Aigüamolls L'Empordà Natural Park

Natural Park & Wetland · Spain

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Photo © Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE

Photo © Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE — CC BY-SA 4.0 — Source: Wikimedia Commons

Where the Pyrenean foothills descend toward the Mediterranean coast, shallow marshes and brackish lagoons sprawl across the Empordà plain in northeastern Catalonia, creating one of the Iberian Peninsula's most productive wetland complexes. This 137-square-kilometre natural park encompasses reed beds, open water, salt marshes, and scrubland mosaics that shift with the seasons and tidal rhythms of the nearby Gulf of Roses. The landscape's ecological richness stems from its position at the crossroads of two bioclimatic zones: temperate influences from the north meet Mediterranean aridity from the south, generating conditions that sustain dense populations of migratory waterfowl, wading birds, and raptors. Reed warblers and other marsh songbirds breed among the phragmites beds, while the open waters support diving ducks, cormorants, and grebes. Small mammals and reptiles exploit the intermediate scrub zones, and birds of prey patrol the wider marsh plain, hunting across the wetland mosaic that has made this corner of the Costa Brava ecologically significant far beyond its compact size.

For wildlife photographers and bird enthusiasts, the Empordà marshes deliver rewards across two distinct seasons. Autumn and winter transform the reserve into a staging ground for continental migrants: wading birds arrive in spectacular flocks to exploit the shallow lagoons' invertebrate abundance, while predatory birds concentrate here to feed on the influx of prey species. Spring brings breeding birds returning from Africa, their plumage fresh and behavioural activity intense—ideal for capturing territorial displays and courtship. The park's network of hides and observation points grants intimate access to the wetland without disturbance, and the low, open terrain ensures unobstructed views during dawn and dusk when light is optimal. A visit demands patience and an early start, but the combination of ecological diversity, photographic opportunity, and the distinctly Catalan landscape beyond the marshes—with the Pyrenees visible on clear days—makes this lesser-known park essential for anyone seeking authentic Mediterranean wetland wildlife beyond the crowded reserves of central Europe.

