A wilderness and wildlife enclave of
international importance.
Within the heartlands of Andalucía, nestling within Malaga Province, is a wilderness
of outstanding natural beauty and importance. The Serranía de Ronda is a jewel
in the crown of natural Spain and still remains one of the many spectacular
wildernesses in Southern Spain.
It is an area rich in habitat diversity;
this provides an ever-changing landscape for those visiting the region. Of
course, such diversity in habitats produces a varied and remarkable wealth of
fauna and flora. Not least of the area’s attractions is the birdlife and with
around 250 species recorded, who can doubt it represents one of the principle
birding hotspots in Spain.
A rather simplistic breakdown of habitats
for the area will give you an idea of what the Serranía has to offer the
visitor.
1. Montane and Scrub
Predominant habitat. The Penibaetic Range of mountains dips its toes
into the Mediterranean on the eastern side of Gibraltar and into the Atlantic
to Gibraltar’s western seaboard. It is as dramatic as it is stunning. The
Serranía de Ronda and Sierra de Grazalema are situated amidst the limestone
peaks. The area’s highest peak is Torrecilla at 1,919 metres. To the southwest
of the Serranía the mountains are sandstone. The habitats of the area are
varied and include sheer limestone cliffs, pine woods (P.sylvestris, P.pinaster), Spanish Fir (Abies pinsapo), grasslands, scrub and oak (Q.rotundifolia, Q.suber) woods. Amongst the flora there are several
endemic species.
2. Steppe and Agricultural
areas
Generally extensive and undulating, largely treeless and dry areas
dominated by grassland habitats. These areas include large proportions of
agricultural land. Sheep, cattle and goats graze grassland areas. Many of the
agricultural areas are farmed in a traditional way using rotational cropping
methods. Agricultural areas are diverse and range from rotational cereals to
modern intensive winter wheat production. We also have large areas of fruit
production, vineyards and both almond and olive groves. In the east of the
range there are large areas given to the production of chestnuts and these
woodlands are often mixed with oak such as Quercus
rotundifolia.
3. Woodland and Dehesa
The area contains some impressive and extensive mixed woodland.
Larger woodland is mostly the cork oak Quercus
suber, but often contain other oak species. Oak are an import tree for the
area and apart from the production of cork the variety of oak also provide
acorns to feed large numbers of black pigs, which are the source of the area’s
famed cured jamons. Although there is pine forest these tend to be associated
more with higher montane areas. Dehesa is a description for open woodland or
more correctly trees scattered over open grasslands and scrub type vegetation.
These areas are often grazed by cattle, sheep and goats and can be very
productive for birds.
4. Wetland (rivers, pools and
reservoirs)
It is probably overstating the term wetland, but the marginal
habitats of various rivers, pools and reservoirs do constitute wetland areas in
an otherwise dry area. Of course the presence of water in such an arid
landscape is an obvious attraction to many breeding species of bird as well as
those on migration. Two major river systems the Genal and Guadiaro are
constantly with water and a focus for specialist species such as the elusive Western
Olivaceous Warbler and other sought after local birds. The reservoir at Zahara
is the only large surface area of water in the area and is only rarely of any
interest for birdlife. It does however provide a good site for White-rumped
Swift!
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| Zahara Reservoir |
Note: The Rio Guadiaro is probably the most interesting of our ‘wetland’
areas. It acts as a major highway for spring and autumn migrants. The river
enters the Mediterranean near Gibraltar and is an obvious choice of route for
many species of passerine and raptor.
The bird community of the Serranía is particularly rich and breeding
birds include, to name but a few, Golden Aquila chrysaetos, Bonelli’s Hieraaetus
fasciatus, Booted H.pennatus and
Short-toed Circaetus gallicus Eagles,
Griffon Gyps fulvus and Egyptian Neophron percnopterus Vultures,
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus,
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni, Eagle
Owl Bubo bubo, White-rumped Apus caffer, Alpine A.melba and Pallid A.pallidus
Swifts, Blue Rock Thrush Monticola
solitarius, Rock Thrush Monticola
saxatilis, Black Wheatear Oenanthe
leucura, Black Redstart Pheonicurus
ochruros, Chough Pyrrhocorax
pyrrhocorax, Rock Sparrow Petronia
petronia, Rock Bunting Emberiza cia
and Crossbill Loxia curvirostra. The
Serranía and its surroundings include three major natural parks, Sierra de las
Nieves (declared Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1995), Sierra de Grazalema
(declared Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1977) and Los Alcornocales a richly
wooded park and declared ZEPA reserve (zone of especial protection for the
birds).
The Serranía de Ronda and Sierra de
Grazalema, is unique and an important area for European birds. Not only is the
area rich in breeding species, as previously mentioned some four different
species of eagle nest here, but also because of its’ close proximity to the
Strait of Gibraltar (only 14 kilometres from North Africa). It is an extremely
important feeding area for migrant birds of western and northern Europe. Recent
research has shown the importance of the area to several breeding species under
threat. Such birds as Golden Eagle A.
chrysaetos, Bonelli’s Eagle H.
fasciatus, Egyptian Vulture N.
percnopterus, Peregrine Falcon F.
peregrinus, Black Wheatear O. leucura,
Rock Thrush M. saxatilis, Orphean
Warbler Sylvia hortensis and Chough P. pyrrhocorax, are all classified by
the World Conservation Union (UICN) as being under varying danger levels of
extinction.
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| Bonelli's Eagle adult |
Mounting pressures upon natural areas, from various interests,
increase the need for knowledge and case building to protect this most
important area. For me it has been depressing, although challenging, to have
begun a research programme, where very little is available historically to use
as a beginning, or by way of comparing with my own results. Once I began
though, there were some very encouraging finds to my work i.e. a local healthy
and still viable population of Bonelli’s Eagle H. fasciatus, despite local hunting interests! Note: Bonelli's
Eagle. Perhaps the highest breeding density in Europe is here within the
Serranía and Sierras.
Your support of ornithological tourism in
the Serranía and Sierra will, I am certain, help raise the profile and
importance for the need to protect the natural wonders of this unique area. Local
people are far more likely to protect and preserve wildlife, if it can generate
real income and contribute more fully to the local economy.
Birding map of the area.
