Regional Park of the Catalan Pyrenees

Nature Reserve · France

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Photo © Alan Mattingly

Photo © Alan Mattingly — CC BY-SA 4.0 — Source: Wikimedia Commons

Where granite peaks thrust skyward above cloud-laden valleys, a wild tapestry of Mediterranean and alpine ecosystems interweaves across the Franco-Spanish frontier. These Pyrenean slopes harbour extraordinary ecological complexity—sun-scorched limestone plateaus give way to beech and fir forests that cloak the mountainsides in emerald, while rushing torrents carve through shadowed gorges where humidity nurtures rare plant communities. From lowland oak woodlands to windswept summit grasslands touching 2,700 metres, the park encompasses an astonishing range of microclimates and microbiology that few European reserves can match.

This is essential terrain for serious wildlife photographers and ornithologists. Golden eagles command the thermals, while lammergeiers—those magnificent bone-breaking vultures—patrol the crags with prehistoric grace. Spring migration transforms the valleys into a symphony of songbirds, while autumn brings dramatic gatherings of raptors funnelling southward. The quality of light filtering through morning mist over forested ravines rewards early risers, and the park's thoughtfully managed access ensures you can position yourself where wildlife congregates without sacrificing wilderness character.

Bearded Vulture

Gypaetus barbatus

Aquila chrysaetos

Eurasian Eagle-Owl

Griffon Vulture

Ciconia ciconia

Northern Wheatear

Oenanthe oenanthe

Western House Martin

Delichon urbicum

Common Rock Thrush

Monticola saxatilis

Common Redstart

Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Saxicola rubetra

Anthus trivialis

Hirundo rustica

Common Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus collybita

Eurasian Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs

Erithacus rubecula

Anas platyrhynchos

Passer domesticus

Common Blackbird

Loxia curvirostra

Turdus viscivorus

Prunella modularis

Garrulus glandarius

White-throated Dipper

Cinclus cinclus

Eurasian Nuthatch

Lophophanes cristatus

Eurasian Blue Tit

Cyanistes caeruleus

European Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

Eurasian Bullfinch

Pyrrhula pyrrhula

Long-tailed Tit

Aegithalos caudatus

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocopos major

Short-toed Treecreeper

Certhia brachydactyla

Regulus regulus

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Accipiter nisus

Eurasian Magpie

Troglodytes troglodytes

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Poecile palustris

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

Common Firecrest

Regulus ignicapilla

Common Wood Pigeon

Columba palumbus

Eurasian Treecreeper

Certhia familiaris

Black Woodpecker

Dryocopus martius

Yellow-legged Gull

Larus michahellis

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Egretta garzetta

Pyrrhocorax graculus

Eurasian Collared Dove

Streptopelia decaocto

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Passer montanus

Iberian Green Woodpecker

Eurasian Wryneck

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Dryobates minor

Coturnix coturnix

Falco tinnunculus

Eurasian Crag Martin

Ptyonoprogne rupestris

Turdus torquatus

Short-toed Snake Eagle

Circaetus gallicus

Eurasian Skylark

Alauda arvensis

Carduelis citrinella

European Stonechat

Saxicola rubicola

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

Eurasian Golden Oriole

Oriolus oriolus

Eurasian Blackcap

Sylvia atricapilla

Serinus serinus

Linaria cannabina

Anthus spinoletta

Hieraaetus pennatus

Turdus philomelos

Alpine Accentor

Prunella collaris

Lullula arborea

European Honey Buzzard

Pernis apivorus

European Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeus

Egyptian Vulture

Neophron percnopterus

Eurasian Siskin

Tadorna ferruginea

Western Bonelli's Warbler

Phylloscopus bonelli

Emberiza calandra

Emberiza cirlus

European Pied Flycatcher

Ficedula hypoleuca

Red-crested Pochard

Common Nightingale

Luscinia megarhynchos

Western Subalpine Warbler

Curruca iberiae

European Greenfinch

Chloris chloris

Emberiza citrinella

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Cuculus canorus

Tachymarptis melba

Aix galericulata

Sardinian Warbler

Curruca melanocephala

Woodchat Shrike

Western Marsh Harrier

Circus aeruginosus

Common Kingfisher

Coccothraustes coccothraustes

Phylloscopus trochilus

Melodious Warbler

Hippolais polyglotta

Western Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flava

Bar-headed Goose

Spatula querquedula

Common Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

Red-legged Partridge

Rallus aquaticus

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatus

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropus

Common Redshank

Pandion haliaetus

Montagu's Harrier

Circus pygargus

Eurasian Scops Owl

European Roller

Coracias garrulus

Middle Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocoptes medius

Eleonora's Falcon

Falco eleonorae

Iberian Grey Shrike

Lanius meridionalis

Western Jackdaw

Coloeus monedula

Corvus frugilegus

Galerida cristata

Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

Dartford Warbler

Tichodroma muraria

Blue Rock Thrush

Monticola solitarius

White-winged Snowfinch

Montifringilla nivalis

Anthus pratensis

Fringilla montifringilla

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Northern Shoveler

Spatula clypeata

Great Spotted Cuckoo

Clamator glandarius

European Turtle Dove

Streptopelia turtur

Gallinula chloropus

Black-necked Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Eurasian Dotterel

