Birdwatching in Tarifa, Spain

Tarifa, in the south of Spain, is a true paradise for nature lovers—especially when it comes to birdwatching in Tarifa. Along the narrow strait between Europe and Africa, countless birds can be observed up close. During my observations, I was able to experience an impressive variety of species—a truly unforgettable encounter with nature.

The town of Tarifa

Endless beaches, pleasant temperatures, and a quiet yet lively little town—that’s what I associate with Tarifa. When I think of the town, positive feelings immediately come to mind. With fewer than 20,000 inhabitants, the place feels manageable and relaxed, at least in October when I was there. In the summer months, the scene might look quite different.

What particularly stands out is the Castillo de Guzmán, which towers above the town near the harbor.

A walk through the old town of Tarifa is definitely worth it. Small shops and cozy restaurants shape the atmosphere, inviting you to linger, stroll through the narrow streets, and casually strike up conversations. This vibe is hardly comparable to the hustle and bustle of European metropolises like Berlin, London, or Paris.

Of course, when visiting Tarifa, there are often other attractions on people’s minds: the town is especially popular with wind- and kitesurfers and is considered one of the best spots in Europe—or maybe even in the world.

Well, I’m not a wind- or kitesurfer myself. What fascinated me about Tarifa was something else: its unique location on the Strait of Gibraltar. The town holds a special geographical significance, as Tarifa is considered the southernmost point of mainland Europe.

The small, rocky island of Isla de las Palomas off the coast marks this southern tip. From there, it’s only about 14 kilometers to Morocco, that is, to Africa. This proximity makes Tarifa exciting not only for travelers but also for countless migratory birds that use the strait as an important passage.

In addition, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean meet here. This unique location creates an abundant food supply for whales and dolphins off the coast of Tarifa. Pilot whales, common dolphins, and bottlenose dolphins are regularly seen, and with a bit of luck, even fin whales or sperm whales. The waters off Tarifa therefore offer plenty of opportunities for impressive wildlife sightings.

But at the heart of this article is the birdlife—because birdwatching in Tarifa is one of the most remarkable nature experiences in the region. Even on walks not far from the town center, you can discover an astonishing variety of bird species.

At this point, I should mention that I wasn’t there at the best time for birdwatching in Tarifa. Since I can only travel during the autumn holidays, my timing was a bit limited.

Nevertheless, Tarifa in October still invites you to linger. The water still seems pleasant, and I saw plenty of visitors on the beach. You can relax on the sand, go wind- or kitesurfing, sit in one of the cafés, or simply take a long stroll along the sea.

During the day, the sea shone in a beautiful blue. There were occasional rain showers and some clouds in the sky, but overall, I was very lucky with the weather in October.

Even though I wasn’t there at the ideal time for birdwatching in Tarifa, I was still able to spot quite a few birds. Two places, in particular, stood out to me: the El Estrecho Natural Park, which is easily accessible on foot, and Playa de los Lances. Alongside countless spotless starlings, I also saw many European stonechats—birds I rarely get to see. For the locals, they might be nothing special, but for me, they were quite remarkable.

On another day, I took a trip to Barbate, where I also came across some beautiful and interesting bird species.

Overall, I really enjoyed Tarifa, and I could easily imagine staying there longer.

Birdwatching in Tarifa

El Estrecho Natural Park

If you want to go birdwatching, you have to get up early. But does that also apply in October in Tarifa? Yes and no—it depends on what you consider “early.” On the day I visited El Estrecho Natural Park, the sun didn’t rise until 8:36 a.m. To me, that already felt pretty late.

Still, I set out early that morning—even before sunrise. After all, I wanted to observe as many birds as possible in Tarifa. I first made my way from the old town up toward El Estrecho Natural Park. Without an app, I probably would have gotten lost. But once I found the trail, it was straightforward—getting lost was nearly impossible.

