Bird Watching in Spain - Highlights of the Ebro Delta!
Wading Birds
The Ebro Delta has the perfect range of habitats for waders with lagoons, coastal bays, shoreline and muddy fields. We see a huge abundance and diversity of waders throughout the season with resident species, passage migrants and over wintering birds.
Target species: Greater Flamingo, Black-winged Stilt, Glossy Ibis, Avocet, European Spoonbill
Birds of Prey
We can see a huge variety of raptors throughout the year soaring over the Ebro Delta, with everything from huge eagles to small falcons & hawks present at different stages of the season.
Target species: Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle, Osprey, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, Hobby, Honey Buzzard, Black Kite, Red-footed Falcon
Herons
The wetland environments which are so abundant on the Ebro Delta provide the ideal sanctuary for these types of birds. Favourite habitats for a huge selection of herons, bitterns and egrets include riverbank and extensive marshland areas.
Target species: Little Bittern, Purple Heron, Squacco Heron, Night Heron, Great White Egret, Bittern
Exotic Migrants
Some of the most popular birds as requested by our birding clients are the spectacular summer arrivals from Africa, all of which can be found easily in and around the varied environments of the Ebro Delta and surrounding areas.
Target species: European Bee-eater, Golden Oriole, European Roller
Gulls & Terns
Shallow coastal islands and protected breeding areas make the Ebro Delta natural park an oasis for thousands of gulls and terns. We are able to see some rare varieties including 80% of the world's population of Audouin's Gull.
Target species: Audouin's Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Black Tern, White-winged Tern, Caspian Tern
Wildfowl & waterbirds
It's no surprise that the Ebro Delta is one of Spain's premier locations for bird watching when it comes to water birds. The huge lagoons and marshes provide the ideal habitat for ducks, grebes and other wetland inhabitants.
Target species: Purple Swamp-hen, Red-crested Pochard, Black-necked Grebe, White-headed Duck
when to visit?
A common question; what's the best time of the year to see the greatest variety of birds?
The Ebro Delta offers outstanding bird watching all year round with many of the most spectacular birds being resident breeders here.
However, there are a great many species which are migratory and spend the summer in Europe whilst over wintering in Africa. Because we are on the migratory route that many of these species naturally follow, autumn and spring are great times to visit due to the different varieties of birds which can be seen passing through.
The winter months are also an excellent time to come because there are many species of birds (particularly ducks and waders) that come to the Ebro Delta to over winter in this perfect wetland refuge.