Eudromias morinellus

Northern Lapwing

Vanellus vanellus

Gallinago gallinago

Tringa glareola

Calidris pugnax

Chlidonias niger

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Mediterranean Gull

Ichthyaetus melanocephalus

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Plegadis falcinellus

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

Ardeola ralloides

Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

Cinereous Vulture

Aegypius monachus

European Green Woodpecker

Red-footed Falcon

Falco vespertinus

Falco columbarius

Eurasian Penduline Tit

Remiz pendulinus

Bearded Reedling

Panurus biarmicus

Riparia riparia

Cetti's Warbler

Acrocephalus schoenobaenus

Common Grasshopper Warbler

Locustella naevia

Western Orphean Warbler

Curruca hortensis

Spectacled Warbler

Curruca conspicillata

Anthus campestris

Ortolan Bunting

Emberiza hortulana

Common Reed Bunting

Emberiza schoeniclus

Branta canadensis

Common Shelduck

Tadorna tadorna

Eurasian Wigeon

Mareca penelope

White-cheeked Pintail

Anas bahamensis

Northern Pintail

Aythya fuligula

Western Capercaillie

Tetrao urogallus

Porzana porzana

Common Gallinule

Gallinula galeata

Greater Flamingo

Phoenicopterus roseus

Eurasian Stone-curlew

Burhinus oedicnemus

Recurvirostra avosetta

European Golden Plover

Pluvialis apricaria

Common Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticula

Eurasian Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

Eurasian Curlew

Numenius arquata

Lymnocryptes minimus

Eurasian Woodcock

Scolopax rusticola

Common Greenshank

Tringa nebularia

Calidris alpina

Calidris minuta

Collared Pratincole

Glareola pratincola

Sternula albifrons

Gull-billed Tern

Gelochelidon nilotica

Thalasseus sandvicensis

Slender-billed Gull

Chroicocephalus genei

Black-throated Loon

Eurasian Spoonbill

Platalea leucorodia

Eurasian Bittern

Botaurus stellaris

Spanish Imperial Eagle

Aquila adalberti

Bonelli's Eagle

Aquila fasciata

Circus macrourus

Western Barn Owl

Aegolius funereus

Eurasian Pygmy Owl

Glaucidium passerinum

Short-eared Owl

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Psittacula krameri

Great Grey Shrike

Lanius excubitor

Galerida theklae

Greater Short-toed Lark

Calandrella brachydactyla

Eastern Red-rumped Swallow

Cecropis daurica

Great Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus arundinaceus

Aquatic Warbler

Acrocephalus paludicola

Common Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus scirpaceus

Spotless Starling

Sturnus unicolor

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

Plectrophenax nivalis

Marmota marmota

Eurasian Red Squirrel

Sciurus vulgaris

Eurasian Wild Pig

European Badger

Common Fallow Deer

Pyrenean Desman

Galemys pyrenaicus

Lesser Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus hipposideros

Long-tailed Field Mouse

Apodemus sylvaticus

European Fat Dormouse

Lepus europaeus

Southern Chamois

Rupicapra pyrenaica

West European Hedgehog

Erinaceus europaeus

European Pine Marten

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Myocastor coypus

Mustela nivalis

European Wildcat

Felis silvestris

Mustela erminea

Greater White-toothed Shrew

Crocidura russula

Greater Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus ferrumequinum

Rattus norvegicus

European Garden Dormouse

Eliomys quercinus

Southwestern Water Vole

Arvicola sapidus

Daubenton's Myotis

Myotis daubentonii

Common Whiskered Myotis

Myotis mystacinus

Kuhl's Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus kuhlii

Common Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus pipistrellus

Brown Long-eared Bat

Plecotus auritus

Savi's Pipistrelle

European Snow Vole

Chionomys nivalis

Short-tailed Field Vole

Microtus agrestis

Microtus arvalis

Ondatra zibethicus

Yellow-necked Field Mouse

Apodemus flavicollis

Western Mediterranean Mouse

Lesser White-toothed Shrew

Crocidura suaveolens

Eurasian Pygmy Shrew

Schreibers's Long-fingered Bat

Miniopterus schreibersii

Bechstein's Myotis

Myotis bechsteinii

Long-fingered Myotis

Myotis capaccinii

Geoffroy's Myotis

Myotis emarginatus

Escalera's Myotis

Myotis escalerai

Natterer's Myotis

Myotis nattereri

Nyctalus noctula

Nathusius's Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus nathusii

Soprano Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus pygmaeus

Western Barbastelle

Barbastella barbastellus

Gray Long-eared Bat

Plecotus austriacus

Alpine Long-eared Bat

Plecotus macrobullaris

Eurasian Particolored Bat

Vespertilio murinus

Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus euryale

European Polecat

Mustela putorius

Alcathoe Whiskered Myotis

Myotis alcathoe

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