1. THE COMARCA OF
MIAJADAS ‐ TRUJILLO
YOUR
BIRDING BASE IN
THE HEART OF
EXTREMADURA
Birding
Conservation
Accommodation
Conferences
Sustainable
Development
An Information Pack on accommodation and other
services in the district of Miajadas‐Trujillo in
Extremadura for the bird tourism sector

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REASONS TO GO BIRDING IN
EXTREMADURA....
UNIQUE LANDSCAPES
Marvel at landscapes that have
remained unchanged for generations, thanks
to traditional extensive land-use practices: the
seemingly endless cork and holm oak savannah
(”dehesa”) and the rolling steppes.
SURVIVING WILDERNESS
Visit one of the last wilderness
areas in Western Europe, where rocky
ravines and mountains provide a backdrop
to steppe and savannah, all incredibly rich in
wildlife. 41 Importnt Bird Areas occupy no
less than 74% of the region´s area (the
highest proportion of anywhere in Europe).
STRONGHOLD FOR RAPTORS
Be thrilled by so many raptors, in an area that hosts internationally
important populations and boats over 20 breeding species, including the
largest global concentrations of Black Vulture and is a stronghold for the
Spanish Imperial Eagle.
THE COMARCA OF MIAJADAS AND TRUJILLO

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REASONS TO GO BIRDING IN
EXTREMADURA....
AMAZING DIVERSITY
See, even in just a few days, one of the finest and most
comprehensive selections of Mediterranean Birds, including steppe,
woodland, scrub and wetland species, as well as alpine and northern species
in the mountains.
B R E A T H T A K I N G
SPECTACLES
Enjoy the sight of displaying Great
Bustards in spring, nesting Black Stork,
squadrons of Griffon Vultures and wheeling
flocks of Lesser Krestel. Birders in the
winter will be treated with huge
concentrations of common Crane,
representing no less than 75% of the European population.
SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Stay in one of the network of rural lodgings (”casas rurales”) or small
rural hotels wich provide a lifeline to the local village economies, so important
to maintain the viability of small communities and traditional livelihoods.
THE COMARCA OF MIAJADAS AND TRUJILLO

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REASONS TO GO BIRDING IN
EXTREMADURA....
EXCELLENT INFORMATION AND ACCESS
Use the excellent reference books available and help from local
guides to ensure that you make best use of your time. Reach the heart of
Extremadura in just two and half hours down the motorway from Madrid
airport, with good road access to all of the key birding areas.
BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC TOWNS
Enjoy the Roman
architecture, castles, medieval town
squares, the superbly conserved
building that track the fascinanting
history of the bithplace of the
Conquistadores, built from the
same granite that has created such
a rugged landscape.
A STRONG LOCAL COMMITMENT TO
CONSERVATION
Support, by your
presence, the local
commitment to conservation
and the futher development
of bird tourism in the area.
This is a visible expression of
the value of Extremadura´s
natural resources.
THE COMARCA OF MIAJADAS AND TRUJILLO

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YOUR BASE IN THE HEART OF
EXTREMADURA
Just two and a half hours drive from Madrid airport, you
reach the heart of Extremadura and excellent base for your birding holiday.
The beautiful small town of Trujillo lies in the centre of this area, with the
historic treasures of Cáceres, Mérida and Guadalupe all close by.
The most popular time to visit is spring (late March to late May) with
almost all summer migrants arriving before mid-April. The climate is excellent
for birding and the landscape wonderful with its flowers. However, good
birding can be had almost all of the year round.
The winter, in praticular, offers tremendous opportunities for biding.
There are large concentrations of
Common Crane, flocks of Great
Bustard, Little Bustards, as well as
both sandgrouse. Eagles take
advantage of fine late winter days
for aerial displays. On the wetlands
there are numbers of wintering
duck and waders, whilst species like
Black-winged Kite are much easier
to see then. The summer is the best
time to see White-rumped Swift, as
well as obliging juvenile Great
Spotted Cuckoos prior to their
migration at the end of July.
THE COMARCA OF MIAJADAS AND TRUJILLO

