera and Cabeza del Buey.You can also reach the area from the N-430, via Acedera (BA-105, towardsOrellana la Vieja), Navalvillar de Pela (EX-115, towards Orellana la Vieja) orCasas de Don Pedro (BA-137, towards Talarrubias and Puebla de Alcocer).

La Serena and Sierra de Tiros


EX-104

EX-1

03

BA-112

EX-349


156

Residents

Summervisitors

Wintervisitors

Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse,Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Bonelli’s Eagle, Golden Eagle

Black Stork, Egyptian Vulture, Lesser Kestrel, Montagu’sHarrier, European Roller, Short-toed Lark

Lapwing, Golden Plover, Common Crane, Meadow Pipit,Skylark, Hen Harrier

Passagemigrants Northern Wheatear, Black-eared Wheatear, Whinchat


157


This route is about 77 km long, ofwhich 53 km are along roads in agood state and with little traffic,while the rest goes along tracksthat are perfectly passable for anormal car.

Section 1. From Campanario to theEX-035. The route starts in thetown of Campanario, which youcan reach via the EX-104 from Vil-lanueva de la Serena. Just before this road enters the town turn left onto theEX-349, which leads towards La Serena Reservoir. After 850 m you will find ajunction with the EX-115 towards Orellana la Vieja, but continue straight onalong the same road, which takes you into one of the most beautiful steppeareas in La Serena. First you will pass the chapel “Ermita de Piedra Escrita”(km 5.5), then you will go over the River Guadalefra (km 6.1), finally reachingthe EX-103. Turn left towards Orellana la Vieja and Puebla de Alcocer and after1200 m you will find a right turn, continuing along the BA-035. After 3 km youwill go past the ends of Zújar Reservoir and another 3 km later you will reacha junction at which you should turn right towards Cabeza del Buey (keeping onthe BA-035).

Section 2. From the BA-035 to the chapel “Ermita de Belén”. This section is22 km long, along a very straight road that goes through pastures and cropfields. It is popularly known as the “Carretera de las Golondrinas” (swallowroad). The road ends back at the EX-104, where you should turn right towardsCastuera. After 3.7 km and once you have gone past the small village of Al-morchón, you will find a turning on the right that leads to the Chapel of Belén.

Section 3. From the Chapel of Belén to Castuera. From the Chapel of Belénthe route continues along a dirt track for over 25 km, which you should keepgoing straight along. The first 5.5 km run parallel to a railway line, then it splitsaway from this to continue through pastures situated in the northern side ofthe mountain range. The track takes you to Castuera, ending at the EX-104,next to the town’s cemetery.

Thekla Lark


158


La Serena is, without doubt, one of the steppe areas of greatest value in theIberian Peninsula, both for its size and the importance of its habitats and thespecies present. The birds associated with the pastures and rain-fed crops aresuperbly represented here, with some of them reaching large populations witha great importance in terms of conservation. As a result of all this, it has beendeclared a Special Protection Area for birds (SPA); it is also the largest pro-tected area in Extremadura, covering over 150,000 ha.There are lots of possibilities of seeing steppe birds in sections 1 and 2, asthese go through some of the best areas of plains. Thekla Lark, much moreabundant than Crested Lark in this area, is one of the most frequent species,present throughout the route. It’s easy to see a lot of birds perched on thewire fences, stone walls and “dientes de perro” (dog’s teeth – the name givento the quartzite outcrops in the region, which are over 2 m high in some cases),such as Black-eared Wheatear, Southern Grey Shrike, Corn Bunting, Hoopoe,Little Owl and Red-legged Partridge. The lack of trees means that the birdsuse electricity poles and cables a lot to perch on, a good way of seeing LesserKestrel, Common Kestrel, Common Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle and EuropeanRoller as you go along the route. The Calandra Lark can be found in the pas-tures and fallow fields, given away by its song and rapid flight, and it’s alsopossible to find the Short-toed Lark in some areas, mainly in fallow fields.Given the scarce tree cover you should pay special attention to the areas thathave bulrush or thyme groves or bushes (brooms, wild olives, hawthorns,Iberian Pears, brambles), where you will find other species, such as Goldfinch,Linnet, Zitting Cisticola, Common Stonechat, Melodious, Spectacled, Sardin-ian and Western Orphean Warblers and Rufous Bush Robin (the latter twoparticularly in patches of wild olive). Colonies of Montagu’s Harrier have es-tablished themselves in some cereal crops, in which you may also find pairsof Marsh Harrier.

Lesser Kestrel

Pin-tailed and Black-bellied Sandgrouse are also frequent in both sections,two emblematic species of steppe areas, although to see these birds it’s bestto stop your car and try to hear them in flight, as their call is very loud and eas-ily recognisable. At dusk it’s easier to see or hear the Stone Curlew which ismuch more abundant that you would imagine.Great Bustards could surprise you at any moment along the route, particu-larly in the section of the BA-035, where there are many possibilities in springof seeing them in display. Little Bustards are more spread out in the area andin the breeding period you should look for them in the crop fields and lessgrazed pastures. They are much more easy to find if you listen out for themales giving out their strange call to mark their territory.You can see species such as Mallard, Little Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper,Common Sandpiper, Common Kingfisher and White Wagtail in the rivers andstreams you will find along the way. In larger rivers (Zújar y Guadalefra) LittleEgret, Little Tern, Black-headed Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull are also pres-ent. In the summer months large numbers of species usually gather in the poolsthat still have water and it’s worthwhile dedicating time to checking these spots.Old buildings are also interesting sites for birds, as their hollow spaces androofs are used by many species to nest in, with colonies of Lesser Kestrel es-tablishing themselves here, as well as pairs of White Stork, Little Owl, Scopsowl, European Roller, Eurasian Jackdaw, Hoopoe, Spotless Starling and evenRed-billed Chough. Cattle Egret usually patrol around the areas with livestock. Northern Wheatear, Black-eared Wheatear, Whinchat, Willow Warbler andTawny Pipit are abundant on passage. But the most spectacular change in thecomposition of the birds present occurs in winter, when large populations ofspecies such as Golden Plover, Northern Lapwing, Hen Harrier, Meadow Pipit,Skylark and White Wagtail come to the pastures. Some of the resident speciesbecome gregarious in this period and move around in flocks, such as theSpanish Sparrow, Goldfinch, Linnet and Calandra Lark. Although it’s usuallyfound in the dehesa the Common Crane establishes its roosting areas in smallpools in the middle of the plains.

Section 3 of the route starts at the chapel “Ermita de Belén” and goes throughpastures and crop fields but along most of the route you also have views of thenorthern side of the Sierra de Tiros, which extends from the vicinity of Al-morchón to Castuera. The mountain ranges are covered by dense vegetation,with Mediterranean forest (with Holm and cork oaks) predominant in someareas and rock rose patches in others and open dehesa normally appearing atthe lowest parts of its slopes. Large quartzite crags stand out along the moun-tain tops. This complex network of habitats notably enriches the compositionof the bird communities, with typical forest species establishing themselves


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(Black Kite, Common Buzzard, Booted Eagle, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Mis-tle Thrush,Nightingale, Eurasian Jay, Azure-winged Magpie, Woodchat Shrike,Wren, Rock Sparrow, Common Chaffinch and Hawfinch) and those represen-tative of crags, such as Blue Rock Thrush, Black Wheatear, Crag Martin andAlpine Accentor (in winter). The huge importance of the mountain ranges forthe nesting of Bonelli’s Eagle, Golden Eagle, Egyptian Vulture, Griffon Vulture,Eagle Owl, Peregrine Falcon and Black Stork is worth highlighting, speciesthat find a safe refuge in the quartzite rock faces and feed in the steppe areas.

Best time to visit

This route never disappoints at any time of the year, although you can see agreater number of birds in spring and winter. In summer the birds are moreactive at dawn and you should avoid doing the route in the middle of the day.The yellow and ochre hues of the parched pastures are also spectacular.We would recommend you to keep to the roads and tracks and not go into thepastures and cereal fields. This precaution is even more important in spring,as you could disturb the birds that nest in these habitats. When you see groupsof Great Bustards displaying you should always keep your distance.

Other environmental and cultural values

The Centre of Interpretation of Nature “Comarca de La Serena” is inCastuera, which has diverse information panels and an interesting audiovi-sual. It’s next to the “Museo del Turrón” (fudge museum), a typical product ofthis town, which we also recommend you to visit. In Castuera there are alsoseveral factories of the famous “Queso de La Serena” cheese, with denomi-nation of origin, produced in a traditional way from raw Merino sheep’s milk.When you have finished the route you could continue along the EX-104 to-wards Cabeza del Buey and visit the castles of Benquerencia de la Serenaand Almorchón (of Almohade origin, from the 12th-13th centuries), and evencarry on to the castle of Zarzacapilla. Thanks to their exceptional locations youcan enjoy extraordinary views from them. After Benquerencia de la Serena you reach Puerto Mejoral, a small town inwhich ADENEX has a Nature Centre and an excellent hide to watch the passageof the cranes when they fly from the dehesa to their roosting areas at dusk.


ACCOMMODATION

TALARRUBIAS

P NUÑEZCALLE RAMON Y CAJAL, 2924630309PENSIONESP CALDERÓNCALLE FUENTE VILLA, 9924630360CT PUERTO PEÑACARRETERA N-430, KM. 169924631411

PUEBLA DE ALCOCER

H* LA CODORNIZCAMINO LA LAGUNA S/N924620110CR VALLES DE CONSOLA-CION AFINCA LOS VALLES DE LA CON-SOLACION924145039 / 913510931CR VALLLES DE CONSO-LACION BFINCA LOS VALLES DE CONSO-LACION924145039 / 913510931CR LA CASA DE LOS TEMPLARIOSGARCIA MESONERO, 11924620085 / 669936927CR LA BOTICACALLE FERNANDO HERNAN-DEZ GIL, 24924620315 / 610374524

DON BENITO

H*** VEGAS ALTASAVENIDA BADAJOZ,924810005H** VERACRUZAVDA. VEGAS ALTAS, 105924801362HS** KARMENRETAMOSA, POLIG.INDUS. SANISIDRO S/N924813252HS* EL PARAISOCTRA DON BENITO- VILLA-NUEVA, KM 99924803459

HS* GALICIAPLAZA SANCHEZ CORTES924803528P EL OLIVOCARRETERA D. BENITO - VVAKM. 101924800006

SIRUELA

HS* LOS AMIGOSTRV. AVDA GUADALUPE, 26

LA CORONADA

P LA FAMAAVDA LA FAMA, 4924826322

CASAS DE DON PEDRO

CR CASA LARESZAMORA, 26924864027 / 654211578

CAMPANARIO

CR JARA-SERENACTRA. LA HABA-LA GUARDA,KM 7658869391CR LOS CASARESCARRETERA DE QUINTANA, 7606706676

MAGACELA

CR VILLASOLFINCA PARAJE "LAS VIÑAS",699912023

CASTUERA

H** BARON DEL POZOCTRA. VVA-ANDUJ. KM. 33,5924761048H** LOS NARANJOSCARRETERA BENQUERENCIA924760888H* PARAISOCALLE DIVINO MORALES, 6-8924760248ATR ISLA DEL ZÚJAREMBALSE DEL ZÚJAR924146010CR LA CASA DE LA AVESCTRA. EX-103. PK. 63,5610390793 / 924760639

CR LAS SETECIENTASCTRA C-103 KM 63,500636865915CR ISLA DEL ZÚJAREMBALSE DEL ZÚJAR610390793 / 924760635

MONTERRUBIO DE LA SERENA

H** COTO DE LA SERENACALLE ESPAÑA, 6924635169HS** VATICANOPLAZA ESPAÑA, 15924610633CR SIERRA DE LOS OJUELOS 1FINCA OJUELO924610180CR SIERRA DE LOS OJUELOS 2FINCA OJUELO924610180CR CORTIJO DE BECERRAFINCA BECERRA669242146

CABEZA DEL BUEY

HS* POLIDEP. MUNICIPALAVENIDA N. S. DE BELEN, S/N924600756CR LA LOMAFINCA LA LOMA924600327 / 651908826

QUINTANA DE LA SERENA

H** SAN FRANCISCOAVDA. CONSTITUCIÓN, 8924777804

BENQUERENCIA DE LA SERENA

H** LA PANADERIACALLE CARRETERA, 2924774457CR SABINO ALCÁNTARATAMBOREJO, 28924776191


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Areas of interest (La Serena y Sierra de Tiros)


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CR EL PALOMARCRTA. DE CASTUERA A BEN-QUERENCIA KM 2924772398

ZARZA CAPILLA

A ZARZA CAPILLAAVDA GUARDIA CIVIL S/N924619152

TOURIST OFFICE

O.T. DON BENITOVILLANUEVA, 1 DON BENITOTEL.: 924808084 TEL. Y FAX: [email protected]

O.T. MANCOMUNIDAD DELA SERENAPLAZA DE ESPAÑA, S/NCASTUERATEL.: 924773817FAX: 924760635www.laserena.org

[email protected]

O.T. TALARRUBIASCENTRO DE OCIO PUERTOPEÑACTRA. DE PELOCHE, KM. 1PANTANO DE PUERTO PEÑATEL.: 924630100www.talarrubias.net

[email protected]

O.T. VILLANUEVA DE LASERENAPL. DE ESPAÑA, 1VILLANUEVA DE LA SERENATEL.: 924846010FAX: 924843529www.villanuevadelaserena.esoficinaturismo@villanuevade lase-

rena.es


C.I. DE LA NATURALEZACOMARCA DE LA SERENAARRABAL, S/NCASTUERATEL.: 924002386


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R U T A S O R N I T O L Ó G I C A S P O R E X T R E M A D U R ADehesas of Jerez 18

Location and access

The route is in the dehesas of Jerez de los Caballeros, in the southwest of theprovince of Badajoz, where you can find one of the largest and best-conservedforest masses of Holm and cork oaks in the Iberian Peninsula. The suggestedroutes start from the town of Jerez de los Caballeros, which can be reachedfrom the north and south via the N-435; from the east and west via the EX-112,from the A-66 (Zafra) and Villanueva del Fresno, respectively.


