IndiGo Birding Nature Tours is teaming up with The Urban Birder, David Lindo, for a birding tour through Extremadura, Spain in April of 2027. Lindo is an internationally-known birding guide, nature writer, speaker, and urban wildlife educator. We are thrilled that he is willing to lead and organize this tour through a beautiful region of his adopted homeland. Lindo will be joined by his friend and IndiGo Birding guide, Jeremiah Oden, for this relaxed, yet in-depth, exploration of Extremadura!

Although well-known by British and northern European birders, Extremadura, conversely, is one of the least known regions of Spain – even amongst the Spaniards. Situated inland in the southwest of the country, this landlocked region butts onto the border of Portugal to the west and Andalucia to the south. Extremadura is split into two provinces: Cáceres in the north and Badajoz to the south. The nearest airports are Madrid, Lisbon and Seville with no airports of consequence within the region itself. The fifth largest out of the 17 autonomous regions in Spain - with an area size that is 4,000 square miles larger than Maryland, USA, roughly the size of Switzerland and twice the size of Wales - Extremadura is indeed, Spain’s biggest secret.

The region is traditionally known as a spring venue for birding and wildlife watching. Many of the migrants like European Roller and Collared Pratincoles will be just arriving, plus many of the resident birds—from the tiny Sardinian Warblers to the mighty Eurasian Black Vultures—will be busily raising young. One of the lasting impressions visitors have is the sheer number of birds, everywhere. Extremadura boasts a wonderful variety of habitats ranging from mixed-farming plains to open managed woodland pasture (dehesas) where the famous black Iberian pigs roam free-range, deep rocky valleys, irrigated lands, reservoirs and mountains. Added to this mix are the beautiful towns and villages that are steeped in history and great for wildlife in their own right. During the time of this tour the landscape will be green after the winter rains with beautiful spring flowers in bloom attracting an array of butterflies and dragonflies.

Specialty birds like the Great and Little Bustards and the Pin-tailed and Black-bellied Sandgrouse are findable. Migrants like Iberian Chiffchaff, Great Spotted Cuckoo and Willow Warbler will be present, plus there is a good chance of a rarity. Passage shorebirds and waterfowl will be moving through the rice fields and reservoirs whilst we will witness feeding frenzies amongst the egrets, storks and gulls that follow the combines and tractors. Meanwhile, at the world famous Monfragüe National Park, Eurasian Griffon and Eurasian Black Vultures drift overhead while we wait for local Golden or Spanish Imperial Eagles to make an appearance.

Spain is by far the most well-known destination in Europe when it comes to wildlife, and it brings in birders from all over the world. Extremadura is perhaps the best region in Spain for birding. Situated inland in the southwest of the country, the landlocked region butts up against the border of Portugal to the west.

The average daytime temperature at this time of the year will be approximately between 18/29C max (64/84F) in the afternoons and 8/10C min (46/50F) at night. The local currency is the Euro.

Black-necked Grebe, Great Egret, Little Egret, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Little Bittern, White Stork, Black Stork, Glossy Ibis, Eurasian Spoonbill, Eurasian Black Vulture, Eurasian Griffon Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Black-winged Kite, Golden Eagle, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, Booted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Peregrine, Lesser Kestrel, Purple Swamphen, Water Rail, Ferruginous Duck, Red-crested Pochard, Black-winged Stilt, Kentish Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Eurasian Whimbrel, Yellow-legged Gull, Little Tern, Gull-billed Tern, Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Pin- tailed Sandgrouse, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, White-rumped Swift, Pallid Swift, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, Long-eared Owl, Little Owl, Eurasian Eagle Owl, Eurasian Wryneck, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Iberian Green Woodpecker, Calandra Lark, Crested Lark, Thekla’s Lark, Greater Short-toed Lark, Woodlark, European Red-rumped Swallow, Tawny Pipit, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin, Blue Rock Thrush, Black Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Black-eared Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Western Bonelli’s Warbler, Iberian Chiffchaff, Western Subalpine Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Isabelline Warbler, European Reed Warbler, Savi’s Warbler, Eurasian Penduline Tit, Coal Tit, Crested Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Iberian Grey Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Spanish Sparrow, European Tree Sparrow, Rock Sparrow, Iberian Magpie, Red-billed Chough, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Spotless Starling, Corn Bunting, Ortolan Bunting, Cirl Bunting, Rock Bunting

TOUR PAYMENTS: All payments, including initial deposit of $1000/person, can be made through WeTravel. We do accept credit cards for an additional 2.9% fee, but you may also pay by bank transfer or check. Full payment is due on February 1st, 2027.