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EXTREMADURA....
Extremadura, the wildest, least developed and poorest region of Spain,
borders on Portugal. A hard climate, with extreme temperatures both in
winter and summer, and a poor soil, has until
very recently kept agricultural development at
a low ebb and the farming population
impoverished. It was from Extremadura that
men like Hernando Cortés and Francisco
Pizarro set out to make their fortune, or die in
the attempt, in a far-off New World that must
then have seemed as distant as the moon.
When the Conquistadors finally returned to
the towns and villages of their birth, covered
in blood, glory and gold, they built sumptuous
palaces and endowed churches and
monasteries with riches, a legacy which is still
visible today in the historic and attractive old
buildings that are a feature of the region.
This indeed is a part of Spain far from the
Mediterranean coast with its concrete beach
resorts, an area where the proud, traditional
Spanish way of life continues with only limited
outside influences.
Nowadays the lonely plains and hills of Extremadura
provide a last great refuge for some of Europe's
most spectacular birds. In recent years its wide
open expanses have become famous for their
remarkable populations of both Great and Little
Bustards, species which have declined drastically
over most of their range and which are now very
hard to find elsewhere in Western Europe.
THE COMARCA OF MIAJADAS AND TRUJILLO

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EXTREMADURA....
The arid plains are not just superb for bustards, but also provide a home
for Pin-tailed and Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Stone-curlews and numerous
larks. This is also undoubtedly the best place in Western Europe for raptors,
and the density is truly impressive. The star attraction is of course the Spanish
Eagle, formerly treated as a subspecies of the Imperial Eagle, but now usually
considered as a full species in its own right. Globally threatened, the Spanish
Eagle is, for all intents and purposes, endemic to Spain, where the population
is slowly recovering from near-extinction in the 1960s and 1970s. All the other
eagles found in Western
Europe occur here as well and
vultures are still quite
common; in particular we can
expect to see good numbers of
the huge Eurasian Black
Vulture.
In addition, small numbers of Black-shouldered Kites have colonized the
region. As well as bustards, sandgrouse and raptors, Extremadura holds a
number of other specialities including Red-necked Nightjar, Thekla Lark, Black
Wheatear and the delightful Iberian Azure-winged Magpie (a species now
recognized as specifically distinct
from its cousins in northeast Asia).
As well as these specialities,
Extremadura supports a great
wealth of more widespread
European species, including
prehistoric-looking Black Storks and
colourful Great Spotted Cuckoos,
European Bee-eaters, European
Rollers and Eurasian Golden
Orioles.
THE COMARCA OF MIAJADAS AND TRUJILLO

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YOUR BASE… IN EXTREMADURA
A network of rural lodgings “Casas Rurales” and small country
hotels “Hoteles Rurales” exist and they provide ideal accommodation
for those visitors looking for charm, character and a special friendly
environment.
The following pages give details of establishments are all close to
the best birding areas and cater especially for visiting birdwatchers.
Further information can be obtained by visiting their respective
websites.
Opening Spring 2005, this family house
is run for birders by an active birder,
Martin and his wife Claudia. The two-
hundred year old house is set in a
hectare of garden and olive groves at the edge of a small village and has six
double bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, as well as a library. Meals are
taken in a beautiful old wine cellar. It lies in easy reach of all the prime
birdwatching areas, as well as enjoying good birding in the garden and
immediate surroundings. Up-to-date local birding information is available
from the host, as well as guiding services if required. This homely setting is an
excellent place for independient visitors or small groups to stay.
Address: Lagar El Recuerdo, Pago San Clemente, 10200 Trujillo
Cáceres. Extremadura. Spain
Mobile: +34 609684719 (Martin)+34 609844631 (Claudia).
Tel: +34 927319349; E-mail: info@birdingextremadura.com
www.birdingextremadura.com; www.casaruralelrecuerdo.com
THE COMARCA OF MIAJADAS AND TRUJILLO