The route goes over a mix of asphalted roads and dirt tracks, and is about 105km long, of which only 10 km are on tracks. The suggested route starts fromthe town of Jerez de los Caballeros and ends back at it. It’s designed to bedone by car in one day, stopping and going for short walks at the most inter-


EX-112

N-435N-

435

EX-313

EX-11

2

N-435

Dehesas of Jerez

164

Residents

Summervisitors

Wintervisitors

Griffon Vulture, Azure-winged Magpie, Black-winged Kite

Black Stork, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, CommonRedstart

Dunnock, Common Wood Pigeon, Song Thrush

esting observation points. Apart from the irrigated crops in Ardila and Valu-engo Reservoir, the route mainly goes through landscapes dominated byHolm and cork oaks, in single species or mixed expanses, forming open wood-land or dehesa or denser and more wooded formations, often accompanied byIberian Pears. This natural region of the mountain ranges of Jerez de los Ca-balleros reveals the essence of Extremadura’s countryside in all its splendour:the dehesa. A vast sea of Holm and cork oaks with numerous mature forestsin an excellent state of conservation carpets the undulating relief of the Ex-tremaduran spurs of Sierra Morena. Together with the neighbouring Andalu-sian regions it constitutes the biggest continuous expanse of sclerophyllic(drought-tolerant) forest in the southwest of Spain. In fact, this region is themain reserve of indigenous trees in Extremadura, with about 350,000 ha,which represents 40% of the total wooded area in the region; about 100,000ha belong to the dehesas of Jerez de los Caballeros. The quality of its forestsand dehesas and the richness of the breeding species, such as the Black Stork,have made it deserving of its declaration as a Special Protection Area for birds.The route starts in the town of Jerez de los Caballeros, taking the N-435 to-wards Fregenal de la Sierra. Turn left before you cross the bridge over theRiver Ardila, at point (X:0699392, Y: 4241573), onto the road that leads to thetown of Valuengo. From here take the road on the right at point (X:0700264,Y: 4242231) to Valuengo Reservoir.When you reach the reservoir, from the wall downstream, you can see GreyHeron, Little Egret and Great Cormorant fishing or sunning themselves onthe slates. With a bit of luck and patience it’s quite possible to see an Otterplaying in the water. From here continue along a dirt track that goes aroundthe reservoir, affording views of wide areas and corners where you can seelarge wintering concentrations of duck (Mallard, Eurasian Wigeon, NorthernShoveler) as well as Common Coot, Great Cormorant, Great Crested Grebeand Little Grebe. A large group of Great Cormorant roost in the eucalyptuseson the opposite bank and at the end of summer it’s possible to see groups ofBlack Stork gathered together before undertaking their migratory journeyback to Africa.The route ends at the end of the farm La Parrilla, from where you should re-turn to Jerez de los Caballeros via the same route. From here take the EX-112towards Oliva de la Frontera before turning right towards the town of Higuerade Vargas at point (X:0691600, Y: 4244694). The close relationship betweenwildlife and traditional production systems in balance with the environment isclearly evident along this route. The benign winter temperatures make anywalk through the dehesa very pleasant, where you can often see the pruningteams and charcoal kilns, laborious constructions used for the traditional pro-duction of excellent quality charcoal that has made the town of Zahinos fa-


165

Black-winged Kite

mous. Along with this is the true source of the farming richness of the townsof these mountain ranges: the Iberian pig, whose time in the mountains is crit-ical for its fattening up and the refinement of its cold meats and hams, popu-larly known as “pata negra”. As you proceed you will see Azure-wingedMagpies, strangely very scarce, and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Com-

Dehesas of Jerez

166

mon Redstart, an uncommon summer breeding bird that has its main popu-lation in this area of Extremadura, in the more mature, dense and better con-served forests. When you reach Higuera de Vargas turn left onto the EX-311towards the N-435 and from here, turn right towards the town of Barcarrota.From here take the road towards the towns of Salvaleón and Salvatierra delos Barros, a famous pottery town that is worth visiting. The scenery along theroute is spectacular, as it goes along the shady side of “Sierra de Peña Utr-era”, with some huge cork and gall oaks and beautiful views towards the val-leys surrounding the “Sierra de Valbellido”, on whose rocky crags you cansee Griffon Vultures. Once you reach Salvatierra take the BA- 3021 towardsValle de Santa Ana and the N-435, probably the most spectacular part of thewhole route. For a little over 25 km the road goes through a tree-covered land-scape in which it isn’t uncommon to see Black Stork gliding to lower heightsor fishing in some stream or pool in a dehesa.


The Holm and cork oaks are home to rich communities of birds, being of spe-cial interest for endangered species such as the Black Stork, which finds seclu-sion in these vast wooded areas during the breeding period. In winter a smallfraction of the population remains here, in pairs or small groups scatteredaround the innumerable livestock pools in the area, and in summer strikingpost-breeding concentrations gather before the migration back to sub Saha-ran Africa. In spring the area welcomes Booted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle andother summer visitors from Africa, along with a long list of thousands of smallbirds that go unnoticed, hidden in the branches of the trees. The noisy Azure-winged Magpies are very common in the Holm oak groves, where they es-tablish their breeding colonies, as are White Stork, Common Wood Pigeon,Common Cuckoo, Mistle Thrush, Spotless Starling and Hoopoe. Over theyears the hundred-year-old Holm and cork oaks of the most mature forestsgive refuge in the holes of their trunks and branches to a huge number of an-imal species. As a result nocturnal birds are particularly abundant, such asTawny Owls and Barn Owls and mammals such as the Genet and Garden Dor-mouse. These mature forests are the favoured habitat for the Lesser SpottedWoodpecker and Common Redstart.Valuengo Reservoir has large wintering concentrations of Great Crested Grebeand the eucalyptuses on its banks are used as a winter roost by Great Cor-morants. One of the first records of this species as a breeding bird was in 1993.


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Dehesas of Jerez

168

Best time to visit

This route can be done at any time of the year. As with other routes spring isthe best season, with good temperatures during the day and the return of thesummer visitors: Black Stork, Booted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, etc. Spring isalso the breeding period, and as a general recommendation for all the routesyou must not stray from the established route to avoid disturbing the birdsduring this sensitive period. It is very hot in summer, so make sure you drinkplenty of fluids and protect yourself properly from the sun, avoiding the mid-dle hours of the day, which are also less favourable for watching the birds.


Besides the SPA “Dehesas de Jerez”, there are several other areas in the dis-trict that form part of the Natura 200 network. These include the ecologicaland biodiversity corridor of the Alcarrache river, the SPA Valuengo reservoirwhich hosts important populations of waterbirds, such as Great-crested Grebeand Great Cormorant, as well as the Alor and Monte Longo mountains and theMaría Andrés mountains, both with excellent populations of orchids. Otherimportant areas include the Guadiana river, Ardila Alto and Ardila Bajo riverand the valley of the Limonetes-Nogales.The Dehesas de Jerez and their surroundings are considered a heartland of theIberian pig, thanks to which the district is one of the most important in thewhole of Spain for the production of Iberian hams and other cured pork prod-ucts. The annual celebration “Salón del Jamón Ibérico” in Jerez de los Ca-balleros is very important. The many local producers come under the labelDenominación de Origen “Dehesa de Extremadura”.There are also attractive historic towns such Jerez de los Caballeros, Fregenalde la Sierra and Zafra.Holy Week in Jerez de los Caballeros and the Living Passion in Oliva de laFrontera have been declared as festivals of regional interest for tourism. The“Festival de la Sierra” is celebrated between 10th and 15th August in Frege-nal de la Sierra. The district is rich in megalithic monuments, such as the groupof dolmens at Barcarrota and the Toriñuelo dolmen in Jerez de los Caballeros.Nor should be overlooked the snow well, castle and pottery museum in Sal-vatierra de los Barros, famous for its earthenware pots and jars.



169

Areas of interest (Dehesas de Jerez)

Cork Oak grove

ACCOMMODATION

JEREZ DE LOS CABALLEROS

H*** LOS TEMPLARIOSCARRETERA VILLANUEVA, S/Nº924731636H** OASISCALLE EL CAMPO,, 18924731244HS** MIJINAERITAS, 86924730390HS** CASA RAMOSCARRETERA BADAJOZ, 26924730983

ATR EL GUIJOFINCA EL GUIJO924730074CR LA ZAFRILLAFINCA LA ZAFRILLA924731031 / 608008217

OLIVA DE LA FRONTERA

ATR LA VENTACTRA. OLIVA DE LA FRONTERO-VALENCIA DEL MOMBUEY924740000CR EL CHORLITOCAMINO DEL SANTO Km. 3654437575P EL CAMIONEROCARRETERA JEREZ, 127658765089 / 924754618P LA PARRILLACARRETERA DE JEREZ 125-A924754601

VILLANUEVA DEL FRESNO

HS** VILLAFRESPLAZA ESPAÑA, 24924427218 / 619324160

TOURIST OFFICES

O.T. JEREZ DE LOS CABALLEROSAV. DE LA CONSTITUCIÓN, 4JEREZ DE LOS CABALLEROSTEL.: 924730372FAX: 924730204www.jerezdeloscaballeros.esturismo@jerezdeloscaballe-ros.e.telefonica.net


C.I. DE LA DEHESACUBO, S/NSALVALEÓNTEL.: 924752504C.I. AGUA AIREOLIVO,3BARCARROTATEL.: 924736327


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Red Avadavat

171


19

Location and access

The towns that act as reference points for this route are Llerena and Azuaga(start and end of the route) in the south of the province of Badajoz, both ofwhich are on the N-432 (Badajoz-Granada). The area is easily reached from the“Autovía de la Plata” (A-66), turning off to these towns when you reach Zafra.Pages 1:50,000 numbers 855, 856, 877 and 878.


