Birds Paradise, Coto Doñana

In spring, the periodically flodded wetland called Marisma is home for more than 250 bird species.

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As the days are getting longer and warmer, the best time for nature lovers in Andalucia begins. Whoever is interested in a unique wildlife experience should come and visit the biggest National Park in Spain and one of the biggest in Europe at this time of the year. In spring, the periodically flodded wetland called Marisma is home for more than 250 bird species coming in huge flocks to breed or rest on their way from Africa via Gibraltar to Northern Europe. Amongst them, you may find imperial eagles, flamingos, spoonbills, herons, falcons, kites and many more. Besides being an important bird breeding area, Doñana is also the last refuge for the Iberian lynx.

Visitors’ centers like El Acebuche, La Rocina or Palacio de El Acebron offer specially designated routes that enable bird watching from hidden observatories. For this purpose, you also find the Centro Ornitológico (ornithology centre) Francisco Bernis in the romantic village El Rocío, right next to the Marisma wetland and close the famous pilgrimage church. In this unique place, highly competent staff informs about birds, latest sightings, rare species and details about best routes for visits in Coto Doñana. From its spacious terraces, you can enjoy amazing views, using high quality Zeiss telescopes and binoculars.

Other spectacular highlights of the area are the shifting dunes reaching from Matalascañas to the mouth or the Guadalquivir River. With some of them reaching a height of 40 meters, they move about two to six meters inland per year, leaving behind dead umbrella pines that had been covered by sand for decades. In case of some upper twiggs staying uncovered, they carry the seeds for the next generation of umbrella pine forest.

The public first became aware of this beautiful area when in 1958 the English amateur ornithologist Guy Mountfort published the book “Portrait of a Wilderness: The story of the Coto Doñana Expeditions” Later, in 1964 it was put under protection of the World Wide Fund of Nature by Spanish authorities. Finally, in 1969 the National Park Coto Doñana was founded.

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Originally published at www.tlcspain.com on April 10, 2015.