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Knowing the passion that
birdwatchers have for birds and their
requirements, Javier and Marisol have built
and equipped, close to Monfragüe Natural
Park, accommodation specifically for
birdwatching in Extremadura.
It is designed to offer birdwatchers rest after long days in the field, to
enjoy local traditional meals and the means to meet all of their information
needs (library, video, internet, maps). “El Tenado Country Cottage” has six en-
suite bedrooms and is the ideal base for birdwatching in Extremadura.
Address: Hernán Cortés, 10, E-10291, Aldea del Obispo. Cáceres.
Extremadura. Spain
Mobile: +34 679475955 (Javier)+34679475956 (Marisol).
Tel/Fax: +34 927311677; E-mail: birds@eltenado.com; www.eltenado.com
This country inn, run by Henri, is centrally
located in Extremadura to explore the region´s
magnificent variety of birds, unspoilt landscape
and mediaval towns. It lies just 14 km from
Trujillo on the road toward Guadalupe. Uk´s reputed bird-guides guarantee a
daily average of 85 species according to our five year experience. Finca Santa
Marta is converted from two farms which produced olive oil and wine, has 14
en-suite bedrooms, with meals served in the ancient olive oil mill with its 19th
century hand-driven olive press. Finca Santa Marta is a popular and well
established, long-standing base for bird tours, as well as those travelling
independently...
Address: Finca Santa Marta, Pago San Clemente, 10200 Trujillo
Cáceres. Extremadura. Spain
Tel: +34 927319203; Fax: +34 927334115; Mobile: +34 658914355 (Henri)
THE COMARCA OF www.fincasantamarta.com
E-mail: henri@facilnet.es MIAJADAS AND TRUJILLO

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Francisco is the owner of this seven
bedroom house and a birdwatcher
himself. “Las Canteras” has en-suite
double bedrooms and central heating.
Meals are taken in the huge porch,
which not only has impressive views of Trujillo, but also a wonderful
panorama of the steppes. Guests can watch, whilst at breakfast, a thriving
White Stork colony just few metres away, as well as birds like Great Bustard,
Montagu´s Harriers, Griffon Vultures, Black Vultures, Black stork and Rollers,
whilst a night traditional local cuisine will enjoyed. This working country estate
is set in the Plains of Trujillo and not very far away from the famous
Montfragüe Natural Park.
Address: Finca “Las Canteras”, Monroy Road, Km 6 Trujillo. Cáceres.
Extremadura. Spain
Mobile: +34 609861315 (Francisco).
E-mail: canteras@casarural.net; Web: www.casarural.net
Juan Pedro and Belén run this
attractive Rural Hotel located in the Sierra
of the Lagares, 10 kms from Trujillo. It is a
carefully restored small stately home with a
warm, conforrtable atmosphere. Their main goal is to make guests feel at
home and enjoy their stay to the full. It has got 8 double bedrooms with full-
equipped bathrooms, air conditioning, telephone, TV and minibar. There are
spectacularly beautiful views of the sierra of the Villuercas and the Trujillo
Plains together, with the historic town of Trujillo as centrepiece. With the
proximity of the Monfragüe Natural Park and other sites, there is a
Address: Ctra EX-208, Km 87,6, 10200 Trujillo Cáceres. Extremadura.
Spain
THE +34 927319350; Fax: +34 927319355; Mobile: +34 635604949 (Juan
Tel: COMARCA OF MIAJADAS AND TRUJILLO

