By vehicle and on foot
asphalt, dirt track and cross country
Bird habitats you will find in this area:
We begin the route in Cuacos heading to the Yuste monastery (o.p. 01) around which provides our first observations of forest birds: Hawfinch, Golden Oriole, European Robin, Common Chaffinch, Great and Blue Tits, Short-toed Treecreeper, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Jay, Mistle Thrush, Long-tailed Tit, Blackcap, Carrion Crow… Once we have passed the forest we enter an area of open country with low scrub (o.p. 02) where it is possible to see Black-eared Wheatears and Thekla Lark, to then continue through cherry and olive groves, which in winter hold Song Thrush and Redwing, and occasionally Brambling. Further on we cross the Mayor Gorge (o.p. 03), ideal for looking for White-throated Dipper and Grey Wagtail.
After the town of Garganta la Olla we continue towards Piornal along a winding road through Pyrenean oak forest. Above a certain altitude (o.p. 04) you begin to hear the abundant Western Bonelli’s Warbler and the scarcer Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Pied Flycatcher (better in areas with old trees), and birds of prey such as European Honey Buzzard or Eurasian Sparrowhawk. Once we reach the Piornal Pass, the section on foot begins on the first track on the right, crossing a cattle grid, although we can first visit the small pine forest (o.p. 05) located about 500 m to the left to look for Iberian Magpie, Coal and Crested Tits, Firecrest and sporadically Common Crossbill during the breeding season, and during the winter other species too like Goldcrest, Eurasian Siskin and occasionally Brambling and Fieldfare. Around the pine forest Common Whitethroat is also present and Garden Warbler and Iberian Chiffchaff have occasionally bred.
On the section on foot, we cross a landscape of heaths and brooms among scattered Pyrenean oaks (o.p. 06) where in spring it is easy to see Dunnock, Woodlark, Common Nightingale, Eurasian Wren, Dartford, Western Subalpine and Melodious Warblers, Ortolan and Rock Buntings. In front of the Villa Martín house (o.p. 07) you can find Spectacled Warbler and even Common Rock Thrush on the rocks to the south. In the summer, Lesser Kestrels come up to hunt in this area and in August and September, Montagu’s Harriers pass through. From here the path to the left takes us to the Piornal reservoir, with the rock formation of Peña Negra (o.p. 08) to which we will ascend cross-country. There we can see Common and Blue Rock Thrushes, Spectacled Warbler, Black Redstart, Common Kestrel and perhaps other birds of prey such as Eurasian Sparrowhawk, European Honey Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Hobby, Booted and Short-toed Eagles. There are an increasing number of sightings of Bearded Vultures thanks to the reintroduction programme in the Sierra de Gredos.
There are an increasing number of sightings of Bearded Vultures thanks to the reintroduction programme in the Sierra de Gredos.
Historical sites: In La Vera: Villanueva de La Vera, Valverde de La Vera, Cuacos de Yuste, Pasarón de La Vera and Garganta la Olla. And in the Jerte Valley: Cabezuela del Valle.
Yuste Monastery: Located in the La Vera region is the Yuste monastery, known as the retreat of Emperor Charles V. Open every day.
Garganta de los Infiernos: It is the best-known protected area in the north of Cáceres, with Los Pilones as its talismanic landscape.
Jarramplas: Every year, on January 20, this ancient festival classified as being of national tourist interest is celebrated.
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.
