Monfragüe National Park

🇪🇸 Spain

🦌 Red Deer Haven in Monfragüe

🌍 #205 Global · 3.4 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #8 in Europe #17 in Desert & Scrub

Iberia, Spain 473 spp. recorded

Monfragüe National Park is a rugged expanse of Mediterranean scrub in the heart of the Iberian Peninsula, defined by ancient woodlands, dense thickets, and sheer quartzite crags rising above winding rivers. This protected terrain offers a distinct sanctuary for specialized flora and fauna adapted to hot, dry summers and rocky terrain.

39.859° N 6.024° W

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Griffon Vulture

Gyps fulvus

60–70% · Likely

Cinereous Vulture

Aegypius monachus

40–50% · Likely

Red Kite

Milvus milvus

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Red Deer

Cervus elaphus

70–80% · Very likely

Spotless Starling

Sturnus unicolor

60–70% · Likely

Eurasian Blackbird

Turdus merula

60–70% · Likely

Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs

60–70% · Likely

Sardinian Warbler

Curruca melanocephala

50–60% · Likely

European Serin

Serinus serinus

50–60% · Likely

Blue Tit

Cyanistes caeruleus

50–60% · Likely

Great Tit

Parus major

50–60% · Likely

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

50–60% · Likely

Large Psammodromus

Psammodromus algirus

50–60% · Likely

Eurasian Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

50–60% · Likely

Grey Heron

Ardea cinerea

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Red Deer

Cervus elaphus

70–80% · Very likely

Red Fox

Vulpes vulpes

20–30% · Possible

Egyptian Mongoose

Herpestes ichneumon

10–20% · Possible

Stone Marten

Martes foina

10–20% · With luck

Eurasian Otter

Lutra lutra

10–20% · With luck

Granada Hare

Lepus granatensis

10–20% · With luck

Common Hedgehog

Erinaceus europaeus

10–20% · With luck

Northern Small-spotted Genet

Genetta genetta

Insufficient data

Fallow Deer

Dama dama

Insufficient data

Western Roe Deer

Capreolus capreolus

Insufficient data

Greater Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus ferrumequinum

Insufficient data

European Badger

Meles meles

Insufficient data

⭐ Iconic Species

Griffon Vulture

Gyps fulvus

60–70% · Likely

Cinereous Vulture

Aegypius monachus

40–50% · Likely

Red Kite

Milvus milvus

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Spotless Starling

Sturnus unicolor

60–70% · Likely

Eurasian Blackbird

Turdus merula

60–70% · Likely

Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs

60–70% · Likely

Sardinian Warbler

Curruca melanocephala

50–60% · Likely

European Serin

Serinus serinus

50–60% · Likely

Blue Tit

Cyanistes caeruleus

50–60% · Likely

Great Tit

Parus major

50–60% · Likely

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

50–60% · Likely

Eurasian Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

50–60% · Likely

Grey Heron

Ardea cinerea

50–60% · Likely

House Martin

Delichon urbicum

40–50% · Likely

Eurasian Crag Martin

Ptyonoprogne rupestris

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Large Psammodromus

Psammodromus algirus

50–60% · Likely

Mediterranean Turtle

Mauremys leprosa

40–50% · Likely

Moorish Gecko

Tarentola mauritanica

30–40% · Possible

Viperine Snake

Natrix maura

30–40% · Possible

Ocellated Lizard

Timon lepidus

20–30% · Possible

Green Iberian Wall Lizard

Podarcis virescens

20–30% · Possible

Horseshoe Whip Snake

Hemorrhois hippocrepis

10–20% · Possible

Iberian False Smooth Snake

Macroprotodon brevis

Insufficient data

Ladder Snake

Zamenis scalaris

10–20% · With luck

Pond Slider

Trachemys scripta

0–10% · With luck

Montpellier Snake

Malpolon monspessulanus

Insufficient data

Iberian Grass Snake

Natrix astreptophora

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Iberian Green Frog

Pelophylax perezi

40–50% · Likely

Bosca's newt

Lissotriton boscai

40–50% · Possible

Giant Toad

Bufo spinosus

30–40% · Possible

Spanish Newt

Pleurodeles waltl

30–40% · Possible

Mediterranean Tree Frog

Hyla meridionalis

30–40% · Possible

Pygmy Marbled Newt

Triturus pygmaeus

30–40% · Possible

Fire Salamander

Salamandra salamandra

30–40% · Possible

Natterjack Toad

Epidalea calamita

20–30% · Possible

Iberian Spadefoot Toad

Pelobates cultripes

10–20% · Possible

Iberian Painted Frog

Discoglossus galganoi

10–20% · With luck

Iberian Midwife Toad

Alytes cisternasii

Insufficient data

Iberian Frog

Rana iberica

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🦌

Autumn Deer Rutting Season

SepNov

The park’s dense forests and open meadows provide an ideal setting for observing the dramatic rutting displays of Red Deer, a sound-rich spectacle.

Red Deer

Cervus elaphus

70–80% · Very likely

🐦

Vulture Feeding Stations

MarAprMay

Controlled carcass feeding stations attract hundreds of Griffon and Cinereous Vultures, offering unparalleled viewing opportunities in a natural setting.

Cinereous Vulture

Aegypius monachus

40–50% · Likely

Griffon Vulture

Gyps fulvus

60–70% · Likely

🐦

Spring Raptor Migration

MarAprMay

Monfragüe’s strategic location along the western European flyway makes it a hotspot for migrating raptors, including Black Kites and Honey Buzzards.

Black Kite

Milvus migrans

40–50% · Likely

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

30–40% · Possible

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

Griffon Vulture

40–50

60–70

60–70

80–90

70–80

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

Cinereous Vulture

20–30

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

30–40

30–40

30–40

30–40

30–40

40–50

30–40

60–70

50–60

40–50

20–30

20–30

20–30

0–10

10–20

10–20

40–50

50–60

40–50

70–80

70–80

50–60

70–80

60–70

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

80–90

Spotless Starling

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

80–90

Eurasian Blackbird

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

40–50

30–40

30–40

40–50

60–70

60–70

60–70

Sardinian Warbler

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

40–50

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

50–60

40–50

30–40

20–30

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

60–70

50–60

40–50

10–20

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

80–90

30–40

20–30

10–20

10–20

Large Psammodromus

20–30

10–20

40–50

60–70

70–80

40–50

50–60

20–30

30–40

30–40

40–50

20–30

Eurasian Goldfinch

40–50

40–50

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

40–50

40–50

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

Animal Events

🐦 Vulture Feeding Stations

🦌 Autumn Deer Rutting Season

🐦 Spring Raptor Migration

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Good

🦌 Red Deer Haven in Monfragüe

🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

3.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

334

🐒 Mammals

74

🦎 Reptiles

46

🐸 Amphibians

19

473 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

28 Threatened 9 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Very good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

3.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

60%

📊

Coverage (158 species at ≥5% of 473 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

33%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (10 bird, 1 mammal, 1 reptile)

47% Global avg

39%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

132 Global avg

113

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

14 Global avg

6

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

29

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