Birding hotspots in Barcelona

The best areas of grassland and steppe are near Lleida in Catalonia.  They are home to a variety of species, such as the Red-legged Partridge, Purple Swamphen, Little Bustard, Thekla and Calandra Larks and many more.  The Ivar’s lake is another place to visit which is a large lagoon in the heart of the Lleida cereal plain.  Another area worth visiting is close to the Pyrenees to search for large raports and other birds which live in the cliff and rocky areas.  There are certain birds which can only be seen during the Winter and they are: Hen Harrier, Red Kite, Snipe and Wallcreeper.There are a variety of options when visiting Barcelona such as complementing a birding trip with other ecotourism activities such as visiting an organic vineyard, an artisan brewery, discovering the local gastronomy and wine tasting.

Over three hundred and sixty bird species have been observed in the reserves in the natural areas of Llobregat Delta.  This is in the costal floodplain with a number of habitats: cultivated land, marshes, reed beds and beaches with dune vegetation.  The following species can be observed all-year round: Audouin’s Gull, Zitting Cisticola, Marsh Harrier, Penduline Tit and Sardinian Warblers.  The Shearwater and Ferrunous Duck can only be observed during the Winter months.

There are truly outstanding birds at El Garraf such as the all-year: Bonelli’s Eagle, Yellow-legged Gull, Crag Martin, Blue Rock Thrush, Short-toed Treecreeper, Zitting Cisticola, Red-legged partridge and the Iberian Grey Shrike.  It is a costal location with low water retention which determines the vegetation growth.  There are unusual animal species such as the Testudo hermanni (otherwise known as the Mediterranean turtle),  an unusual type of turtle and different type of open ground and Mediterranean bird species.  Nearby is the Coma Roma winery where there is an exclusive brand of organic wine made from the local family in the small village of Sant Pau d’Ordal.  Tourists can expect the best in wine and food produce per visit.  It’s well worth the experience.

During the breeding seasons, the following birds can be observed: Short-toed Eagle, Scops Owl, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Bee-eater, Western Orphean, Golden Oriole, Ortolan Bundting and Woodchat Shrike.

Due to the extremely hot weather during July and August it is not recommended to observe birds during those two months.