CANCELLATIONS: IF WE CANCEL a tour due to low attendance, severe weather, international conflicts, or other unforeseen event, participants may either move their payments to another trip of their choice or receive a full refund.

IF YOU CANCEL your place on a tour we intend to operate more than 60 days from departure, a full refund will be available. If cancelling within 60 days of departure, no refund will be given UNLESS we are able to fill your spot(s) with another participant. In that situation, $250 will still be withheld for administrative purposes, but the rest of your payments will be refunded. We highly recommend that you purchase trip cancellation (including medical emergency) insurance to cover your investment in case of injury or illness to you or a family member prior to or during a trip.

After an early afternoon pick up from Madrid Barajas Airport we will transfer to Extremadura in a comfortable vehicle. If we were to head straight to our accommodation in Mérida, the capital of Extremadura. ‘Capital’ is a term to be used lightly as Mérida has a population of around 60,000 and is fairly low-rise. Huge village would be a better description!

Nonstop, it would be a journey time of approximately three and a half hours. So, to break the journey up we will briefly call in at Embalse de Valdecañas. It is a huge reservoir, so we will concentrate our efforts in the portion near the town of El Gordo on the northeastern border of Extremadura and the Castille La Mancha region. Here we will look for returning Gull-billed Terns and watch the close-up antics of a colony of Lesser Kestrels that share their home in a nearby ruined house with several pairs of White Storks. Soaring over their heads could be Booted Eagles, Black Kites and various vulture species.

Next, as we continue south, a visit to the Embalse de Arrocampo in Saucedilla will be made, which is situated within the world famous Monfragüe Natural Park. It is the second most visited location in the whole region by birders – and for good reason. This area of reed-fringed reservoirs near the northeastern border of Extremadura is a brilliant place for nesting Purple Heron, hearing squealing Water Rail finding Western Swamphen, Eurasian Spoonbill and possible sulking Ferruginous Duck. We may also hear and see the secretive reedbed dwelling Savi’s Warbler singing and might be lucky enough to catch sight of a Eurasian Bittern. It is also the only place in Extremadura with the possibility to find Bearded Tits.

We will then drive non-stop to our hotel in Mérida.

Dinner & overnight in Mérida

Photo by Russell Spencer (Roman Bridge in Merida)

After breakfast, we will walk from the hotel to the nearby and world-famous Roman Bridge – the longest and oldest Roman bridge in the world at over 2,000 years old. It spans over a kilometer over the Guadiana River where we will look out for the Alpine, Pallid and Common Swifts that nest beneath our feet within the arches of the bridge. Hopefully, there will be Purple Swamphen, Little Bittern, Eurasian Penduline Tit and Cetti’s Warbler to watch and listen out for too. In the adjoining nearby park, we will look for Hoopoe, European Serin, Spotless Starling, White Stork, Glossy Ibis plus passing spring migrants.

Later, we will drop into the various reservoirs previously listed. All are within 40 minutes drive from Mérida and will hopefully supply us with sightings of returning migrants like Woodchat Shrike, Western Subalpine Warbler, Iberian Chiffchaff and various shorebird species. Plus, more Eurasian Black and Eurasian Griffon Vultures, Black-winged and Black Kites, Booted and Bonelli’s Eagles, European Red-rumped Swallow and many more.

When we get back to Mérida, after freshening up, we will have an optional short private cultural walk of the city.

