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Mediterranean biodiversity:

“Big 5” of species in Andalusia

Andalusian biodiversity… Many species to discover. In each section, you will find species to discover in our region.

“Big 5” Common mediterranean birds

Birdwatching in the Mediterranean region offers a diverse avifauna and stunning landscapes. Some common species are among the most attractive for their shape, colouration and behaviours. Andalusia is no exception: the Iberian magpie is endemic from Spain and Portugal and common in Doñana and Sierra Morena. Beginner’s checklist of birds of Andalusia.

European bee-eater (Merops apiaster): Common Mediterranean Birds
Glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus): “Big 5” Common Mediterranean Birds
Purple swamp-hen (Porphyrio porphyrio): frequent birds in Doñana
Lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni): expert guide guide in Andalusia
Iberian Magpie (Cyanopica cooki): endemic species from Iberian Peninsula

European bee-eater

Glossy ibis

Purple swamp-hen

Lesser kestrel

Iberian Magpie

“Big 5” Common mediterranean orchids

Orchids in Andalusia can be best spotted in Sierra de Grazalema and Sierra de las Nieves, mountains with bedrock of limestone and milder climate. Bee orchids such as Yellow, Mirror and Sawfly bee orchids are especially abundant in meadows and small grassy patches. Check our illustrated guide of Andalusian wild orchids to discover the 10 species within the genus Ophrys.

yellow bee-orchid (Ophrys lutea): “Big 5” Common Mediterranean Orchids
Mirror orchid (Ophrys speculum): common orchids in Andalusia
Sawfly orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera): protected flora
Narrow-lipped Serapias (Serapias strictiflora): ibero-maghrebi endemic species
Naked man orchid (Orchis italica): orchidoflora of Spain

Yellow bee-orchid

Mirror orchid

Sawfly orchid

Narrow-lipped Serapias

Orchis homme-nu

“Big 5” Raptors of Southern Europe

Not only Spain harbours among the highest densities of birds of prey in Europe, its mountains and mediterranean forests hosts populations of rare and threatened species. Spanish imperial eagle is definitively a Big 5, on the brink extinction in the 80′, this iconic raptor is nowadays recovering in Sierra Morena. Cinereous and Bearded vultures are thriving in Iberia like in no other territory.

Spanish imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti): Big 5 in Spain
Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata): Raptors of Southern Europe
Bearded vulture, Lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus): ossifrage mountai raptor
Cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus): raptor of Mediterranean woodlands
Black-shouldered kite (Elanus caeruleus): bird of prey in Andalusia

Spanish imperial eagle

Bonelli’s eagle

Bearded vulture

Cinereous vulture

Black-shouldered kite

“Big 5” Amphibians endemic to Spain

The Iberian Peninsula is highly isolated by the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean sea. As a consequence, in terrestrial groups with limited mobility such as the amphibians, a high rate of endemicity can be observed. Nearly all Andalusian amphibians are restcited to Spain and Portugal, a few species with a narrow distribution such as the Penibetic salamander and the Betic midwife toad.

Pygmy marbled newt (Triturus pygmaeus): big 5 amphibians endemic to Spain and Portugal
Long-snouted salamander (Salamandra salamandra longirostris): subspecies limited to Betic mountains
Betic midwife toad (Alytes dickelinii): amphibien menacé endémique d'Andalousie
Iberian parsley frog (Pelodytes ibericus): cryptic anouran southern Iberia
Iberian painted frog (Discoglossus galganoi):

Pygmy marbled newt

Long-snouted salamander

Betic midwife toad

Iberian parsley frog

Iberian painted frog

“Big 5” Southern species of mammals

The fauna of southern Spain typically presents abundant populations of large herbivores and diverse medium-size carnivores. The Iberian lynx is the “Big 5” mammal without a doubt. Otter and the Egyptian mongoose also are attractive species which can bee seen with a bit of luck. No many European regions present such interest to the wildlife observer.

Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus): top big 5 in Spain
Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica): Southern Land Mammals
Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon): carnivorous in Iberian Peninsula
Eurasian otter / Lutra lutra
Cabrera's vole (Microtus cabrerae): endemic rodent in Spain and Portugal

Iberian lynx

Spanish ibex

Egyptian mongoose

Eurasian otter

Cabrera’s vole

“Big 5” Doñana waterfowl and waterbirds

Andalusia is home to top wetlands, mostly located on the Atlantic coast, with some of the best European birdwatching. Marbled teals, Squacco herons and other rare and threatened waterfowl are breeding in Doñana, the famous Spanish National Park, especially at the Guadalquivir estuary marshes. Wetland birds are a natural show.
White-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala): Big 5 ducks in Andalusia
Ferruginous duck (Aythya nyroca): water birds in Andalusia
Marbled teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris): mediterranean wetlands
Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides): ardeidae in southern Spain
Red-knobbed coot (Fulica cristata): rare marsh birds in Europe

White-headed duck

Ferruginous duck

Marbled teal

Squacco heron

Red-knobbed coot

“Big 5” Reptiles in Andalusia

It is no exaggeration to state that Spain has the highest diversity of reptiles in Europe. Cold blooded animals are favoured by the Mediterranean climate and its geographical position originates endemics such as Spanish algyroides and Iberian Worm Lizard. Identification is generally straightforward, but small lizards of the genus Podarcis has been recently split and require close examination of specimens pictures.

