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| Coto Doņana |
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| Flocks well in excess of 1000 Greater Flamingos Phoenicopterus ruber are a regular feature in Doņana |
This vast wetland, covering well over 1000 square kilometres is the most important in Europe for birdlife. Other marginal habitats like sand dunes, Stone Pine and Cork Oak woodland, scrub and farmland compliment the humid areas to provide a setting for an unequalled diversity of birds throughout the year. The great majority of the area enjoys rigorous protection, being considered as an untouchable jewel in the eyes of the Spanish. |
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| The Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus or as is known in Spanish, el "Morito", is fast establishing itself as a breeding bird in the Coto Doņana since the mid-nineties the population has reached the impressionable size of close to 1000 pairs (2007) which is practically the total for the whole of western Europe |
The core area; Parque Nacional de Coto Doņana, covers just over 50,000 hectares and is only accessible by authorised biologists while the public can enter a small part only when attending guided visits managed by the park's administration. These tours, although well worth the experience do little to cater for the birdwatcher, who needs to stop and look at the drop of a hat. Nevertheless various watchpoints and trails around the park's periphery provide excellent opportunities for seeing all the species that live here. Around the core area a generous buffer zone consisting of 56,000 hectares of protected reserve (known as; Parque Natural del Entorno de Coto Doņana) supplement the central zone admirably, giving freely accessible birding that is as just as rewarding as the core area itself. |
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| Black Kites Milvus migrans are incredibly common, reflecting the areas natural integrity |
Although a number of roads and a maze of driveable tracks criss-cross this flat wilderness, first time visits are all too often frustrating and very time consuming due to the distances involved between the difficult to find best birding spots. Many are the stories one hears of disappointment and time wasted getting lost. To get the best from Doņana its to be unconditionally recommended to go with a friend who is already familiar or, as is obvious, employ the services of an experienced guide. Rewarding day trips are perfectly possible from an Algarve base although the travel time is close to 2 hours each way (depending on location), which demands an early start and a late return - so perhaps only desirable for the most enthusiastic. |
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| The latest information shows a continuing recovery of the population the Spanish Imperial Eagle Aquila adalberti, one of the worlds most endangered raptors. The latest census (2007) revealed that 234 pairs of this fabulous Iberian endemic are now breeding in the world, including at least 2 new pairs in Portugal, 8-9 pairs are breeding in Coto Doņana |
Doņana is undoubtedly one of the best areas for birdwatching in the whole of Europe. This refuge boasts a very impressive list of breeding species including a considerable number that hold the unenviable status of being endangered or rare in Europe, in some cases even globally and is a priority site for many of them. The area is also of fundamental importance both as a wintering ground for waders and wildfowl and for feeding and resting migratory birds. It would be unforgivable not to at least mention the vital importance that Donaņa has for Iberian Lynx, the most endangered of all the big cats - around 30% of the worlds population survive within the areas scrublands. Other mammals much more likely to be actually seen include Red and Fallow Deer, Wild Boar and Egyptian Mongoose. Fauna groups like butterflies, amphibians and reptiles are extremely well represented and the regions flora is incredibly diverse. |
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| What to see and when? |
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| The Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola can be abundant in certain areas from late March and throughout the breeding season |
Around the year the area is full of birdlife but bear in mind that here the breeding season finishes as early as June for many species. From then and throughout the high summer visits will be less successful, with poor viewing conditions due to heat haze and because many sites hold little or no water. From September through to June however, visits to Doņana will always produce huge numbers of birds in great variety.