Dinner & overnight in Mérida

Photo by Xabier Vazquez Pumarino (Alpine Swift)

After breakfast, we will stop off at an innocuous area of olive groves in the middle of a massive estate, hoping to find one of Extremadura’s most elusive birds – the rare Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin. They are the region’s latest arrivals in spring, so fingers crossed!

Thereafter, we will take a look at the Valle de la Jabata on the outskirts of the village of Alange. It is a rocky valley that is home to several rare orchid species. The birds here could include the usual vulture species, Golden and Short-toed Eagle, Eurasian Kestrel, Dartford Warbler, Thekla’s Lark, Iberian Magpie, Blue Rock Thrush and Black Wheatear. We will then visit a nearby bird hospital run by the charity AMUS to see how they recuperate injured raptors. This visit will be dependent on how busy the hospital is at the time of our visit.

We will then spend the remainder of the afternoon at the gorgeous Hornachos region. After lunch in the town, we will explore this mountainous sierra for Spanish Imperial, Golden, Bonelli’s and Booted Eagles plus Rock Sparrow, Rock Bunting and Crag Martin. It is also probably the best place in the whole of Extremadura to getting good close views of the nationally declining Black Wheatear. We will end the day at nearby Llera to watch for Iberian Green Woodpecker, Red-billed Chough and Spanish Imperial Eagle. It is also a site for the ultra-rare Iberian Lynx. If Lady Luck is on our side, we may get looks at this gorgeous cat.

Dinner & overnight in Mérida

Photo by Ruben Cebrian (Griffon and Black Vultures)

We will have an early start heading west of Mérida to La Serena to arrive there by 08:30. La Serena is a huge area of steppe land and is singularly the best place in Extremadura, perhaps in the whole of Spain, to see both bustard and sandgrouse species. In Castuera, which is part of La Serena, we will have further opportunities to search for the steppe specialties plus witness the colonies of breeding Montagu’s Harriers, for which La Serena has the highest density of breeding pairs of this graceful migrant raptor.

We will end our day exploring other sites within this vast area, watching for raptors in addition to the vultures like Spanish Imperial and Short-toed Eagles and Egyptian Vulture plus looking for Common Quail, Stone Curlew, Red-necked Nightjar, Whinchat, Blue Rock Thrush, Common Cuckoo and Red-billed Chough.

This will be a long day with a travel time of 1hour 50 minutes each way.

Dinner & overnight in Mérida

Photo by Valentin Fernandez Jimenez (Pin-tailed Sandgrouse)

After breakfast we will head north towards the historic medieval city of Cáceres. If we were to head straight to our accommodation situated near the heart of this small fabulous medieval city, it would be a journey time of approximately 1hour. Instead, on the way we will briefly call in at a couple of reservoirs and other spots where we will look for an array of species like nesting White Storks, European Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Iberian Grey and Woodchat Shrikes. Soaring over their heads could be Booted Eagles, Black Kites and vultures.

We will pop in the small village of Aldea Del Cana to visit their small lake, Charca de la Atalaya. Here, we will peer through the fence (it is on private land) to sift through the duck and waders that often gather there – if the water level is not too high. We could hope to see Black-tailed Godwit, Spotted Redshank, Ruff and perhaps a late Northern Pintail.

As we near Cáceres, we will pass through the adjoining town of Malpartida de Cáceres where we will stop for lunch at the Cafetería Museo Vostell with its resident Yoko Ono art installation, within the natural monument park called Los Barruecos. The general area features amazing landscape of rock formations together with artificial lakes that were once used by wool washers. It is also one of the locations for the filming of The Game of Thrones along with spots in both Trujillo and Cáceres. The birds here will include Black-winged Stilt, Iberian Grey Shrike, Thekla’s Lark and a White Stork breeding colony at the Humedal de la Cigüeña. There is also a good chance for migrant shorebirds like Common Greenshank, Common, Green and Wood Sandpipers.

