The crane (Grus grus) in Extremadura
Every winter, about 75,000 cranes come to Extremadura. This region is nowadays the main winter habitat for the European crane. Cranes cover 3,000 kilometers in three weeks from their nesting habitats in the North of Europe.
Cranes (Grus grus)
Photo: Francisco Montero (CC BY-ND 2.0)
The common crane (Grus grus) is about the size of a stork. Its feathers are ash gray, except the head and neck, which are black and white, with a patch of red skin on the crown.
At the end of summer, cranes start their migration south, to Spain and North Africa.
About 70% of the cranes that reach Spain stay in Extremadura, from the end of October to February. That is more than 75,000 cranes every year.
Cranes feed on acorns and leftover grain in the fields, and at the end of the day they return to their roosting sites near reservoirs and wetlands.
There are many places where you can see them:
Main zones to see cranes in Extremadura
- Alagón area - Moraleja - Granadilla (2,000 to 2,500 cranes)
- Navalmoral area: Valdecañas reservoir, Casatejada, Serrejón (3,000 cranes)
- Brozas, in the dehesas near the Sierra de San Pedro (2,500 cranes)
- Almonte, Talaván, and the Tozo reservoir (3,000 to 3,500 cranes)
- Plains of Cáceres, Valdesalor reservoir (1,800 cranes)
- North of Badajoz, Los Baldíos: Villar del Rey, La Roca de la Sierra, Esparragalejo (1,000 to 1,200 cranes) 7 and 8. Tierras de Mérida, Vegas Altas, La Siberia, and northern La Serena: Cornalvo Natural Park, Santa Amalia, Zorita, Orellana, Navalvillar de Pela, Valdecaballeros, along the Guadiana River towards the reservoirs of La Serena and La Siberia. This is the most important crane area, with up to 35,000 cranes.
- Alange area: Alange, Retamal, Hinojosa del Valle (2,000 to 2,500 cranes)
- Campiña Sur: Azuaga, Peraleda del Zaucejo, Ahillones, Monesterio (about 15,000 to 20,000 cranes)
- Olivenza area and Sierra Suroeste: La Albuera, Villanueva del Fresno (2,000 cranes)