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| The Ebro Delta is one of the most important aquatic habitats of the western Mediterranean, and birds make up the most striking aspect of the wildlife. At any given time there will be between 50,000 and 100,000 individuals in residence belonging to three hundred species, 60% of the total number found in Europe. Over many thousands of years, the silt collected during the River Ebro's lengthy journey has been deposited to form this extensive wetland 123.5 sq miles (320 sq km) in size, jutting out into the sea like an arrowhead. It includes an area of 19,115 acres (7,736 hectares), protected since 1983 as a Natural Park by the Catalan Government. It is not only used as a home and breeding ground but is also an essential waystation on the flight path of migratory birds.
Residents include the rare red-crested pochard, shelduck, purple swamp hen, greater flamingo, little and cattle egret, little and great crested grebe, redshank, crested and lesser short-toed lark, Cetti's, moustached and fan-tailed warbler, yellow-legged gull and black-headed gull. Breeders include the audouins, mediterranean and slender-billed gull, as well as little bittern, oyster catcher, black-winged stilt, avocet, kingfisher, tern (gull-billed, little, sandwich and whiskered), purple, night and squacco heron, and pratincole. Passagers include black tern, water pipit, greenshank, caspian tern, great egret and glossy ibis. Winter birds include hen harrier, marsh harrier, bittern, waders such as lapwing, snipe, curlew, bar-tailed godwit, ducks such as teal, shoveler, pintail and wigeon.
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In addition, Catalunya's most recently designated mountainous Natural Park, Els Ports is ideal for spotting an assortment of birds including the griffon vulture, golden, short-toed, booted and bonelli's eagle, honey buzzard, osprey, chough, great spotted woodpecker, jay, firecrest, goldcrest, golden oriole, nightingale, rock bunting, blue rock thrush, black wheatear, spotted flycatcher, black redstart, great grey shrike, cirl bunting, bee-eater (in summer), alpine swift, crag martin and a variety of wagtails, warblers, tits and finches. The summer also brings swathes of butterflies to fragrant lavender bushes and dragonflies abound in the many ponds and streams.
There are also plenty of opportunities for spotting birds along certain stretches of the beautiful River Ebro, including the estuary.
We have a good knowledge of the best areas from which the birdlife of the delta and mountains can be studied . For details on recent sightings and our guided trip prices please go to our 'Recent Sightings' page | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
