Access

In Olvena follow the road A-2211 to Puebla de Castro. At about half a kilometre, make a right turn onto a dirt track, walk for about 600 metres and return along a track parallel to the road and the mountain pass which leads to the village (2,2 km in total). In addition, it is possible to stop at the Congosto balcony and in “Camino del Canaíllo” to better enjoy the views of the gorge and the rocky birds living there.

Route description

Circular route of 2,2 km. It starts covering 500 metres on the road from Olvena to Puebla de Castro, we then turn right onto a dirt track and, after about 600 metres, we take another track heading South that will lead us back to Olvena.

The route passes through cultivated fields, near the gorge, and it is easy to observe large predators that use these agricultural fields as forage area. We also recommend approaching the balcony of Congosto and the “Camino del Canalillo” to have best views of the gorge and the rocky birds living there.

Main Species

Representative bird: Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)

Residents: Red-legged Partridge, Red Kite, Griffon Vulture, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Golden Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle (rare), Rock Dove, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Eagle Owl (rare), Little Owl, Long-eared Owl, Hoopoe, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Crested Lark, Thekla Lark, Wood Lark, Crag Martin, Pied Wagtail, Eurasian Wren, European Robin, Black Redstart, Blue Rock Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Dartford Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Common Firecrest, Long-tailed Tit, Crested Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Jay, Magpie Eurasian Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Common Raven, Spotless Starling, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Rock Sparrow, Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Linnet, Cirl Bunting, Rock Bunting, Corn Bunting.

Summer migrants: Black Kite, Egyptian Vulture, Short-toed Snake Eagle, Booted Eagle, European Turtle Dove, Common Cuckoo, Red-necked Nightjar, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, European Bee-eater, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Common Nightingale, Black-eared Wheatear, Common Rock Thrush, Melodious Warbler, Subalpine Warbler, Western Orphean Warbler, Bonelli’s Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Woodchat Shrike.

Winter visitors: Northern Goshawk, Merlin, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Alpine Accentor, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Eurasian Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, wallcreeper (rare), Brambling (rare), Eurasian Siskin (irruptive), Hawfinch, Yellowhammer.

Passage migrants: European Honey-buzzard, Harriers, Common Crane, Eurasian Woodcock (rare), Tree Pipit, Water Pipit, Common Redstart, Northern Wheatear, Redwing, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, Common Whitethroat,  Pied Flycatcher.

Photo gallery

Map