Spain Ramsar wetland
El Fondo Natural Park
278 bird species recorded; the most from March to April and from September to October.
Werner Wilmes · CC BY 2.0
This month here
172 species in January.183 species in February.207 species in March.217 species in April.188 species in May.158 species in June.156 species in July.185 species in August.214 species in September.219 species in October.181 species in November.187 species in December.
The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.
NT
NT
VU
NT
VU
NT
VU
NT
NT
VU
NTNT
NT
NTNTNTNT- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
278 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 278Speciesrecorded more than once
- 155Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 11ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 236,730Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 26Raptors
- 6Owls
- 41Waders
- 19Gulls & seabirds
- 23Ducks & geese
- 15Herons, ibises & grebes
- 3Storks & cranes
- 2Flamingos
- 106Songbirds
- 37Other birds
From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.
The checklist
All 278 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors26 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- Booted eagleHieraaetus pennatus
- Common BuzzardButeo buteo
- Greater spotted eagleAquila clanga
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
- MerlinFalco columbarius
- Bonelli's EagleAquila fasciata
- Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargus
- Short-toed eagleCircaetus gallicus
- Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus
- Black-winged KiteElanus caeruleus
- Pallid HarrierCircus macrourusNT
- European HobbyFalco subbuteo
- European Honey-buzzardPernis apivorus
- Black KiteMilvus migrans
- Red KiteMilvus milvus
- Golden EagleAquila chrysaetos
- Lesser spotted eagleAquila pomarina
- Lesser kestrelFalco naumanni
- Griffon VultureGyps fulvus
- Eleonora's FalconFalco eleonorae
- Harris's HawkParabuteo unicinctus
- Red-footed FalconFalco vespertinusVU
Owls6 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Little OwlAthene noctua
- Northern Eagle OwlBubo bubo
- Western Barn OwlTyto alba
- Long-eared OwlAsio otus
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
- Eurasian Scops OwlOtus scops
Waders41 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Eurasian Stone-curlewBurhinus oedicnemus
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- RedshankTringa totanus
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- Little StintCalidris minuta
- RuffCalidris pugnax
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- Collared PratincoleGlareola pratincola
- Spotted RedshankTringa erythropus
- Kentish PloverCharadrius alexandrinus
- Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
- Temminck's StintCalidris temminckii
- European Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria
- Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis
- Sociable PloverVanellus gregariusCR
- Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
- Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
- Long-billed dowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusNT
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Lesser yellowlegsTringa flavipesVU
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- Eurasian DotterelCharadrius morinellus
- Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotos
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
- Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
- American golden ploverPluvialis dominica
- Buff-breasted SandpiperCalidris subruficollisVU
- Pacific Golden PloverPluvialis fulva
- Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatus
- Little ringed ploverCharadrius dubius
- Broad-billed SandpiperCalidris falcinellusVU
Gulls & seabirds19 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Whiskered TernChlidonias hybrida
- Yellow-legged GullLarus michahellis
- Slender-billed GullChroicocephalus genei
- Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus
- Little TernSternula albifrons
- Gull-billed TernGelochelidon nilotica
- Common TernSterna hirundo
- Black TernChlidonias niger
- Audouin's GullIchthyaetus audouinii
- White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterus
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia
- Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
- Little GullHydrocoloeus minutus
- Common GullLarus canus
- Northern gannetMorus bassanus
- Laughing GullLeucophaeus atricilla
- Arctic TernSterna paradisaea
Ducks & geese23 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
- Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
- Red-crested pochardNetta rufina
- Marbled TealMarmaronetta angustirostrisNT
- White-headed duckOxyura leucocephala
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- GadwallMareca strepera
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- GarganeySpatula querquedula
- Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
- Ferruginous DuckAythya nyrocaNT
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
- Cairina moschataCairina moschata
- Greylag GooseAnser anser
- Ruddy ShelduckTadorna ferruginea
- Ring-necked DuckAythya collaris
- Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula
- Blue-billed TealSpatula hottentota
- Black swanCygnus atratus
- Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensis
- White-cheeked PintailAnas bahamensis
Herons, ibises & grebes15 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Eared GrebePodiceps nigricollis
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Squacco HeronArdeola ralloides
- Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
- Purple heronArdea purpurea
- Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax
- Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia
- Little BitternIxobrychus minutus
- Eurasian BitternBotaurus stellaris
Storks & cranes3 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common CraneGrus grus
- White StorkCiconia ciconia
