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International Vulture Awareness Day

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The first Saturday in September each year is International Vulture Awareness Day. Vultures are an ecologically vital group of birds that face a range of threats in many areas that they occur. Populations of many species are under pressure and some species are facing extinction. The International Vulture Awareness Day has grown from Vulture Awareness Days run by the Birds of Prey Programme of the Endangered Wildlife Trust in South Africa and the Hawk Conservancy Trust in England, who decided to work together and expand the initiative into an international event. It is now recognised that a co-ordinated international day will publicise the conservation of vultures to a wider audience and highlight the important work being carried out by the world’s vulture conservationists. On the first Saturday in September, the aim is for each participating organisation to carry out their own activities that highlight vulture conservation and awareness. This website provides a central place f...
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Forest Area of Spain

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Spain is the second European country with the largest forest area: 7.5 billion trees, just behind Sweden. An area that, in addition and against all foresight, has increased by 31% in the last decade, according to data from the National Forest Inventory, which the INE has been preparing for 50 years *. The three Spanish provinces with more trees in their territory have in common to share the Pyrenees mountain range: Lleida, with 324 million; Huesca, with 320 million and Gerona, 283 million. Navarra, the fourth Pyrenean province, also has an abundance of drinks (240 million) but is behind provinces such as Burgos (262), Salamanca (250), Albacete (252) or even Barcelona (256). At the other end of the scale is Las Palmas, the eastern province of the Canary Islands, composed of the islands of Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, with just 4.4 million trees and the lowest ratio of trees per inhabitant of the entire Nation: Only 4 per inhabitant. The other less forested provinces...
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Birds in Spain - Andalucia - Griffon Vulture

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Species: Griffon Vulture – Gyps fulvus – Buitre Leonado Griffon Vulture adult Polytypic. Nominate fulvus , North Africa, south and south-east Europe, south-west Asia south to Sinai, Arabia, and north-west Pakistan, and central Asia from Tadzhikistan to the Altai. Extralimital : fulvescens , from Sind and Kashmir through north and central India to Assam, north to Himalayan foothills. Common resident. Although widespread throughout the province, it can be absent to very scarce in some areas (at least outside of periods for migration). Highest density of breeding birds is in the Cádiz and Málaga provinces. Numbers greatly increased during autumn migration period, as more northerly birds, mostly juveniles, migrate southwards. Some evidence to support local juveniles also migrate to Africa. Population remains artificially high, maintained by various feeding areas. Although relatively widespread, range is somewhat restricted due to the need for high cliffs or mountains for breed...
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Water for Life - ABS Conservation Project

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Water for Life Project. Latest news on our support for this project and we will have an update soon. The project aims primarily to provide breeding habitat for amphibians, species under threat of extinction in the area, but of course has benefits for not only birds and larger fauna, but also general aquatic life including plants. Report received July 2019 For the temporary ponds, to avoid creating artificial water input, we choose areas where waterlogging occurs naturally, either by remaining water from fountains or drinking troughs or by runoff water. Once we have selected the area, we just do a small excavation, we put an impermeable material (EPDM) and cover it with stones that will be attached by cement. Once we have a solid grounding, we fill every gap with soil so that over time, the aquatic plants can colonize it. This way, we get a water point as natural as possible. We have scheduled the construction of two water points, and the upgrade of another two, with the m...
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EU Inaction Threatens Vultures

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Despite proof that diclofenac kills vultures and other carrion feeders, the EU approved and continues to allow the use of this harmful veterinary drug. Despite the proven toxicity of this drug, the chemical company responsible, in full knowledge of its harmful impact on wildlife, continues to peddle and promote its use in Europe. Even more remarkable is Spain, under the guise of the Spanish Agency for Medicines, approved this harmful drug for use by veterinarians on pigs and cattle within Spain. Serious questions really need to be asked how this has happened? In December 2014 the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had published their long awaited technical position on the vulture-killing drug diclofenac, following a request from the European Commission, they confirmed that veterinary diclofenac does represent a real risk to European vultures, and therefore recommended that a number of risk management measures should be taken to avoid the poisoning of vultures, including more regulati...
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Birds in Spain – Andalucia - Rüppell's Vulture

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Species: Rüppell's Vulture – Gyps rueppellii – Buitre Moteado Rüppell's Vulture juvenile note dark neck and head Polytypic. Nominate rueppellii , Sahel zone south of Sahara from Sénégal east to Sudan and south to East Africa, straggler Egypt. Extralimital : erlangeri , Ethiopia and Somalia. Rare visitor. Although a rare visitor, this species has, in recent times, become more commonly (annually) reported, especially in the area close to the Strait of Gibraltar. It is impossible to be clear on how many birds visit each year, due to lack of observer coverage. However, as recently as 2010, a brave attempt at an estimate puts the number at 8 or more individuals. Reports also have been made of an adult and juveniles being present throughout the year. Like many unusual bird sightings, the lack of coverage and people being on the lookout for the unexpected, has probably led to these vultures being overlooked. Here we give an identification aid, which we hope wi...
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Birds in Spain - Andalucia - Common Kestrel

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Species: Kestrel – Falco tinnunculus – Cernícalo Vulgar Kestrel female Polytypic. Nominate tinnunculus , west Palearctic east to north-east Siberia, Mongolia, and Pamir; canariensis , western Canary Islands; dacotiae , eastern Canary Islands; neglectus , northern Cape Verde Islands; alexandri , south-east Cape Verde Islands; rupicolaeformis , Egypt south to northern Sudan, east to Arabia. Extralimital : c. 5 races in Africa and Asia. Common and widespread resident. Breeds over a wide range of habitats, even urban areas, although always requires open type spaces with some ground cover for feeding. Densities of population are clearly demarked by habitat type, for example the Doñana has very high population densities in areas of open grassland habits. Some increase in numbers during winter as migrants from the north join resident populations. Also migration can be witnessed in spring and autumn, thought only to involve populations from outside of the province. Especie:...
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