Bird Watching
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BIRD WATCHING CONTENTS Pablo Vicente y Luis Tirado PHOTOS Alberto Carreño, Alberto Portero, Antonio Torrijo, Eduardo Viñuales, Ismael González, Javier Ara, Juan Carlos Muñoz, Juan Jiménez, Oscar J. González, Pablo Vicente, Ramiro Muñoz, Toño Martínez, Asoc. Amigos de Gallocanta DESIGN Samuel Aznar + Asociados / Miguel Frago Province of Zaragoza Magallón Salt Lake. Photo by Toño Martínez Gallocanta Lagoon. Photo by Juan Jiménez Great Bustards in the Manubles heights. Photo by Alberto Portero Juslibol Bayou. Photo by Juan Jiménez BIRD WATCHING PROVINCE OF ZARAGOZA Groves, riversides, deserts, Mediterranean woods, rocky areas, salt lakes, steppes, wetlands... The large variety of ecosystems to be found in the province of Zaragoza allow us to easily see birds as different as great bustards, cranes, Egyptian vultures, ferruginous ducks, great bitterns, Dupont's lark, little bustards and red kites among many others. The province of Zaragoza is of great ornithological interest because of both the quantity and the variety of species present for both specialists and for nature lovers who are just beginning to bird-watch. We have suggested some easy routes where the most emblematic birds in each zone - that might pique your interest or those that are endangered - may be found. Zaragoza invites you to meet her ornithological treasures. Map of the area Yesa Dam River Recal 1 River Onsella NAVARRA Santo Domingo Mountains Agonía River Riguel River Arba de Luesia River Arba de Biel Channel of La Pardina San Bartolomé Dam River Farasdués Moncayuelo Lagoon Bolaso Dam Channel of Bardenas HUESCA LA RIOJA Lakes and reed beds Ejea de los of Cinco Villas Caballeros River Loma La Negra - Bardenas Arba de Biel Channel of Bardenas E. de Escorón Hills of Zuera, Castejón de Valdejasa and El Castellar River Queiles Tarazona 99 Natural Park Gallego of Moncayo River Ebro Añón River Moncayo Hills Los Fayos Armas Hills Juslibol SORIA Natural Reserve Calcena Zaragoza Bayous of Alfranca de Pastríz, La Cartuja y El Burgo de Ebro BILBAO PAU Jarque Alfranca LÉRIDA River Monegrillo TOULOUSE Isuela ZARAGOZA Jalón BARCELONA River River MADRID Aranda River Huerva Gorges of the VALENCIA River Steppes of Monegrillo and Pina River Jalón River Huerva and Las Planas River Ginel River Manubles Monegros Steppes Saladas de Ebro Bujaraloz La Almunia de Doña Godina Steppes of Belchite Mequinenza Mezalocha Dam El Planerón Reserve River Monegrillo River Jalón La Retuerta and Saladas de Sástago River River Henar La Lomaza Mequinenza Dam River Nagrima Calatayud Grío (PLANTARIA) Fuendetodos River Jalón River Huerva Ateca Cosuenda Belchite Aiguabarreix Chiprana River Aguasvivas River Matarraña Caspe Salada Lagoon River Perejiles 90 River Cámaras Ravines River Jiloca River Huerva River de Herrera Natural Reserve of the Saladas de 99 River Mesa River Ortíz Chiprana Guadalope Nuévalos River Algas River River Moyuela River Piedra Badules River Mesa Matarraña Protected Natural Areas Daroca River Seco Long Footpaths 24 Zaida Lagoon Interpretation Centres Gallocanta Gallocanta Lagoon Natural Reserve TERUEL GUADALAJARA Gallocanta Lagoon Las Cuerlas Bello Gallocanta Lagoon. Photo by Juan Jiménez Aranda, 1 Jalón, Jiloca Gorges of the River Jalón NAVARRA Ravines of the River Mesa HUESCA Ejea de los Gallocanta Caballeros Tarazona This area is criss-crossed by three great rivers and Zaragoza it is considered one of the most interesting places to watch rock-nesting birds - birds of prey that breed in the rocky cliffs, such as the hawk-eagle. Calatayud The contrast between the most significant wetlands SORIA Caspe in Aragon -Gallocanta lagoon- and nature's wonders Daroca with thousands of cranes migrating comprise bird watching of note on a European level. TERUEL River Aranda Illueca Brea de Aragón A-2302 Arándiga A-1503 Aranda, Autonomous Region Roads Region Autonomous Chodes Sestrica Villanueva de Jalón Jalón, Jiloca Purroy Viver de Morés Morata Gorges of the Regional Roads Regional la Sierra de Jalón 60 km to Zaragoza River Jalón Gorges of the Saviñán A-1503 Local Roads Local River Jalón River Jalón Embid de A-2 la Ribera Paracuellos de la Ribera The River Jalón and its tributaries, Isuela and Aranda, National Roads National come together powerfully. Vertical erosion is predominant El Frasno and this leads to deep valleys that form ravines in their middle sections. These are of high ornithological interest because of the large rock-nesting birds of prey - such as A-road Aluenda Pietas the colonies of griffon vultures and Egyptian vultures or Huérmeda the presence of the most endangered bird of prey in Route N-234 Aragon: the hawk-eagle, which has, in Zaragoza, one of N-IIa the last colonies still in existence. These are difficult places to reach - limited to those watchers who are willing 2 Calatayud to climb the gorges so as to be able to see these River Perejiles impressive birds. 