The route goes through the SPA “Campiña Sur y Embalse de Arroyo Cone-jos”, an enormous plain used for growing cereal crops (+250,000 ha) in thesouth of Extremadura, which is very important for its populations of birds,particularly steppe and aquatic species. The suggested route is long and thor-ough, a little over 80 km, designed to be done by car in one whole day. It

Arroyo-Conejos reservorirand Campiña Sur


BA-086 B

A-04

2

BA-

016

EX-

111

BA-075Arroyo-Conejos reservoir and Campiña Sur

172

starts in Llerena, where you should take the local road (Carretera de losLabradores or del Pantano) that leads to the dam wall of Arroyo Conejos orLlerena Reservoir (12.5 km). We suggest you visit the end of the reservoir aswell, for which you have to go back along this road for 2.8 km until you reach

Residents

Summervisitors

Wintervisitors

Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Black-bellied Sandgrouse,Stone Curlew, Black-winged Kite, White Stork, Red-billed Chough

Gull-billed Tern, Little Tern, Collared Pratincole, Black-winged Stilt, Montagu’s Harrier, Lesser Kestrel,European Roller

Common Crane, Hen Harrier, Merlin, Golden Plover,ducks

Passagemigrants Garganey, Black-eared Wheatear

a crossroads (30S-242988-4244234); at this point turn left and after 3.5 kmyou will reach the course of Conejos Stream and the end of the Reservoir.Then return to the crossroads but this time keep going straight on, until youreach the end of the road (2.5 km.) and Caserío de Casas de Pila (30S-241322-4246132), a typical example of the rural houses of La Campiña. Oncethere, turn right down a small local road, the BA-086 (Llerena-Maguilla), thefirst part of which runs along the trail “Cañada Real Soriana”. After crossingthe dehesa “Dehesas de Las Tiendas, Casablanca and Malajuncia”, whichsupport large populations of Common Cranes in winter, and travelling for 6.5km, you will reach a crossroads of small local roads right at the point that theConejos stream flows by, downstream of the dam. Once you have reached thispoint go towards the small town of Maguilla; just after taking this road you willleave behind you the house Cortijo del Tío Piche on top of a hill on the left andsome disused mines. After driving for 6.5 km between olive groves, vineyardsand cereals and crossing the stream “Arroyo de las Veguillas”, lined by amagnificent elm grove that has been declared a SCI, you will reach the afore-mentioned town. Once in Maguilla and after you have gone through the town,take the road Campillo de Llerena (BA-042). 1.5 km along this road, when youreach a large open bend (30S-253122-425145) an asphalted road leads offon the right (Carrera or Camino de Zalamea), which you should go down untilyou reach an intersection (6.5 km) with the road Campillo-Azuaga (BA-016).During this part of the route and until you reach the end you will be crossinga vast plain and fertile agricultural land (olive groves, vineyards and cereals),with small areas of Holm oak dehesa, dotted with country houses and white-washed pigeon lofts. At any point along this route it’s possible to see steppebirds (Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, harriers, etc.)or flocks of Common Crane (both in the dehesa and in the middle of theplains), so we would recommend you look around the vast area at length insearch of these species, stopping whenever you choose. Once on the roadmentioned earlier turn right, towards Azuaga, and after 2.8 km (30S-259756-4252775) leave this inter-town road, turning left onto an asphalted road (Car-retera de Palomero or Pista de los Alcornocales). This road is a little over 7.5km long and will take you to another road (EX-111: Azuaga-Zalamea de la Ser-ena) after turning right within its vicinity, when the road crosses a dirt track(30S-266159-4256465). Just before you reach the turning you will cross acork oak copse, with mature trees, planted several decades ago, an atypicalscene in these plains of cereal crops. When you reach the EX-111 and havecrossed it take the track that starts right opposite the crossroads; after going250 m along this turn right at the first crossroads with another track you find(30S-26654-428368), taking this new track southwards. Where the roadcrosses these tracks and in the surrounding area you will find several tempo-


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174

rary lakes (Lagunas del Hueco I and II, del Lentiscal, Tres Chicas, Juan An-drés), another typical feature of La Campiña and very important, although inmost instances they have been highly altered by drainage processes, agricul-ture, mismanagement, etc. In any case, after periods of heavy rainfall they canshelter interesting species of water birds (see later), particularly during win-ter and on passage. Once on the track follow it for 10 km until it ends at thelocal road BA-075 that leads from Granja de Torrehermosa to the roads pre-viously mentioned (EX-111 and BA-016). In this last section of the route youwill have crossed some of the most favoured areas in the whole region forsteppe birds in general and Great Bustards in particular. Once on the roadmentioned before, right at the junction where you find another lake (Lagunadel Alguacil) turn right, following the road for 4.5 km until you reach a smalldehesa (Dehesa de Llera, a favourite haunt of Common Crane) where thisroad crosses that of Azuaga-Zalamea. Once here you have two options, de-pending on whether your “ornithological expectations” have already been ful-filled or not; you can turn left towards Azuaga (9 km) to finish the route in thistown or you can go straight on, continuing your birdwatching route a little fur-ther. If you choose the second option, after crossing the EX-111, keep goingstraight on along the same local road for 5.5 km, until you get back to the roadof Campillo (BA-016). Once here, and after crossing another good area forGreat Bustards, turn left onto this road and then carry on to the final destina-tion of this route, the town of Azuaga (12 km). If you wish you could makesmall diversions off the suggested route and back again at some of the otherjunctions with main roads along the route (we strongly advise you not to takesecondary roads due to their bad state, especially after it has rained recently).

Arroyo-Conejos reservoir and Campiña Sur

Lesser Kestrel


There are many and varied ornithological attractions that are worth highlight-ing in this region in the south of Extremadura. The Arroyo-Conejos Reservoiris another of Extremadura’s wetland areas that has been classified as being ofgreat importance for water birds. The community of colonial species is im-portant during the breeding season, which regularly nests on the reservoir’sislands: Gull-billed Tern, Collared Pratincole, Little Tern and Black-winged Stilt.Along with these species Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Gadwall, Mallard,Common Coot, etc. also breed in the area. In winter this water body is usedby large groups of water birds, including Greylag Goose, Common Teal, North-ern Shoveler, Eurasian Wigeon, Red-crested Pochard and Common Pochard.During passage species such as Eurasian Spoonbill, Garganey (particularly inthe spring passage), large groups of White Stork and different species ofwaders occur, both in the reservoir and in the temporary lakes dotted aroundthe cereal fields of La Campiña. Common Crane makes great use of the dehesaand plains (feeding areas) as well as the wetlands (roosting areas). In termsof numerical importance La Campiña is the second most important area forthis bird in Extremadura, supporting flocks of more than 10,000 individuals.In this respect Arroyo-Conejos Reservoir can provide a perfect site to watchthe cranes coming back to their roost from the dehesas , which are located tothe west of the reservoir. You will get excellent views of this noisy and spec-tacular event from its wall. As regards the steppe bird species, together withthe Plains of Cáceres and La Serena, La Campiña Sur is one of the mainrefuges in Extremadura for these. As breeding birds the presence of GreatBustard (over 500 individuals and over 1000 in winter), Little Bustard, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Stone Curlew, European Roller, Montagu’s Harrier, Ca-landra Lark and Short-toed Lark are noteworthy. Throughout winter HenHarrier, Merlin, Northern Lapwing, Golden Plover, Skylark, Meadow Pipit,among other species, occur. Lesser Kestrel, abundant throughout the region,has established large breeding colonies in urban areas (the colony of the


175

Little Grebe Pin-tailed Sandgrouse flying

176

Church of Llerena has been declared a SPA) and in rural buildings, along withEuropean Roller in the latter. Red-billed Chough is another characteristic andabundant species in the area, closely linked to the former lead mines, now dis-used. Lastly, there are interesting species of birds linked to the dispersed de-hesa copses, such as, apart from the Common Cranes already mentioned,Black-winged Kite, Azure-winged Magpie and Long-eared Owl.

Best time to visit

Although this route can be done at any time of the year, we would recommenddoing it in spring (March-May) or in winter (December-February), but takingspecial care in this period due to the bad state of the roads (mud and water).


Environmental interest. In the region or the surrounding area you can findseveral Natural Areas of the Natura 2000 Network in Extremadura, such asthe SCIs of the upper sections of the headwaters of the Rivers Matachel, Retínand Bembézar; the Elm grove of the Veguillas stream (Maguilla) and the Sier-ras de Bienvenida and Capitana (Bienvenida). The “Mine de la Jayona” (Fuentedel Arco) has been declared a Natural Monument, having been restored andprepared for visits (more information at http://www.extremambiente.es).Lastly, Sierra del Recuero and the spurs of Sierra Morena (Azuaga) are hometo large birds of prey. Historical-cultural interest. Monumental centres of Llerena (Church of Nues-tra Señora de Granada, Plaza Mayor, Mudejar houses, walls) and Azuaga (Cas-tle of Miramontes, Church of Nuestra Señora de la Consolación, chapels,ancestral houses). Mudejar style churches of Granja de Torrehermosa, Ber-langa and Valverde de Llerena. Impressive examples of the area’s Roman andArabic past are the Theatre and Roman city of Regina (Casas de Reina) andthe Arabic castle (Alcazaba) of Reina, respectively. In Cardenchosa, a mu-nicipal district of Azuaga, there are several megalithic monuments, includinga menhir within the urban area itself.

Author: Casimiro Corbacho Amado

Arroyo-Conejos reservoir and Campiña Sur


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Datos de interés (Embalse de Arroyo-Conejos y Campiña Sur)

ACCOMMODATION

AZUAGA

H*** EL MIRADOR DEAZUAGACARRETERA N-432, K. 142924892930

HS* LAS CONCHASAVENIDA EXTREMADURA,, 31924890239HS* JIMENEZCALLE MUÑOZ TORRERO,80924890390CR CASA DEL SOTILLOFINCA LA SIERRA. CTRA.PRESA DEL SOTILLO924144074CR LA HOYAN-432, KM.149,5924890390CR CORTIJO LA SEÑORAFINCA LA SIERRA924144074CR CORTIJO MIRADORCILLOFINCA LA SIERRA924144074CR CORTIJO VIÑA DELDUCOCAMINO DE LAS CURTIDAS S/N637017022AT APARTAMENTOS TURÍSTICOS DE AZUAGACARRERA, 3687516527 / 924890237

CT CAMPIÑA SURCTRA. BADAJOZ-GRANADAKM. 142924144074

BERLANGA

HS* RUFINOCARRETERA N-432 KM. 131924894036

CAMPILLO DE LLERENA

CR LA POSADAC/ SAN BARTOLOMÉ, 18924770304 / 670856302

GRANJA DE TORREHERMOSA

H*** HOTEL HACIENDA DEDON MANUELAVDA. EXTREMADURA, 150924895480HS* SAN FRANCISCOCALLE CANALEJAS, 28924895045

HIGUERA DE LLERENA

HS** EL MIRADORREAL Nº 2924880053

LLERENA

H**** HOSPEDERIA MIRADOR DE LLERENAAURORA, 7924870597

H*** ISUR LLERENADOCTOR FLEMING S/N924516361HS* GALLEGOCARRETERA N-432 K. 112924870050HR LA FABRICAMIGUEL SÁNCHEZ, S/N924873824P ZURBARÁNPLAZA ESPAÑA, 3924871412

PERALEDA DEL ZAUCEJO

ATR EL CUARTELC/ NUESTRA SRA. DE FÁTIMA, 1646591385CR CASA GABRIELCALLE PALOMAS, 1924636744CR FAICACALLE MORTERO, 22924636657H** FAYCAPASEO SERENA, 15924636657

VALENCIA DE LAS TORRES

HS** CAMPO ABIERTOCARRETERA DE LLERENA, KM.0.110924881016P LA TERRAZAAVENIDA JOSE CAMPILLO, 10924881336


Field GuideB I R D W A T C H I N G R O U T E S I N E X T R E M A D U R A

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Field GuideTerms for the topography of a bird

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1 Thigh (or tibia)2 Under-tail coverts3 Cola (o retrices)4 Rump5 Primaries6 Secondaries7 Tertials8 Scapulars9 Nape10 Ear-coverts11 Crown12 Forehead13 Bill14 Chin15 Throat16 Breast17 Flanks18 Tarsus

How to observe birds

On walks in the countryside, in town parks and gardens, the group of animals that are theeasiest for us to watch are birds. When they fly through the air there is nothing that obstructsour view of them, many are brightly coloured or have attractive songs which draw our at-tention, but in order to get to know them better, it is useful to take into account certain de-tails which will make it much easier to identify and study them.

Not all birds occur in the same places, each species prefers certain habitats; for exampleducks, geese, waders and grebes are generally found on or close to water, so we do notlook for them on mountain ridges or cliffs, where we may look for Griffon Vultures, Goldenor Bonelli’s Eagles. Returning to water birds, the waterfowl (ducks and geese) are a largegroup and can be difficult to identify. However, experienced birdwatchers make use of cer-tain clues and these can be useful for us. For example, dabbling ducks like Mallard and Sho-veler take off from the water by rising directly from it, whereas diving ducks like the Pochardmake a short run across the surface of the water when they take off. On the water’s edgewe can find waders such as sandpipers. These species do not swim and have long slenderlegs and bills which help them find food on muddy surfaces. Another group of water birdsare the herons and egrets, which will often stay quietly perched on overhanging branchesor use their long legs to wade into the deep water without wetting their plumage, in orderto prey on fish.

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Close-up of the head

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1 Throat 2 Bib3 Chin4 Lores5 Eye-ring6 Median crown-stripe7 Lateral crown-stripe8 Supercilium9 Eye-stripe 10 Ear-covert

How birds fly and how high they fly can also be characteristic. The swallow has a rapidflight, usually close to the ground, trees or along narrow streets, whilst the swift prefers tohunt in open sky at great height; between the two extremes, we can find martins.

Other characteristics that we should take into account to help us identify birds are whetheror not they have wing markings (wing-bars or speculum…..), the shape of the tail (rounded,forked, square-shaped…), the colour of the legs (very important in waders), the way inwhich a bird perches, walks (hopping like a sparrow, walking like a lark, bobbing like a sand-piper……).

If the bird is in a tree…whereabouts is it? Is it on a low, open branch (flycatchers), an openhigh branch (Black-winged Kite), on the trunk climbing in a spiral (Short-toed Treecreeper)or head down (Nuthatch), or making short hops using its tail as a prop (Great Spotted Wo-odpecker), or in the outermost twigs with acrobatic behaviour (Blue Tit)….

As we can see, each bird or group of birds has a series of distinctive characteristics that willhelp us to identify it. With these useful indicators, the illustrations and text that follows,along with some days in the field to build up our experience, we will be able to deciphermuch of the secrets of the birdlife in Extremadura and make even more attractive each ofthe routes described in this book.

