Private tours

Remarkably, the excellent birdwatching opportunities in Madrid remain virtually unknown to many birders. However, during a full day’s guiding one can see Great and Little Bustards in the agricultural areas of the North-East, Eurasian Black Vultures and Citril Finches in the Guadarrama mountains, or even Spanish Imperial Eagle in the huge El Pardo park, just to mention a few of the species which still survive no further than 45 minutes drive from a city of 3.5 million inhabitants! For those who are also keen on museums, local food and red wine, Madrid offers travellers a terrific variety of possibilities…

Two and a half hours from Madrid, the Sierra de Gredos mountains offer an excellent chance of locating some of the species most sought-after by foreign birders. In spring and summer these are some of the best mountains in Spain to see Bluethroat (yes! In the mountains), Ortolan Bunting, and Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush and Golden Eagle amongst many other birds, plus Spanish Ibex and even a suite of endemic amphibians and reptiles! Citril Finches are also present all year round in the pinewoods while the Iberian races of Pied Flycatcher and Green Woodpecker are regular breeding birds. In the grounds of our favoured hotel there, European Nightjars, Western Bonelli’s Warbler, Crested Tit, Firecrest and Rock Bunting all breed.

90 minutes south of Madrid, between the provinces of Cuenca, Toledo and Ciudad Real extends a vast flat region known as La Mancha. Among the huge expanses of arable fields, vineyards and olive tree plantations lies a complex of wetlands where a remarkable variety of interesting birds still survive. In winter thousands of Common Cranes can be easily seen here, but spring is the most exciting season with Black-necked Grebe, Greater Flamingo, Purple Heron, Purple Swamp-hen and a range of wetland warblers at the lakes, and Great Bustard, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Collared Pratincole and Montagu’s Harrier highlights among the agri-steppe dwelling species. But the flagship species of La Mancha is without doubt the White-headed Duck with several dozen pairs breeding and wintering in this region.

A journey of just over two hours by road takes you to the remarkable lands of Extremadura, quite simply one of the best areas for birding in Western Europe. Raptors (20 breeding species) and steppe specialities are the most representative birds here, including Spanish Imperial Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, Eurasian Black Vulture, Iberian (Azure-winged) Magpie, Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Black-bellied Sandgrouse and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, all of which are present all year round. Far more is present of course and you’ll want more than just one day…

There is no way to mention the Duraton River Natural Park without adding that it is a stronghold for the elusive Dupont’s Lark. As close as an hour and a half’s drive from the city of Madrid we will take you to the best spot for the well-named Diablo (“the Devil”)! Here on the flat paramo and in nearby gorges of this fabulous reserve you can find Egyptian Vulture, Tawny Pipit, Greater Short-toed Lark, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Western Orphean and Spectacled Warblers and Ortolan Bunting in spring / summer, while Griffon Vultures, Golden Eagle, Red-billed Chough and Thekla Lark are present all year round.

Although facing the everlasting threat of the many illegal wells pumping water up from its main aquifer to irrigate the nearby crops, Las Tablas still offers to the visitor the chance to see a unique selection of bird species. After the rains in the Autumn and Spring the Park keeps enough water to hold healthy populations of White-headed and Ferruginous Ducks, Red-crested Pochards, Garganeys and Greater Flamingos. Amongst the species related to the reedbeds that abound in this wetland complex, we must mention Bearded Tit, Moustached Warbler (wary and quite scarce!), Purple Swamphen, Savi’s Warbler and Great Reed Warbler.