0 Natural Park Natural Sediles Torres Photo by Alberto Portero Photo by Óscar González Hawk-eagle Griffon vulture > LENGTH 70 cm > LENGTH 115 cm > WINGSPAN 170 cm > WINGSPAN 280 cm > SONG They can make strident cries as chicks > SONG In fights over carrion, it snorts > WHEN CAN THEY BE SEEN It is resident in its territory all year round > WHEN CAN THEY BE SEEN They stay all year round > HOW TO SEE THEM The best way is to go to the habitual roosts > HOW TO SEE THEM Roosting in cliffside areas or flying over any or natural viewpoints part of Aragon > WHERE TO FIND THEM In the gorges in the River Jalón and the > WHERE TO FIND THEM Gorges of the River Jalón, mountains of Matarraña, to a lesser extent in Moncayo Santo Domingo, Moncayo, River Huerva and the River Mesa > CATEGORY In danger of extinction > CATEGORY Special interest 117 km to Zaragoza Aranda, Ibdes CV-685 A-2501 Jalón, Jiloca Ravines of the A-1501 River Mesa Ravines of the Jaraba River Mesa Autonomous Region Roads Region Autonomous River Mesa Z-453 Regional Roads Regional As their name suggests, these are major ravines carved A-2501 out by water erosion constituting spectacularly beautiful chalky rock faces. Here, you can see griffon vultures, Calmarza Egyptian vultures, golden eagles, peregrine falcons and Local Roads Local the elusive Eurasian eagle-owl relatively easily. It is also easy to see the black wheatear and the red-billed chough -also seen in rocky cliffside areas, the main feature of this Route SPA- because there is an abundance of them in the area. Here, there are some very well indicated routes which 2 River Mesa make it easy to travel the depths of the narrow valleys Campillo and, at the same time, reach impressive viewpoints GUADALAJARA de Aragón 0 Natural Park Natural A-202 Photo by Óscar González Photo by Alberto Carreño Peregrine falcon Griffon vulture > LENGTH 38 cm > LENGTH 115 cm > WINGSPAN 115 cm > WINGSPAN 280 cm > SONG It cries both when roosting and when flying > SONG In fights over carrion, it snorts > WHEN CAN THEY BE SEEN They stay all year round > WHEN CAN THEY BE SEEN They stay all year round > HOW TO SEE THEM Roosting or flying over cliffside areas > HOW TO SEE THEM Roosting in cliffside areas or flying over any > WHERE TO FIND THEM Gorges of the River Jalón, mountains of part of Aragon Santo Domingo, Moncayo, River Huerva and the River Mesa > WHERE TO FIND THEM Gorges of the River Jalón, mountains of > CATEGORY Special interest Santo Domingo, Moncayo, River Huerva and the River Mesa > CATEGORY Special interest 12 km to Daroca Santed Zaida Lagoon Aranda, A-211 Castejón Jalón, Jiloca de Tornos Natural Gallocanta Reserve Gallocanta Berrueco Gallocanta Lagoon Las Cuerlas Tornos Gallocanta lagoon is in a large valley and it is characterised by its salinity. It is the most important and the largest salt lagoon in Europe and it is the most important migration point in the Western Palaearctic Autonomous Region Roads Region Autonomous Ecozone on the route of the crane, for which it has been A-2506 named a RAMSAR site - the highest category for protection and world renown. The area is subject to A-1507 serious water fluctuation; during the time of a permanent Local Roads Local Bello water level, it is possible to also see some of the largest winter populations of the ferruginous duck and red- crested pochard in Spain. Recently, the reedbeds of the lagoon have been established as being of international Route 2 importance due to the presence of a population of the most endangered small bird in Europe: the aquatic warbler. For our viewing pleasure, the second largest Torralba de colony of great bustards can be found nearby the lagoon. 0 Natural Park Natural Odón los Sisones Photo by Antonio Torrijo Photo by Eduardo Viñuales Great Bustard Crane > LENGTH 105 cm > LENGTH 119 cm > WINGSPAN 260 cm > WINGSPAN 222 cm > SONG During mating season, the males produce a sound that > SONG Adults emit a trumpeting sound that can be heard from resembles a deep raspberry 100s of metres away; the young whistle > WHEN CAN THEY BE SEEN It is native, but - following breeding - > WHEN CAN THEY BE SEEN It is migratory; from the arrival of groups of males gather on one side and females on the other cold weather in October to the beginning of March > HOW TO SEE THEM Easy to spot in the dry fields of sprouted > HOW TO SEE THEM In the lagoons and fields next to the wetlands cereal where they set down. Their leaving the roost in the morning and > WHERE TO FIND THEM Almost the entire population in Aragon returning at night proves spectacular can be found in Monegros and Gallocanta > WHERE TO FIND THEM Mainly in Gallocanta, but it is also easy > CATEGORY In danger of extinction to spot them in Cinco Villas region and, to a lesser extent, in the El Planerón Reserve in Belchite > CATEGORY Sensitive to changes in habitat El Planerón Reserve in Belchite.