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Field Guide

European Bee-eaterMerops apiaster IE

Smaller than a dove and the most colourful of allSpanish birds. Only red is missing from the plumage,but Nature places this in the colour of its eyes! It fe-eds on insects caught in the air during its acrobaticflight. It nests in large colonies in holes excavated withits bill in sandy banks, often close to rivers. Theyarrive in the spring to breed and leave in late Augustor early September.

Honey BuzzardPernis apivorus SAH

About the same size as the Common Buzzard and ra-ther similar in plumage, and can be confused whenseen flying. Its iris is a characteristic yellow and thebill has a distinctive shape, being rather longer and fi-ner than Common Buzzard. They nest in trees indense woodland, with a diet typically based on beesand wasps (the larvae, pupae and adults) and can beseeing carrying parts of wasps nest or honey combsin their talons. They also take reptiles and small birds.They breed in Extremadura and migrate across theStraits of Gibraltar in September.

Alpine AccentorPrunella collaris IE

It has a brown back with black markings, grey headand flanks streaked with reddish brown. It occurs athigher altitude than the Dunnock, breeding on thehigher slopes of the Gredos and in winter being foundon the ridge tops of the lower ranges. It has a similardiet to the Dunnock and is rather tamer.

HoopoeUpupa epops IE

Slightly smaller than a dove, with a long slender cur-ved bill and a large crest, that can be raised and flat-tened. The wings, tail and tips of the crest are blackand white, whilst the rest of the body is buffy pink. Itnests in holes in trees or walls and occurs in cultiva-ted dehesas and spaces with few trees. It feeds ex-clusively on insects and spiders that it picks up with itsbill on the ground. It is resident throughout the year.

Abbreviations referring to conservation status of the species in ExtremaduraEE: At risk of extinction ı SAH: Sensitive to alteration of habitat ı V: Vulnerable ı IE: Of Special Interest


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DunnockPrunella modularis IE

Smaller than a sparrow with brown back, finely stre-aked with black and with chestnut streaking on theflanks and a lead-grey head and throat. It nests inscrub on mountainsides and in winter descends to lo-wer ground. It feeds mainly on insects, grubs and spi-ders. In Extremadura breeding occurs on the highmountains whilst it can be found almost anywhere inthe winter.

Common SnipeGallinago gallinago

Like a small Woodcock, but found in wetlands. Likethe Woodcock, it is a winter species. It hunts forsmall invertebrates in muddy areas, as well as ricefields. When flushed, they fly rapidly away in a zigzagflight, giving a characteristic alarm call.

Short-toed TreecreeperCerthia brachydactyla IE

A tiny bird with a long, fine decurved bill and stiff tail.It climbs up tree trunks to small boughs in a spiralroute. It can often go unnoticed because of its mot-tled brown plumage which has the same tone as thebark. It feeds on tiny insects, larvae and mites hiddenunder the bark, using its extraordinary bill to probe. Itoccurs in generally dense woodland in Extremaduraand is present throughout the year.

Spanish Imperial EagleAquila adalberti EE

Unique to the Iberian peninsular, it is one of the worl-d’s scarcest raptors. It is slightly smaller than theGolden Eagle, and can be distinguished by its whiteshoulders and nape. It breeds in large trees in Medi-terranean woodland, feeding on rabbits, pigeonsand partridges. It does not migrate, althoughyoung birds disperse widely in search of te-rritories in which to settle.

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Field Guide

OspreyPandion haliaetus V

A medium-sized bird of prey which specialises in cat-ching fish. It has particularly coarse scales on its feetto improve its grip of slippery prey. It has dark brownplumage on the upperparts with a dark mask and ye-llow eyes and is white below. It does not breed in Ex-tremadura, occurring on passage and wintering inextensive wetlands, large rivers and reservoirs.

Golden EagleAquila chrysaetos V

The largest European eagle, strongly built with darkbrown plumage and a golden nape. It breeds on cliffsor in large trees and is resident in Extremadura. Itsprey includes rabbits, pigeons, large lizards and evenfoxes.

Booted EagleHieraaetus pennatus IE

A small eagle but with powerful talons. It has a brownback with darker primaries. The underparts are palerand mottled. It has two plumage phases: a dark phaseand the commoner pale phase. Although it winters inAfrica, there are increasingly more individuals thatstay throughout the whole year in Extremadura. Itbreeds in trees in forested areas. They feed on smallbirds, rodents and reptiles. Like the large eagles, itslegs are feathered.

Bonelli’s EagleHieraaetus fasciatus SAH

A very agile species with spectacular flight. It hasdark brown upperparts with a white patch between theshoulders and mottled white underparts. It occurs inrocky, hilly country at low altitude, cliffs near reser-voirs and to a lesser extent wooded areas. They preymainly on pigeons and other similar-sized birds inflight, as well as sometimes rabbits and lizards. Theyoccur year-round in the vicinity of their breedingareas, defending the nest site against other eagles andvultures.



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Montagu’s HarrierCircus pygargus SAH

Smaller than the Hen Harrier, but similar in appea-rance. The male has dark barring on the wing. Theybreed in cereal fields and farmers have an importantrole in their conservation in Extremadura. They feedon rodents, small lizards and small birds which aresurprised by their low flight. They are only present inExtremadura in the breeding season, leaving in Augustfor Africa.

Marsh HarrierCircus aeroginosus SAH

Like other harriers, it has long wings and tail and verylong legs. It frequents wetlands, rice-fields and arableland close to marshy vegetation. It is a ground-nesterand is the largest of the Spanish harriers, feedingmainly on birds like Moorhen, ducks, water voles andeven fish. It is a resident species and its population isgrowing.

Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus SAH

Smaller than the Marsh Harrier. The male is pale greyand the female dark brown with buffish marked un-derparts. They can be found in open country. In Ex-tremadura there a few breeding records in the Llanosde Cáceres, La Serena and Campiña Sur, but they aremuch more widespread in winter. They feed on smallbirds, rodents and insects captured in flight.

Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosa IE

A large wader with long dark legs and a fine bill whichis orange at the base and black at the tip, found in sha-llow pools and rice stubble. It does not breed in Ex-tremadura but the Guadiana floodplain rice fields arean important wintering and migratory stopover site forthe species. They feed on invertebrates by probing inthe mud with their long bills.

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Field Guide

Stone CurlewBurhinus oedicnemus V

The size of a large pigeon with bill, iris and legs brightyellow. The plumage is wonderfully cryptic, camou-flaging well into the surroundings. It is found on ex-tensive arable land and open plains. Its fluty call is he-ard at dusk and dawn. It feeds on beetles, crickets,grasshoppers and slugs.

Woodchat ShrikeLanius senator IE

A shrike with black and white plumage with a chestnutcrown. It has a characteristic large, hooked bill, adap-ted for capturing prey. It occurs in dehesas, woo-dland and valleys hunting for grasshoppers, small li-zards and birds. It sometimes uses thorny branchesor barbed wire to impale its prey as a form of storage.It can also imitate birds to attract them close in orderto attack them. It is a summer visitor.

HobbyFalco subbuteo SAH

Kestrel-sized but with longer wings. Its upperparts areslaty grey, the underparts white with bold streaks andwith bright reddish “thighs”. The head has a distinc-tive bold dark moustache. It has a very rapid and ae-robatic flight which allows it to hunt birds like swiftsand swallows, although they will also hunt dragonfliesand bats. In Extremadura they are summer visitors,arriving from their African wintering grounds towardsthe end of April.

Southern Grey ShrikeLanius meridionalis IE

Thrush-sized with a long tail, grey head and back, withblack and white wings and tail, black mask and rosy-flushed breast. It has a large, powerful, hooked billable to catch small birds, lizards and mice. It imitatesmany calls in order to attract prey which it sometimessubsequently hoards on thorny branches. It is presentall year round. In the Middle Ages it was used in fal-conry for hawking in the large halls of castles and pa-laces.



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Egyptian VultureNeophron percnopterus V

It is the smallest vulture. Its plumage is unmistakea-ble: white with a pale ochre stain and black primaries.The head is bald with bright yellow skin. It nests oncliffs, and will travel large distances searching for ca-rrion. It is one of the very few tool-using birds, takingstones to break open ostrich eggs to get food. It is asummer visitor to Extremadura.

SkylarkAlauda arvensis IE

Sparrow-sized with pale brown plumage that matcheswell the colour of the earth. It has a short crest thatcan be raised or flattened depending on its behaviour.It nests on the ground in open country. It has a verymelodic song. It feeds on small insects, seeds andother vegetable matter. It is present throughout theyear but much more common in winter.

Rufous Bush RobinCercotrichas galactotes V

Similar in size to a sparrow, with rufous-brown plu-mage and an orange-toned tail, which is usually coc-ked. It can be found in olive groves, vineyards, almondor fig orchards. It feeds mainly on insects, but also ta-kes spiders, worms and caterpillars. It arrives at theend of April and having raised its brood, will return toAfrica at the end of August or early September.

MallardAnas platyrhynchos

The commonest of all the wild ducks that occur in Ex-tremadura and indeed will sometimes become tameand mix with domestic ducks in parks and gardens.The male has a dark iridescent bottle-green head,chocolate brown breast and brownish-grey back. Itcan be found on almost any water body, as well as irri-gated cereals. In winter, the population increases withmigrants from colder areas in the north.

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Field Guide

Ánade friso Anas strepera

Del tamaño del azulón, el, macho es gris con espaldamarrón y partes traseras negras. La hembra es ma-rrón parduzca, parecida a la del azulón, pero con es-pejuelo blanco en vez de azul metálico. Aparecen enmasas de aguas abiertas y tranquilas. Se alimenta devegetales acuáticos. En Extremadura está presentetodo el año.

GadwallAnas strepera

The same size as Mallard, the male is grey with abrown back and black stern. The female is dull brown,similar to a Mallard, but with a white speculum insteadof a metallic blue one. They occur on open and stillwater bodies, feeding on aquatic vegetation. They areresident in Extremadura.

Green SandpiperTringa ochropus IE

A small wader with dark brown upperparts and head,a finely-marked breast and a white belly. The bill islong and thin, adapted for catching invertebrates onthe edges of the shallow water. Its legs are long andgreyish green. As it moves it gently bobs its body andtail, as if balancing itself. It is a winter visitor, arrivingin late summer and present until the spring.

Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos IE

Similar to a Green Sandpiper, but smaller and paler,with shorter legs. It also frequents shallow water ed-ges and muddy banks and shows a similar bobbingmovement with its body. It occurs in winter, headingnorth to breed in the spring.



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Grey Lag GooseAnser anser

This migratory wild goose arrives in Extremadura atthe start of the winter cold and leaves as temperatu-res rise in February. It is greyish-brown with orange-pink stout bill and legs. It can be seen on maize andrice stubble, reservoirs and lakes, feeding on bulbs,grain and young shoots.

Common RedshankTringa totanus IE

Its body is slightly smaller than a pigeon but has longlegs and bill. Its back is brownish grey, diffusely mot-tled, and it has a pale belly. The base of the bill and thelegs are red. It occurs in rice fields, the edges of re-servoirs, temporary pools and so on. It feeds onaquatic invertebrates, although it can also capturesmall tadpoles and small fish. It is only present in thewinter.

JayGarrulus glandarius IE

Wood Pigeon-sized bird, with chestnut-coloured bodywith beautiful blue feathers on the wings and a longblackish tail. It is strongly associated with woodland,where it is often seen in pairs, which mate for life.They feed on small reptiles, rodents and fruit, depen-ding on the season. They can mimic many sounds, in-cluding the miaow of cats. They are present throug-hout the year.

Scops OwlOtus scops IE

The smallest Iberian owl, smaller than a dove. It is gre-yish brown and blackish mottling, making it almostimpossible to see against the trunks of trees. It ismainly a forest species, but can also be found in largeurban parks. It eats almost exclusively insects such ascrickets, mole crickets, moths and dragonflies. It arri-ves in spring to breed, leaving Extremadura in mid-September.

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Field Guide

Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus

A partridge-sized bid with a prominent crest. Its backand wings are dark, almost black, but in sunlightshow an iridescent green and violet. The belly is white.It is seen running in open-country, especially in mud-dier places, looking for grubs, worms and slugs. It ismost commonly seen in winter, but in recent years afew pairs have started nesting in wetland areas in Ex-tremadura.

Little BitternIxobrychus minutus SAH

A small, pigeon-sized heron, with long yellow legs anda long, fine, orange-yellow bill. It occurs beside lakesand slow-flowing rivers with abundant fringing vege-tation, where it can occur unnoticed, only being de-tected when in flight from one side to another or byits call. It feeds on small aquatic animals. In Extre-madura it is common spring and summer, with few re-cords during the winter.

