Why watch birds in Andalusia?

Andalusia proudly boasts an immense diversity of birds for a number of reasons: Its great amount of varied habitats and its relatively good conservation status. Added to this its position between Europe and Africa allows the opportunity to see birds of both continents and this a strategic point for bird migration. There are only a few places in the world that offer such diversity, experience and beauty for the dedicated lover of birds.

In Andalusia you can observe almost 450 species of birds. 53% of all European species may be observed in this region. This is literally a bird lovers paradise. An amazing 327 species appear regularly ( every year in greater or lesser amounts).

In addition to the diversity of species available in Andalusia, many are notable for different reasons.

The most wanted Andalusian birds

The most wanted birds in Andalusia by bird watchers can be classified according to the following categories (some species may be included in more than one category):

Iberian endemic species: only found in a worldwide level in the Iberian Peninsula.

Nearly endemic: most of its population is located in the Iberian Peninsula with small populations in neighboring countries.

Balearic endemism: they exclusively breed in the Balearic islands but throughout their migrations can be observed in Andalusia.

Very threatened species: their conservation status is unfavourable, for some of them on a worldwide level.

African birds of recent colonisation: species of African distribution that have colonized the Iberian Peninsula as nesting birds in recent times.

Only location in Europe: the Iberian Peninsula is the only place all over Europe where these birds can be observed.

Present only surrounding the Mediterranean Sea: species distributed exclusively in the Mediterranean basin.

Best country in Europe: these species can also be found in other European countries and some regions of Africa or Asia, but within Europe, Spain is the best place to observe them due its abundance here.

Rarities: very scarce species but in some cases of regular appearance every year.

Charismatics: birds that stand out for their colorfulness, behavior or for being well known.

In addition, throughout the year there are important concentrations of birds that attract the attention of any bird watcher, as the big flocks of waders, waterfowl and cranes in Doñana, or Glossy Ibis in Brazo del Este.

And, of course, in the southern corner of Andalusia, the chief attraction of the Strait of Gibraltar is that it is overflown by thousands of White Storks, Black Kites, Griffon Vultures, European Honey Buzzards, Booted Eagles, Short-toed Eagles, Egyptian Vultures… during their migrations.

Click on the following links to see the entire checklist of Andalusian birds and the observation probability in every one of our routes.

Iberian Magpie

Northern Bald Ibis 

Collared Pratincole 

Eurasian Black Vulture 

base - endemics

Click on the image of each species for information about the status and phenology in Andalusia and a suggestion of our best day trips to spot it. Or click here to see the full information on all species.

spanish imperial eagle andalusian birds
Spanish Imperial Eagle
iberian magpie andalusian birds
Iberian Magpie
nearly endemics

Click on the image of each species for information about the status and phenology in Andalusia and a suggestion of our best day trips to spot it. Or click here to see the full information on all species.

southern grey shrike andalusian birds
Southern Grey Shrike
iberian chiffchaff andalusian birds
Iberian Chiffchaff
iberian green woodpecker andalusian birds
Iberian Green Woodpecker
balearic

Click on the image of each species for information about the status and phenology in Andalusia and a suggestion of our best day trips to spot it. Or click here to see the full information on all species.

balearic shearwater andalusian birds
Balearic Shearwater
very theatrened

Click on the image of each species for information about the status and phenology in Andalusia and a suggestion of our best day trips to spot it. Or click here to see the full information on all species.

audouin's gull andalusian birds (2)
Marbled Duck
ferruginous duck andalusian birds
Ferruginous Duck
white-headed duck andalusian birds
White-headed Duck
northern bald ibis andalusian birds
Northern Bald Ibis
great bittern andalusian birds
Great Bittern
lammergeier andalusian birds
Lammergeier
red-knobbed coot andalusian birds
Red-knobbed Coot
dupont's lark andalusian birds
Dupont's Lark
only european country

Click on the image of each species for information about the status and phenology in Andalusia and a suggestion of our best day trips to spot it. Or click here to see the full information on all species.

black-bellied sandgrouse andalusian birds
Black-bellied Sandgrouse
pin-tailed sandgrouse andalusian birds
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse
red-necked nightjar andalusian birds
Red-necked Nightjar
northern bald ibis andalusian birds
Western Olivaceous Warbler
black wheatear andalusian birds
Black Wheatear
Thekla Lark
Thekla Lark
african colonizators

Click on the image of each species for information about the status and phenology in Andalusia and a suggestion of our best day trips to spot it. Or click here to see the full information on all species.

black-shouldered kite andalusian birds
Black-winged Kite
Ruppel's Vulture andalusian birds
Rüppell's Griffon Vulture
white-rumped swift andalusian birds
White-rumped Swift
little swift andalusian birds
Little Swift
red-rumped swallow andalusian birds
Red-rumped Swallow
trumpeter finch andalusian birds
Trumpeter Finch
mediterranean species

Click on the image of each species for information about the status and phenology in Andalusia and a suggestion of our best day trips to spot it. Or click here to see the full information on all species.

audouin's gull andalusian birds
Audouin's Gull
pallid swift andalusian birds
Pallid Swift
woodchat shrike andalusian birds
Woodchat Shrike
bonelli's warbler andalusian birds
Bonelli's Warbler
spectacled warbler andalusian birds.png
Spectacled Warbler
subalpine warbler andalusian birds
Western Subalpine Warbler
western orphean warbler andalusian birds
Western Orphean Warbler
spotless starlings andalusian birds
Spotless Starling
black-eared wheatear andalusian birds
Black-eared Wheatear
best european country

