Spain Ramsar wetland
Mar Menor
174 bird species recorded; the most in January, in March, in May and in October.
Ximonic (Simo Räsänen) · CC BY-SA 4.0
This month here
114 species in January.100 species in February.115 species in March.101 species in April.114 species in May.88 species in June.99 species in July.102 species in August.109 species in September.118 species in October.103 species in November.110 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
VU
NT
NT
NT
NTNT
VU
NT
VU
VU
VU
NT
NTNTNTNTNT
NTNT
VUNTNTNT
NTVUNTNTVU
NT
- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
174 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).
- 174Speciesrecorded more than once
- 83Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 8ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 21,088Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 8Raptors
- 3Owls
- 33Waders
- 21Gulls & seabirds
- 16Ducks & geese
- 14Herons, ibises & grebes
- 1Flamingos
- 60Songbirds
- 18Other 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 174 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors8 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- Booted eagleHieraaetus pennatus
- Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargus
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- Common BuzzardButeo buteo
- Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
Owls3 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Long-eared OwlAsio otus
- Western Barn OwlTyto alba
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
Waders33 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- Kentish PloverCharadrius alexandrinus
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
- Little StintCalidris minuta
- RedshankTringa totanus
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- RuffCalidris pugnax
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
- Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
- Eurasian Stone-curlewBurhinus oedicnemus
- Spotted RedshankTringa erythropus
- Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusNT
- Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
- Collared PratincoleGlareola pratincola
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatus
- European Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria
- Temminck's StintCalidris temminckii
- Grey (Red) PhalaropePhalaropus fulicarius
- Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus
- Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis
Gulls & seabirds21 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Yellow-legged GullLarus michahellis
- Slender-billed GullChroicocephalus genei
- Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Little TernSternula albifrons
- Audouin's GullIchthyaetus audouinii
- Common TernSterna hirundo
- Black TernChlidonias niger
- Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Gull-billed TernGelochelidon nilotica
- Northern gannetMorus bassanus
- Common LoonGavia immer
- Whiskered TernChlidonias hybrida
- Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia
- Elegant TernThalasseus elegansNT
- Balearic shearwaterPuffinus mauretanicusCR
- White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterus
- Scopoli's ShearwaterCalonectris diomedea
- Arctic SkuaStercorarius parasiticus
- RazorbillAlca torda
Ducks & geese16 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
- Brent GooseBranta bernicla
- Common ScoterMelanitta nigra
- White-cheeked PintailAnas bahamensis
- Long-tailed duckClangula hyemalisVU
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- Velvet scoterMelanitta fuscaVU
- GarganeySpatula querquedula
- Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
- GadwallMareca strepera
- GoosanderMergus merganser
Herons, ibises & grebes14 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Eared GrebePodiceps nigricollis
- Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
- Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax
- Squacco HeronArdeola ralloides
- Purple heronArdea purpurea
Flamingos1 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseus
Songbirds60 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Spotless StarlingSturnus unicolor
- Crested larkGalerida cristata
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Sardinian WarblerCurruca melanocephala
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
- Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
- European GreenfinchChloris chloris
- Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
- Zitting CisticolaCisticola juncidis
- European SerinSerinus serinus
- Common LinnetLinaria cannabina
- European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- Eurasian Crag MartinPtyonoprogne rupestris
- European RobinErithacus rubecula
- Water PipitAnthus spinoletta
- Iberian Grey ShrikeLanius meridionalisVU
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Lesser Short-toed LarkCalandrella rufescens
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Eurasian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus
- Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
- Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- Dartford WarblerSylvia undata
- Eurasian MagpiePica pica
- Great titParus major
