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Extremadura

European Roller Coracias garrulus ©William Haworth Website

Extremadura is a landlocked autonomous community of Spain. Its capital city is Mérida, and its largest city is Badajoz. It covers a little under 42,000 km2 and has only just over a million residents. Located in the central-western part of the Iberian Peninsula, it is crossed from east to west by the Tagus and Guadiana rivers. The autonomous community is formed by the two largest provinces of Spain: Cáceres and Badajoz. Extremadura is bordered by Portugal to the west and by the autonomous communities of Castile and León to the north, Castilla–La Mancha to the east and Andalusia to the south The regional government is led by the president of the Regional Government of Extremadura, a post currently held by María Guardiola of the People’s Party. The region, featuring an enormous energy surplus and hosting lithium deposits, is at the forefront of Spain’s plans for energy transition and decarbonisation.

The region is crossed from West to East by two large rivers, the Tagus and the Guadiana, lining up three basic areas from North to South by combining mountain ranges and rivers: the territory spanning from the Sistema Central to the Tagus, the so-called Mesopotamia extremeña in between the Tagus and the Guadiana and the territory from the Guadiana to Sierra Morena. Besides the catchment basins of the Tagus and the Guadiana covering most of the territory by far, fringe areas of the region are drained by the Douro (north) and the Guadalquivir (south). Notable Tagus tributaries include the Tiétar and the Alagón (rightbank) and the Almonte, Ibor, Salor and the Sever (leftbank). Regarding the Guadiana, important leftbank tributaries include Guadarranque and Ruecas and rightbank tributaries include the Zújar River and the Matachel.

Garganta de Cuartos NE Extremadura – ©Manuel Vilela (Cadoalla) CC BY-SA 3.0 ES via Wikimedia Commons

The highest point in Extremadura, the 7,877 ft) high Calvitero (or El Torreón), is located in the Sistema Central, in the northeastern end of the region, bordering with Castile and León. The main subranges of the Sistema Central in Extremadura are the Sierra de Gata and Sierra de Béjar. The modest heights of Sierra de las Villuercas (at 5,259 feet) on the Pico de las Villuercas, rise in the Mesopotamia extremeña. Other notable ranges include the Sierra de Montánchez and the Sierra de San Pedro, part of the larger Montes de Toledo system. The Sierra Morena, the limit between Extremadura and Andalusia and the Sierra de Tentudía on the Pico Tentudía, rise in the south.

Sierra de las Villuercas – ©Jesusccastillo CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The climate of Extremadura is predominantly hot-summer Mediterranean with some regions being cold semi-arid. Extremadura generally presents average annual temperatures somewhat warmer than most of the hinterland of the Iberian Peninsula, featuring nonetheless a north-south gradient. Average annual precipitation stands at around 600 mm. Parts of the Sistema Central presents more than 1,500 mm while it barely rains 400 mm in parts of the province of Badajoz. Summers are very hot and dry, with the rain concentrated in the cold months instead, leading to a high degree of water stress during the summer months.

Pin-tailed Sandgrouse Pterocles alchata – ©Francesco Veronesi CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Extremadua grows 98% of the tobacco in Spain and two million tons of tomatoes! Other important crops are rice, peppers and paprika. Wine-growing and pig production, especially free roaming black pigs in oak woods, are also important.

Birding Extremadura

Extremadura remains, perhaps, one of the richest regions of all Europe. Of course, we express richness not in economic terms, but in a healthy environment, traditions, gastronomy and cultural & historic heritage. It is an important area for wildlife, particularly with the major reserve at Monfragüe, which is designated a National Park and the International Tagus River Natural Park.

Monfragüe National Park – ©Jesús Franco Nieto CC BY-SA 3.0 ES via Wikimedia Commons

Mixing features of Andalucía and the two Castillas regions in Spain with the Alentejo region in Portugal, is a land waiting to be discovered with huge and extremely important bird populations and an incredible variety of species. Extremadura and its wild and unspoilt nature covers 41,602 km2 of the Iberian Peninsula’s surface, of which more that 30,000 km2 have been catalogued as IBAs (Important Bird Areas). More than 75% of the territory!

Extremadura has almost all the ecosystems represented in the Iberian Peninsula, except for coastline and seashores. High mountain ranges with altitudes above 8,000 feet, highlands, rice fields, wide steppe areas, isolated relict Mediterranean jungles and the most extensive Cork forests in the world. From North to South, or East to West, you will discover one of the richest places in Europe for birding. Thousands of Common Cranes and raptors know it, coming back every year to over-winter or breed. Which areas do they prefer? See the top sites below.