Common chameleon / Chameleo chameleon
Iberian worm lizard / Blanus cinereus
Common wall gecko / Tarentola mauritanica
Spanish algyroides / Algyroides marchi
Lataste's viper / Vipera latasti

Common chameleon

Iberian worm lizard

Common wall gecko

Spanish algyroides

Lataste’s viper

“Big 5” Rare Andalusian orchids

Among the sixty or so orchids present in Andalusia (2/3 of the Spanish inventory), a few species are extremelly rare and restricted to habitats of little extent: borders of mountain streams, wet grasslands, temperate woodlands. Green butterfly-orchid, Gennaria and Cazorla orchids are rarities of special beauty and difficult to locate in the field.

Atlantic ophrys / Ophrys atlantica
Green butterfly-orchid / Platanthera algeriensis
Cazorla orchid / Orchis cazorlensis
Sulfurous orchid / Dactylorhiza romana var guimaraesii
Gennaria / Gennaria diphylla

Atlantic ophrys

Green butterfly-orchid

Cazorla orchid

Sulfurous orchid

Gennaria

“Big 5” Marine fauna of the Strait of Gibraltar

For wildlife observers, some parts of the Andalusian coast are more attractive: the Gibraltar Strait, Doñana beaches, Punta de Calaburras, Punta Entinas or Cabo de Gata. Marine birds, cetacean, sea turtles and some fish like tuna, flying-fish or moonfish are visible without diving, with telescopes from the coast line. 100% of Balearic shearwaters cross the Strait twice a year, alternating their breeding in the Mediterranean with wintering in the NW Atlantic.

Killer whale (Orcinus orca): “Big 5” Marine fauna of the Strait of Gibraltar
Sperm whale (Physeter catodon): migratory cetacean in the Mediterranean sea
Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus): sea bird endemic west Mediterranean
Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta): marine fauna
Blue flyingfish / Exocoetus volitans

Killer whale

Sperm whale

Balearic shearwater

Loggerhead sea turtle

Blue flyingfish

“Big 5” Iberian steppe birds

In Europe, the most threatened birds, as a group, are the farmland/steppes specialists, which habitat suffers heavily from the industrialization of agriculture. The largest populations of steppic birds are still located in Spain with its immense extents of plains and wheat fields. Bustards, sandgrouses, rollers and other farmland birds are every year more scattered and rare, missing real conservation programs for their recovery.

Great bustard (Otis tarda): “Big 5” Iberian steppe birds
Little bustard (Tetrax tetrax): farmland specialist avifauna
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata): Pterocliformes France Spain Morocco
Ganga unibande / Pterocles orientalis
European roller (Coracias garrulus): Blue birds of pseudosteppes

Great bustard

Little bustard

Ganga cata

Pin-tailed sandgrouse

European roller

“Big 5” Rare birds in Europe

About sixty species of regular and non vagrant birds present in Andalusia are extremely rare at the European scale. Either they are endemic to the Iberian Peninsula and can only be seen in this territory ; Either Spanish populations are the most important ones in the continent by far ; Either they are African species making their way throrought Andalusia. For this reason, Spain is considered a paradise for birdwatchers with many targets to look at anywhere. Of course, Andalusia is the most visited region by wildlife observers.

Dupont's lark / Chersophilus duponti
Trumpeter finch / Bucanetes githagineus
Rufous-tailed scrub robin / Erythropygia galactotes
Black wheatear / Oenanthe leucura
Black-eared wheatear / Oenanthe hispanica

Dupont’s lark

Trumpeter finch

Rufous-tailed scrub robin

Black wheatear

Black-eared wheatear

Western Olivaceous Warbler / Iduna opaca
Mediterranean short-toed lark / Calandrella rufescens
Glossy ibis / Geronticus eremita
Little swift / Apus affinis
Common bulbul / Pycnonotus barbatus

West. Olivaceous Warbler

Mediterranean short-toed lark

Glossy ibis

Little swift

Common bulbul

A few remarkable plant species

Pinsapo (Abies pinsapo), endémisme de la Cordillère Bétique
Andalousie, le paradis des orquidées
Plante carnivore Drosophyle (Drosophylum lusitanica)
Davallia canariensis, une fougère épiphyte en Andalousie
Chêne liège (Quercus suber), arbre du bassin méditerranén