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| Breeding birds |
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| Doņana is a true mecca for the heron family The elusive Little BitternIxobrychus minutus, for example, is a common bird in the reedbeds |
The ideal time to visit is from early March to early June to see the breeding birds in their full glory. In this period the best sites are literally buzzing with birdlife in great diversity creating a truly memorable spectacle. Many species that are often difficult to find at other sites are common birds in Doņana and one cannot fail to achieve a large list that includes a score of scarcities. Without a doubt this area is one of the greatest birding pleasures available at the onset of the breeding season and a visit at this time will always induce a vow to return. |
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| Whiskered Terns Chlidonias hybridus are easy to see hawking over the marshes |
Some of the more interesting of the many breeding birds (migratory and resident) that can be targeted during a one-day visit are:
Black-necked Grebe, Glossy Ibis, Squacco and Purple Herons, Black-crowned Night Heron, Little Bittern, Little and Cattle Egrets, White Stork, Eurasian Spoonbill, Greater Flamingo, Marbled Teal, White-headed Duck, Red-crested Pochard, Red, Black and Black-shouldered Kites, Spanish Imperial, Booted and Short-toed Eagles, Marsh and Montagu's Harrier, Peregrine, Little Bustard, Crested Coot, Purple Swamp-hen, Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Collared Pratincole, Slender-billed Gull, Gull-billed, Black and Whiskered Terns, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Great Spotted Cuckoo, European Bee-eater, Roller, Hoopoe, Calandra, Crested, Thekla, Short-toed and Lesser Short-toed Larks, Tawny Pipit, Spanish Yellow Wagtail, Red-rumped Swallow, Black-eared Wheatear, Common Nightingale, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin, Zitting Cisticola, Cetti's, Savi's, Great Reed, Melodious, Olivaceous, Sardinian, Spectacled, and Dartford Warblers, Crested Tit, Southern Grey and Woodchat Shrikes, Golden Oriole, Spotless Starling, Azure-winged Magpie, Spanish Sparrow. In suitable habitat at dusk Scops Owl and Red-necked Nightjar can also be seen. |
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| Winter visitors |
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| Although a few pairs of the Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus breed, this enchanting raptor is more abundant in winter |
Coto Donaņa supports winter birdlife in an amount unequalled anywhere in southern Europe. Around 60,000 Greylag Geese arrive in mid autumn as do close to 250,000 winter duck and somewhere around half a million waders. Up to 2000 Common Crane winter on the farmland around the marshes and raptors are always abundant. Its not unusual to count in excess of 100 Marsh harriers in a single day while its perhaps easier to obtain a satisfactory view of Spanish Imperial Eagle in the sharp winter light. A feature of recent winters has been the regular appearance of one or two Spotted Eagles, a welcome addition to the many potential raptors. Furthermore its worth noting that quite a number of species that are normally migratory in Europe stay on at Doņana due to its mild winter climate and abundant feeding. |
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| Some of Doņanas Squacco Herons Ardeola ralloides stay on through the winter |
Some of the more interesting wintering and resident birds that can be seen on a visit from mid-autumn to early spring are:
All European herons can be found in winter including Great White Heron, although the summer visitors are present in only very small numbers. Glossy Ibis, Greater Flamingo, Black and White Storks, Greylag Goose (and occasionally other geese), Teal, Wigeon, Pintail, Gadwall, Marbled Duck, White-headed Duck, Red-crested Pochard, Griffon Vulture (Black and Egyptian Vultures occasional), Red Kite, Black-shouldered Kite, Spanish Imperial and Booted Eagles (Spotted and Bonellis Eagles occasional), Hen and Marsh Harriers, Peregrine, Common Crane, Most species of western European waders, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Hoopoe, Calandra, Crested and Lesser Short-toed Larks, Water Pipit, Bluethroat, Cettis, Fan-tailed and Dartford Warblers, Southern Grey Shrike, Penduline Tit, Crested Tit, Azure-winged Magpie, Spotless Starling, Spanish Sparrow. Great Spotted Cuckoo and Spectacled Warbler are often present, especially in late winter when the first summer birds arrive to mingle with the winter visitors. |
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| Passage migrants |
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| The breeding Iberian Yellow Wagtails Motacilla flava iberiae are joined by other races during passage times, especially in the autumn |
During the spring and autumn passage periods at Coto Doņana the rule is that anything can turn up and does! In spring the added bonus of breeding birds is a delight while the autumn often presents more species per mile and the raptor diversity is at a peak. The autumn brings great numbers of transaharian passerines from northern Europe that stop off to refuel when species like Northern Wheatear, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat and Reed Warbler often become abundant. Waterbirds such as Black-tailed Godwits, Ruffs, Little Stints, Spotted Redshanks, Wood Sandpipers and Black Terns scatter themselves in all available habitat and even Temminck's Stints appear in appreciable numbers. Storks, herons and Purple Swamp-hens fill the rice-fields that become a temporary home for 3 races of Yellow Wagtail.
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| Longer stays at Coto Doņana |
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| Black-crowned Night Herons Nycticorax nycticorax |
It would of course be unrealistic to expect to see all the potential species on a day trip to Coto Donaņa; nevertheless a day full to the brim of birds can and should be expected. However, this enormous wetland deserves at least 3 or 4 days to be fully appreciated. Longer trips with overnight stays at the centrally situated El Rocio are available too - please enquire by email or telephone if this is what you are looking for (prices vary depending on time of year). During a longer stay the chances of viewing any of the 9-10 pairs of Spanish Imperial Eagles that breed in the vastness of Donaņa will be increased substantially as will the probability of seeing other not so easy to see species, which have small and elusive populations such as Marbled Teal, White-headed Duck, Slender-billed Gull, Crested Coot and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse.
This trip can be combined and extended by a further 2 or 3 nights on the Straits of Gibraltar based on the Spanish side (close to your guides former home for 13 years). Here, during passage periods, migrating raptors can be seen in numbers unparalleled in western Europe.
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dynafish