Spain Ramsar wetland
Lagunas de Palos y Las Madres
233 bird species recorded; the most from March to May and in October.
Dobroide · CC BY-SA 4.0
This month here
144 species in January.144 species in February.166 species in March.169 species in April.162 species in May.148 species in June.121 species in July.133 species in August.150 species in September.156 species in October.148 species in November.150 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
NT
NT
VU
NT
NT
NT- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
233 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).
- 233Speciesrecorded more than once
- 112Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 9ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 42,496Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 15Raptors
- 5Owls
- 30Waders
- 37Gulls & seabirds
- 21Ducks & geese
- 13Herons, ibises & grebes
- 2Storks & cranes
- 1Flamingos
- 86Songbirds
- 23Other 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 233 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors15 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- Black KiteMilvus migrans
- Booted eagleHieraaetus pennatus
- Common BuzzardButeo buteo
- Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargus
- Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- Lesser kestrelFalco naumanni
- Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus
- Short-toed eagleCircaetus gallicus
- Griffon VultureGyps fulvus
- Red KiteMilvus milvus
- Black-winged KiteElanus caeruleus
Owls5 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Little OwlAthene noctua
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
- Tawny OwlStrix aluco
- Eurasian Scops OwlOtus scops
- Western Barn OwlTyto alba
Waders30 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Kentish PloverCharadrius alexandrinus
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- RedshankTringa totanus
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
- Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
- Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusNT
- Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
- Collared PratincoleGlareola pratincola
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- Eurasian Stone-curlewBurhinus oedicnemus
- Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
- Little StintCalidris minuta
- Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta
- Spotted RedshankTringa erythropus
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
- RuffCalidris pugnax
- Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus
- European Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria
- Temminck's StintCalidris temminckii
Gulls & seabirds37 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Yellow-legged GullLarus michahellis
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Audouin's GullIchthyaetus audouinii
- Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
- Little TernSternula albifrons
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- RazorbillAlca torda
- Common TernSterna hirundo
- Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus
- Black TernChlidonias niger
- Ancient MurreletSynthliboramphus antiquus
- Northern gannetMorus bassanus
- Slender-billed GullChroicocephalus genei
- Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia
- Roseate TernSterna dougallii
- Great skuaStercorarius skua
- Whiskered TernChlidonias hybrida
- Gull-billed TernGelochelidon nilotica
- Little GullHydrocoloeus minutus
- Arctic SkuaStercorarius parasiticus
- Balearic shearwaterPuffinus mauretanicusCR
- European Storm-PetrelHydrobates pelagicus
- Common LoonGavia immer
- Black-legged kittiwakeRissa tridactylaVU
- White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterus
- Common GullLarus canus
- Red-throated LoonGavia stellata
- Leach's Storm PetrelOceanodroma leucorhoaVU
- Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
- Lesser Crested TernThalasseus bengalensis
- Pomarine SkuaStercorarius pomarinus
- Common MurreUria aalge
- Elegant TernThalasseus elegansNT
- European Herring GullLarus argentatus
- Iceland GullLarus glaucoides
- Atlantic PuffinFratercula arcticaVU
- West African Crested TernThalasseus albididorsalis
Ducks & geese21 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- GadwallMareca strepera
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
- Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
- Red-crested pochardNetta rufina
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- Ferruginous DuckAythya nyrocaNT
- Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- Common EiderSomateria mollissimaNT
- Common ScoterMelanitta nigra
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
- Blue-winged TealSpatula discors
- Greylag GooseAnser anser
- White-headed duckOxyura leucocephala
- GarganeySpatula querquedula
- Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
- Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
- Mute SwanCygnus olor
- Wood DuckAix sponsa
- Cairina moschataCairina moschata
Herons, ibises & grebes13 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Purple heronArdea purpurea
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Eared GrebePodiceps nigricollis
- Squacco HeronArdeola ralloides
- Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax
Storks & cranes2 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- White StorkCiconia ciconia
- Black storkCiconia nigra
Flamingos1 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseus
Songbirds86 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Eurasian MagpiePica pica
- Crested larkGalerida cristata
- Sardinian WarblerCurruca melanocephala
- European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Zitting CisticolaCisticola juncidis
- European SerinSerinus serinus
- Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti
- Spotless StarlingSturnus unicolor
- Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
- Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
- Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- Common WaxbillEstrilda astrild
- European RobinErithacus rubecula
- Iberian MagpieCyanopica cooki
- Great titParus major
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- Common LinnetLinaria cannabina