Top Sites

  • La Serena Steppes

    InformationSatellite View
    Some of the most breathtaking landscapes in Extremadura are the huge grassy plains and wide open steppes. These lands, apparently dead during the hot Iberian summer, sustain the most important breeding populations of Little and Great Bustards in Europe, the unforgettable silhouette of Montagu`s Harriers, Lesser Kestrels and hundreds of Collared Pranticoles, Black-bellied and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse.

  • Monfragüe Natural Park

    InformationSatellite View
    What Doñana is to Andalusia, Monfragüe is to Extremadura...

  • Vegas Altas of the Guadiana River

    InformationSatellite View
    The third most extensive rice fields in Spain can be found here. A highly cultivated area, mixed with extenses open Oak woodlands or Dehesas, and huge reservoirs including Orellana

  • Villuercas Ranges

    InformationSatellite View
    Not far from Monfrag
Contributors

  • Jorge Garzón

    Andalucía - Extremadura - Portugal - Marruecos | nature@investnatura.org

Number of Species

  • Number of bird species: 377

    (As at April 2025)
Checklist

  • Avibase

    PDF Checklist
    This checklist includes all bird species found in Extremadura , based on the best information available at this time. It is based on a wide variety of sources that I collated over many years. I am pleased to offer these checklists as a service to birdwatchers. If you find any error, please do not hesitate to report them.

  • E-Bird

    PDF Checklist
    This checklist is generated with data from eBird (ebird.org), a global database of bird sightings from birders like you. If you enjoy this checklist, please consider contributing your sightings to eBird. It is 100% free to take part, and your observations will help support birders, researchers, and conservationists worldwide.
Useful Reading

  • Birds of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East

    | Photographic Guide | By Frédéric Jiguet & Aurélien Audevard | PUP | 2017 | Paperback | 447 pages, 2200 colour photos, colour distribution maps | ISBN: 9780691172439 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • A Birdwatching Guide to Extremadura

    | By John Muddeman | Arlequin Press | 2000 | Paperback | 120 pages, 14 colour plates, line illustrations, maps | Out of Print | ISBN: 9781900159319 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • A Vulture Landscape, 12 months in Extremadura

    | By Ian Parsons | Whittles Publishing | 2020 | Paperback | 133 Pages | 60 Colour Photographs | Colour Illustrations | ISBN: 9781849954570 | £17.99p | ISBN: 9781849954570 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • A Years Birding in Extremadura

    | (What to See and When to See It) | By Ian Parsons | Ian Parsons | 2015 | Paperback | 1130 pages, b/w photos, b/w maps | ISBN: 9781514391037 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Collins Bird Guide

    | By Lars Svensson | Harper Collins | Edition 3 | 2023 | Paperback | 478 pages, 4000+ colour illustrations, 700 colour distribution maps | ISBN: 9780008547462 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Crossbill Guide: Extremadura, Spain

    | By Dirk Hilbers | KNNV Uitgeverij | 201 | Edition 4 | Paperback | 288 pages, colour photos, colour illustrations | ISBN: 9789491648182 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Finding Birds in Extremadura

    | By Dave Gosney | Easybirder | 2013 | DVD | Region 2 | Runtime 86 Minutes | ISBN: 9781907316432 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Finding Birds in Extremadura

    | By Dave Gosney | Easybirder | 2013 | Paperback | 31 Pages | Black & White Maps | ISBN: 9781907316425 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Where to Watch Birds in Southern & Western Spain

    | (Andalucía, Extremadura & Gibraltar) | by Ernest FJ Garcia & Andrew M Paterson | Christopher Helm | 2019 | Edition 4 | Paperback | 416 pages, b/w illustrations, b/w maps | ISBN: 9781472951847 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Birding Aps

  • Birding in Extremadura

    Android
    At the Directorate-General of Tourism, in a new product to further enhance what the Birding in Extremadura Club can offer, we have developed this APP to help your birding trip to our region.

  • Collins Bird Guide

    Android
    The Collins Bird Guide App provides everything you need to identify a species quickly and learn about it thoroughly.