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OTHER RURAL LODGINGS
NO SPECIALIZED IN BIRD TOURISM
Address: Pago San Clemente, 10200 Trujillo Cáceres. Extremadura. Spain
Tel: +34 927312093; Mobile: + 34660984412
E-mail: hackenbergd@aol.com; www.laflorentina.es
Address: Ctra Torrecillas de la Tiesa, 10252 Torrecillas de la Tiesa
Cáceres. Extremadura. Spain Mobile: +34 679960324
E-mail: casarural@suertedelosmozos.com; Web :
Address: Plaza de la Independencia 9, 10260 Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Cáceres. Extremadura. Spain Tel: +34 927342243; Mobile: +34 679442343
E-mail: casadelconde@gmail.com; Web: www.casadelconde.com
Address: Finca las Gamitas 10132 Almoharin Cáceres. Extremadura.
Spain
Mobile:+34 607805444 / +34 661375140
THE COMARCA OF MIAJADAS AND TRUJILLO

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OTHER RURAL LODGINGS
NO SPECIALIZED IN BIRD TOURISM
Address: Calle Palmera 1, 10290 Huertas de Animas (Trujillo) Cáceres.
Extremadura. Spain Tel: 927659209; Mobile: +34 650953137
E-mail:informacion@trujillo-rural.com; Web: www.trujillo-rural.com
Address: Plaza de la Constitución 15 y16, 10380 Jaraicejo Cáceres.
Extremadura. Spain Tel: +34 927336189; Mobile: +34 619803770
E-mail: montefragoso@gmail.com; Web: www.montefragoso.com
Address: Calle Real 75, 10210 Madroñera Cáceres. Extremadura. Spain
Tel: +34 927334262; Mobile:+34 615579464; Fax: 927319339
E-mail: soterrana@soterrana.com; Web : www.soterrana.com
Address: Plazuela de Aragón 2, 10200 Trujillo. Cáceres.
Extremadura. Spain. Tel: +34 927320243; Fax: +34 927659116
E-mail: hotel@isladelgallo.com; Web: www.isladelgallo.com
THE COMARCA OF MIAJADAS AND TRUJILLO

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Birdwatching & Nature tours in Extremadura
Birdwatching and Nature tours Services
offer possibility to make guides tours to
important birding sites like Monfragüe Natural
Park, Caceres-Trujillo plains, Villuerca-Ibores
District, or San Pedro Mountain....as well as
possibility to make specific trips if required.
More information: Tel: 0034 676784221
E-mail: info@extremadurabirds.net; www.extremadurabirds.net
Extremadura Birdwatching is a family company specialised in offering
you all the information and help you need to watch bird in Extremadura. This
includes information about species, the best sites, routes, trip reports,
bilingual guides, accommodation.
Aldea del Obispo. Cáceres. Extremadura. Spain
Tel: +34 927311677; Mobile: +34 679475955 (Javier)
E-mail: birds@eltenado.com; www.eltenado.com
THE COMARCA OF MIAJADAS AND TRUJILLO

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Birding Extremadura
The choice is yours….. guided day trips or fully inclusive tours…bed
and breakfast and evening meals.
Join us to enjoy some of Europe's most exciting birding in the heart of
Extremadura.
Martin Kelsey has been watching birds for about 40 years and across
five continents. Before settling in Spain, he did research on birds, worked for
BirdLife International and lived in South America and India.
Now based in
Extremadura with his wife,
Claudia and son Patrick,
Martin can provide guided
day trips, as well as
accommodation and fully
inclusive holidays based at
their country guesthouse
(Casa Rural El Recuerdo) just
outside Trujillo. Enjoy local
expert knowledge as well as
a warm friendly welcome,
with hospitality especially
Trujillo Cáceres. Extremadura. Spain
Tel: +34 927319349; Mobile: +34 609684631
E-mail: info@birdingextremadura.com; www.birdingextremadura.com
THE COMARCA OF MIAJADAS AND TRUJILLO

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LOCATION MIAJADAS AND TRUJILLO

16. THE COMARCA OF
MIAJADAS -
TRUJILLO
YOUR BIRDING BASE IN
THE HEART OF
EXTREMADURA