Bird Watching in Spain
Birdwatching, wildlife watching and photography in Spain

Birding at the Ebro Delta, Catalonia

The Ebro Delta is one of the best spots for birdwatching in Spain. It comes with a tapestry of colors that will make you feel as if you’re in another world.

Marsh Sandpiper
By JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

Fast Facts About The Ebro Delta

  • Located at about 200 kilometers southwest of Barcelona
  • Considered one of the most important wetlands in the Mediterranean Coast
  • Composes a huge marshland in the Ebro River, where more than thousands of fauna species thrive each year
  • Delta is formed by the river forcing sediments to be transported seawards, gradually transforming land appearance and shape

Spain map - Ebro Delta

Birding a the Ebro river

The Ebro Delta is home to wonderful bird species, waiting for you to see.

Dive in and see what to expect in this birding place.

You can find birds all around you. See how the Great Reed Warblers and the Birds Cetti’s compete for space. In the lagoons, you will see some Red crested Pochard, Black-necked Grebe, and a wide array of ducks.

And oh! You’ll find the lovely Greater Flamingoes that can capture your attention.

You can see a lot of herons that invade much part of the delta. It’s said that there are about nine species of them there.

Then, you will also find shorebirds as well as migratory bird such as the Osprey, Marsh Sandpiper, Black Tern, and White-winged Tern join the club.

In addition, there live the Black-winged Stilt, Slender-billed Gull, Audouin’s Gull, and Collared Pratincole.

Your birdwatching trip will be incomplete without the Gull-billed, Lesser Crested Tern, Caspian, and Whiskered that can find their way into you. On the other hand, there are less-friendlier species such as the Little Crake, Glossy Ibis, Purple Gallinule, and Spotted Crake are very cautious and are scared to become preys of the Marsh Harriers.

There are several other species in the delta as well since some dunes, bays, and shallow beaches are all around it. It’s a home to the riparian woodlands. In general, the Ebro Delta attracts millions of bird species every year.

Other Bird Species to find there

  • Terns
  • Yellow-legged Gull
  • Reed Warbler
  • Red-crested Pochard
  • Cattle Egret
  • Purple Gallinule
  • Collared Pratincole
  • Little Bittern
  • Skylark
  • Squacco Heron
  • Great Reed Warbler
  • Zitting Cisticola
  • Great White Egret
  • Little Egret
  • Shorebirds
  • Whiskered Tern
  • Night Heron
  • Slender-billed Gull

The Ebro Delta Climate

It receives high levels of humidity each year since it’s surrounded by the sea. There is not much temperature changes notable of the delta.

Usually, there are strong wind gusts experienced in November to April and the humid wind is responsible for rainfall. Heavy rains can be felt from April-June.

So, when to come to The Ebro Delta: In the most part of the winter, you can find new birds such as the Booted Eagle, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Osprey, Spotless Starling, Great Cormorant, Mediterranean Gull, Short-eared Owl, and others.

The Ebro Delta remains to be one of the best places for birding in Spain.

If you’re ready, start planning your trip to Catalonia to pay a visit to these wonderful bird species.