- Black storkCiconia nigra
Flamingos2 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseus
- Lesser FlamingoPhoeniconaias minorNT
Songbirds106 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- Sardinian WarblerCurruca melanocephala
- Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Zitting CisticolaCisticola juncidis
- European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
- Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
- Iberian Grey ShrikeLanius meridionalisVU
- Eurasian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus
- Crested larkGalerida cristata
- European RobinErithacus rubecula
- BluethroatLuscinia svecica
- Western JackdawColoeus monedula
- Eurasian Crag MartinPtyonoprogne rupestris
- Eurasian MagpiePica pica
- Great Reed WarblerAcrocephalus arundinaceus
- European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
- European GreenfinchChloris chloris
- Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
- Spotless StarlingSturnus unicolor
- European SerinSerinus serinus
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- Water PipitAnthus spinoletta
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Great titParus major
- Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- Eurasian Penduline TitRemiz pendulinus
- Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
- Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanus
- Common LinnetLinaria cannabina
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- Moustached WarblerAcrocephalus melanopogon
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra
- Woodchat ShrikeLanius senatorNT
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Dartford WarblerSylvia undata
- Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos
- Bearded ReedlingPanurus biarmicus
- WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
- Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- Common WaxbillEstrilda astrild
- Western Subalpine WarblerCurruca iberiae
- Sardinian WarblerSylvia melanocephala
- Thekla's LarkGalerida theklae
- Savi's WarblerLocustella luscinioides
- European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleuca
- Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus
- Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
- Eurasian Golden OrioleOriolus oriolus
- Short-toed treecreeperCerthia brachydactyla
- Lesser Short-toed LarkCalandrella rufescens
- Melodious WarblerHippolais polyglotta
- Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibillatrix
- Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
- Northern RavenCorvus corax
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- Spectacled WarblerSylvia conspicillata
- Iberian ChiffchaffPhylloscopus ibericus
- Greater Short-toed LarkCalandrella brachydactyla
- Spanish sparrowPasser hispaniolensis
- European Crested TitLophophanes cristatus
- Blue Rock ThrushMonticola solitarius
- Western Black-eared WheatearOenanthe hispanica
- Western Bonelli's WarblerPhylloscopus bonelli
- Eurasian Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- Calandra larkMelanocorypha calandra
- WhitethroatSylvia communis
- Eastern Red-rumped SwallowCecropis daurica
- WoodlarkLullula arborea
- Red-breasted flycatcherFicedula parva
- Garden WarblerSylvia borin
- Black WheatearOenanthe leucura
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- Common Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia
- BramblingFringilla montifringilla
- Western Orphean WarblerSylvia hortensis
- Eurasian JayGarrulus glandarius
- Coal TitPeriparus ater
- Tawny PipitAnthus campestris
- Red-throated PipitAnthus cervinus
- African StonechatSaxicola torquatus
- ChoughPyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
- Tree PipitAnthus trivialis
- European Rock PipitAnthus petrosus
- Rock SparrowPetronia petronia
- Cirl BuntingEmberiza cirlus
- Richard's PipitAnthus richardi
- Common crossbillLoxia curvirostra
- Citrine WagtailMotacilla citreola
- Aquatic WarblerAcrocephalus paludicolaVU
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- Iberian MagpieCyanopica cooki
- Subalpine WarblerSylvia cantillans
- HawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustes
- Western Olivaceous WarblerIduna opaca
Other birds37 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- CootFulica atra
- Western SwamphenPorphyrio porphyrio
- Red-knobbed CootFulica cristata
- Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- European Water RailRallus aquaticus
- Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops
- European SwiftApus apus
- Pallid SwiftApus pallidus
- Bee-eaterMerops apiaster
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Common CuckooCuculus canorus
- European RollerCoracias garrulus
- Picus sharpeiPicus sharpei
- Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaNT
- Great spotted cuckooClamator glandarius
- Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melba
- European Turtle DoveStreptopelia turturVU
- Spotted CrakePorzana porzana
- WryneckJynx torquilla
- Stock DoveColumba oenas
- Red-necked NightjarCaprimulgus ruficollisNT
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
- Porzana parvaPorzana parva
- Common QuailCoturnix coturnix
- Monk ParakeetMyiopsitta monachus
- Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- Little BustardTetrax tetraxNT
- Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri
- CockatielNymphicus hollandicus
- Grey ParrotPsittacus erithacus
- Pin-tailed SandgrousePterocles alchata
- European NightjarCaprimulgus europaeus
- Baillon's CrakePorzana pusilla
- Great bustardOtis tarda
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species from March to April and from September to October.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan15°/8°33 mm
- Feb15°/8°20 mm
- Mar17°/10°37 mm
- Apr19°/13°38 mm
- May22°/16°23 mm
- Jun26°/20°10 mm
- Jul29°/22°4 mm
- Aug29°/23°15 mm
- Sep27°/21°41 mm
- Oct23°/18°38 mm
- Nov19°/13°45 mm
- Dec16°/10°38 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
El Fondo Natural Park.
