Vehicle
asphalt
Bird habitats you will find in this area:
We start the route at the Bird Centre in Torrejón el Rubio, heading along the EX-208 towards Monfragüe passing below the castle to reach Salto del Gitano (o.p. 01) in front of the impressive rocky cliff of Peña Falcón. Here is the largest viewable colony of Griffon Vulture in the park. Black Stork, Spanish Imperial, Golden and Bonelli’s Eagles, Peregrine Falcon, Egyptian Vulture and Eurasian Eagle Owl can be seen here. Pay attention as well to small birds such as White-rumped Swift and Black Wheatear.
We continue along the road on the northern side of the ridge to Villarreal de San Carlos, where the park’s visitor centre is located.
We continue until we take a right turn on the road signposted Saltos de Torrejón to proceed to the Tajadilla viewpoint (o.p. 02) close to the Torrejón-Tiétar dam, where there is a hide, picnic area and ample parking. Opposite is a cliff allowing good observations of Griffon and Egyptian Vultures, Bonelli’s Eagle, Black Stork and White-rumped Swift, as well as other small birds such as Iberian Magpie and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.
After crossing the dam of the Torrejón-Tiétar reservoir, we stop at the Báscula viewpoint (o.p. 03), a good place to see Cinereous Vulture and, with luck, Spanish Imperial Eagle. We continue to the Higuerilla viewpoint (o.p. 04) which provides a beautiful panoramic view of the Tiétar River. On the hillside opposite Cinereous Vulture breed and we may see Black Stork and Egyptian Vulture.
Finally, we arrive at the Tiétar gorge (o.p. 05), at the northeast exit of the park. Although more modest in size than Peña Falcón, it is the other hot spot in Monfragüe for Griffon Vulture, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Eurasian Eagle Owl (the best place in the park) and Egyptian Vulture. Although the proposed route ends here, we can continue to La Bazagona along this road that first runs through an old cork oak forest where Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Iberian Chiffchaff breed. Beyond that is an area of dehesa favoured by red deer during the rut and a colony of White Stork and Grey Heron to the west, beside the Tiétar River. The final part of dehesas and irrigated crops is of great interest in autumn and winter due to the presence of Common Cranes and occasionally Brambling
Heritage: Monfragüe Castle, Cardenal Bridge (sometimes submerged under the waters of the Tagus) and cave paintings, for which there are specific guided tours.
Nettle-tree of Lugar Nuevo: unique tree next to Villarreal de San Carlos, in the Ojaranzo orchard, with a circular route and a small picnic area.
Interpretation centres: in Villarreal de San Carlos and in Torrejón el Rubio.
The deer rut: the spectacular rut of the deer in early autumn.
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.
