Spain Special Protection Area for birds
Cola del Embalse de Arcos
145 bird species recorded; the most in May.
El Pantera · CC BY-SA 4.0
This month here
68 species in January.80 species in February.83 species in March.89 species in April.99 species in May.78 species in June.78 species in July.64 species in August.53 species in September.86 species in October.72 species in November.89 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.
VU
NT
VU
VU
NT
VU
- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
145 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).
- 145Speciesrecorded more than once
- 68Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 3ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 4,704Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 64 mAltitudeabove the sea
- 20Raptors
- 5Owls
- 9Waders
- 5Gulls & seabirds
- 11Ducks & geese
- 13Herons, ibises & grebes
- 1Storks & cranes
- 1Flamingos
- 60Songbirds
- 20Other 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 145 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors20 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Lesser kestrelFalco naumanni
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- Booted eagleHieraaetus pennatus
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- Griffon VultureGyps fulvus
- Common BuzzardButeo buteo
- Black KiteMilvus migrans
- Black-winged KiteElanus caeruleus
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargus
- Short-toed eagleCircaetus gallicus
- Egyptian vultureNeophron percnopterus
- Spanish Imperial EagleAquila adalbertiVU
- Red KiteMilvus milvus
- European Honey-buzzardPernis apivorus
- Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus
- Golden EagleAquila chrysaetos
- Bonelli's EagleAquila fasciata
Owls5 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Little OwlAthene noctua
- Tawny OwlStrix aluco
- Northern Eagle OwlBubo bubo
- Eurasian Scops OwlOtus scops
- Western Barn OwlTyto alba
Waders9 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- Eurasian Stone-curlewBurhinus oedicnemus
- Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
- Spotted SandpiperActitis macularius
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
Gulls & seabirds5 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Yellow-legged GullLarus michahellis
- Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Gull-billed TernGelochelidon nilotica
Ducks & geese11 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- GadwallMareca strepera
- Red-crested pochardNetta rufina
- Greylag GooseAnser anser
- Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
- Cairina moschataCairina moschata
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
- Ferruginous DuckAythya nyrocaNT
- Black swanCygnus atratus
- Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
Herons, ibises & grebes13 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
- Purple heronArdea purpurea
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax
- Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Squacco HeronArdeola ralloides
- Eared GrebePodiceps nigricollis
Storks & cranes1 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- White StorkCiconia ciconia
Flamingos1 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseus
Songbirds60 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Western JackdawColoeus monedula
- Spotless StarlingSturnus unicolor
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- European SerinSerinus serinus
- European GreenfinchChloris chloris
- Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti
- Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
- Sardinian WarblerCurruca melanocephala
- Crested larkGalerida cristata
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- Eurasian Crag MartinPtyonoprogne rupestris
- Great titParus major
- Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- Northern RavenCorvus corax
- Common LinnetLinaria cannabina
- Eurasian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus
- European RobinErithacus rubecula
- European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
- Common WaxbillEstrilda astrild
- Eurasian Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- Zitting CisticolaCisticola juncidis
- Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra
- Short-toed treecreeperCerthia brachydactyla
- Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Woodchat ShrikeLanius senatorNT
- Western Olivaceous WarblerIduna opaca
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- Melodious WarblerHippolais polyglotta
- Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleuca
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- Eurasian Penduline TitRemiz pendulinus
- Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
- Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- Spanish sparrowPasser hispaniolensis
- Great Reed WarblerAcrocephalus arundinaceus
- Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus
- Blue Rock ThrushMonticola solitarius
- Eurasian MagpiePica pica
- Iberian ChiffchaffPhylloscopus ibericus
- Garden WarblerSylvia borin
- Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanus
- Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- Thekla's LarkGalerida theklae
- ChoughPyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
- Water PipitAnthus spinoletta
- BluethroatLuscinia svecica
- Eurasian JayGarrulus glandarius
- Western Black-eared WheatearOenanthe hispanica
- Common FirecrestRegulus ignicapilla
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
Other birds20 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
- European SwiftApus apus
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- CootFulica atra
- Pallid SwiftApus pallidus
- Picus sharpeiPicus sharpei
- Western SwamphenPorphyrio porphyrio
- Bee-eaterMerops apiaster
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops
- European Turtle DoveStreptopelia turturVU
- Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaNT
- European Water RailRallus aquaticus
- Red-necked NightjarCaprimulgus ruficollisNT
- Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melba
- White-rumped SwiftApus caffer
- Common QuailCoturnix coturnix
- Common CuckooCuculus canorus
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species in May.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan14°/4°56 mm
- Feb16°/4°56 mm
- Mar18°/7°69 mm
- Apr21°/9°55 mm
- May26°/12°29 mm
- Jun32°/16°4 mm
- Jul36°/19°1 mm
- Aug36°/19°3 mm
- Sep30°/16°26 mm
- Oct25°/13°72 mm
- Nov18°/8°79 mm
- Dec15°/5°71 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Cola del Embalse de Arcos.
Protected area in Andalusia, Spain
Cola del Embalse de Arcos is a Special Protection Area under the EU Birds Directive in Spain.
145 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 4,704 open records.
The most recorded are the House Sparrow, the Western Jackdaw and the Eurasian Collared Dove.
30 species come for the summer, 37 for the winter and 1 only pass through.
3 are threatened worldwide, including European Turtle Dove, Common Pochard and Spanish Imperial Eagle.
The most species are recorded in May.
Get there and watch
- Camping Lago de Arcoscampsite · 1.3 km · 1 within 10 km
- Hotel Mesón de la Molineraplace to stay · 1.2 km · 13 within 10 km
- Arcos de la Fronteranearest town · 3.3 km in a straight line
- Jerez Airport (XRY)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 25 km in a straight lineCar hire at XRY airport (Jerez de la Frontera)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
- 1bird hides within 6 km
- 3visitor centres within 6 kmCentro de Interpretación Ciudad de Arcos, Oficina de Turismo
- 13viewpoints within 5 kmBalcón de Arcos, Mirador de Abades, Mirador Pueblos Blancos and 10 more
- 15car parks within 3 km
- 17restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 1campsites within 10 kmCamping Lago de Arcos
- 13places to stay within 10 kmHotel Mesón de la Molinera, Hostal Rural La Plata, El Fogón del Duende and 10 more
- observation towers within 6 km
- marked trails within 4 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 Cola del Embalse de Arcos.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Peakyas9 mountains within 25 kmSierra de Gibalbín · 17 kmSierra de la Sal · 18 kmLoma de Malabrigo · 19 kmSierra del Valle · 20 kmLoma de Royales · 21 kmSierra de las Cabras · 22 kmSierra de Santa Lucía · 22 kmLoma los Isletes80 m · 24 km
Lakeyas3 lakes within 15 kmEmbalse de Arcos2.2 km² · 1.2 kmBornos Reservoir10 km² · 8.0 kmGuadalcacín Reservoir17 km² · 12 km
Riveryasthe river nearbyMajaceiteSan Pedro RiverArroyo del SaladoSalado River
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.
Cola del Embalse de Arcos
Spain
- 62Birdyas Score
- 145Species
- 68Migrants
- 3Threatened
Lagunas de Las Canteras y el Tejón
Spain · 33 km
- 78Birdyas Score
- 222Species
- 123Migrants
- 6Threatened
Complejo endorreico de Chiclana
Spain · 45 km
- 80Birdyas Score
- 210Species
- 110Migrants
- 6Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q6061043) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 4,704 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, Riveryas |
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
Find your beach: sea temperature, sun and swimming month by month.Visit lakes
Every lake on Earth: water temperature, ice, depth and the shore.Visit mountains
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