Vehicle and bicycle(optional)
Asphalt and greenway trail
Bird habitats you will find in this area:
We begin at the Jayona Mine natural monument (o.p. 01) visiting its interpretation centre and taking the guided tour of the site, in which a microclimate has been formed in which birds such as Tawny and Eurasian Eagle Owls, and Red-rumped Swallow live. Then we go to Llerena to visit its urban SPA, with an important colony of Lesser Kestrel in the church of Nuestra Señora de la Granada (o.p. 02) and other birds such as Common Swift and Western Jackdaw.
Leaving the town we follow a paved track that takes us to the Arroyo Conejos reservoir, through a landscape of cereal crops with good chances to see steppe birds such as Montagu’s Harrier, Great Bustard and Black-bellied Sandgrouse, for which we can make a stop (o.p. 03) on the way. We continue to the reservoir dam (o.p. 04) where, depending on the time of year, various species of water birds can be observed, and there is a Common Crane roost in winter.
We return along the track to head to Maguilla, stopping at a road entrance (o.p. 05) to check the dehesa and look for some typical birds of this habitat such as Iberian Magpie, Eurasian Hoopoe and Black-winged Kite. Then we continue along the road and at the intersection with the BA-027 we head west for 3.5 km (kilometre post 13), where we can stop at the entrance of a road (o.p. 06) to see a power line to the south with pylons having nesting boxes occupied, during the breeding season, by several pairs of European Roller and Lesser Kestrel, and where Montagu’s Harriers can also be seen.
Returning to the BA-086 towards Maguilla, we go through the town to continue towards Azuaga, crossing an extensive area of cereal crops ideal for steppe birds such as the Little and Great Bustards, Calandra and Greater Short-toed Lark etc. We can stop at the entrances to the roads and then follow a dirt track (o.p. 07) in good condition that will take us to the BA-016, with good possibilities of seeing different steppe birds in the area, stopping again on the way (o.p. 08).
Once in Azuaga we visit the church of Nuestra Señora de la Consolación (o.p. 09), where there is an important colony of Lesser Kestrel and other birds such as Common and Pallid Swifts. Finally, we return towards Llerena to a rest area where the Jayona mine greenway begins.
The Jayona mine: in Fuente del Arco, natural monument with free guided tour.
Historical sites: Llerena and Azuaga, two heritage jewels of the province of Badajoz.
Mina la Jayona greenway: 20 km on the old railway line enjoy by bicycle or on foot.
Roman site of Reina: spectacular theatre and Roman city of Regina Turdulorum.
Birds that remain in the territory all year round.
Breeding birds that stay in the territory during spring and summer, migrating to their wintering grounds at the end of summer.
Birds that do not breed in Extremadura but spend the autumn and winter months here.
Birds that use the region as a stopover area, migrating from their breeding grounds north of Extremadura to their wintering areas further south.
