Doñana National Park

National Park · Spain

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Photo © Gabriela Coronado Hernández

Photo © Gabriela Coronado Hernández — CC BY-SA 4.0 — Source: Wikimedia Commons

Where the Guadalquivir River delta spreads into the Atlantic, vast marshes, cork woodlands, and coastal dunes converge to create one of southwestern Europe's most biodiverse wetland ecosystems. Doñana National Park, straddling the Andalusian coast near Hinojos, is a mosaic of habitats shaped by seasonal flooding and the interplay of freshwater and saltwater systems. The park's marshes come alive each winter as water levels rise, transforming grasslands into shallow lagoons that support enormous congregations of migratory waders, waterfowl, and birds of prey drawn by the abundance of fish and invertebrates. Beyond the wetlands, pine forests and Mediterranean scrub provide breeding grounds for woodland songbirds and small predators, while the sandy coastline and dunes host specialized plant communities adapted to salt spray and shifting substrates. This ecological complexity—rare at such a scale in the Mediterranean region—makes Doñana a continental crossroads where African migrants meet European residents and Arctic-breeding species find crucial wintering habitat.

For wildlife photographers and birdwatchers, Doñana's appeal lies in the sheer density and diversity of sightings possible within a single visit. Winter months bring peak numbers of migratory waders and dabbling ducks, while spring offers chances to observe breeding birds of prey, marsh specialists, and passerines in full plumage. The park's gentle, open landscapes provide excellent visibility across water and grassland, and the low-angle light of dawn and dusk transforms the marshes into a landscape of silver and gold. Guided visits and established viewpoints offer reliable access to the park's main habitats without disturbing sensitive breeding and feeding areas, making Doñana accessible even to travelers with limited time. The combination of abundance, accessibility, and scenic drama ensures that few European wetlands deliver such consistent rewards for the camera and binoculars.

Website miteco.gob.es/es/red-parques-nacionales/nuestros-parques/donana

Spanish Imperial Eagle

Aquila adalberti

Eurasian Eagle-Owl

Greater Flamingo

Phoenicopterus roseus

Egyptian Vulture

Neophron percnopterus

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

White-headed Duck

Oxyura leucocephala

Falco tinnunculus

Spotless Starling

Sturnus unicolor

Anas platyrhynchos

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus

Iberian Grey Shrike

Lanius meridionalis

Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

Gallinula chloropus

Plegadis falcinellus

Eurasian Spoonbill

Platalea leucorodia

Egretta garzetta

European Stonechat

Saxicola rubicola

Northern Shoveler

Spatula clypeata

Western Marsh Harrier

Circus aeruginosus

Western Cattle Egret

Red-knobbed Coot

Fulica cristata

Yellow-legged Gull

Larus michahellis

Galerida cristata

Eurasian Magpie

Common Redshank

Passer domesticus

Marmaronetta angustirostris

Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatus

Ardeola ralloides

Hieraaetus pennatus

Western Swamphen

Porphyrio porphyrio

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Black-necked Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