Spanish Fir

Orchids

Moorish sundew

Hare’s-foot fern

Cork oak

Outstanding invertebrates and insects

Mante Apteromantis aptera en Andalousie
Papillon monarque en Europe
Criquets aptères de la famille pamphagidae en Espagne
Libelulle Trithemis kirbyi en Europe
Neuroptère Nemoptera bipennis dans la péninsule ibérique

Apteromantis aptera

Monarch butterfly

Stone-grasshoppers

Kirby’s dropwing

Iberian spoonwing

“Big 5” Common Mediterranean birds

European bee-eater (Merops apiaster): Common Mediterranean Birds

European bee-eater

Glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus): “Big 5” Common Mediterranean Birds

Glossy ibis

Purple swamp-hen (Porphyrio porphyrio): frequent birds in Doñana

Purple swamp-hen

Lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni): expert guide guide in Andalusia

Lesser kestrel

Iberian Magpie (Cyanopica cooki): endemic species from Iberian Peninsula

Iberian Magpie

Birdwatching in the Mediterranean region offers a diverse avifauna and stunning landscapes. Some common species are among the most attractive for their shape, colouration and behaviours. Andalusia is no exception: the Iberian magpie is endemic from Spain and Portugal and common in Doñana and Sierra Morena. Beginner’s checklist of birds of Andalusia.

“Big 5” Common Mediterranean orchids

yellow bee-orchid (Ophrys lutea): “Big 5” Common Mediterranean Orchids

Yellow bee-orchid

Mirror orchid (Ophrys speculum): common orchids in Andalusia

Mirror orchid

Sawfly orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera): protected flora

Sawfly orchid

Narrow-lipped Serapias (Serapias strictiflora): ibero-maghrebi endemic species

Narrow-lipped Serapias

Naked man orchid (Orchis italica): orchidoflora of Spain

Orchis homme-nu

Orchids in Andalusia can be best spotted in Sierra de Grazalema and Sierra de las Nieves, mountains with bedrock of limestone and milder climate. Bee orchids such as Yellow, Mirror and Sawfly bee orchids are especially abundant in meadows and small grassy patches. Check our illustrated guide of Andalusian wild orchids to discover the 10 species within the genus Ophrys.

“Big 5” Raptors of Southern Europe

Spanish imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti): Big 5 in Spain

Spanish imperial eagle

Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata): Raptors of Southern Europe

Bonelli’s eagle

Bearded vulture, Lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus): ossifrage mountai raptor

Bearded vulture

Cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus): raptor of Mediterranean woodlands

Cinereous vulture

Black-shouldered kite (Elanus caeruleus): bird of prey in Andalusia

Black-shouldered kite

Not only Spain harbours among the highest densities of birds of prey in Europe, its mountains and mediterranean forests hosts populations of rare and threatened species. Spanish imperial eagle is definitively a Big 5, on the brink extinction in the 80′, this iconic raptor is nowadays recovering in Sierra Morena. Cinereous and Bearded vultures are thriving in Iberia like in no other territory.

“Big 5” Amphibians endemic to Spain

Pygmy marbled newt (Triturus pygmaeus): big 5 amphibians endemic to Spain and Portugal

Pygmy marbled newt

Long-snouted salamander (Salamandra salamandra longirostris): subspecies limited to Betic mountains

Long-snouted salamander

Betic midwife toad (Alytes dickelinii): amphibien menacé endémique d'Andalousie

Betic midwife toad

Iberian parsley frog (Pelodytes ibericus): cryptic anouran southern Iberia

Iberian parsley frog

Iberian painted frog (Discoglossus galganoi):

Iberian painted frog

The Iberian Peninsula is highly isolated by the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean sea. As a consequence, in terrestrial groups with limited mobility such as the amphibians, a high rate of endemicity can be observed. Nearly all Andalusian amphibians are restcited to Spain and Portugal, a few species with a narrow distribution such as the Penibetic salamander and the Betic midwife toad (habitat).

“Big 5” Southern species of mammals

Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus): top big 5 in Spain

Iberian lynx

Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica): Southern Land Mammals

Spanish ibex

Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon): carnivorous in Iberian Peninsula

Egyptian mongoose

Eurasian otter / Lutra lutra

Eurasian otter

Cabrera's vole (Microtus cabrerae): endemic rodent in Spain and Portugal

Cabrera’s vole

The fauna of southern Spain typically presents abundant populations of large herbivores and diverse medium-size carnivores. The Iberian lynx is the “Big 5” mammal without a doubt. Otter and the Egyptian mongoose also are attractive species which can bee seen with a bit of luck. No many European regions present such interest to the wildlife observer.

