Aragon Guide

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  Aragon Birding

The region of Aragon covers an area of some 30,000 square miles and consists of three provinces, Huesca, Zaragoza and Teruel. Each with its own unique physical characteristics, fauna, flora and climate which provides birdwatchers with an opportunity to see many different species of birds within a relatively small area. Aragón offers some of the best birdwatching in Western Europe, certainly in Spain and it's less than two hour's flying time from London! So it is perfect for weekend breaks or longer trips if time permits.

In the north (Huesca) lie the High Pyrenees with its deep valleys, spectacular gorges and lofty peaks rising beyond 3,000 metres. Soaring between them, Lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus) patrol their territories, Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) call mournfully from pine-clad valley sides and Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) flit across sheer limestone faces in their search for food.

In the centre (Zaragoza) the River Ebro runs roughly northwest to southeast, meandering across the Ebro Basin, which in turn is bounded to the north by the Pre-Pyrenees, and to the south by the Iberian System of mountains and high sierras. Between these two natural obstacles lie great open areas with just a few sparsely populated towns and villages. Great (Otis tarda) and Little (Tetrax tetrax) Bustards wander the steppes and Pin-tailed (Pterocles alchata) and Black-bellied (Pterocles orientalis) Sandgrouse fly in from the dusty plains for a refreshing drink at some small dewpond.

In the south (Teruel) lie more mountains, sierras and forests, which are almost totally unknown to outsiders. Apart from the sight of tens of thousands of Common Cranes (Grus grus) which winter at Laguna Gallocanta, there are many secrets waiting to be discovered by the patient birder here. The rare Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus) can be found gliding over crystal clear rivers, where otters hunt for trout, Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) nest and deer and wild boar pass their time foraging in the undergrowth deep in the forest.