Useful tips for your Birding experience in Tarifa

There are more and more fans of ecotourism and to ecological tourism. Bird watching is an activity that is gradually gaining strength and is achieving a significant boom throughout Europe.

In Spain alone, it is estimated that around ten million people demand this type of tourism (mainly including fans from other countries such as Germany or the United Kingdom).

The truth is that ornithological tourism is located within the standards of the Observation Tourism. A form of tourism where interested parties respond to a common objective, interest in bird watching and photography. A hobby that has a multitude of natural spaces and areas SEO Birdlife spread throughout Spain.

Tarifa, the home of birds

Tarifa and its entire natural environment is one of the ideal places for bird watching. It is a municipality in Spain (the closest to the Strait of Gibraltar) with a privileged geographical location, beautiful beaches and beautiful natural spaces.

It is one of the places where one of the greatest spectacles of the Western animal kingdom takes place: the bird migration.

Its proximity to Africa makes it a paradise for birds and a transit area for many of them. The large number of birds that fly over the skies of Tarifa throughout the year is impressive. 

The epicenter of ornithological tourism

Without a doubt, Tarifa is the epicenter of ornithological tourism in Spain and ecotourism. He "birding” is an activity that is already part of the essence of the municipality and over time it has specialized in this type of tourist experiences.

Its specialization in the sector has meant that it already has a significant number of agencies that serve as guides for visitors interested in bird watching. Also, different institutions for the protection of species that contribute to their conservation.

To give you an idea, Tarifa not only receives national visitors, but hundreds of tourists come from all over Europe, Japan and the United States. The fact that there are species that are not found in other parts of the world is a great attraction. 

British, Dutch and other amateurs are excited to discover all the existing species to observe and capture in photographs. 

Birding in Tarifa and the Strait Natural Park

Every year, thousands of fans Birding in Tarifa, visit the facilities of the Strait Natural Park. This natural park is a maritime-terrestrial space that is located between the municipalities of Algeciras and Tarifa. 

Considered the southernmost protected area in Spain, it has 18,910 hectares. Furthermore, it is only 14 kilometers away from the African continent. The natural park is right at the junction of two seas: the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Therefore, it is a mandatory step for seabirds.

Another curious fact is that the park area is a thermal zone. A unique aspect of nature in Europe, so it is very common to see the passing and posing of African species on their way to colonizing the European continent.

Most common species

Among the most common species that you will find in Tarifa, we highlight the Orange Bulbul and the Moorish Swift. They are very common in the areas of the Estrecho Natural Park. 

There are many other species that generate a very unique and extraordinary spectacle, ideal for birding fans.

To get to the places where tourists gather to watch birds, without any type of setback and in a comfortable way, the most advisable thing for tourists is to opt for rent a car, since you should not miss the bird show, anywhere. 

Choose the best time of year

Although it is possible to see Tarifa throughout the year, the truth is that there are only two times in which tourism crowds the municipality: during migration in autumn and during breeding in the spring season (as in other places such as Doñana).

During the fall, flocks of birds fly through the skies of Tarifa. It is the time when more than 350,000 birds of prey and 160,000 storks migrate to North Africa. The White stork It is one of those travelers, a particularly unmistakable bird.

Another of the most emblematic for ornithological tourism is the black stork. A rare and very elusive bird from the tourist's eye, since it rests and makes its nests far from the close presence of humans. Nowadays it has become one of the most exotic attractions in the Tarifa area. 

On a route through the Alcornocales

He Alcornocales Natural Park (Tarifa) is another of the best places for bird watching in Tarifa. Currently, several environments have been set up for birds. One of the largest protected areas in Andalusia with rich biodiversity.

Among the birds of African species that have established themselves in the Alcornocales are the Moorish swift and the Kaffir swift. Also other species such as the Moorish buzzard and the spotted vulture. 

Among the favorite and most sought-after species of birding lovers are: carramón, carraca, flamingos, little bustard and lesser. 

Finally, we cannot forget the great landscape and natural beauty of the Alcornocales. This makes it one of the perfect places to carry out other types of activities such as mountain bike tour.

Ecotourism in Tarifa

When talking about the birding experiences, reference is also being made to ecotourism. Tarifa, along with the entire province of Cádiz in general, is an area with privileged characteristics to carry out this type of specialized tourism. 

Tarifa has become a benchmark and an essential meeting point for sports and nature lovers. The fact of having two natural spaces (the Estrecho Natural Park and the Alcornocales Natural Park), where millions of birds settle posing in the eyes of tourists, has made it a benchmark for ecotourism in Spain. .

Other experiences to discover 

All the activities offered for the enjoyment of visitors go hand in hand with the care and admiration of the ecosystem that reigns in the area. 

Whoever goes to Tarifa can enjoy water and outdoor sports, such as hiking, kitesurfing, mountain biking, surfing, diving, segway routes, paintball, whale watching and one of the most requested activities by family groups that visit the place: horseback riding. 

Regarding Segway routes, an activity that is gaining more followers every day, there are a large number of routes that can be done within the municipality (especially in rural areas). 

For beach sports, the best are the paradisiacal ones: Bologna and Valdevaqueros, where kitesurfing and windsurfing fans, among others, usually gather. 

As you have seen, there are many reasons to visit Tarifa and enjoy some magnificent days of ecotourism. What are you waiting for to go birding in Tarifa?