  • Collins Bird Guide

    Apple iOS |
    Collins Bird Guide 4+ A field guide to Europe NatureGuides Ltd. Designed for iPad

Festivals & Bird Fairs

  • Extremadura Birdwatching Fair (FIO)

    Website
    The Extremadura Birdwatching Fair (FIO) will celebrate their 14th anniversary in 2019. Don’t miss this meeting point for professionals and nature enthusiasts in Monfragüe National Park from February 22th to 24th. The past twelve years of this event have put Extremadura on the European map of birdwatching and it has become the largest fair of its kind in southern Europe.
Organisations

  • ADENEX -Association for the Defence of the Nature and the Resources of Extremadura

    Website
    Amongst ADENEX`s best known campaigns, we should mention: campaign in defence of Extremaduran holm-oak woods; campaign against Valdecaballeros`s nuclear plant; establishment of a vulture`s feeding places network; campaign against Great Bustard hunting; campaign in defence of birds of prey; campaign for the rescue of the Montagu`s Harrier young; campaign in defence of White and Black Storks; campaign for the conservation of the Crane`s wintering habitats in Extremadura; campaign in defence of the Jerte Valley; campaign for the adaptation and re-arrangement of high-tension lines in Extremadura; campaign in defence of the International Tajo river; campaign for the rescue of Roman Forum of M

  • Birding in Extremadura

    Website
    Birding in Extremadura is a birding tourism portal...

  • Birding in Extremadura Club

    Website
    The Club is a voluntary group that brings together the public and private sectors to organise and develop the availability of services for birdwatchers in Extremadura and promote Extremadura as a birding destination, backed with quality services and based on principals of conserving birds and nature in general.
Reserves

Abbreviations Key

  • *Protected areas of Extremadura

    InformationSatellite View
    Interacvtive links to protected areas

  • La Naturaleza de Extremadura

    Facebook PageSatellite View
    Extremadura has an especially rich and diverse natural heritage

  • NP Cornalvo Natural Park

    InformationSatellite View
    Interesting at any time of year, but spring is the best time to watch the birds associated with forests and dehesa. The reservoir has a greater diversity of species in winter and at the end of summer…

  • NP Monfrague

    InformationSatellite View
    El Parque Natural de Monfragüe, referencia obligada del bosque y matorral mediterráneo, se encuentra en la provincia de Cáceres, en el centro del triángulo formado por Navalmoral de la Mata, Plasencia y Trujillo…

  • NP Parque Natural de Monfragüe

    InformationSatellite View
    Monfragüe is roughly in the centre of the province of Cáceres, at the confluence of the rivers Tajo and Tiétar. It is at present the only National Park in Extremadura, with 18,118 ha under this protection…
Guides & Tour Operators

  • Aviantours

    Tour Operator
    Aviantours promises to teach the art of bird photography & digiscoping as well as offering birdwatching tours in Spain, Morocco & Gibraltar

  • Birds Wildlife & Nature

    Tour Operator
    Extremadura, although well known by birders around the world, is conversely one of the least known regions of Spain – even amongst the Spaniards.

  • Birdwatching Spain

    Tour Operator
    In our Extremadura birding tour, we will visit the National Park of Monfragüe. It is home to the biggest colony of Black Vulture and Spanish Imperial Eagle in the entire world.

  • Boletus - Josele J. Saiz

    Tour Operator
    Better known for his wonderful birder's guesthouse in the Pyrenees [Boletas]; Josele guides throughout Spain and Morocco

  • Doñana Wings

    Day Trips from Andalusia
    The area we visit during this route is part of the Campiña Sur region, in the extreme south of Extremadura, near the border with Andalusia.

  • Extremadura Birding

    Local Tour Operator
    Visit with people who really know the area

  • HeatherLea

    Tour Operator
    Extremadura and the Monfragüe National Park are brimming with some of the best birdwatching in Europe, featuring many of Europe’s rarest and most endangered species.

  • Honeyguide Wildlife Holidays

    Tour Operator
    If you are looking for a quality natural history holiday, this is a great place to start. The Honeyguide programme offers a mix of the very best of wildlife in fascinating parts of Europe..

  • Iberian Nature

    Local Tour Operator
    We offer guided tours in Extremadura and other nearby provinces to observe birds in different natural areas.

  • Naturalist Journeys

    Tour Operator
    We carefully crafted this tour with a good pace in mind. Spend several days each in three fabulous birding regions: Extremadura, Andalusia, and Castilla-La Mancha.

