BIRD WATCHING

If  you are interested in bird watching then Gaucín is the ideal place to visit. The village is surrounded by a wide variety of habitats, including mountains, rivers, meadows, olive groves, orchards, cork oaks and coniferous forests which offer a diversity of ecosystems attracting a wide range of birds. This assortment of natural habitats, together with the village’s position on the migration route between Africa and Europe, means that Gaucín is home for numerous species. The village also makes a perfect base camp for birding in the nearby areas of the Serranía de Ronda and the Straits of Gibraltar, with up to six bird hotspots in a range of half an hour drive, adding coastal wetlands and sea fauna to our list of species.

There are so many birds that make the area their home or indeed fly over on their migratory path but here we can highlight a few of the most commonly spotted:

Some of the most interesting birds can be seen throughout the year: Griffon Vultures (with three important breeding colonies in the area), Bonelli´s Eagle, White Stork, Peregrine, Goshawk, Eurasian Sparrow, Raven and Red Partridge to name just some of the species that you may see at any visit.

Interesting sedentary birds in the area, such as those that inhabit the shrubby garrigues in the Sierra del Hacho (Sardinian warblers, Cirl buntings and Southern grey shrikes) and likewise in the crags at Gaucín´s Castle (Blue Rock-Thrushes, Crag martin and Rock bunting).

Mixed forests attract the endemic Iberian woodpecker and passerines in large numbers and in the oak and cork woodlands we can see tits, nuthatches and firecrests. In the pine woods there is ample opportunity to spot Red crossbills or Coal tits.

Among summer visitors, a few raptors (birds of prey) inhabit Mediterranean forests such as Sparrowhawks, Booted and Short toed eagles and the Peregrine falcon.

Of course, Gaucín is located close to the Strait of Gibraltar migration bottleneck and is a good location to witness countless migrants twice a year, in spring (March to May) and autumn (September to October). The most notorious at this time are the large gliding birds with huge numbers of White storks and Black kites as well as Osprey, and European Honey Buzzards.

Local expert G3 Guides can accompany you on a bird tour and show you our diverse habitats and bird populations.
https://g3-guides.com/en/wildlife-watching-in-andalusia/