Along the way, I heard many blackbirds, but didn’t see any. It was still quite dark. Even once I reached the top, things didn’t change at first. A few birds were already chirping energetically, but as soon as they noticed me, they flew away.

When the sun finally rose, I paused to take it all in and enjoyed the beautiful colors over the sea.

There was no one else around—just me, the birds, and the stunning sunrise. I love the morning—even if it felt a bit strange to be walking alone up a mountain in the dark, in an unfamiliar place.

But the view more than made up for it.

And then, of course, there were the birds.

On a rooftop, I spotted a black redstart. As soon as I saw it and tried to stay as quiet as possible, it noticed me and flew away.

When I looked to the right, I spotted a European stonechat perched on a fence. Naturally, it didn’t stay there long, moving on until I finally rediscovered it on the branch of a bush.

By the way, I stayed near the CIMA Bird Observatory (Centro para la Investigación de la Migración y el Cambio Global). Sometime shortly after sunrise, a car pulled up, someone got out, and went inside. Gradually, more people arrived, many with their dogs, to take a walk there.

The place seems to be very popular for this.

I could understand why. In El Estrecho Natural Park, the trails run along the side of the mountain facing the sea. So you’re not walking right by the water, but a bit higher up—and in return, you’re rewarded with a spectacular view.

I tried to spot more bird species. While their calls were easy to hear, the black redstart had mostly withdrawn, whereas the European stonechats were noticeably more active.

They preferred exposed perches, such as prominent branches or bushes. This behaviour is typical of European stonechats: from these vantage points, they watch their surroundings and make short flights to catch insects.

European stonechats prefer open landscapes with low vegetation and scattered bushes. Typical habitats include heathlands, raised bogs, and open areas with gorse bushes.

In everyday life, I rarely encounter European stonechats, which is hardly surprising: in densely populated cities, the habitats they prefer are largely absent. However, I have observed the species in the Döberitzer Heide close to Berlin and on the island of Borkum. So European stonechats do occur in Germany. The Central European populations, however, are short-distance migrants, spending the winter mainly on the Iberian Peninsula and in North Africa.

Since I didn’t spot any other bird species besides the European stonechats, I decided to continue further up the trail. Eventually, I noticed a black redstart again in an unused building. Apparently, such uninhabited buildings provide ideal nesting and resting spots for this species. Like the European stonechats, black redstarts are short-distance migrants: they spend the winter mainly in the southern Mediterranean countries or in North Africa.

The warm colors of the morning bathed the landscape in a gentle, peaceful light. Birds were chirping all around me, yet hardly any revealed themselves—this is exactly what makes birdwatching in Tarifa so exciting and, at the same time, challenging. Since I didn’t recognize their songs, I couldn’t identify the species—in moments like these, it would have been very helpful to have an experienced ornithologist by my side.

Since no birds appeared in front of me up there, I decided to turn back and head to a spot where my chances of spotting them were better. Eventually, I came across a robin.

It was sitting somewhat hidden in the bushes.

Then I spotted another inconspicuous bird, almost concealed among the branches. It was a Sardinian warbler.

I had first seen a Sardinian warbler on Sardinia, so my joy at encountering one again was even greater—especially since this species is not found in Germany, where I live, either in summer or winter. To see Sardinian warblers, you have to travel to the Mediterranean region, where they prefer habitats with low bushes and dense scrub—just like the place where I spotted them.

Afterwards, I continued along the trail, hoping to discover more birds—after all, birdwatching in Tarifa is always full of surprises. When I returned to the bird observatory, I decided to take a different route for the way back.

I came across more European stonechats (left photo) and Sardinian warblers (right photo).

At some point, I decided to pack away my camera. On the side facing the sea, I spotted a few more European stonechats, but since there was less shrubbery there, they hid even more quickly than usual. So I put the camera aside and instead enjoyed the birds’ chirping and the view of the sea.