  • NatureTrek

    Tour Operator
    Tour Code: ESP35The wide open steppes of Extremadura provide the scene for some of the most exciting birding that Europe has to offer.

  • Oriole Birding

    Tour Operator
    Extremadura is the secret wilderness of real Spain, and set in the heart of this diverse country we will find huge rolling expanses of prime steppe, miles of cork oak woodland and rugged mountain scenery, brought alive by some of the most spectacular birds in Europe.

  • Spain Birds

    Tour Operator
    SPAINBIRDS is a small company which efforts are appointed to organize ornithology tours over all spanish geography. Its expert leader, Santiago Villa, has a deep knowledge about iberian birds. Natural Parks as Do

  • Swallow Birding

    Tour Operator
    Extremadura – Birding Spectacular in Secret Spain

  • Wild Andalucia

    Tour Operator
    A combination of the best birding spots in Doñana and Extremadura

  • Wildside Nature Tours

    Tour Operator
    Amazing birds and picturesque landscapes make Spain one of Europe’s premier birding destinations. We’ll visit the three main regions – Doñana, Extremadura and the Pyrenees – exploring diverse habitats to encounter an exciting array of waterfowl, waders, bustards, eagles, owls, alpine species, and more.

  • WingSpan

    Tour Operator
    This 5 night break concentrates on an area well-known for supporting many pairs of our target species, Great and Little Bustards, Pin-tailed and Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Griffon, Egyptian and Black Vultures, Calandra lark, Eurasian Hoopoe, and many more. An added bonus is the possibility of see up to 15 species of Orchids!
Trip Reports

  • 2016 [01 January] - Oriole Birding

    PDF Report
    Once past Monroy, with its nesting White Storks and clutch of wintering House Martins, we turned towards Torrejon el Rubio and stopped by the roadside below a stand of Stone Pines. Here more bill-clapping White Storks were seen, and a short session scanning the skies produced a fine subadult Golden Eagle.

  • 2016 [04 April] - Oriole Birding

    PDF Report
    A great haul of birds already and we hadn’t even reached our main birding stop! This would be at the small reserve centre near Saucedilla, and soon we were enjoying some great wetland birds here. Zitting Cisticola, Corn Bunting and Common Stonechat were common around the small reed-fringed pools and Purple Herons gave some super views – several adult birds were flying around and a couple were seen well perched up in the reeds. Purple Swamp-Hens showed very well, with at least half a dozen seen, including a pair feeding on reed shoots in a small pool by the side of the path.

  • 2016 [04 April] - Pau Lucio

    PDF Report
    This year I have been invited by the Valencian Government to the Extremadura birdfair (FIO 2016) to promote wildlife tourism in my region “Valencia and Alicante”. Once the fair finished on Sunday 13th, I drove to Madrid to pick up Beatrice, Tom, Matthew and Susan from Barajas’ airport.

  • 2016 [05 May] - Neil Gartshore - Coto Donana & Extremadura

    PDF Report

  • 2016 [09 September] - Chris Durdin

    PDF Report
    here were several dragonfly species, including broad scarlet and epaulet skimmer, but most exciting was a superb juvenile golden eagle which glided at quite low altitude upstream. We completed the day at the small Cabezuelas Lake, near Aldea del Obispo, where we managed to get excellent views of a violet dropwing dragonfly, a superb specimen.

  • 2017 [03 March] – Chris Durdin

    PDF Report
    Within minutes a boldly marked Spanish imperial eagle flew out from behind the cliffs, disappeared, re-appeared briefly and then again for an extended stay in the sky across the water then towards us. Altogether magnificent views of one eagle species, which remarkably was matched by equally good views of a short-toed eagle hanging in the air then coming to land.

  • 2017 [04 April] - Pat & Judy Hayes

    Report
    Having spent far too much time over the winter attempting to put a trip to several different African countries together we eventually gave up and decided to bumble around southern Spain in early spring...

  • 2019 [04 April] - Pay & Judy Hayes

    PDF Report
    Having spent more time in airports and in the air than we care to remember last year, this year we opted for a short haul flight so we decided to return to southern central Spain.

  • 2019 [04 April] - Stefan Schlick - Extremadura and Sierra de Gredos

    PDF Report
    My first trip to Extremadura proved to be a full success and was a lot of fun on top of it. I cashed in on the season and got almost all target birds of the area. Most are easy to find, if you take your time. Of course the weather has to cooperate.

