What kind of birds can you see in Navarre? More than 320 species of birds have been checked in Navarre, of which around 250 are regular Bird-watching inhabitants or visitors. The variety of natural environments in this region encourages a very diverse range of species typical of habitats as distinct as wet forests or © Joseba del Villar Eagles Steppe birds © Joseba del Villar in Navarre steppes. These are some of the main species you will come across on your The Short-toed eagle and the Booted To the south, the steppes and grasslands Birding Navarra visit to Navarre: eagle are birds of prey that can be are home to populations of birds such as spotted quite easily throughout the region. the Little bustard, the Black-bellied The Golden eagle, which is rarer, needs sandgrouse, the Pin-tailed sandgrouse © Ricardo Rodríguez © Ricardo a little more effort and luck. and the Stone curlew. Herons The heron family is very widespread in Booted eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) Pin-tailed sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata) Navarre, the main species being the Ca- ttle egret, the Purple heron and, above all, the very rare Bittern. Purple heron (Ardea purpurea) Woodpeckers There are up to seven species of Large carrion-eaters Other birds of prey woodpeckers in Navarre. The most We should not forget to mention other interesting of these are the Green Navarre is home to one of the most im- birds of prey, such as the common Red woodpecker, the Black woodpecker, pressive populations of carrion-eaters, and Black kites, the Montagu’s harrier, the shy Wryneck and, above all, the rare with some 20,000 breeding pairs of Griffon the Goshawk, the Peregrine falcon and Middle spotted woodpecker and White- vultures. Less common are the Egyptian the Lesser kestrel. backed woodpecker, whose westernmost vulture and Bearded vulture, but you are distribution limit is found in Navarre in the very likely to see them if you go to the right case of the White-backed woodpecker. places. Rodríguez Ricardo © Eduardo Ayala © Eduardo © Red kite (Milvus milvus) Black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) © Joseba del Villar Bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) Navarre: a great place for birdwatching Hoopoes, Crows Ayala © Eduardo Warblers Of the six crow species living in Navarre, © Joseba del Villar European bee-eaters © Joseba del Villar Birdwatching has experienced a considerable surge in interest in the You can see up to eight species of Sylvia we should highlight the Raven and most last few years and today we’re willing to travel almost to the ends of the and kingfishers warbler in Navarre. Those from especially the Chough and Alpine earth to admire these wonderful creatures. However, there are still mediterranean environments, such as the chough which can form groups of dozens numerous corners yet to be discovered for birdwatching, and These colourful birds are very common Orphean warbler, the Sardinian warbler or even hundreds of birds in mountain one of those is Navarre. and easy to spot. The Hoopoe and and the Subalpine warbler are common. areas. The Spectacled warbler is slightly rarer. Navarre is situated in northern Spain at the western European bee-eater primarily inhabit the You can also find Dartford warblers. end of the Pyrenees, and despite its small area SVERIGE Middle Zone and the Ribera region. The Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) (10,391 km2) it encompasses a wide range NORGE Kingfisher is common on almost all the region’s rivers. of climates and landscapes which Oslo encourages the presence of a huge variety Stockholm European bee-eater (Merops apiaster) Spectacles warbler (Sylvia conspicillata) of very different birdlife (grassland, woodland and water birds, birds of prey, etc.), which can be observed IRELAND DANMARK Mountain birds GREAT easily without having to travel great BRITAIN The extensive mountain areas, some of distances. To respond to this London NEDERLAND Berlin POLSKA them with Alpine characteristics, are home growing demand in a professional to some very interesting species such as DEUTSCHLAND manner, the government of BELGIQUE the Water pipit, the Alpine accentor, the Navarre has set up Birding Larks Paris CESKÁ Ring ouzel, the Citril finch and the REPUBLIKA Chiffchaffs Navarra, a service geared Seven species of larks live in Navarre. The Snowfinch. specifically towards birders to FRANCE SCHWEIZ ÖSTERREICH most notable of these are the Short-toed The Bonelli’s warbler and the Iberian give them all the information and lark, the Lesser short-toed lark, the chiffchaff are another two species that © Joseba del Villar Water pipit (Anthus spinoletta) guidance they need to pursue Thekla lark and the Dupont’s lark. Most arouse a lot of interest in bird-watchers. their hobby and guarantee as of them can be found in the southern half Other birdlife far as possible that their trip will of the region. be successful. There are numerous other interesting