Those interested in birds of prey are said to find excellent observation opportunities in El Estrecho Natural Park during migration periods. Since I wasn’t in Tarifa at the optimal time, I was only able to spot a raptor from a distance—possibly a black kite or a European honey buzzard. Booted eagles and short-toed snake eagles can also be seen in the park. Guided tours are the best way to reliably observe these species.

Playa de los Lances

One place in Tarifa that left a particularly strong impression on me is the area around Playa de los Lances. This spot is popular not only with beachgoers and kite- and windsurfers, but also with birdwatchers like me. On my first day, after my initial dolphin and whale excursion, I took a walk to Playa de los Lances once the drizzle had stopped. I wasn’t alone there: numerous wind- and kitesurfers were taking advantage of the strong wind to enjoy their sport.

Just behind the beach runs a wooden boardwalk, perfect for beautiful walks in the morning and evening—and in October, also in the afternoon, since it’s no longer so hot. As soon as I arrived, I was already greeted by the first black-throated warblers. Sometimes they sat in the grass, partly hidden behind the shrubs; other times they used a branch as a perch. Time and again, they also settled on the fence that runs along the boardwalk.

I quickly noticed the numerous sparrows in the pasture. But these weren’t the sparrows I knew from Berlin—no, they were Spanish sparrows. Wow. It was my first time seeing them, and I even had the chance to photograph them. It wasn’t easy, though: the birds were quite shy and stayed at a distance from me in the pasture.

At some point, they were startled by something and flew away in a large flock.

But soon they settled again. However, it wasn’t long before they were startled and took off once more. Wait—there weren’t just Spanish sparrows, but also starlings!

In the meadows near the cattle, I observed particularly many spotless starlings. Even in the center of Tarifa, I encountered what felt like countless numbers of them, where I was able to watch them a little more closely.

At any rate, I saw sparrows and starlings flying off together in a large flock. Are they protecting themselves better from predators this way? Conserving energy while flying? Or is there another biological reason for two different species—sparrows and starlings—moving together in a flock?

Nevertheless, the landscape, with all its birds, enchanted me from the very first day—and it quickly became clear why birdwatching in Tarifa captivates so many nature lovers. I also knew immediately where I would want to return again and again over the coming days.

I walked a little further until the path finally led me to a small hide—a birdwatching hide.

There, I encountered several other birdwatchers—I wasn’t the only one interested in birdwatching in Tarifa. On one occasion, I even had a very pleasant conversation, during which I learned that with a bit of luck, you can even spot Cory’s shearwaters in Tarifa in October.

Unfortunately, I didn’t see any myself. As mentioned earlier, it’s definitely worthwhile to enlist a local guide who knows Andalusia’s birdlife well—especially if you want to experience birdwatching in Tarifa more intensively.

I thoroughly enjoyed the day, even though the weather was changeable. On one side, the sun shone, bathing everything in bright light, while on the other, a deep blue darkened the sky. Eventually, I decided to slowly make my way back to my accommodation before it got dark—after all, the return walk took a good hour.

On my way back, however, I had another wonderful encounter: two crested larks suddenly appeared in front of me. They were impossible to miss.

After my first day in Tarifa, I was already looking forward to the next and curious to see what awaited me on another visit to Playa de los Lances.

The following morning, I started with a visit to El Estrecho Natural Park (see above) and then took part in a dolphin-watching excursion. After that, I made my way back to Playa de los Lances.

Hardly had I arrived when it seemed the European stonechat was already waiting for me.

And then a sparrow appeared. But was it a Spanish sparrow or just a “regular” house sparrow?

Admittedly, I had to look very closely—especially because Spanish sparrows were new to me.

However, I spotted sparrows that clearly looked different from the ones I was used to. Still, I wasn’t sure whether this particular sparrow was a house sparrow or a Spanish sparrow. On iNaturalist, I got help with the identification, and apparently, it is a Spanish sparrow.

All of this was incredibly exciting!

