Parque Natural del Estrecho — Attraction in Tarifa

The Parque Natural del Estrecho affords legal protection to the narrow strip of land and several sierras that overlook the Straits of Gibraltar between Algeciras in the east and Zahara de los Atunes in the west.

The Natural Park encompasses such ornithologically significant sites or areas as the Sierra de Plata, Los Lances beach, La Cazalla and the CIMA migration observation watchpoints, and the Isla de Tarifa, among others.

Birders and birding tour groups, both national and international, flock to this area at migration times, particularly in the autumn. This is mainly to witness the spectacle of the mass migration of raptors and other soaring birds between August and October. Thousands of birds can be seen on a daily basis, the identity and variety of which depends on the weather conditions and the timing of your visit. Huge flocks of Black Kites and Honey Buzzards can be seen descending from the hills to make the short journey southward across the straits, with hundreds of White Storks, smaller groups of Black Storks, steady streams of Egyptian Vultures, Booted Eagles, Short-toed Eagles and more. Swifts, Bee-eaters and some other passerines also join in the fun.

Birding In Spain have been organizing birding tours to this area since 2011, both in the spring and the autumn. However, it’s not all about standing at migration watchpoints. Within reach there are a number of breeding birds which are unique or rare at the European level, including breeding colonies of Little Swifts and Northern Bald Ibis, plus the only Common Bulbuls to have bred in Europe (but not every year), and interesting species such as Spanish Imperial Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, Montagu’s Harrier, Red-necked Nightjar, Collared Pratincole, Black-winged Kite, and more.

Bear in mind though, that this is not an untouched landscape. The park is surrounded by wind turbines of all ages, the beaches are popular resorts especially with windsurfers and increasingly dog-walkers. And the main road, the N-340, well what can I say? It’s most definitely not a birder-friendly road, with almost nowhere to pull off if you spot something interesting as you’re driving along, it’s almost always busy, and depending on where you want to turn off left you may have to drive further along before turning round and then coming back and turning off right. Nevertheless, any birder who is in Europe and is interested in seeing migration in action should visit this area at least once in his or...

There's plenty of ways to spend time here without spending money. Stroll along the great beaches. Check out the Miradors with views of the mountains of Morocco just a few km away. Watch the kite surfers doing amazing stunts. Look for birds on their annual migrations between the two continents. Expect it to be windy - it will be difficult to sit and relax outside because you will be getting the wind from one...

Turn off at Pelayo from the Tarifa coastal road. Follow the signs (Sendero) towards the power turbines and park up before you reach them. At the first turbine turn left and follow the track towards the sea to find old military structures and amazing views. Or follow the road to the highest turbines for a panoramic view of the strait and Africa. For best results plan your trip when there is a westerly...