Click on the image of each species for information about the status and phenology in Andalusia and a suggestion of our best day trips to spot it. Or click here to see the full information on all species.

egyptian vulture andalusian birds
Egyptian Vulture
griffon vulture andalusian birds
Eurasian Griffon Vulture
black vulture andalusian birds
Eurasian Black Vulture
bonelli's eagle andalusian birds
Bonelli's Eagle
Great Bustard Andalusian Birds
Great Bustard
little bustard andalusian birds
Little Bustard
purple gallinule andalusian birds
Purple Swamphen
collared pratincole andalusian birds
Collared Pratincole
gull-billed tern andalusian birds
Gull-billed Tern
great spotted cuckoo andalusian birds
Great Spotted Cuckoo
scops owl andalusian birds
European Scops Owl
lesser kestrel andalusian birds
Lesser Kestrel
lesser short-toed lark andalusian birds
Lesser Short-toed Lark
calandra lark andalusian birds
Calandra Lark
rufous-tailed scrub-robin andalusian birds
Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin
blue rock trush andalusian birds
Blue Rock-Thrush
spanish sparrow andalusian birds
Spanish Sparrow
rock sparrow andalusian birds
Rock Sparrow
rock bunting andalusian birds
Rock Bunting
charismatics

Click on the image of each species for information about the status and phenology in Andalusia and a suggestion of our best day trips to spot it. Or click here to see the full information on all species.

greater flamingo andalusian birds
Greater Flamingo
golden eagle andalusian birds
Golden Eagle
eagle owl andalusian birds
Eurasian Eagle Owl
european roller andalusian birds
European Roller
european bee-eater andalusian birds
European Bee-eater
rarites

Click on the image of each species for information about the status and phenology in Andalusia and a suggestion of our best day trips to spot it. Or click here to see the full information on all species.

pallid harrier andalusian birds
Pallid Harrier
base - all

Click on the image of each species for information about the status and phenology in Andalusia and a suggestion of our best day trips to spot it. Or click here to see the full information on all species.

Marbled Duck
Marbled Duck
ferruginous duck andalusian birds
Ferruginous Duck
white-headed duck andalusian birds
White-headed Duck
balearic shearwater andalusian birds
Balearic Shearwater
greater flamingo andalusian birds
Greater Flamingo
northern bald ibis andalusian birds
Northern Bald Ibis
great bittern andalusian birds
Great Bittern
black-shouldered kite andalusian birds
Black-winged Kite
egyptian vulture andalusian birds
Egyptian Vulture
lammergeier andalusian birds
Lammergeier
griffon vulture andalusian birds
Eurasian Griffon Vulture
Ruppel's Vulture andalusian birds
Rüppell's Griffon Vulture
black vulture andalusian birds
Eurasian Black Vulture
bonelli's eagle andalusian birds
Bonelli's Eagle
spanish imperial eagle andalusian birds
Spanish Imperial Eagle
golden eagle andalusian birds
Golden Eagle
pallid harrier andalusian birds
Pallid Harrier
Great Bustard Andalusian Birds
Great Bustard
little bustard andalusian birds
Little Bustard
purple gallinule andalusian birds
Purple Swamphen
red-knobbed coot andalusian birds
Red-knobbed Coot
collared pratincole andalusian birds
Collared Pratincole
audouin's gull andalusian birds
Audouin's Gull
gull-billed tern andalusian birds
Gull-billed Tern
black-bellied sandgrouse andalusian birds
Black-bellied Sandgrouse
pin-tailed sandgrouse andalusian birds
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse
great spotted cuckoo andalusian birds
Great Spotted Cuckoo
scops owl andalusian birds
European Scops Owl
eagle owl andalusian birds
Eurasian Eagle Owl
red-necked nightjar andalusian birds
Red-necked Nightjar
pallid swift andalusian birds
Pallid Swift
white-rumped swift andalusian birds
White-rumped Swift
little swift andalusian birds
Little Swift
european roller andalusian birds
European Roller
european bee-eater andalusian birds
European Bee-eater
iberian green woodpecker andalusian birds
Iberian Green Woodpecker
lesser kestrel andalusian birds
Lesser Kestrel
southern grey shrike andalusian birds
Southern Grey Shrike
woodchat shrike andalusian birds
Woodchat Shrike
iberian magpie andalusian birds
Iberian Magpie
lesser short-toed lark andalusian birds
Lesser Short-toed Lark
Thekla Lark
Thekla Lark
calandra lark andalusian birds
Calandra Lark
dupont's lark andalusian birds
Dupont's Lark
red-rumped swallow andalusian birds
Red-rumped Swallow
iberian chiffchaff andalusian birds
Iberian Chiffchaff
bonelli's warbler andalusian birds
Bonelli's Warbler
northern bald ibis andalusian birds
Western Olivaceous Warbler
spectacled warbler andalusian birds.png
Spectacled Warbler
subalpine warbler andalusian birds
Western Subalpine Warbler
western orphean warbler andalusian birds
Western Orphean Warbler
spotless starlings andalusian birds
Spotless Starling
rufous-tailed scrub-robin andalusian birds
Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin
blue rock trush andalusian birds
Blue Rock-Thrush
black-eared wheatear andalusian birds
Black-eared Wheatear
black wheatear andalusian birds
Black Wheatear
spanish sparrow andalusian birds
Spanish Sparrow
rock sparrow andalusian birds
Rock Sparrow
trumpeter finch andalusian birds
Trumpeter Finch
rock bunting andalusian birds
Rock Bunting
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