Website parcsnaturals.gencat.cat/ca/aiguamolls-emporda

Greater Flamingo

Phoenicopterus roseus

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

African Sacred Ibis

Threskiornis aethiopicus

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

Tachymarptis melba

Aquatic Warbler

Acrocephalus paludicola

Ichthyaetus audouinii

Baillon's Crake

Zapornia pusilla

Baird's Sandpiper

Calidris bairdii

Balearic Shearwater

Puffinus mauretanicus

Bar-tailed Godwit

Limosa lapponica

Hirundo rustica

Branta leucopsis

Bearded Reedling

Panurus biarmicus

Bearded Vulture

Gypaetus barbatus

Phoenicurus ochruros

Chlidonias niger

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Black-legged Kittiwake

Rissa tridactyla

Black-necked Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis

Black-tailed Godwit

Black-throated Loon

Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Blue Rock Thrush

Monticola solitarius

Luscinia svecica

Bonelli's Eagle

Aquila fasciata

Hieraaetus pennatus

Fringilla montifringilla

Broad-billed Sandpiper

Calidris falcinellus

Melopsittacus undulatus

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Calidris subruficollis

Melanocorypha calandra

Branta canadensis

Larus cachinnans

Hydroprogne caspia

Cetti's Warbler

Emberiza cirlus

Carduelis citrinella

Citrine Wagtail

Motacilla citreola

Collared Flycatcher

Ficedula albicollis

Collared Pratincole

Glareola pratincola

Common Blackbird

Common Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus collybita

Cuculus canorus

Somateria mollissima

Common Firecrest

Regulus ignicapilla

Common Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

Common Grasshopper Warbler

Locustella naevia

Common Greenshank

Tringa nebularia

Falco tinnunculus

Common Kingfisher

Linaria cannabina

Common Merganser

Mergus merganser

Gallinula chloropus

Common Nightingale

Luscinia megarhynchos

Common Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

Coturnix coturnix

Common Redshank

Common Redstart

Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Common Reed Bunting

Emberiza schoeniclus

Common Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus scirpaceus

Common Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticula

Common Rock Thrush

Monticola saxatilis

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

Melanitta nigra

Common Shelduck

Tadorna tadorna

Gallinago gallinago

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Estrilda astrild

Common Whitethroat

Curruca communis

Common Wood Pigeon

Columba palumbus

Emberiza calandra

Galerida cristata

Lophophanes cristatus

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

Dartford Warbler

Calidris alpina

Prunella modularis

Phylloscopus fuscatus

Eastern Red-rumped Swallow

Cecropis daurica

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Egyptian Vulture

Neophron percnopterus

Eleonora's Falcon

Falco eleonorae

Eurasian Bittern

Botaurus stellaris

Eurasian Blackcap

Sylvia atricapilla

Eurasian Blue Tit

Cyanistes caeruleus

Eurasian Bullfinch

Pyrrhula pyrrhula

Eurasian Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs

Eurasian Collared Dove

Streptopelia decaocto

Eurasian Crag Martin

Ptyonoprogne rupestris

Eurasian Curlew

Numenius arquata

Eurasian Dotterel

Eudromias morinellus

Eurasian Eagle-Owl

Eurasian Golden Oriole

Oriolus oriolus

Garrulus glandarius

Eurasian Magpie

Eurasian Nuthatch

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus

Eurasian Penduline Tit

Remiz pendulinus

Eurasian Scops Owl

Eurasian Siskin

Eurasian Skylark

Alauda arvensis

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Accipiter nisus

Eurasian Spoonbill

Platalea leucorodia

Eurasian Stone-curlew

Burhinus oedicnemus

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Passer montanus

Eurasian Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

Eurasian Wigeon

Mareca penelope

Eurasian Woodcock

Scolopax rusticola

Troglodytes troglodytes

Eurasian Wryneck

European Golden Plover

Pluvialis apricaria

European Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

European Green Woodpecker

European Greenfinch

Chloris chloris

European Herring Gull

Larus argentatus

European Honey Buzzard

Pernis apivorus

European Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeus

European Pied Flycatcher

Ficedula hypoleuca

European Red-rumped Swallow

Cecropis rufula

Erithacus rubecula

European Roller

Coracias garrulus

Serinus serinus

Gulosus aristotelis

European Stonechat

Saxicola rubicola

European Storm Petrel

Hydrobates pelagicus

European Turtle Dove

Streptopelia turtur

Ferruginous Duck

Franklin's Gull

Leucophaeus pipixcan

Mareca strepera

Spatula querquedula

Plegadis falcinellus

Regulus regulus

Aquila chrysaetos

Great Black-backed Gull

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatus

Great Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus arundinaceus

Stercorarius skua

Gallinago media

Great Spotted Cuckoo

Clamator glandarius

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocopos major

Greater Short-toed Lark

Calandrella brachydactyla

