Wild Dehesa

Birdwatching in Extremadura in October

Cranes arrive.

Arrival dates vary by year. Dusk roost flights are the best show.

Griffon Vulture and Spanish Imperial Eagle are easy to see in October. Common Crane and Great Bustard are arriving, leaving or harder to find.

Look for
  • First Common Cranes from northern Europe
  • Autumn colour in the oaks
  • Acorn season in the dehesa
Where to go
When eight key species are present in Extremadura, by month
SpeciesJFMAMJJASOND
Common CraneGrus grusJanuary: easy to seeFebruary: easy to seeMarch: arriving, leaving or harder to findApril: not presentMay: not presentJune: not presentJuly: not presentAugust: not presentSeptember: not presentOctober: arriving, leaving or harder to findNovember: easy to seeDecember: easy to see
Griffon VultureGyps fulvusJanuary: easy to seeFebruary: easy to seeMarch: easy to seeApril: easy to seeMay: easy to seeJune: easy to seeJuly: easy to seeAugust: easy to seeSeptember: easy to seeOctober: easy to seeNovember: easy to seeDecember: easy to see
Spanish Imperial EagleAquila adalbertiJanuary: easy to seeFebruary: easy to seeMarch: easy to seeApril: easy to seeMay: easy to seeJune: easy to seeJuly: easy to seeAugust: easy to seeSeptember: easy to seeOctober: easy to seeNovember: easy to seeDecember: easy to see
Great BustardOtis tardaJanuary: easy to seeFebruary: easy to seeMarch: easy to seeApril: easy to seeMay: arriving, leaving or harder to findJune: arriving, leaving or harder to findJuly: arriving, leaving or harder to findAugust: arriving, leaving or harder to findSeptember: arriving, leaving or harder to findOctober: arriving, leaving or harder to findNovember: easy to seeDecember: easy to see
Black StorkCiconia nigraJanuary: not presentFebruary: arriving, leaving or harder to findMarch: easy to seeApril: easy to seeMay: easy to seeJune: easy to seeJuly: easy to seeAugust: arriving, leaving or harder to findSeptember: not presentOctober: not presentNovember: not presentDecember: not present
Black KiteMilvus migransJanuary: not presentFebruary: arriving, leaving or harder to findMarch: easy to seeApril: easy to seeMay: easy to seeJune: easy to seeJuly: easy to seeAugust: easy to seeSeptember: arriving, leaving or harder to findOctober: not presentNovember: not presentDecember: not present
Egyptian VultureNeophron percnopterusJanuary: not presentFebruary: not presentMarch: arriving, leaving or harder to findApril: easy to seeMay: easy to seeJune: easy to seeJuly: easy to seeAugust: easy to seeSeptember: arriving, leaving or harder to findOctober: not presentNovember: not presentDecember: not present
European Bee-eaterMerops apiasterJanuary: not presentFebruary: not presentMarch: not presentApril: arriving, leaving or harder to findMay: easy to seeJune: easy to seeJuly: easy to seeAugust: easy to seeSeptember: arriving, leaving or harder to findOctober: not presentNovember: not presentDecember: not present
Easy to seeArriving, leaving or harder to findNot present

Timings move with weather and year. Always check recent sightings with a local guide.

Cranes are the headline this month. Read when and where to see cranes in Extremadura.

Planning a trip? See the three-day routes or the base in the Sierra de Gata.