House MartinDelichon urbica IE

The most urban of the swallows. It nests under the ea-ves of buildings, often in colonies, building mud nestsin the form of a closed cup with a small entrance hole.It has very dark back, wings and tail, with some bluishiridescence on the back, with a white rump and un-derparts. It feeds on insects generally taken on highaltitude flight. It returns from Africa each spring tobreed in Extremadura and leaves again in September.

Great BitternBotaurus stellaris EE

A large member of the heron family, with plumagewhich makes it very well camouflaged in marshy ve-getation beside pools and lakes. Its scientific name isderived from its booming call which can sound a bitlike the bellowing of a bull and can be heard from agreat distance. It is very scarce in Extremadura, bre-eding has not yet been confirmed, but is likely to bebefore long. It feeds on fish and amphibians.



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Crag MartinPtyonoprogne rupestris IE

Similar to Sand Martin, but larger and stouter. Its up-perparts are dull brown with paler brown underpartsand it lacks the breast band. It nests in rocky outcrops,ravines and cliffs. It feeds on small insects capturedin flight. It occurs throughout the year in Extremadura.

Sand MartinRiparia riparia SAH

The smallest member of the swallow family, nestingin large colonies in sandy river banks. Its back, wingsand tail are dull brown with white underparts apartfrom a brown breast band. It feeds exclusively onflying insects, captured in the air. It is a summer vi-sitor to Extremadura.

AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta IE

A pigeon-sized bird with very long legs, with a longfine, up-turned bill. It has a striking black-and-whiteplumage, It occurs in wetlands with shallow bodies ofwater, where it feeds on small invertebrates. It is seenmainly in autumn and winter and is uncommon.

Great BustardOtis tarda SAH

A huge bird, the heaviest in Extremadura, with the sizeand appearance of a long-legged turkey, with a stoutbluish-grey neck, brown back delicately vermiculatedwith orange stripes and white underparts. They occuron treeless plains and extensive arable land, rain-fedas well as irrigated. They feed on vegetable mattersuch as young plants, bulbs and seeds as well as largeinsects like grasshoppers and crickets. In Extrema-dura they are present throughout the year.

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Northern GoshawkAccipiter gentilis IE

Similar in appearance to the Sparrowhawk but largerand more heavily-built with stronger legs. It is a me-dium-sized raptor associated with forests where it canhunt prey from the size of sparrows to that of hares,taking prey both from the ground as well as in the air.They nest in trees in mature forest and are presentthroughout the year.

Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis IE

Sparrow-sized with a short, fine bill, brown plumagemarked with darker streaks on the back with dark stre-aks on a white background on the breast. It is usuallyseen on irrigated cultivated land, meadows and opencountry. It is quite unobtrusive, feeding quietly onsmall insects, grubs and spiders, captured on theground. It is a winter visitor.

Long-eared OwlAsio otus V

A medium-sized owl with large “ear” tufts and orange-yellow eyes. Its plumage of brown with buffish mar-kings allows it to blend in perfectly with the trunks oflarge trees where it nests. It tends to use the oldnests of Magpies or other crows in which to breed, inisolated Holm oak trees, riverine ash trees or tall pi-nes close to cultivation. It feeds on voles and mice andsometimes also small birds. In winter, it will often ro-ost socially in large numbers in tall trees.

Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus IE

A medium-sized owl with deep yellow eyes, a dark-rimmed facial mask and small “ear” tufts. Its brow-nish-buff upperparts and buff mottled with brownunderparts can make it difficult to see on fallowground. It nests on the ground in cereals or in marshyvegetation. It feeds on voles or mice, sometimes hun-ting together with harriers. In Extremadura it is usuallyseen in the winter, although a few breeding recordsexist.



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Eagle OwlBubo bubo IE

The largest European owl with warm brownish plu-mage, “ear” tufts and large orange eyes that make itunmistakeable. It is usually found on hillsides withMediterranean woodland and rocky outcrops, but cantravel long distances at night to feed. It has a varieddiet including mice to even foxes, medium to largebirds, including other raptors. It is present throughoutthe year.

Griffon VultureGyps fulvus IE

Very large with a wingspan greater than two and a halfmetres. It has a long neck covered by whitish downwhich often becomes soiled because of its feeding ha-bits. It has tawny brown plumage with primaries andtail somewhat darker. They nest on cliffs and they willfly many kilometres in search of carrion on which theyfeed. Their strong gastric juices protect them from in-fection by killing pathogenic bacteria or viruses whichmay have been responsible for the death of the ani-mal concerned.

Black VultureAegypius monachus SAH

With its wingspan of almost three metres it is one ofthe largest birds in Eurasia. It has dark brown, almostblack, plumage and nests in large trees on the slopesof undisturbed mountains. It has a very strong bill, ableto tear the tough hides of mules or cattle. They are thedominant carrion-feeder and will displace Griffon andEgyptian Vultures and Ravens, which will then have towait until the Black Vulture has finished feeding or be-comes distracted before being able to feed.

Zitting CisticolaCisticola juncidis IE

A very small warbler, one of the lightest birds in Spain.It has sandy-brown plumage with dark streaking, withpaler plain underparts. It is found in marshy areas, inarable crops, irrigated areas and the edges of streamsand rivers. It feeds on small insects, spiders andother invertebrates. It has a characteristic undulatingsong flight, with a “zit” note delivered on each ascent.It is present throughout the year.

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Common BuzzardButeo buteo IE

A medium-sized bird of prey with a variety of differentplumages, although most are dark brown with a palehalf-moon-shaped patch on the breast. They nest inmedium-sized trees in dehesas, river banks and agri-cultural land. They can be frequently seen perched ontelegraph posts beside roads watching for mice andvoles. They are resident throughout the year.

Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia IE

Smaller than a sparrow, with dark greenish-brownmottled plumage on the upperparts, with a more ye-llowish breast and whiter belly. It is associated withmarshy vegetation and river valleys. It feeds on smallinvertebrates such as spiders and insects. In Extre-madura it is present only on migration and is veryhard to detect because of its camouflaged plumageand the dense vegetation in which it occurs.

Calandra LarkMelanocorypha calandra IE

The biggest lark in Extremadura. It is sandy brownwith pale underparts and a black mark on each side ofthe neck. It lacks a crest and its bill is stout. It prefersopen country, fallow land, pasture or arable land. Itcan imitate the calls of other species and delivers itssong in flight. It eats insects, grubs and worms as wellas seeds and other plant matter. It nests on theground and is present throughout the year.

Purple SwamphenPorphyrio porphyrio SAH

Larger than a partridge, with intense dark blue plu-mage with brilliant iridescence and legs, bill andshield bright red. They are associated with large wa-ter bodies with abundant marshy vegetation on thebanks and water lilies. They feed mainly on aquatic ve-getation but can also take small animals. They onlybreed at Arrocampo, but are also seen in the Guadianafloodplain.



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BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula IE

A bit bigger than a Greenfinch with a very short, thickbill, grey back, black tail and wings with a white wingbar and black crown, whilst the underparts are pink inthe male and dull buff in the female. They occur in theshade of trees beside small streams, feeding on budsand small seeds. They are winter visitors to Extrema-dura.

Collared PratincoleGlareola pratincola SAH

Slightly smaller than a dove with an acrobatic flightlike a swallow. Its upperparts are olive brown and un-derparts white, with a buffish-yellow throat with ablack border. It nests on the ground on fallow land andthe muddy banks of islands in lakes. They feed on in-sects captured on the wing.

Tawny OwlStrix aluco IE

A nocturnal medium-sized owl with brownish or gre-yish plumage with buffy patches and whitish markingswhich makes it hard to see against the trunk of a tree.It is found in forests, wooded valleys and town parks.It feeds mainly on mice, but will also take small birdsand insects. It is present throughout the year and itshoot can be heard at great distance at nightfall.

Great TitParus major IE

Slightly smaller than a sparrow and rather slimmer.Despite is colourful plumage it can blend well into thefoliage. It has a black head, with large white cheek pat-ches. The underparts are bright yellow with a blackstripe running down the centre of the belly, with bluishgreen upperparts. The short, fine bill is adapted for fe-eding on insects, although it will also feed on fruit andseeds. It has a large repertoire, able to sing up to 50different songs. It is present throughout the year.

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RollerCoracias garrulus V

A pigeon-sized bird with an intense blue body of va-rious tones and a warm brownish back. It occurs inopen areas with few trees, using holes in walls, oldbuildings and, if available, artificial nest boxes. Theyfeed on crickets, grasshoppers and to a lesser extentlizards and amphibians. This is a summer visitor toExtremadura, present in the spring and summer only.

Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus IE

A rather non-descript bird but with an attractive song.It occurs along rivers and creeks with abundant ve-getation, where it virtually disappears, only making itspresence known to other Reed Warblers with its loudsong. In Extremadura it is a summer visitor and bre-eds mainly in the floodplains of the Guadiana.

TealAnas crecca

The smallest duck that occurs in Extremadura and oneof the most attractive. Like other dabbling ducks it iscommon on reservoirs, lakes and dams. It feeds onvegetation and aquatic invertebrates. It has a very agileflight with rapid wing beats. It is abundant in winter.but does not breed in Extremadura, although somebirds stay well into the spring.

Great Reed WarblerAcrocephalus arundinaceus IE

The largest warbler in Spain, larger than a sparrow. Ithas greyish or olive brown upperparts and is paler be-low. Like the Reed Warbler, it occurs close to waterwhere there is abundant vegetation. It has a powerful,somewhat peculiar croaking song which is far-carr-ying and enables detection of the bird. It is a summervisitor to Extremadura.



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Lesser KestrelFalco naunanni SAH

Smaller than the Common Kestrel. They tend to nestunder roof tiles and in other holes in churches andother buildings, often in competition with Jackdaws,although they hunt over open country and arable landclose to the towns and villages. They also hover as ahunting technique, but are more insectivorous thanthe Common Kestrel.

Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus IE

A small pigeon-sized falcon with long wings and tail,allowing the bird to hover in the air to search for itssmall prey, then dropping quickly to the ground topounce. The diet comprises small mice, shrews,grasshoppers and crickets. They nest in trees and ho-les in buildings in cultivated land or in towns, prefe-rring to hunt in dehesas and pasture with scatteredtrees. They are present in Extremadura throughout theyear.

Little TernSterna albifrons SAH

With its small body, very long wings and forked tail,this species is well adapted to fish from the air. It willbe seen flying over water a few metres above thesurface in search of small fish. It nests on the groundin small colonies on pebbly islands in lakes and re-servoirs such as Alange and Los Canchales, usuallyuntil midsummer.

WoodcockScolopax rusticola

Its body is the size of a Wood Pigeon with a very longbill and short tail. Its plumage is a cryptic mixture ofbrown and buff tones that provide a perfect camou-flage against dry leaves or grasses. It is very hard tosee as it will crouch close to the ground and only flywhen one is almost stepping on it. It is a winter visi-tor, preferring damp woodland to open spaces. Withits long bill it finds worms, grubs, slugs and small in-sects in the soil.

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WrenTroglodites troglodites IE

A tiny mottled brown bird, with paler underparts. Itusually moves swiftly and restlessly with its tail coc-ked. It is found in woods, especially in rocky areas. Itis quite difficult to see, but has a powerful and loudsong that carries a long distance. It is widespread andpresent throughout the year.

Little Ringed PloverCharadrius dubius IE

A small bird with wings, tail and crown brown, whiteunderparts, a dark collar, mask and fore-crown blac-kish, complete with a bright yellow eye-ring. It tendsto run along the muddy banks of pools and small ri-vers searching for invertebrates. It is present throug-hout the year.

Red-necked NightjarCaprimulgus ruficollis IE

About the same size as the European Nightjar, but witha more reddish tone to the plumage to the belly andneck. Many nightjars are killed on the road when theyare resting on the surface. It is a summer breeding vi-sitor to Extremadura.

Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria IE

Smaller than a partridge with brownish-yellow plu-mage in winter, short bill and stocky appearance. Itonly occurs in the winter, in large groups on fallowland and open plains, or muddy places. It feeds onsmall insects, snails, slugs and worms.



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European NightjarCaprimulgus europaeus IE

It is dove-sized but with larger wings and tail. The plu-mage is greyish-brown, mottled with buffish-yellowmaking it almost impossible to see on the ground,where it nests. It is an insectivorous bird, feeding atdusk and at night, taking its prey in flight with its enor-mous gape. It does not usually perch in trees, spen-ding its time either in flight or on the ground. It is asummer breeding visitor to Extremadura.

White StorkCiconia ciconia IE

A large bird with white plumage with black-tippedwings and bright red bill and legs. It is widespread, oc-curring in dehesas, wetlands and pastures, nesting onalmost any tall building such as churches, large hou-ses, as well as pylons, masts and tall trees. Its diet isvaried including fish, snakes, amphibians, rodentsand grasshoppers. Although they used to migrate toAfrica in the winter, each year more and more have be-come resident in Extremadura.