Greater Spotted Eagle

Greater White-fronted Goose

Anser albifrons

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropus

Pluvialis squatarola

Motacilla cinerea

Griffon Vulture

Gull-billed Tern

Gelochelidon nilotica

Coccothraustes coccothraustes

Passer domesticus

Iberian Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus ibericus

Iberian Green Woodpecker

Iberian Grey Shrike

Lanius meridionalis

Icterine Warbler

Hippolais icterina

Lymnocryptes minimus

Anarhynchus alexandrinus

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Lesser Grey Shrike

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Dryobates minor

Lesser Yellowlegs

Tringa flavipes

Botaurus minutus

Egretta garzetta

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Hydrocoloeus minutus

Calidris minuta

Sternula albifrons

Long-billed Dowitcher

Limnodromus scolopaceus

Long-tailed Tit

Aegithalos caudatus

Anas platyrhynchos

Aix galericulata

Marmaronetta angustirostris

Marsh Sandpiper

Tringa stagnatilis

Anthus pratensis

Mediterranean Gull

Ichthyaetus melanocephalus

Melodious Warbler

Hippolais polyglotta

Falco columbarius

Turdus viscivorus

Myiopsitta monachus

Montagu's Harrier

Circus pygargus

Moustached Warbler

Acrocephalus melanopogon

Cairina moschata

Northern Bald Ibis

Geronticus eremita

Northern Gannet

Northern Lapwing

Vanellus vanellus

Northern Pintail

Northern Shoveler

Spatula clypeata

Northern Wheatear

Oenanthe oenanthe

Ortolan Bunting

Emberiza hortulana

Pandion haliaetus

Pacific Golden Plover

Pluvialis fulva

Circus macrourus

Parasitic Jaeger

Stercorarius parasiticus

Pectoral Sandpiper

Calidris melanotos

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Recurvirostra avosetta

Pink-backed Pelican

Pelecanus rufescens

Pink-footed Goose

Anser brachyrhynchus

Pomarine Jaeger

Stercorarius pomarinus

Pygmy Cormorant

Microcarbo pygmaeus

Loxia curvirostra

Calidris canutus

Phalaropus fulicarius

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

Red-billed Chough

Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

Red-crested Pochard

Red-footed Falcon

Falco vespertinus

Red-legged Partridge

Red-necked Grebe

Podiceps grisegena

Red-necked Nightjar

Caprimulgus ruficollis

Red-throated Loon

Red-throated Pipit

Anthus cervinus

Richard's Pipit

Anthus richardi

Turdus torquatus

Ring-necked Duck

Aythya collaris

Callonetta leucophrys

Petronia petronia

Corvus frugilegus

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Psittacula krameri

Tadorna ferruginea

Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

Calidris pugnax

Riparia riparia

Thalasseus sandvicensis

Sardinian Warbler

Curruca melanocephala

Locustella luscinioides

Scopoli's Shearwater

Calonectris diomedea

Acrocephalus schoenobaenus

Short-eared Owl

Short-toed Snake Eagle

Circaetus gallicus

Short-toed Treecreeper

Certhia brachydactyla

Slender-billed Gull

Chroicocephalus genei

Plectrophenax nivalis

Sociable Lapwing

Vanellus gregarius

Turdus philomelos

Spectacled Warbler

Curruca conspicillata

Spotless Starling

Sturnus unicolor

Porzana porzana

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

Spotted Redshank

Tringa erythropus

Ardeola ralloides

Taiga Bean Goose

Anthus campestris

Temminck's Stint

Calidris temminckii

Terek Sandpiper

Galerida theklae

Anthus trivialis

Aythya fuligula

Tundra Bean Goose

Anser serrirostris

Cygnus columbianus

Melanitta fusca

Anthus spinoletta

Rallus aquaticus

Western Barn Owl

Western Black-eared Wheatear

Oenanthe hispanica

Western Bonelli's Warbler

Phylloscopus bonelli

Western Cattle Egret

Western House Martin

Delichon urbicum

Western Jackdaw

Coloeus monedula

Western Marsh Harrier

Circus aeruginosus

Western Orphean Warbler

Curruca hortensis

Western Reef Heron

Egretta gularis

Western Subalpine Warbler

Curruca iberiae

Western Swamphen

Porphyrio porphyrio

Western Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flava

Saxicola rubetra

Chlidonias hybrida

Ciconia ciconia

White-cheeked Pintail

Anas bahamensis

White-winged Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus

Phylloscopus trochilus

Tringa glareola

Phylloscopus sibilatrix

Woodchat Shrike

Lullula arborea

Yelkouan Shearwater

Puffinus yelkouan

Yellow-browed Warbler

Phylloscopus inornatus

Yellow-legged Gull

Larus michahellis

Emberiza citrinella

Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

Rattus norvegicus

Common Fallow Deer

Genetta genetta

Common Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus pipistrellus

Myocastor coypus

Daubenton's Myotis

Myotis daubentonii

Eurasian Wild Pig

European Badger

Lepus europaeus

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Greater Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus ferrumequinum

Greater White-toothed Shrew

Crocidura russula

Mustela nivalis

Long-tailed Field Mouse

Apodemus sylvaticus

Short-tailed Field Vole

Microtus agrestis

West European Hedgehog

Erinaceus europaeus

Western Red Deer

Western Roe Deer

Capreolus capreolus

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