Erithacus rubecula

Red-legged Partridge

Spanish Sparrow

Passer hispaniolensis

Griffon Vulture

Cyanopica cooki

Eurasian Collared Dove

Streptopelia decaocto

Tachybaptus ruficollis

European Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

Mediterranean Short-toed Lark

Alaudala rufescens

Common Shelduck

Tadorna tadorna

Northern Pintail

Estrilda astrild

Western Barn Owl

Calidris minuta

Sternula albifrons

Calidris canutus

Eurasian Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs

Bar-tailed Godwit

Limosa lapponica

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Galerida theklae

Serinus serinus

Eurasian Blackcap

Sylvia atricapilla

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Dryobates minor

European Turtle Dove

Streptopelia turtur

Eurasian Stone-curlew

Burhinus oedicnemus

Bonelli's Eagle

Aquila fasciata

Cetti's Warbler

Common Blackbird

Black-headed Weaver

Ploceus melanocephalus

European Greenfinch

Chloris chloris

Common Wood Pigeon

Columba palumbus

Linaria cannabina

Short-toed Treecreeper

Certhia brachydactyla

Ciconia ciconia

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

Collared Pratincole

Glareola pratincola

Hirundo rustica

Phoenicurus ochruros

Luscinia svecica

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Chlidonias hybrida

Sardinian Warbler

Curruca melanocephala

Western House Martin

Delichon urbicum

Common Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus scirpaceus

Thalasseus sandvicensis

European Red-rumped Swallow

Cecropis rufula

Hydroprogne caspia

Greater Short-toed Lark

Calandrella brachydactyla

Northern Wheatear

Oenanthe oenanthe

Riparia riparia

Pluvialis squatarola

European Golden Plover

Pluvialis apricaria

Woodchat Shrike

Montagu's Harrier

Circus pygargus

Pandion haliaetus

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

Common Greenshank

Tringa nebularia

Mareca strepera

Common Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticula

Gallinago gallinago

Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

Eurasian Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

Short-toed Snake Eagle

Circaetus gallicus

Black-tailed Godwit

Emberiza calandra

Recurvirostra avosetta

Calidris alpina

Common Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus collybita

Anthus pratensis

Red-crested Pochard

Northern Lapwing

Vanellus vanellus

Gull-billed Tern

Gelochelidon nilotica

Common Nightingale

Luscinia megarhynchos

Slender-billed Gull

Chroicocephalus genei

Ichthyaetus audouinii

Anarhynchus alexandrinus

Pin-tailed Sandgrouse

Pterocles alchata

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropus

Short-eared Owl

Botaurus minutus

Red-necked Nightjar

Caprimulgus ruficollis

Saxicola rubetra

Tringa glareola

Melanocorypha calandra

Great Spotted Cuckoo

Clamator glandarius

Circus macrourus

Greater White-fronted Goose

Anser albifrons

Melanitta nigra

Sterna dougallii

Yellow-crowned Bishop

Branta bernicla

Anser caerulescens

Pink-footed Goose

Anser brachyrhynchus

Tundra Bean Goose

Anser serrirostris

Melanitta fusca

Long-tailed Duck

Clangula hyemalis

Baillon's Crake

Zapornia pusilla

Long-billed Dowitcher

Limnodromus scolopaceus

Phalaropus fulicarius

Red-necked Phalarope

Phalaropus lobatus

White-winged Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus

Thalasseus elegans

European Herring Gull

Larus argentatus

Pomarine Jaeger

Stercorarius pomarinus

Red-throated Loon

African Sacred Ibis

Threskiornis aethiopicus

Eudocimus ruber

Eurasian Bittern

Botaurus stellaris

Greater Spotted Eagle

Isabelline Shrike

Lanius isabellinus

Western Olivaceous Warbler

Common Grasshopper Warbler

Locustella naevia

Amandava amandava

Richard's Pipit

Anthus richardi

Bar-headed Goose

American Flamingo

Phoenicopterus ruber

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Tadorna ferruginea

Rallus aquaticus

Calidris pugnax

Mediterranean Gull

Ichthyaetus melanocephalus

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Accipiter nisus

Eurasian Blue Tit

Cyanistes caeruleus

Eurasian Crag Martin

Ptyonoprogne rupestris

Long-tailed Tit

Aegithalos caudatus

Dartford Warbler

European Pied Flycatcher

Ficedula hypoleuca

Motacilla cinerea

Cairina moschata

Ferruginous Duck

Aythya fuligula

Coturnix coturnix

Lesser Flamingo

Phoeniconaias minor

Eurasian Curlew

Numenius arquata

Eurasian Woodcock

Scolopax rusticola

Great Black-backed Gull

Balearic Shearwater

Puffinus mauretanicus

Northern Gannet

Northern Bald Ibis

Geronticus eremita

Cinereous Vulture

Aegypius monachus

Aquila chrysaetos

Common Kingfisher

Eurasian Wryneck

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocopos major

Iberian Green Woodpecker

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Psittacula krameri

Garrulus glandarius

Red-billed Chough

Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax

Western Jackdaw

Coloeus monedula

Lophophanes cristatus

Eurasian Penduline Tit

Remiz pendulinus

Lullula arborea

Eurasian Skylark

Alauda arvensis

Moustached Warbler

Acrocephalus melanopogon

Spectacled Warbler

Curruca conspicillata

Common Firecrest

Regulus ignicapilla

Regulus regulus

Troglodytes troglodytes

Eurasian Nuthatch

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Turdus philomelos

Turdus viscivorus

Turdus torquatus

Blue Rock Thrush

Monticola solitarius

Petronia petronia

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Passer montanus

Prunella modularis

Anthus spinoletta

Coccothraustes coccothraustes

Eurasian Bullfinch

Pyrrhula pyrrhula

Loxia curvirostra

Eurasian Siskin

Emberiza cirlus

Common Reed Bunting

Emberiza schoeniclus

Bearded Reedling

Panurus biarmicus

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

Spatula querquedula

Temminck's Stint

Calidris temminckii

Eurasian Wigeon

Mareca penelope

Yellow-browed Warbler

Phylloscopus inornatus

Porzana porzana

Spotted Redshank

Tringa erythropus

Stercorarius skua

Chlidonias niger

Ortolan Bunting

Emberiza hortulana

Western Reef Heron

Egretta gularis

European Roller

Coracias garrulus

Eurasian Golden Oriole

Oriolus oriolus

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

European Storm Petrel

Hydrobates pelagicus

Melodious Warbler

Hippolais polyglotta

Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin

Cercotrichas galactotes

Common Rock Thrush

Monticola saxatilis

Western Subalpine Warbler

Curruca iberiae

Western Black-eared Wheatear

Oenanthe hispanica

Tachymarptis melba

Cuculus canorus

Eurasian Scops Owl

Western Bonelli's Warbler

Phylloscopus bonelli

Phylloscopus trochilus

Iberian Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus ibericus

Locustella luscinioides

Western Orphean Warbler

Curruca hortensis

Common Whitethroat

Curruca communis

Common Redstart

Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Anthus campestris

Anthus trivialis

Eastern Red-rumped Swallow

Cecropis daurica

Branta leucopsis

Ring-necked Duck

Aythya collaris

Lymnocryptes minimus

Falco columbarius

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

European Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeus

European Honey Buzzard

Pernis apivorus

Eurasian Dotterel

Eudromias morinellus

Parasitic Jaeger

Stercorarius parasiticus

Pectoral Sandpiper

Calidris melanotos

Lesser Crested Tern

Thalasseus bengalensis

Hydrocoloeus minutus

Black-legged Kittiwake

Rissa tridactyla

Leach's Storm Petrel

Hydrobates leucorhous

Acrocephalus schoenobaenus

Fringilla montifringilla

Western Red Deer

Common Fallow Deer

Lepus granatensis

European Badger

Genetta genetta

Southwestern Water Vole

Arvicola sapidus

West European Hedgehog

Erinaceus europaeus

Greater White-toothed Shrew

Crocidura russula

Suncus etruscus

Western Roe Deer

Capreolus capreolus

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