After lunch we will leave Malpartida de Cáceres to get to the city of Cáceres. We will briefly pop into the city’s main park – Parque del Principe. It is apparently the most biodiverse and quietest urban park (in terms of traffic noise) in the whole of Spain! Here, we will look for Eurasian Wryneck, Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers that frequent the park as well as Hawfinch, the numerous and melliferous Common Nightingale, the super approachable and utterly adorable Iberian Magpie - they are perhaps the most confiding in the whole of Spain! Plus, scan for possible migrants like Western Subalpine Warbler and Pied Flycatcher.

We will then arrive at the hotel close to the city’s historic center. Looking up we will certainly be watching plenty of the screaming Pallid Swifts overhead and insect hunting Lesser Kestrels that breed in the picturesque Old City.

Dinner & overnight stay in Cáceres

Photo by Jeremiah Oden (Eurasian Hoopoe)

After breakfast we will head southeast to visit the plains and river valleys south of the historic town of Trujillo to enjoy the landscape. We will be on the lookout for more Great and Little Bustards, Pin-tailed and Black-bellied Sandgrouse, vultures and hopefully eagle species like Booted, Golden, Spanish Imperial and Short-toed. We will watch displaying Calandra Larks plus see Crested, Thekla’s and hopefully, returning Greater Short-toed Larks that are summer visitors to the region. We will also note flocks of Corn Bunting and Spanish Sparrow plus possible glances at the more unobtrusive Rock Sparrows.

We will enjoy lunch at Embalse de Alcollarín. It is a superb site that, itself, is worthy of a full day’s visit. During the winter the water’s surface can be coated with hundreds, sometimes thousands of ducks, plus plentiful Great Crested and Little Grebes. Most of these birds would have dissipated by our arrival but there may still be some left. The shoreline could harbour Black Storks, Eurasian Spoonbills, Great and Little Egrets and shorebirds like Wood Sandpiper and Black-winged Stilts. However, its fruitfulness will heavily depend on the water levels. The hinterland here is good for Thekla’s and Crested Larks, Hoopoe, Iberian Magpie and Woodchat Shrike.

We could end our day, cruising through near Campo Lugar scanning for grassland species, checking the Embalse de Sierra Brava for waterbirds and then taking a look at the nearby rice fields. It may be a hit or miss mission as some of the fields may be drained and ploughed by the time of our visit. However, others may still be wet and frequented by Black-headed Gulls, Gull-billed Terns, Ruff, Common Snipe, Black-winged Stilts, Collared Pratincoles, Kentish Plovers and other goodies including possible Whiskered Terns. We will play that visit by ear.

Dinner & overnight stay in Cáceres

Photo by Jeremiah Oden (Collared Pratincoles)

Our final full day will be spent birding in the iconic Monfragüe National Park. This magnificent area is a must-see for any visitor to Extremadura. And, not too far from our accommodation, it is only a 50-minute drive. However, we will stop along the way to look for European Turtle Dove, Spectacled and Western Orphean Warblers and wander through Dehesas hoping for vultures, Spanish Imperial and Short-toed Eagles, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Crag and Western House Martins, European Red-rumped Swallow, Mistle Thrush, Rock, Corn and Cirl Buntings, Hawfinch and Short- toed Treecreeper.

The famous hotspot in Monfragüe is Peña Falcon (Falcon Rock). It is an impressive natural feature and a superb site for watching all three regular species of vulture (Eurasian Black, Eurasian Griffon and small numbers of Egyptian) plus other raptors like Peregrine, Black Kite, Golden, Short- toed and Spanish Imperial Eagles. We will check the nearby Monfragüe Castle for any signs of the very scarce White-rumped Swift that breed in old European Red-rumped Swallow nests there. They are late migrants from Africa usually arriving in May. Regardless, from that lofty point we will also watch the vultures drift pass at close quarters and look for rock dwellers like Rock Bunting, Black Redstart and Blue Rock Thrush plus for woodland species such as Hawfinch, Firecrest and Crested Tit.

Dinner & overnight stay in Cáceres

Photo by David Lindo (Monfrague National Park)

After breakfast we will have a leisurely morning before checking out of the hotel and travelling back to Madrid--about a 3-hour drive--to catch your flight home.

Photo by David Alvarez (Rock Thrush)