- Eurasian Penduline TitRemiz pendulinus
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- European GreenfinchChloris chloris
- Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos
- Eurasian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus
- Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
- Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
- Woodchat ShrikeLanius senatorNT
- Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- Northern RavenCorvus corax
- European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleuca
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
- Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- Greater Short-toed LarkCalandrella brachydactyla
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- Dartford WarblerSylvia undata
- Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
- Great Reed WarblerAcrocephalus arundinaceus
- Melodious WarblerHippolais polyglotta
- Iberian ChiffchaffPhylloscopus ibericus
- Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- Western Subalpine WarblerCurruca iberiae
- Water PipitAnthus spinoletta
- Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus
- Short-toed treecreeperCerthia brachydactyla
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- Quiscalus mexicanusQuiscalus mexicanus
- Garden WarblerSylvia borin
- BluethroatLuscinia svecica
- Spanish sparrowPasser hispaniolensis
- Eurasian Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanus
- Thekla's LarkGalerida theklae
- WhitethroatSylvia communis
- Iberian Grey ShrikeLanius meridionalisVU
- Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
- Western Black-eared WheatearOenanthe hispanica
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- Western Bonelli's WarblerPhylloscopus bonelli
- Isabelline ShrikeLanius isabellinus
- WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
- Lesser Short-toed LarkCalandrella rufescens
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
- Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalis
- Common FirecrestRegulus ignicapilla
- WoodlarkLullula arborea
- Cirl BuntingEmberiza cirlus
- European Crested TitLophophanes cristatus
- Eurasian Crag MartinPtyonoprogne rupestris
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Eurasian Golden OrioleOriolus oriolus
- Eastern Subalpine WarblerCurruca cantillans
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Spectacled WarblerSylvia conspicillata
- Tree PipitAnthus trivialis
- Tawny PipitAnthus campestris
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- Blue Rock ThrushMonticola solitarius
- Western Orphean WarblerSylvia hortensis
- Savi's WarblerLocustella luscinioides
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- Western Olivaceous WarblerIduna opaca
- Ring OuzelTurdus torquatus
Other birds23 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
- CootFulica atra
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- Western SwamphenPorphyrio porphyrio
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- European SwiftApus apus
- Pallid SwiftApus pallidus
- Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Bee-eaterMerops apiaster
- European Turtle DoveStreptopelia turturVU
- Red-knobbed CootFulica cristata
- European Water RailRallus aquaticus
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- WryneckJynx torquilla
- Red-necked NightjarCaprimulgus ruficollisNT
- Picus sharpeiPicus sharpei
- Lesser Spotted WoodpeckerDryobates minor
- Common CuckooCuculus canorus
- Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaNT
- Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melba
- Great spotted cuckooClamator glandarius
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 May and in October.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan15°/11°47 mm
- Feb15°/11°52 mm
- Mar17°/12°63 mm
- Apr19°/14°56 mm
- May22°/16°29 mm
- Jun25°/19°6 mm
- Jul27°/22°1 mm
- Aug27°/22°3 mm
- Sep25°/20°21 mm
- Oct22°/18°72 mm
- Nov18°/14°84 mm
- Dec16°/12°65 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Lagunas de Palos y Las Madres.
Protected area in Andalusia, Spain
Lagunas de Palos y Las Madres is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in Spain.
233 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 42,496 open records.
The most recorded are the Yellow-legged Gull, the Lesser Black-backed Gull and the Little Egret.
46 species come for the summer, 58 for the winter and 8 only pass through.
9 are threatened worldwide, including Grey Plover, Common Pochard and European Turtle Dove.
The most species are recorded from March to May and in October.
Get there and watch
- Camping Mazagóncampsite · 7.3 km · 1 within 10 km
- Hotel Carabela Santa Maríaplace to stay · 4.0 km · 15 within 10 km
- Mazagónnearest town · 4.3 km in a straight line
- Jerez Airport (XRY)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 85 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
- 4bird hides within 6 km
- 2observation towers within 6 km
- 1visitor centres within 6 km
- 1viewpoints within 5 kmMuelle del Vigia
- 4car parks within 3 km
- 1campsites within 10 kmCamping Mazagón
- 15places to stay within 10 kmHotel Carabela Santa María, Casa Hilaria, Hotel Martin Alonso Pinzon and 12 more
- marked trails within 4 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 Lagunas de Palos y Las Madres.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Peakyas1 mountains within 25 kmCabezo de Loco · 10 km
Islandyasthe islandSaltes Island
Coastya2 beaches within 10 kmPlaya de Castilla · 0.9 kmPlaya de Mazagón · 7.0 km
Lakeyas2 lakes within 15 kmLaguna de las Madres0.3 km² · 0.6 kmSalinas de Bacuta0.4 km² · 13 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.
Lagunas de Palos y Las Madres
Spain
- 85Birdyas Score
- 233Species
- 112Migrants
- 9Threatened
Sapais de Castro Marim (Special Protection Area)
Portugal · 51 km
- 87Birdyas Score
- 273Species
- 136Migrants
- 10Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q48781757) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 42,496 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, Islandyas, Coastya, 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
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