bird species, including the Red-crested pochard, the Black stork, the Eagle owl, the Scops owl, the Red-necked nightjar, the Great spotted © Joseba del Villar © Joseba del Villar Dupont’s lark (Chersophilus duponti) Bonelli’s warbler (Phylloscopus bonelli) cuckoo, the Tawny pipit, the Rock thrush, the Blue rock thrush, the Redstart, the Short- toed treecreeper, the Woodchat shrike, the Great grey shrike, the Spotless starling, the Ortolan bunting, etc. The Atlantic Valleys Navarre: a land of diversity The Pyrenees These are the damp valleys of the north whose river North-east Navarre is where the westernmost end of basins flow out into the Cantabrian Sea. The terrain Because of its geographical position and relief, Navarre is home to a tremendous © A. Cutiller the Pyrenean range is located. The land here is excep- is rugged, with deep basins and fast-moving rivers. variety of natural landscapes, so it is not easy to sum up this diversity in just a few tionally rugged, with plunging valleys and soaring moun- There are numerous wet forests of deciduous trees words. Very generally speaking, we can distinguish six natural regions of interest tains whose peaks reach altitudes ranging from 1,000 and the birds that inhabit this region are the eurosiberian for bird-watching: to almost 2,500 metres. The valley bottoms and moun- species typical of woodlands, grasslands and low tains are home to lush deciduous and conifer woods mountain regions. as well as wide tracts of alpine meadows. The most The Atlantic Valleys The Pyrenees characteristic birds here are woodland and mountain birds. © A. Cutiller The Western Sierras The Pre-Pyrenees www.birding.navarra.es This region features major mountain ranges including © E. Ayala These are the spurs of the Pyrenees stretching towards e-mail: [email protected] the Aralar, Urbasa-Andia and Lokiz sierras, deep but The Western the south and have a marked Mediterranean influence relatively open valleys, and rugged terrain. The lush slightly mitigated by their altitude and the rugged terrain. woodland vegetation still points to a predominantly Sierras A notable feature here are the numerous foces (rocky atlantic influence, but this is combined with a more gorges), carved out by the mountain rivers. There are mediterranean type of vegetation towards the south. still large conifer woods as well as mediterranean oak Mountain pastures, grassland meadows and wider The Pre- woods towards the south of the region. Birdlife is rivers are other features of this landscape. Birdlife is abundant, most notably birds of prey and rock-dwelling extremely varied here, with woodland and grassland Pyrenees birds. birds and numerous birds of prey. © A. Cutiller The Ribera Region The Middle Zone This forms the southern extreme of the province and This is a transitional area between the mountains and consists of a vast plain crossed by large rivers, including © A. Cutiller the Ebro river basin. It is of average ruggedness and the Arga, the Aragon and the Ebro. Croplands and although a large part of it has been transformed into steppes occupy most of the territory, and other notable The Central crop fields there are still excellent examples of the features are the lush thickets that mark out the river original forests of holm and Portuguese oaks. This is a banks and some Mediterranean woods bearing witness The Ribera Zone good spot to see birds of prey and a more Mediterranean to the past. Grassland and mediterranean birds are type of birdlife. the most characteristic species here. © A. Cutiller Where can you bird watch A network of information Bayona at your service in Navarre? C O R I Á B Birding Navarra has an extensive Ornithological N T of the Tourism Photography archive Promotion and Image Department R C A Hondarribia Hendaia Information Network to address the needs of M A Irún birdwatchers. This network not only provides (Circaetus gallicus) Bera- information on what areas to visit, the species Vera de Bidasoa that inhabit them and the best time of year to DONOSTIA/ Selva de Irati SAN SEBASTIÁN B Urdazubi visit them, but also offers a constantly updated i d Urdax information service on birdwatching and the most Bilbao/Bilbo a s Etxalar interesting events taking place at any given time. Lesaka N o - Short-toed eagle Rodríguez © Ricardo 1 a 2 1 - FRANCIA A Parque Natural B - 1 de Bertiz 2 1 Sunbilla - PAIS 1 Oronoz N Zubieta Elizondo Ayala © Eduardo Birding Navarra has selected a series Tolosa Irurita Orphean warbler (Sylvia hortensis) VASCO N Doneztebe- of locations whose characteristics, A-1 Santesteban 70 5 3 Luzaide-Valcarlos 1 infrastructures and species make Urrotz 4 - 7 Leitza A N them ideal for birdwatching. - -1 1 A 2 N 8 1 3 - -1 Here you will find information points, N N 4 Orreaga-Roncesvalles signposted paths, lookout points and, Betelu 2 Aurizberri- A Arraitz Selva del in many cases, observatories, offering Lekunberri -15 Espinal Auritz- Orbaitzeta Irati La Auza Eugi a whole series of facilities to birders.