Protected area in Spain
El Fondo Natural Park is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in Spain.
278 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 236,730 open records.
The most recorded are the Common Moorhen, the Coot and the Greater Flamingo.
66 species come for the summer, 74 for the winter and 15 only pass through.
11 are threatened worldwide, including Common Pochard, Iberian Grey Shrike and Curlew Sandpiper.
The most species are recorded from March to April and from September to October.
Get there and watch
- Alannia Costa Blancacampsite · 5.2 km · 12 within 10 km
- La Laguna de Catralplace to stay · 5.5 km · 20 within 10 km
- Doloresnearest town · 4.9 km in a straight line
- Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport (ALC)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 20 km in a straight lineCar hire at ALC airport (Alicante)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
Plan the visit
A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.
Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.
From above
The place and its surroundings.
The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- 2marked trails within 4 kmCamino del Cid (Senderista), Camino del Sureste - Ramal Sur
- 2visitor centres within 6 kmOficina de turismo, Tourist Info de San Fulgencio
- 5viewpoints within 5 kmObservatorio de aves Limícolas, Observatorio de aves Puente del Niño, Observatorio de aves La Anguila and 2 more
- 12campsites within 10 kmAlannia Costa Blanca, La Fabrica Dolores, Ecoparking Caravan and 9 more
- 20places to stay within 10 kmLa Laguna de Catral, Hostal El Retiro, Hotel Almoradí and 17 more
- bird hides within 6 km
- observation towers within 6 km
- car parks within 3 km
- restaurants and cafés within 3 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around El Fondo Natural Park.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Peakyas11 mountains within 25 kmSerra de Crevillent835 m · 14 kmSierra de Callosa578 m · 15 kmPico de San Cayetano · 15 kmSierra de Horna · 20 kmSierra de Orihuela634 m · 21 kmSierra de Abanilla · 22 kmSierra de la Cava · 23 kmSierra de Fontcalent · 24 km
Lakeyas1 lakes within 15 kmAlbufera de Elche4.4 km² · 14 km
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Photographs
The place, as people saw it.
Other places nearby.
El Fondo Natural Park
Spain
- 88Birdyas Score
- 278Species
- 155Migrants
- 11Threatened
Salinas de Santa Pola Natural Park
Spain · 11 km
- 85Birdyas Score
- 250Species
- 148Migrants
- 9Threatened
Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar
Spain · 39 km
- 83Birdyas Score
- 213Species
- 116Migrants
- 9Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q3825013) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 236,730 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
| Sister atlases | Peakyas, Lakeyas |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?
Same idea, other landscapes: field atlases built on open data, in seven languages.
beaches
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Every summit in 3D: summit weather, the 0 °C line, huts and trails.Visit 
waterfalls
Every waterfall: height, flow month by month and when it roars.Visit 
islands
Every island from the sea up: size, sea temperature, ferries and 3D.Visit 
rivers
Every river from source to sea: the journey, the flow and the basin in numbers.Visit 
canyons
Every canyon cut to scale: depth to the floor, rim and floor temperatures, trails and viewpoints.Visit 
caves
Every cave with its real depth and length: the rock above, the temperature inside all year, and how to visit.Visit 
dark skies
Where the night is still dark: the sky of every place, the Milky Way month by month, the Moon, eclipses and auroras.Visit 
viewpoints
Every viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit 
birdwatching
Every bird sanctuary and wetland with the species recorded month by month: who is resident, who comes for the summer, who only passes through.You are here
forests
Every forest with its land-cover rings, what grows and lives in it, and the best months to walk it.Coming soonVisit