Birdwatching Tourism: 9 Beautiful Places

Spain is a reference in terms of reserves and national parks. In them you can see birds in their natural habitat. In addition, there are also magnificent places for birding around the world.

Bird watching tourism (ornithological tourism) is increasingly practiced. Among its followers, it is possible to find not only scientists, but travelers of any profession. The idea is to go to a specific place to see the birds in their natural habitat.

If you are interested in this activity, we recommend that you read this article. We’ll tell you where the best places for bird lovers are.

Bird watching tourism: places

One of the main features of this type of trip is that we see all kinds of birds in their natural environment. So, we take advantage of our vacation to discover how they fly and develop life without human intervention.

This modality is increasingly widespread in central and northern European countries. In addition, the ideal place for this type of trip are areas considered reserves or national parks.

It is not an activity aimed only at bird specialists, ornithologists. After all, everyone can participate, as long as they respect certain rules. For example, don’t hunt and don’t bother animals.

Spain is one of the most advanced countries in terms of birding tourism. Below, we’ll show you where to go if you want to see birds in the wild:

1. Monfrague National Park (Extremadura, Spain)

About 300,000 people visit this 18,000-hectare reserve annually. Most visitors are attracted by the great diversity of fauna. Among the animals in this region are: petro vulture, common vulture, black stork and short-toed eagle.

Lagunas de Villafáfila Nature Reserve (Zamora, Spain)

It is a protected area in one of the provinces of the autonomous community of Castile and León. This area has been declared a reserve for birds such as the small open birds and the stone curlew.

It is possible to choose three different observatories to observe the flight, nesting or feeding of the animals. Among them, the great salt lake, the Barillos lagoon and the San Pedro lagoon.

The best time to go to these three places for bird watching tourism is in winter and spring. It is also possible to take routes on foot or by bicycle, and also to eat outdoors.

3. Marismas de Santoña Natural Park (Cantabria, Spain)

It has an area of 4,000 hectares, where, in addition to other species of Iberian fauna, we can find around 20,000 birds. Among them, seagulls, ducks, geese, herons, cormorants, swallows, hawks, among others.

In addition, in spring and autumn, migratory birds also arrive. You can choose to walk through the park following the trails or accompanied by an expert guide.

4. Laguna de Gallocanta (Aragón, Spain)

Without a doubt, it is one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in Aragon. Therefore, it is one of the best places in the Iberian Peninsula for bird watching tourism. Located between Teruel and Zaragoza, this lagoon is home to thousands of cranes between November and February.

5. Natural Park of Delta del Ebro (Catalonia, Spain)

Many travelers interested in ornithology visit this protected wetland area. It is full of rice fields, ponds and small swamps. Here live no less than 300 species of birds. Among them, we can highlight the trumpeter duck, the imperial heron, the nabal owl, the flamingo and the marsh harrier.

6. Albufeira National Park (Valencia, Spain)

The Valencian community also has a place for bird watching tourism. This place has a big wetland. In addition to seeing ospreys between September and March, we also have the possibility to navigate Spain’s largest lake.

Places for bird watching tourism around the world

There are other destinations around the world where you can see native and migratory birds:

1. Corcovado National Park (Costa Rica)

In the Costa Rican jungle, toucans, macaws, quetzales and tanagers live. Therefore, we can see them in the most important reserve in the country. The best time to visit the park is between December and June. Tours generally last for three days.

2. Island of Borneo

Surrounded by fantastic natural landscapes, this island has been declared a World Heritage Site. It is home to around 600 species of birds, which live among beaches and forests.

3. Colombia

This entire South American country is worth a visit if you want to see birds. Each region offers a different fauna for bird watching tourism. Of the 1,900 species of birds that can be observed, about 200 are migratory.

One of the best places to observe bird flights is the San Rafael Reserve. It is very close to the Colombian capital, the city of Bogotá.