Black StorkCiconia nigra EE

Slightly smaller than the White Stork, with dark plu-mage with green and violet iridescence on the backand wings, with a white belly. The bill, legs and eye-ring are red. Unlike the White Stork, it is a shy and ti-mid species, very difficult to watch in its natural ha-bitat. It feeds on fish, snakes and crayfish. It arrivesin Extremadura to breed towards the end of March, le-aving for sub-Saharan Africa at the end of the summer.

Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus IE

Like a miniature stork, with a very fine black bill andincredibly long red legs. The wings are dark and thebody white. It occurs along the banks of rivers, re-servoirs and on rice fields. It is noisy and territorial du-ring the breeding season. It feeds on small inverte-brates captured at the water’s edge and on mud. It iscommon throughout the year.

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Common QuailCoturnix coturnix

The smallest game bird, nesting on the groundamongst vegetation. Its plumage is brown with buf-fish and yellowish tones that make it very difficult tosee on the ground. They occur in irrigated crops likealfalfa, soya or maize where they can be detected bytheir call. The chicks leave the nest upon hatching andfollow the female searching for small insects thatconstitute their diet. The adults also feed on seeds.

Crested LarkGalerida cristata IE

Bigger than a Skylark with earth-brown plumage thatcamouflages it very well on the ground on the plainsand arable land in which it occurs. It also occurs alongtracks, roadsides and open dehesas. It has a charac-teristic crest and long legs with short toes and a verylong hind-claw. The song can be heard from a long dis-tance and is very beautiful. It feeds on plant matter andsmall insects and is present throughout the year.

Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros IE

A slender and elegant bird with dark grey, slaty plu-mage, with white patches on the wings and a promi-nent reddish-orange tail. It nests in rocky areas, aswell as dehesas and livestock rangelands, makinguse of abandoned buildings, stables and old barns inwhich to nest. It feeds mainly on insects. In Extre-madura it can be seen throughout the year, but ismore widespread in the winter.

Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus IE

Smaller than a sparrow and one of the most attractivebirds of the region. Its back is ashy grey, its throat isblack and it has dull orange underparts and tail. It isa slender and elegant bird, which frequently bobswhen perched, allowing its colours to be well sported.It feeds on insects and is a summer breeding visitor.



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Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe IE

A small, graceful and elegant bird which appears in avariety of plumages, depending on whether it is abreeding or non-breeding male or female. Generallythe male has a grey back, darker wings with a blackmask, buff throat and white belly with the characte-ristic inverted black “T” against white background onthe tail, visible in flight. It is found in open mountai-nous areas, with scrub and stony areas, where it fe-eds on insects taken on the ground or on short aerialsallies. In Extremadura it nests on the high altitudesin the north, whereas on passage it can be found al-most anywhere.

Black WheatearOenanthe leucura IE

The largest of the Iberian wheatears. It is slaty backwith its unmistakeable white tail with the invertedblack “T”. It is found in rocky and stony places throug-hout Extremadura, where it can be seeing bobbing itstail from a perch before making a sally to take the largeinsects which form its diet. It is a resident species, re-maining on its breeding territory throughout the year.

Black-eared WheatearOenanthe hispanica IE

A sparrow-sized graceful bird with striking plumage.It has black wings, mask and inverted “T” on the tail.The back is buff and the underparts white. It nests inopen country throughout the region. It feeds mainlyon small insects, spiders and caterpillars found on theground.

RuffPhilomachus pugnax IE

Partridge-sized with a rounded body and long legsand bill. During winter, its plumage is greyish withdark markings on the back and pale below. It occursin wetlands and the sides of reservoirs, feeding onaquatic invertebrates. They are winter visitors.

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Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo

Larger than a duck, the adults have black plumagewhich shows iridescent green and violet tones. It oc-curs on reservoirs and the larger slow-flowing rivers.They feed on fish, captured whilst diving and they canremain underwater for long periods. Lacking an uropy-gial gland (used by birds for waterproofing feathers),they are often seen perched on branches or on thebank with wings outstretched to dry their plumage.

DunlinCalidris alpina IE

A small wader with slender legs and a long bill whichfeeds on the muddy banks of pools and reservoirs insearch of invertebrates which form its diet. It generallyoccurs in small flocks, often seen flying fast and lowfrom one bank to another along with other waders. InExtremadura it occurs in the winter.

ShovelerAnas clypeata

A duck with a characteristic shovel-shaped bill, themale’s plumage is very striking, with green head,black and white back and brown belly. The female isbrownish, similar in tone to other female ducks. It isassociated with large water bodies and has bred onlyin the Orellana, Valdecañas and Vuluengo reservoirs,as well as the La Albuera lakes. However it is a verycommon winter visitor to wetlands throughout Extre-madura. It feeds on aquatic vegetation and inverte-brates, filtered with its bill.

Great Spotted CuckooClamator glandarius IE

Larger than a cuckoo with its upperparts, wings andtail grey mottled with white. The belly is white and thethroat and breast toned yellow. It has a small greycrest. It arrives in the spring and lays its eggs inMagpie nests, with the host then rearing the young.They can be frequently seen being chased by Magpies,making their loud ringing call.



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Common CuckooCuculus canorus IE

A dove-sized bird, with long bluish grey wings and tail.The breast and belly is pale with fine bars, similar inappearance to that of a Sparrowhawk. It lays its eggin the nests of other species and plays no further rolein rearing the young. It feeds mainly on insects, es-pecially caterpillars and may help to control infesta-tions.

RavenCorvus corax

Very large with black plumage, which at close quar-ters has iridescent patches of metallic blue. The Ra-ven is an aerial acrobat, often flying as if for pleasureand making complicated tumbles and pirouettes inmid-flight. It is found in rocky areas, dehesas, oak wo-ods and open country with the occasional scatteredlarge tree, sometimes even nesting on electricitypylons. They feed on small animals, fruit and carrion.They pair for life and can be long-lived, reaching morethan 40 years. They are present throughout the yearin Extremadura.

Short-toed EagleCircaetus gallicus IE

A large raptor, with a particularly large head and fron-tal vision which gives it an almost owl-like appearance.Its plumage is brown above with white underparts, fi-nely marked with brown. Its large eyes are yellow ororange, able to locate snakes or lizards on which theyfeed. They return to Extremadura each spring fromtheir wintering grounds in Africa, raising just oneyoung. They nest in trees in forested areas, but pre-fer to hunt over open ground.

Sardinian WarblerSylvia melanocephala IE

Grey plumage, darker on the back and tail. The malehas a black head with a striking red eye-ring and awhitish throat. The female is duller, with a grey headand brown back. It occurs in scrubby areas, brambles,gardens and hedgerows. It feeds mainly on insects,supplemented by berries and small fruit. It is presentthroughout the year in Extremadura.

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BlackcapSylvia atricapilla IE

Similar is size to a sparrow but slimmer and more gra-ceful. It has a brownish grey plumage, darker on thewings and tail. The male has a black crown, whilst thefemale has a chestnut crown. It is found in broad-le-aved woodland, wooded valleys, orchards and gar-dens. In winter it is much more common and occursalso in town parks. Although mainly insectivorous, inautumn it will feed on blackberries and small fruits toprepare for migration. In Extremadura it is a breedingspecies with a large influx in the winter of birds fromfurther north.

Western Orphean WarblerSylvia hortensis IE

The largest Sylvia warbler in Extremadura, it has gre-yish plumage with a blackish mask, dark grey crownand striking pale eye. It prefers Holm oak dehesas andopen woodland at lower altitudes, where it can be dif-ficult to see but easy to detect by its song. It feeds oninsects in spring and small berries and fruits in the au-tumn. It breeds in Extremadura, leaving in mid-Sep-tember to spend the winter in Africa.

Common WhitethroatSylvia communis IE

Similar in size to most other Sylvia warblers, the ma-les have a striking bluish-grey crown, brown wings,white throat and pinkish breast. In Extremadura, theyonly breed in scrubby areas on the higher mountainsin the north, whereas on migration they can be seenalmost anywhere. They feed on small insects.

Dartford WarblerSylvia undata IE

It has a very small body with a very long tail that itholds cocked. The plumage is dull blue on the back,wings and tail with reddish-brown underparts with abright red eye-ring. It is strongly associated withdense Mediterranean scrub. It feeds on insects and inautumn and winter may also feed on small fruits andseeds. It is present throughout the year.



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Black-winged KiteElanus caeruleus V

A small pigeon-sized bird of prey with bluish grey plu-mage and striking red eyes. It lives in open dehesas,pastures with isolated trees and extensive cereal fields.It mainly hunts rodents and small birds at dusk anddawn, although on cloudy days it can be active at anytime. It can have several broods during the year if thefood supply is available. Although not a migratory spe-cies, it will disperse to areas of high rodent abun-dance.

Rock BuntingEmberiza cia IE

Similar in size to a sparrow, it has reddish brown up-perparts, mottled with black, a reddish buff belly andgrey head and breast, with three black stripes acrossthe head. It is found on rocky, scrubby hillsides withscattered trees. It feeds on seeds, shoots and, to a les-ser extent, insects. In Extremadura it is present throug-hout the year and is common in suitable habitat.

Cirl BuntingEmberiza cirlus IE

Slightly bigger than a sparrow, with chestnut plu-mage., mottled with black on the back, yellow under-parts and yellow head with black bands in the male,whilst the female has duller tones. They occur in de-ciduous woodland, feeding mainly on seeds, with in-sects given to their young. They are present throug-hout the year in Extremadura.

MerlinFalco columbarius IE

This is the smallest of the falcons found in Extrema-dura, the size of a dove. The male is bluish grey abovewith darker wings and tail, with the underparts ratherorangey mottled with brown. They feed on smallbirds, hunting in open country. They are winter visi-tors to Extremadura.

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SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia V

Smaller than a stork, with white plumage and blackishbill and legs. Its bill is distinctively-shaped, giving thebird its name, being narrow for much of its length andwider and rounded at its tip. Thanks to this extraor-dinary shape, the Spoonbill can feed along the muddybanks of pools and reservoirs. It nests in colonies inlarge trees along with other herons and storks.

Common CootFulica atra

Somewhat larger than a Moorhen, with matt black plu-mage with a white bill and shield. They occur in re-servoirs, lakes and wetlands where they make a floa-ting nest to incubate their eggs. After hatching thechicks will swim, following the female in search ofaquatic invertebrates and vegetable matter. They oc-cur throughout the year.

MoorhenGallinula chloropus

Partridge-sized, appearing almost black at a distance,but actually the plumage is very dark blue, becomingdark brownish on the back, with a bright red bill andshield. The long legs and toes are an intense greenwith a reddish garter at the top of the thigh. They swimin slow-flowing water where there is plenty of vege-tation, although they also can be found in rice fields.They are present throughout the year.

Whiskered TernChlidonias hybridus SAH

It has a body smaller than a dove, but with very longwings, generally pale grey plumage with black cap andred bill and legs. It feeds on insects and other aqua-tic invertebrates that are captured in flight. Often theyhunt in small groups of up to five birds. They build flo-ating nests in wetlands. They are present in Extrema-dura in spring and summer.



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Pin-tailed SandgrousePterocles alchata SAH

Pigeon-sized with buffish upperparts, with blackishmarks, white belly and a “half-moon” of orange-yellowon the breast. It occurs on the steppes and in arableland, where it nests on the ground, with crypticallymarked eggs, It feeds almost exclusively on seed andother plant matter.

Black-bellied SandgrousePterocles orientalis SAH

A pigeon-sized bird with brown, buff and grey back,yellow-orange throat and grey head and breast. Itsplumage enables it to be well camouflaged on theground of the open plains in which it breeds. It feedsalmost exclusively on seeds and is present year roundin tree-less areas.

Little EgretEgretta garzetta IE

Somewhat bigger than a Cattle Egret with white plu-mage and black bill and legs. The feet are bright ye-llow as is the iris. They occur in wetlands with shallowedges where they feed alone on small fish, inverte-brates and amphibians. They nest in waterside treesand occur throughout the year.

Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis IE

A medium-sized heron has white plumage all of theyear, apart from males which in the spring acquirebuff feathers on the head and neck. They are oftenseen in large groups together with livestock in the de-hesas and pasture. They breed in large colonies along-side other heron species. They are present throughoutthe year and the population is increasing.

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Squacco HeronArdeola ralloides EE

Similar in size to a Cattle Egret with white wings andbreast, and a buff-coloured back. Long lax feathersfrom the neck are striped black and white. They occurin wetlands with abundant vegetation where they feedon aquatic invertebartes, small fish and amphibians,always on their own. Breeding occurs in the Montijoreservoir and at Arrocampo. They can sometimesbeen seen in the floodplains of the Guadiana.

Purple HeronArdea purpurea SAH

Slightly smaller than the Grey Heron with a moreslender and longer striped neck, which helps to ca-mouflage it well in reed beds, where it is detected onlyif it moves. It requires well-vegetated banks where itfeeds on small or medium-sized fish. It breeds in theGuadiana floodplain and in Arrocampo, migrating inthe autumn.

SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus IE

A small forest raptor with short rounded wings andlong tail. This shape allows it to hunt in dense woo-dland, manoeuvring between trees. Its diet is basedalmost exclusively on small birds captured in flight.They nest in trees with ample undergrowth and inwinter migrate to Africa, although Sparrowhawksfrom Central Europe occur in Extremadura during thewinter.

Grey HeronArdea cinerea IE

Slightly smaller than a White Stork, with grey plu-mage, it flies with its neck retracted, separating itfrom a crane, with long legs and toes, well adapted forwading in water. It feeds alone in shallow water closeto the bank on medium-sized fish. It will nest both incolonies with other herons or White Storks, as well ason its own.



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Black-headed GullLarus ridibundus

A medium-sized gull of inland waters, with pale greywings, white body and red legs. In the summer, thehead is chocolate brown whilst in winter it is whitewith just a few dark markings on the side of the headand over the eye. It prefers large reservoirs, slow-flo-wing rivers, arable land and rice fields. It is commonin the winter and there are also a few breeding recordsin Extremadura.

Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus

A large gull with dark grey wings, white head andbody. Its bill is yellow with a red spot on the lowermandible. It occurs on reservoirs, rubbish tips andarable land in large flocks, often displacing otherbirds. It feeds on fish, rodents, worms, insects andscraps from fishing boats or found at refuse dumps.It does not breed in Extremadura, but is very commonin the winter.

Barn SwallowHirundo rustica IE

A common bird in rural areas. Its back, wings and tailare dark with a violet iridescence; it has a reddishthroat and the underparts are rich cream in colour. Ithas a forked tail with very long outer tail feathers,which are longer in males and can be used to distin-guish the sexes. They nest in abandoned buildings orfarm buildings, stables and other buildings which areinfrequently used. They feed exclusively on flying in-sects. It is a migratory species, arriving in Extrema-dura at the beginning of February and leaving in Sep-tember.

Red-rumped SwallowHirundo daurica IE

Similar to a Barn Swallow but with underparts, neckand rump an orange-buff. It is less common than theBarn Swallow and nests under bridges, in buildingsand overhangs making a mud nest with a long tubu-lar entrance. It feeds on insects captured in its acro-batic flight. It is a summer breeding visitor to Extre-madura.

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House SparrowPasser domesticus

A bird closely associated with man since time imme-morial. The males are brown, streaked with black onthe back with a grey belly and black bib. The femalesare duller and more greyish-brown. They feed on in-sects in the spring whilst rearing young, and on fruitand seeds for the rest of the year. It is common intowns, seen on rooftops, parks and squares and in Ex-tremadura is present throughout the year.

JaqckdawCorvus monedula

Larger than a pigeon with black plumage and a greyneck with a pale eye. They tend to breed in large co-lonies in buildings like churches, towers and old largehouses. They feed on insects, small reptiles, rodentsand fruit. They are present throughout the year in Ex-tremadura.

PeregrineFalco peregrinus SAH

A medium-sized bird of prey with slaty grey upper-parts, a dark moustache and white underparts barredwith dark grey. It is the fastest of all birds, able to re-ach 300 kph in a stoop. It nests on cliffs and will chaseoff other raptors from the vicinity. For hunting theychoose open country, taking pigeon-sized birds, butsometimes even Little Bustards and ducks. They tendto stay close to their breeding sites throughout theyear, although northern birds also arrive in Extrema-dura to spend the winter.

Common CraneGrus grus IE

Similar is size and shape to a stork, with grey plumageand elongated tertials forming bulky plumes over thetail. The neck is black with white stripes on the sidewith a red patch on the crown. They arrive in the au-tumn and spend the winter in the dehesas, rice fieldsand lakes. They have not breed in Extremadura sincethe first part of the last century. They feed on acorns,on the stubble of rice and maize, bulbs and small in-vertebrates.



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Crested TitParus cristatus IE

Similar in size to a Blue Tit with a brown back and paleunderparts. It has a finely marked black and whitehead, with a spiky crest. It is mainly found in pine-woods, but also occurs in cork oak and Holm oak gro-ves, especially where there is undergrowth. It feeds oninsects such as caterpillars, spiders, mites and ishelpful in reducing the impact of infestations. It is pre-sent throughout the year.

Blue TitParus caeruleus IE

Smaller than a Great Tit with blue wings, tail andhead with white cheeks and white ring around thecrown. The underparts are yellow. It occurs in dehe-sas, pinewoods, wooded valleys and gardens. With itssmall bill it takes insects from under loose bark andleaves and is able to hang upside down to forage forthem. It is a great friend to the organic farmer. It ispresent throughout the year in wooded areas in Ex-tremadura.

GoldfinchCarduelis carduelos

A very common finch, distinguished by its red face andwhite and black bands on the head. It has black wingswith a bold yellow band, which is especially visible inflight. It has a very pleasing song which tempts peo-ple to capture it to keep in a cage. The conical billallows access to thistle seeds, a particular preferencefor the species. It is present throughout the year.

White WagtailMotacilla alba IE

Sparrow-sized with black and white plumage, alongwith intermediate grey tones. It has a very long tailwhich it wags up and down to balance as it walks. Itoccurs along river banks, the edges of reservoirs andin arable land. It feeds on small insects, grubs and spi-ders that it collects mainly from the ground. It is pre-sent throughout the year, but is more abundant in thewinter. In recent years it has started to form large ro-osts in city centres.

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Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava IE

Very attractive plumage with olive yellow back andbright yellow underparts and a striking blue greyhead. It occurs in wetter areas, irrigated land and ri-ver banks. It feeds on small insects and spiders cap-tured close to the water’s edge. It is usually seen onmigration, although a few pairs do breed in Extrema-dura.

Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea IE

A strikingly plumaged bird, with upperparts, wingsand tail ashy bluish grey and the underparts bright ye-llow, with a black throat in the male. This wagtail isclosely associated with faster flowing water and is the-refore commonest in northern Extremadura. It feedson insects and other invertebrates that it captureswhilst searching the water’s edge. It occurs throug-hout the year in the breeding areas, whilst birds fromfurther north are found throughout Extremadura du-ring the winter.

KingfisherAlcedo atthis IE

Sparrow-sized, but more stocky with a short tail anda long strong bill. It has very striking plumage: brilliantblue wings, tail and back with the breast and belly anintense orange. It feeds exclusively on small fish andtadpoles captured whilst diving from a perch into wa-ter. It nests in a hole excavated in a riverbank. It is pre-sent throughout the year.

Barn OwlTyto alba IE

Medium-sized owl that nests in churches and otherlarge buildings. The striking plumage is yellowishwith fine grey markings on the back and much whi-ter below. Its face has a white heart-shaped appea-rance with large dark eyes. Its principle prey is miceand voles, but some Barn Owls specialise in takingsmall birds that may be roosting in trees in urbanparks.



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Black-crowned Night HeronNycticorax nycticorax SAH

A medium-sized heron with long yellow legs, greyback, white underparts and intensely red eyes, adap-ted for fishing at dusk. They feed on medium-sizedfish, amphibians and snakes. They are colonial nes-ters, usually along with other species of heron.

Black KiteMilvus migrans IE

Slightly smaller than the Red Kite, the plumage isdarker and tail less deeply forked. It nests in trees andthe nest is often adorned with pieces of cloth, paperand bags. It has a varied diet, including fish, rodents,amphibians, but above all carrion, especially roadkills. It spends the winter in sub-Saharan Africa andreturns to Extremadura in the spring to breed.

Red KiteMilvus milvus V

Medium-sized bird of prey with long rusty-colouredwings and tail, pale head and yellow iris. Its buoyantflight gives it its name “kite”. In Extremadura, theRed Kite is present all year round, nesting in densewoodland. The breeding population is declining, butis augmented in the winter by visitors from central Eu-rope. It feeds mainly on carrion but sometimes alsoon rodents and small birds.

DipperCinclus cinclus V

A thrush-sized bird, plump and stocky with a veryshort tail. It is dark brown with a prominent white bib.It lives along fast-flowing streams in northern Extre-madura, where it preys on aquatic invertebrates whilstforaging under water. It usually perches on bouldersin the stream, bobbing with its white bib showing well.It occurs in its breeding areas throughout the year.

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BlackbirdTurdus merula IE

The male is dull black with yellow bill and eye-ring. Itis found in a variety of wooded habitats from towngardens, allotments, orchards, valleys and dehesas. Itfeeds mainly on earthworms, grubs and insects. In theautumn its diet is dominated by berries and fruits. Inthe spring it delivers its fine, fluty song. It is presentthroughout the year.

Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus IE

Its body is a tiny ball of pinkish feathers below anddarker above, joined to a long tail of white-edgedblack feathers. It usually moves in family groups ofbetween 8 to14 birds in woodland where there is am-ple undergrowth. It has a tiny, fine but strong bill,adapted for finding insects hidden in cervices in barkor on buds. It is present throughout the year.

Common ChiffchaffPhilloscophus collybita IE

Very similar in size and appearance to the WillowWarbler, but rather duller in tone. It is a restless littlebird, feeding close to the ground. They breed in wo-odlands on the mountains and in the valleys in thenorth of Extremadura, but can be found throughout re-gion in the winter.

Little OwlAthene noctua IE

A small owl, with greyish brown back, mottled whiteand a brown-barred pale belly. It lacks “ear” tufts andits eyes are large and yellow. It occurs in olive groves,open dehesas and arable land where it takes smallprey items such as grasshoppers, crickets and smallamphibians. It is present throughout the year, remai-ning close to its nesting area.



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Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus IE

Very small, not more than half the size of a sparrow.It has yellowish green plumage on the upperpartsand is paler below, It occurs in gardens, valleys, hed-gerows and dehesas. It feeds exclusively on small in-sects and helps to prevent pest infestations in or-chards and gardens. It does not breed in Extremaduraand is common on passage.

Golden OrioleOriolus oriolus IE

A thrush-sized bird, the males have bright yellow plu-mage with black wings, whilst the females are dullerwith a more greenish tone. Its fluty song is very be-autiful and betrays their presence in the trees. It is clo-sely associated with deciduous woodland such asoak, poplar and ash. They feed on small grasshoppers,crickets and caterpillars, switching to fruit such as figsand blackberries by late summer. In Extremadura theyare summer visitors.

Gull-billed TernGelochelindon nilotica SAH

A pigeon-sized bird, with long slender wings, withwhite plumage and crown, bill and legs black. It fre-quents reservoirs where there are islands without ve-getation, such as Sierra Brava, Los Canchales andOrellana. It will eat mice, lizards, small birds or insects,sometimes far from water, in cereal crops. It occursin Extremadura from mid-April until mid-September.

Penduline TitRemiz pendulinus IE

Similar to a Goldfinch in size, with grey head and abold black mask, with reddish brown back and palepinkish-orange underparts. It occurs beside brooksand rivers with abundant marshy vegetation throug-hout the Guadiana floodplain as well as at Arrocampo,feeding mainly on Typha (reed mace) seed heads, of-ten hanging upside down to collect the seeds. It is pre-sent throughout the year.

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Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleuca IE

A plump bird, with a fine bill and almost continuousflicking of the tail. In the breeding season the males isblack on the head, wings, tail and back with a whitewing marking, white underparts and forehead. Duringthe rest of the year, the male adopts a female-type plu-mage, with the black being replaced by brown. Theybreed in woodland above 1000 metres above sea-le-vel on the slopes of the Gredos mountains, but duringpassage they can occur almost everywhere. They feedon insects captured on the ground or on aerial salliesfrom exposed perches.

Red-crested PochardNetta rufian V

The male is very attractive with a large rounded, brow-nish head, flushed orange on the crown, with an in-tense pink bill and eyes. The breast and stern areblack, the back brownish grey and flanks white. It isa diving duck feeding on aquatic vegetation in unpo-lluted water. It breeds on a few wetlands in Extrema-dura such as the Orellana, Portaje and Morantes, al-though in winter is rather more widespread.

Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa

A game bird with very attractive plumage and with acharacteristic call, forming a key part of the food chainin the ecosystem of Extremadura. It occurs in cultiva-ted land, open country with scattered trees, nesting onthe ground in shrubby borders or low scrub close tocereal fields. They prefer to walk than fly, only takingto the wing when flushed. They feed on seeds, youngshoots and insects (the latter being important for thechicks which leave the nest upon hatching).

BluethroatLuscinia svecica V

A small insectivorous bird, with brown plumage on itswings, tail and back and a striking blue bib, borderedwith reddish tones. It breeds on the highest mountainslopes in Extremadura, above 1800 metres above sealevel and in the winter can be found in the wet areasof the Guadiana floodplain and at Arrocampo. It feedsmainly on insects, but whilst wintering may also eatsmall seeds and other plant matter.