- Thekla's LarkGalerida theklae
- Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
- European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleuca
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
- BluethroatLuscinia svecica
- Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
- Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- Western JackdawColoeus monedula
- Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra
- Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- Greater Short-toed LarkCalandrella brachydactyla
- Woodchat ShrikeLanius senatorNT
- WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
- Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- Western Subalpine WarblerCurruca iberiae
- Western Bonelli's WarblerPhylloscopus bonelli
- Great Reed WarblerAcrocephalus arundinaceus
- Western Black-eared WheatearOenanthe hispanica
- Eurasian Penduline TitRemiz pendulinus
- Eurasian Golden OrioleOriolus oriolus
- Melodious WarblerHippolais polyglotta
- Western Olivaceous WarblerIduna opaca
- Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibillatrix
- Common crossbillLoxia curvirostra
Other birds18 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
- Monk ParakeetMyiopsitta monachus
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- European SwiftApus apus
- Pallid SwiftApus pallidus
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- CootFulica atra
- European Turtle DoveStreptopelia turturVU
- Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops
- Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaNT
- European Water RailRallus aquaticus
- Picus sharpeiPicus sharpei
- Bee-eaterMerops apiaster
- Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melba
- Red-necked NightjarCaprimulgus ruficollisNT
- CockatielNymphicus hollandicus
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 January, in March, in May and in October.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan15°/8°33 mm
- Feb15°/8°20 mm
- Mar17°/10°37 mm
- Apr19°/13°38 mm
- May22°/16°23 mm
- Jun26°/20°10 mm
- Jul29°/22°4 mm
- Aug29°/23°15 mm
- Sep27°/21°41 mm
- Oct23°/18°38 mm
- Nov19°/13°45 mm
- Dec16°/10°38 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Mar Menor.
Coastal saltwater lagoon of the Mediterranean Sea in Spain
Mar Menor is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in Spain.
174 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 21,088 open records.
The most recorded are the Yellow-legged Gull, the Little Egret and the Greater Flamingo.
38 species come for the summer, 43 for the winter and 2 only pass through.
8 are threatened worldwide, including Grey Plover, Curlew Sandpiper and Iberian Grey Shrike.
The most species are recorded in January, in March, in May and in October.
Get there and watch
- Camping Mar Menorcampsite · 3.5 km · 8 within 10 km
- Luabay Abity Spaplace to stay · 3.9 km · 46 within 10 km
- Santiago de la Riberanearest town · 5.6 km in a straight line
- Region of Murcia International Airport (RMU)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 31 km in a straight lineCar hire at RMU airport (Corvera)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
- 2observation towers within 6 kmControl del Puente del Estacio
- 1marked trails within 4 kmSendero del Mediterráneo - Murcia
- 3visitor centres within 6 kmPunto de Información Turística Playa Mistral, Centro Integral de Información Turístico, San Javier
- 6viewpoints within 5 kmMirador Playa Matas Gordas and 5 more
- 2car parks within 3 km
- 1restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 8campsites within 10 kmCamping Mar Menor, Eco Área Los Alcázares, Area Narejos and 5 more
- 46places to stay within 10 kmLuabay Abity Spa, Hotel Los Narejos, La Obrera and 43 more
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around Mar Menor.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Peakyas19 mountains within 25 kmPerdiguera Island · 5.6 kmEl Carmolí2 m · 8.2 kmIsla del Sujeto · 9.7 kmCiervo Island · 11 kmCabezo de San Ginés229 m · 13 kmCabezo de la Fuente342 m · 16 kmCabezo Beaza · 20 kmMolinete · 24 km
Coastya16 beaches within 10 kmPlaya de Palo · 3.4 kmPlaya de Casablanca · 4.0 kmPlaya de los Narejos · 4.1 kmPlaya de las Palmeras · 5.1 kmPlaya del Espejo · 5.5 kmPlaya de Manzanares · 5.8 kmBeach Carrion · 6.0 kmBeach Punta de Algas · 6.7 km
Cavernyas2 caves within 20 kmSima de las Palomas · 11 kmCueva Victoria · 14 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.
Mar Menor
Spain
- 77Birdyas Score
- 174Species
- 83Migrants
- 8Threatened
Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar
Spain · 9 km
- 83Birdyas Score
- 213Species
- 116Migrants
- 9Threatened
Salinas de Santa Pola Natural Park
Spain · 50 km
- 85Birdyas Score
- 250Species
- 148Migrants
- 9Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q1553876) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 21,088 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, Coastya, Cavernyas |
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
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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 
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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