  • 2022 [04 April] - Bob Buckler

    PDF Report
    ...We managed to see a few species of birds, Purple Herons were everywhere, Great Egrets were dotted about the reedbeds, Purple Swamphens foraged at the base of the reeds. We heard one or two Savi’s Warblers, but the wind kept them down, out of sight...

  • 2023 [04 April] - Kathie Claydon

    PDF Report
    ...The steppes in particular excelled with 12 Great Bustards showing on the first visit to the Cáceras-Trujillo plains and 7 when we returned a few days later. To the north of Ávila we had a truly exceptional day: a fantastic total of 27 Great Bustards (18 in one area, 9 in another) which left us stunned. There was a supporting cast of Little Bustards, Montgue’s and Hen Harriers, both species of Sandgrouse, Rollers, Lesser Kestrels and lark song filling the air. Sightings of Spanish Imperials Eagles, nesting Black Storks and Eagle Owl in Monfragüe were impressive and dehesas were full of Azure-winged Magpies and Hoopoes. Vultures were above us most of the time and we could usually find two or three Cinereous Vultures amongst the many Griffons. Varied habitats in the Gredos mountains gave us sightings of Golden Eagle, Choughs, Western Bonelli’s Warblers, Ortolan Bunting, breeding Bluethroats and much more. We would certainly have missed a lot of this without Steve’s expertise! Although butterflies were not out in numbers, the long-term drought conditions no doubt affecting them in various ways, we had a very nice total of 42 species...

  • 2024 [04 April] - Carles Oliver

    Report
    Our 5th tour to Extremadura started with extremely low temperatures of only 3ºC in the 2nd morning of the trip...

  • 2024 [04 April] - Álvaro Peral

    PDF Report
    Our first stop took us to the farmlands near Fuente de Cantos, where we had our first encounters with Corn Buntings. A Common Quail was heard singing from the distance and we made a short stroll along fields of well grown Oats. Althoguh it was midday and the Sun was strong we were lucky to get some nice sightings, from which a flock of flying Collared Pratincoles were probably the hightlight.
Places to Stay

  • Casa Rural El Recuerdo

    Accommodation
    Run by birders, for birders…

  • Casa Rural Las Canteras - Trujillo

    Accommodation
    Casa Rural La Canteras is an old manor house, dating back to the late 19th Century. It is located 12 km by road from Trujillo, within a Special Protection Area for Birds, a paradise for birdwatchers. Its privileged situation makes it an ideal place to explore Extremadura

  • El Tenado

    Accommodation
    Casa Rural con encanto en Extremadura Para disfrutar de la naturaleza y los placeres rurales

  • Finca Al Manzil

    Accommodation
    Finca Al-manzil is 22 hectare finca on the S.W. slope of the Sierra de Montanchez. One approaches the finca along a winding lane, part of the ancient system of communication that link even the most remote parts of the sierra

  • Finca Las Abubilla - Self catering chalets

    Accommodation
    Renting a holiday-home via the Internet is not that difficult, but finding a comfortable and cosy one is much more difficult. We offer four one-bedroom and one two-bedroom holiday-homes. Your stay on our “Finca Las Abubillas” will be a very pleasant one, for sure!

  • Vaquería CantaElGallo

    Accommodation
    The Vaqueria CantaElGallo offers a natural retreat. Spend a few days here enjoying the many outdoor activities or simple relaxing and you will discover the pleasure of being surrounded by the peace and tranquility of nature

  • Vina las Torres

    Accommodation
    You could not wish for a better base for exploring Extremadura - Vina las Torres is a comfortable, family run, rural hotel situated in the heart of the Lagares Mountains, in the province of Caceres, Extremadura, just 10 km. outside Trujillo - what an unexpected and delightful surprise. It is a stately home, which has been carefully restored to provide a warm and comfortable environment
Other Links

  • Birds of Extramadura

    Website
    The combination of such diverse geography and habitats in the Extremadura region make it one of the best in Europe for wildlife, especially birds

  • Extremadura Birds

    Information
    Extremadura is very popular with bird lovers all over Europe, for it has a very divers population of interesting species of birds. All the year round one can enjoy particular species of birds that are difficult to be found anywhere else in Europe
Photographers & Artists

  • Artist - Lluis Sogorb

    Gallery
    Artistic BLOG

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