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RobinErithacus rubecula IE

Smaller than a sparrow, with brown back and anorange red breast. It moves on the ground in shorthops and its jerky actions show off well its orange bre-ast. It is mainly insectivorous, but will also eat smallseeds and fruit. In winter it is common throughout Ex-tremadura, but breeds only in the northern third of Ex-tremadura, including Monfragúe, Canchos de Ramiroand in the southern third.

Lesser Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos minor V

The smallest of the woodpeckers in Extremadura,only about the size of a sparrow. Its plumage is blackand white on the back, wings and tail, with the un-derparts whitish with a slight pinkish tinge with blac-kish streaks. The male has a red crown. It makes itsnest in holes excavated by its bill in tree trunks. It fe-eds on insects in the timber and below the bark of bra-ches. It is present throughout the year.

Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major IE

Smaller than a Green Woodpecker with black upper-parts with large white patches on the wings. The bre-ast is pink with the belly and a nape patch (males only)intense red. It occurs in riverine forest, pinewoods,dense dehesa and other wooded areas. It eats in-sects living in trees and sometimes will predate thenests of small birds. Present throughout the year.

HawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustes IE

About twice the size of a Goldfinch, with a very po-werful, heavy bill, dark brown back and bluish blackwings and tail with a bold white wing bar and band onthe tail. The underparts are buff. It occurs in woodedareas where there is undergrowth, feeding on differenttypes of seed and fruits with hard casings. In Extre-madura they are present throughout the year.

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BramblingFringilla montifringilla IE

The males have bluish-black heads, black and whitebacks, wings and tail and an orange breast. It is aseed-eating bird which appears some winters in Ex-tremadura, sometimes occurring in large flocks inthe dehesas, arable land and plains.

ChaffinchFringilla coelebs IE

Sparrow-sized with males showing black and whitewings and tail, a bluish-grey hood and orange buff be-low. The females have a duller plumage. They occursin wooded areas like dehesas, oak woods, pinewoodsand gardens where the males will be heard deliveringtheir explosive song. It is a seed-eating bird which alsoeats other plant material. It is present throughout theyear.

PochardAythya ferina IE

A diving duck with a grey body, black breast and tail,and males show a chocolate- brown head, with an in-tense red iris. The female, as with almost all ducks, isduller in plumage. They prefer water bodies withabundant bank-side vegetation, feeding on inverte-brates captured whilst diving. In Extremadura theyonly breed in the La Albuera lakes, the Llanos de Cá-ceres and the Vegas Altas of the Guadiana river. Theyare much more widespread in winter.

Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis IE

Larger than a thrush with dull-green back, greenish-grey underparts and striking red crown. It occurs indense woodland, cork oak groves and oak woods, in-cluding dehesas. The nest is excavated by the in thetrunk of a tree. It eats insect larvae, extracted by itslong tongue from holes made by the bill. Presentthroughout the year.



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Azure-winged MagpieCyanopica cyana IE

A Blackbird-sized bird with a very long tail. It hasvery attractive plumage with blue wings and tail, pin-kish-toned body and black crown. It occurs in dehe-sas, orchards, valleys, pinewoods and olive groves. Itpractices cooperative breeding, with related birds, in-cluding older siblings, helping at the nest. During thebreeding season they are insectivorous, whereas inlate summer and autumn they feed mainly on fruit.They are present throughout the year.

Water RailRallus acuaticus IE

A partridge-sized water bird related to the Moorhen.Its back is brown, mottled with black with metallicdark blue underparts. It has a long red bill and its legsare long with slender toes adapted for moving inaquatic vegetation. It occurs in wetlands with abun-dant vegetation, as well as rice fields, ditches anddrains filled with marsh plants. They feed on aquaticinvertebrates, amphibians and small mammals. Theyare resident throughout the year.

FirecrestRegulus ignicapillus IE

A tiny bird, probably the smallest in Extremadura, ithas mossy green upperparts, whitish underparts, witha pale buff diffusion, and a bold white supercilium,bordered by black. The centre of the crown has anorange-yellow patch. It has a short, fine bill adaptedto find insect larvae in the cracks of bark. It breeds inpinewoods and oak woods in the north of Extrema-dura, whereas in the winter they can also be seen atlower altitudes throughout the region.

Rufous-tailed Rock ThrushMonticola saxatilis V

Thrush-sized with very vivid colours, a brilliant bluehead and back, orange underparts and tail, brownwings with a white patch in the middle of the back. Itis found on high altitude rocky areas, where its mossynest is built in crevices. It feeds on a variety of smallanimals from caterpillars to small salamanders, foundamongst the stones. It is present only in spring andsummer.

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Blue Rock ThrushMonticola solitarius IE

Thrush-sized with an attractive cobalt blue plumage,striking in good light. It occurs in ravines and rockyareas, close to ruins as well as around hilltop townsand villages, especially near castles and old walls. Itfeeds on small animals such as lizards, grasshoppersand caterpillars. It is resident throughout the year inExtremadura.

Cetti’s WarblerCettia cetti IE

A small, restless bird. It has reddish brown plumageon the upperparts and is greyer below. It is alwaysfound close to water, in gallery woodland, hedgerowsand reed beds, along drains and in patches of bram-bles. It is difficult to see, but easily detected by itsshort explosive song. It feeds mainly on insects, butin autumn will also feed on berries, such as blackbe-rries. It is present throughout the year.

WigeonAnas penelope

A very attractive wintering duck. The male has a cha-racteristic whistling call and is distinguished by itschocolate brown head with a creamy match from thebill over the crown to the nape. The breast is pinkishand the rest of the body is greyish with a white andblack stern. The female is duller in tone. Both sexeshave grey bills with black tips. They occur on reser-voirs and lakes.

NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos IE

Sparrow-sized, with brown upperparts, head andwings, whilst the tail is rufous-brown and the under-parts paler. It is found in thick vegetation, with its plu-mage making it rather unobtrusive, so its makes itpresence known by its loud and striking song. Pos-sible the song is the most beautiful of all Europeansongbirds and is often heard at night. It feeds mainlyon insects and in the autumn also on small fruit andberries. It breeds in Extremadura, spending the win-ter in sub-Saharan Africa.



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Little BustardTetrax tetrax SAH

Somewhat bigger than a partridge, its plumage on theupperparts is light-brown with darker stripes, ma-king it well camouflaged on ground with little vegeta-tion, and white underparts, with long stout legs. Themale has a characteristic black collar. In flight, a whis-tling sound is produced thanks to a flight featherbeing shorter than the others. It occurs on arableplains and tree-less steppes, feeding on seeds, tubers,small plants and, to a lesser extent, small invertebra-tes. It is present throughout the year in Extremadura.

Great-crested GrebePodiceps cristatus IE

A duck-sized diving bird which swims low in the wa-ter, showing only its back, neck and head. They havea characteristic crest and long chestnut-coloured fe-athers on both sides of the face, which get darker to-wards the tips. Like the Little Grebe, it builds a floa-ting nest and will often carry its chicks on its backwhilst swimming. They feed on small amphibiansand young fish and are present in Extremadurathroughout the year, being more numerous in thewinter.

StonechatSaxicola torquata IE

Smaller than a sparrow, with brown mottled plumageon the back, orange breast and large white patches onthe side of the neck. It is very common along tracks,open dehesas, and clumps of trees and bushes. It per-ches on bare twigs to wait for small insects on whichit feeds. It is present throughout the year in Extrema-dura.

WhinchatSaxicola rubetra IE

Similar in size to a Stonechat, with a rather stockystance and nervous movements. Its back and head ismottled brown, it has a buff breast and whitish belly.It has a whitish supercilium. It feeds on small insectstaken close to its perch. In Extremadura it is a passagebird seen on its way from and to Africa.

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WryneckJynx torquilla IE

Thrush-sized with brownish-grey plumage mottledwith black which matches well with the bark of treetrunks. Its name comes from its defensive habit ofmoving its head from one side to another, in a snake-like fashion to alarm potential attackers. It occurs invalleys and orchards, dehesas and other woodland butit is difficult to detect. It is wholly insectivorous andis recorded in Extremadura throughout the year.

Turtle DoveStreptopelia turtur

A small pigeon with a rosy grey body and buffy wingswith black markings. Previously much more com-mon than nowadays, being much harder to find in pla-ces where it used to be common. It occurs in culti-vated land, dehesas and valleys. Its preferred diet issunflower seeds or cereals. It arrives in the spring tobreed, making a thin platform nest of twigs in the forkof a branch where it lays two eggs.

NuthatchSitta europaea IE

Slightly larger than a sparrow, with a short tail and astrong, hatchet-shaped bill. It has a blue back andorangey underparts. It can be seen climbing and des-cending tree trunks, head up or head down, in searchof invertebrates. They nest in holes, usually reducingthe diameter of the entrance with mud to protect itbetter. It is present throughout the year in Extrema-dura, favouring mature woodland.

WoodlarkLulula arborea IE

Sparrow-sized with warm brown plumage on the backand pale buff below. It is the most woodland-loving ofthe larks, occurring in dehesas and clearings. Its songis unmistakeable, very melodic and commonly heardin the spring. It nests on the ground and feeds onplant matter and small insects. It occurs throughoutthe year in Extremadura.



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Corn BuntingMiliaria calandra IE

Larger than a sparrow with brown, mottled plumageon the upperparts and buffish underparts. It has astrong bill and occurs in open country where it oftensings from fence posts or dead trees. It feeds mainlyon seeds, although also on insects in the breeding se-ason. It is very abundant and is present throughoutthe year.

MagpiePica pica

Larger than the Azure-winged Magpie, with a long tailand short, rounded wings. Its plumage appears blackand white, but at close range one can see that theblack plumage is in fact a beautiful iridescent violet-green. It has a very varied diet, from mice, lizards andcarrion, to fruits and the eggs of other birds. It occursin dehesas, woodland in valleys, parks and roadsidetrees. It is present throughout the year.

White-rumped SwiftApus cafer V

Smaller than a Common Swift, dark in colour with awhite bar across the rump and also with a white throat.They usually nest in the abandoned nests of Red-rum-ped Swallow or House Martin. They are very scarce inExtremadura and are one of the latest summer mi-grants to arrive, in the second half of May. There ap-pears to be two return migrations: some leaving in Au-gust and others towards the end of October.

Common SwiftApus apus IE

A greyish-brown bird with a whitish throat. It hasvery long, slender wings and a short forked tail. Swiftsare great fliers, capturing tiny insects in flight and in-deed roosting on wing at great height. They nest in ho-les in building and occasionally in palm trees. They aresummer visitors.

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Alpine SwiftApus melba V

Larger than Common Swift and with white under-parts. They usually nest in small colonies close to wa-ter, in bridges or rocky outcrops beside reservoirs orrivers. The species arrives from Africa to breed in Ex-tremadura towards the end of March and leaves to-wards the end of October.

GreenfinchCarduelis chloris

Larger and stouter than a Goldfinch, with a strongerbill. It has bright green plumage with yellow patcheson the wings and tail, the females are similar but du-ller. The strong bill is able to break hard seeds. Theyoccur in woodland, dehesas and town gardens. It iscommon and present throughout the year in Extre-madura.

CurlewNumenius arquata IE

A medium sized bird, with long legs and bill, which iscurved downwards. Its plumage is mottled brown. Itfeeds in muddy pools and rice fields on aquatic in-vertebrates. In Extremadura it is a scarce winter visi-tor, which leaves in the spring to breed in Central Eu-rope.

Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis IE

A small water bird which feeds on aquatic inverte-brates by diving under water, where it can remain sub-merged for several minutes. It has two plumages: awinter plumage and brighter breeding plumage. Bre-eding takes place in pools and other water bodies,wherever there is floating vegetation. They also occuron reservoirs in the winter.



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Melodious WarblerHippolais polyglotta IE

A slim, graceful bird with subdued plumage of greyishand brownish tones above and greenish yellow below.It occurs in river valleys, hedgerows, allotments, ge-nerally in moister areas with dense vegetation. It hasa melodious song, which can contain some mimicry.It feeds on small invertebrates such as insects, spidersand caterpillars. It is present in Extremadura fromspring to the end of summer.

Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus

Larger than a Song Thrush, with duller upperparts andlacking the yellowish tones on the breast. It has bol-der and more rounded dark spots on the underparts.It can be found in oak, cork oak, pine and chestnut wo-ods as well as dehesas. It is rather shy but delivers abeautiful song on spring afternoons, particularly afterstorms. It feeds on snails, as well as worms and in-sects. It is present throughout the year.

Song ThrushTurdus philomelos

A stocky bird with a warm brown back, buffy yellowbreast and whitish belly, boldly speckled. It occurs inwooded areas, chestnut groves, oak woods, gallery fo-rest and can often be heard giving its fluty song. It fe-eds on snails, slugs, grubs and worms. In Extrema-dura it breeds in only a few places, but is verycommon and widespread in winter.

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Extremadura Birdwaching Routes

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