On my second walk, I kept hearing a song I didn’t recognize—a soft “tsip-tsip-tsip.” When I spotted the bird, I saw something orange-brown with fine streaks.

Suddenly, a crested lark was sitting right in front of me.

But no, it didn’t sound like a lark.

I continued searching, making sure not to move quickly or jerkily—I didn’t want to scare the little bird; I just wanted to get to know it.

My caution and patience eventually paid off: the little bird perched on a thin branch and began continuing its song.

I didn’t just look up at the sky—I also scanned the meadow for European stonechats, still hoping to get a nice photo of one of the birds. Every now and then, they even stayed on their perch a little longer.

A bird I also saw quite frequently at Playa de los Lances was the cattle egret.

Cattle egrets feel especially at home in fields and pastures, where they live alongside herds of livestock. Sometimes they even perch on the backs of grazing animals. Beside the cattle, they mainly catch insects.

Along the fence, a European goldfinch finally settled for a brief moment—just for an instant, but still. I had seen them flying around in larger flocks the whole time, but only at this fence was I able to observe a goldfinch up close. Quite obviously, it was searching for food.

The most common birds at Playa de los Lances, however, were clearly the European stonechats. On one occasion, I was even lucky enough to photograph two Europeann stonechats at the same time. The photo isn’t perfect, but I was happy with it nonetheless.

As on the previous day, I hiked again to the birdwatching hide. There, I had another special encounter: greater flamingos.

Although the flamingos were quite far away, I watched them with great enjoyment.

I really hadn’t expected that. When I then looked to the right, I spotted a little egret. I was able to photograph it for the first time in Spain—even though they aren’t particularly rare. I also saw them in Málaga and later near Lisbon.

On my way back toward Tarifa, I came across a larger group of European goldfinches that settled in front of me.

I also encountered numerous European stonechats and crested larks again, though I only heard the larks—they were not very visible. Nevertheless, it was lovely to listen to their song. It was October, autumn, yet their song transported me back to the warm summer.

Finally, I took one last photo under rather suboptimal lighting conditions and walked back toward the town center to watch the starlings there (more about that in another blog post).

The following day, I didn’t visit Playa de los Lances because I first wanted to watch the starlings at another location in the morning—it was important for me to experience the start of their day. After that, I drove to Gibraltar to see the Barbary macaques.

When I returned the next day, I first took part in a dolphin-watching excursion. But afterwards, I was drawn once again to Playa de los Lances.

However, I was feeling a bit drained and had back pain from carrying my large lens so much. So I decided to “just” enjoy the landscapes and listen to the birds. I didn’t want to take many photos that day—and that was actually nice! A relaxed walk without heavy equipment.

What makes Playa de los Lances special is not just the beach and the sea, the meadows and grasslands, but also the many dunes, reed beds, and lagoons—ideal conditions for birdwatching in Tarifa, as all of this makes the area so attractive to a wide variety of bird species.

Although I was tired, I stayed out longer that evening. The day had been warm, and in the evening the most beautiful colors appeared. The sound of the sea, the chirping of the birds, and the scent of a place I had newly grown fond of made the moment special. That day, I stayed until sunset.

I did miss the starlings flying in, but I wanted to experience Tarifa and its birdlife from as many locations and at different times of the day as possible.

So, on another day, I set out for Playa de los Lances early in the morning. I wanted to experience the beach at daybreak and observe the birdlife in the morning. Would the larks and European stonechats be easier to spot now? Might other species appear that had so far eluded me?

And indeed, I made more special observations. The larks were noticeably more active and stayed visible longer in the morning.

The lighting conditions for photography weren’t ideal yet, but I tried anyway. They were truly beautiful birds—I’ve always been very fond of larks. And now, one was sitting right in front of me. Simply stunning.

And it wasn’t just a brief encounter. Time and again, one of the larks appeared. Or was it always the same one?

A house sparrow was not far from the lark.

