Picos de Europa National Park
🇪🇸 Spain
🦅 Griffon Vultures Soar Over PicosPicos de Europa National Park is a rugged limestone mountain range in northern Iberia, rising steeply near the Atlantic coast. Deep gorges, ancient beech woods, and high meadows define this temperate forest sanctuary, separating it from standard alpine reserves through its dramatic maritime proximity and sheer sea-facing cliffs.
43.186° N 4.960° W
Wildlife
⭐ Iconic Species
★ 
Griffon Vulture
Gyps fulvus
★ 
Pyrenean Chamois
Rupicapra pyrenaica
★ 
Common Wall Lizard
Podarcis muralis
📊 Most Spotted
Eurasian Blackbird
Turdus merula
European Robin
Erithacus rubecula
Black Redstart
Phoenicurus ochruros
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebs
Red-billed Chough
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
White Wagtail
Motacilla alba
Great Tit
Parus major
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapilla
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Iberian Rock Lizard
Iberolacerta monticola
Fire Salamander
Salamandra salamandra
Carrion Crow
Corvus corone
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Red Deer
Cervus elaphus
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
Western Roe Deer
Capreolus capreolus
Brown Bear
Ursus arctos
Wild Boar
Sus scrofa
Eurasian Red Squirrel
Sciurus vulgaris
Spanish Ibex
Capra pyrenaica
European Wildcat
Felis silvestris
European Badger
Meles meles
Gray Wolf
Canis lupus
European Snow Vole
Chionomys nivalis
Lesser Horseshoe Bat
Rhinolophus hipposideros
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Eurasian Blackbird
Turdus merula
European Robin
Erithacus rubecula
Black Redstart
Phoenicurus ochruros
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebs
Red-billed Chough
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
White Wagtail
Motacilla alba
Great Tit
Parus major
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapilla
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Carrion Crow
Corvus corone
Eurasian Wren
Troglodytes troglodytes
Alpine Chough
Pyrrhocorax graculus
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Iberian Rock Lizard
Iberolacerta monticola
Seoane's Viper
Vipera seoanei
Slow Worm
Anguis fragilis
Western Green Lizard
Lacerta bilineata
Smooth Snake
Coronella austriaca
Ocellated Lizard
Timon lepidus
Iberian Grass Snake
Natrix astreptophora
Iberian Emerald Lizard
Lacerta schreiberi
Viperine Snake
Natrix maura
Viviparous Lizard
Zootoca vivipara
Large Psammodromus
Psammodromus algirus
📊 Most Spotted
Fire Salamander
Salamandra salamandra
Alpine Newt
Ichthyosaura alpestris
Giant Toad
Bufo spinosus
Palmate Newt
Lissotriton helveticus
Common Midwife Toad
Alytes obstetricans
Galician Common Frog
Rana parvipalmata
Gold-striped salamander
Chioglossa lusitanica
Marbled Newt
Triturus marmoratus
Iberian Frog
Rana iberica
Iberian Tree Frog
Hyla molleri
Recent sightings in Picos de Europa National Park
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
1Alpine Chough Flocking
Alpine Choughs gather in large, noisy flocks on sunny winter days, often near high-altitude villages, to forage on snow-free patches and roost in cliff crevices.
2Griffon Vulture Nesting Cliff Displays
Griffon Vultures perform aerial courtship displays and nest-building on sheer limestone cliffs, with soaring pairs visible against the peaks during spring migration.
3Fire Salamander Breeding
Fire Salamanders emerge after rain to breed in clear mountain streams, their black-and-yellow patterns standing out on damp forest floors.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Alpine Chough Flocking
- 2Griffon Vulture Nesting Cliff Displays
- 3Fire Salamander Breeding
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
A few Great Spotted Woodpeckers were seen, unlike their Iberian Green cousins, which were only heard, but couple of Red-backed Shrike families, including young with still short tails gave us some superb views near one of our car parks, especially to Gill when she returned early on a couple of occasions for a rest!
Nice to see, but it did serve as a reminder of the species that we had missed - notably Snowfinch, Golden Eagle (these are apparently rare here), Water Pipit and Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush.
Again they advised that it was worth returning to the spot we had been in for about 1700 as Wallcreeper would come again once the cliffs in question went into shade.
On the trail to see if we were able to spot any Wallcreepers we soon began to see the first Northern Wheatear that were catching insects to feed their chicks.
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Picos de Europa National Park?
The most likely sightings are Griffon Vulture (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Common Wall Lizard (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Pyrenean Chamois (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Eurasian Blackbird (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), European Robin (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers) — among 381 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit Picos de Europa National Park for wildlife?
June has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.
Can you see Griffon Vulture in Picos de Europa National Park?
Yes — about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Griffon Vulture sighting in Picos de Europa National Park, based on 1,365 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Pyrenean Chamois in Picos de Europa National Park?
Yes — about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Pyrenean Chamois sighting in Picos de Europa National Park, based on 150 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Common Wall Lizard in Picos de Europa National Park?
Yes — about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Common Wall Lizard sighting in Picos de Europa National Park, based on 260 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
GoodHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
Very goodHow likely to see animals?
Experience
GoodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
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