At first, however, I didn’t hear any Spanish sparrows—they were staying further inside the fields.

Although I was mainly on the lookout for birds, as I crossed a small bridge, I noticed the many fish in the water. I couldn’t overlook them. It looked strange, but also beautiful, to see so many fish at the water’s surface.

Apparently, they were thicklip grey mullets. I identified the fish with the help of iNaturalist and trusted the identification provided by the person who recorded them. That’s exactly why I love iNaturalist—I don’t know anything about fish myself.

I continued on and searched for birds again. Some familiar species flew right past me—of course, the European stonechats.

Sometimes they were preening, sometimes they just stayed on their perch, or they were singing.

Then I spotted a European stonechat that didn’t immediately fly away when it noticed me. It first perched on a fence, then flew a little further and settled on a post.

Then it flew on and landed on a branch of a bush before finally taking its leave of me.

I looked for the black-throated warbler, but it seemed to have disappeared.

Suddenly, one appeared in front of me again. Was it the same black-throated warbler? I couldn’t say for sure, but I tried to photograph it once more.

I especially liked this photo because it captures the special lighting of that morning. It was a very pleasant morning with so many beautiful birds. That day, I was able to photograph larks and European stonechats much more easily.

But it didn’t stop there: between the branches of a bush, I suddenly spotted a common cisticola.

Did the common cisticola think it was hiding? Or did it know that I could see it? I’ll probably never know.

But then it moved slightly, and I was able to see its face.

It didn’t stay long in its “hideout,” but it also didn’t fly somewhere I could no longer see it. Perhaps it really didn’t want to hide, unlike it had on the other days.

It perched on a thicker blade of grass, allowing me to observe it well.

But it wasn’t over yet: it flew on—still within sight. I could even make out its tiny little wings. Awww—common cisticolas really are adorable birds.

A group of European goldfinches was on the move again, but just as quickly as they appeared, they disappeared once more.

And then there were the sparrows, which once again gave me a bit of a headache.

I think these are house sparrows…

But here?

I think both evening and morning offer special moments for birdwatching in Tarifa. The birds seemed more active and less shy in the morning—although, of course, that can also depend on the time of day. The day promised to be pleasant, sunny, and warm.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to return to Playa de los Lances in the evening that day, as I drove to Barbate to observe more birds.

Before heading back to the town center in the morning, I still encountered numerous European stonechats in the reeds.

Seabirds around Tarifa

In addition to the numerous songbirds, I was also able to observe seabirds in Tarifa. As mentioned earlier, Cory’s shearwaters can be seen in Tarifa—which of course piqued my interest. The best way to spot them is with a local bird guide who knows the birds of the area. Apparently, October is a good month to observe Cory’s shearwaters in Tarifa.

Even though I didn’t see any shearwaters, I did encounter a very special bird—completely unexpectedly: a northern gannet!

I mainly know northern gannets from Heligoland, where you can observe many of them. A typical trait of gannets is that they breed in colonies, as you can see on Heligoland. In Tarifa, however, I only saw a single gannet.

On the other hand, I spotted several yellow-legged gulls here and there.

I saw gulls both from the boat and at my favorite birdwatching hide, although there mostly from a distance.

Or in small ponds that had formed on the beach, where they could swim peacefully.

I admit that seabirds weren’t the main focus of my visit to Tarifa this time. Nevertheless, they were beautiful. Wherever seabirds are around, I feel especially at home—after all, the sea is never far away.

One day, I drove to Barbate, where I was able to observe more birds that typically live close to the sea. Check out that blog post as well.

Another special feature of Tarifa is the large number of spotless starlings. In the evening, it’s especially impressive to watch them fly into their roosting trees. I loved the sound of the spotless starlings in Tarifa so much that I dedicate an entire blog post to these birds.

More informationen

Have you ever tried birdwatching in Tarifa, or somewhere else in Andalusia or Spain? Feel free to share your experiences and tips in the comments!