“Big 5” Doñana waterfowl and waterbirds

White-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala): Big 5 ducks in Andalusia

White-headed duck

Ferruginous duck (Aythya nyroca): water birds in Andalusia

Ferruginous duck

Marbled teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris): mediterranean wetlands

Marbled teal

Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides): ardeidae in southern Spain

Squacco heron

Red-knobbed coot (Fulica cristata): rare marsh birds in Europe

Red-knobbed coot

Andalusia is home to top wetlands, mostly located on the Atlantic coast, with some of the best European birdwatching. Marbled teals, Squacco herons and other rare and threatened waterfowl are breeding in Doñana, the famous Spanish National Park, especially at the Guadalquivir estuary marshes. Wetland birds are a natural show.

“Big 5” Reptiles in Andalusia

Common chameleon / Chameleo chameleon

Common chameleon

Iberian worm lizard / Blanus cinereus

Iberian worm lizard

Common wall gecko / Tarentola mauritanica

Common wall gecko

Spanish algyroides / Algyroides marchi

Spanish algyroides

Lataste's viper / Vipera latasti

Lataste’s viper

It is no exaggeration to state that Spain has the highest diversity of reptiles in Europe. Cold blooded animals are favoured by the Mediterranean climate and its geographical position originates endemics such as Spanish algyroides and Iberian Worm Lizard. Identification is generally straightforward, but small lizards of the genus Podarcis has been recently split and require close examination of specimens pictures.

“Big 5” Rare Andalusian orchids

Atlantic ophrys / Ophrys atlantica

Atlantic ophrys

Green butterfly-orchid / Platanthera algeriensis

Green butterfly-orchid

Cazorla orchid / Orchis cazorlensis

Cazorla orchid

Sulfurous orchid / Dactylorhiza romana var guimaraesii

Sulfurous orchid

Gennaria / Gennaria diphylla

Gennaria

Among the sixty or so orchids present in Andalusia (2/3 of the Spanish inventory), a few species are extremelly rare and restricted to habitats of little extent: borders of mountain streams, wet grasslands, temperate woodlands. Green butterfly-orchid, Gennaria and Cazorla orchids are rarities of special beauty and difficult to locate in the field.

“Big 5” Marine fauna of the Strait of Gibraltar

Killer whale (Orcinus orca): “Big 5” Marine fauna of the Strait of Gibraltar

Killer whale

Sperm whale (Physeter catodon): migratory cetacean in the Mediterranean sea

Sperm whale

Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus): sea bird endemic west Mediterranean

Balearic shearwater

Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta): marine fauna

Loggerhead sea turtle

Blue flyingfish / Exocoetus volitans

Blue flyingfish

For wildlife observers, some parts of the Andalusian coast are more attractive: the Gibraltar Strait, Doñana beaches, Punta de Calaburras, Punta Entinas or Cabo de Gata. Marine birds, cetacean, sea turtles and some fish like tuna, flying-fish or moonfish are visible without diving, with telescopes from the coast line. 100% of Balearic shearwaters cross the Strait twice a year, alternating their breeding in the Mediterranean with wintering in the NW Atlantic.

“Big 5” Iberian steppe birds

Great bustard (Otis tarda): “Big 5” Iberian steppe birds

Great bustard

Little bustard (Tetrax tetrax): farmland specialist avifauna

Little bustard

Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata): Pterocliformes France Spain Morocco

Pin-tailed sandgrouse

European roller (Coracias garrulus): Blue birds of pseudosteppes

European roller

In Europe, the most threatened birds, as a group, are the farmland/steppes specialists, which habitat suffers heavily from the industrialization of agriculture. The largest populations of steppic birds are still located in Spain with its immense extents of plains and wheat fields. Bustards, sandgrouses, rollers and other farmland birds are every year more scattered and rare, missing real conservation programs for their recovery.

“Big 5” Rare birds in Europe

Dupont's lark / Chersophilus duponti

Dupont’s lark

Trumpeter finch / Bucanetes githagineus

Trumpeter finch

Rufous-tailed scrub robin / Erythropygia galactotes

Rufous-tailed scrub robin

About sixty species of regular and non vagrant birds present in Andalusia are extremely rare at the European scale. Either they are endemic to the Iberian Peninsula and can only be seen in this territory ; Either Spanish populations are the most important ones in the continent by far ; Either they are African species making their way throrought Andalusia. For this reason, Spain is considered a paradise for birdwatchers with many targets to look at anywhere. Of course, Andalusia is the most visited region by wildlife observers.

Black wheatear / Oenanthe leucura

Black wheatear

Black-eared wheatear / Oenanthe hispanica

Black-eared wheatear

Western Olivaceous Warbler / Iduna opaca

West. Olivaceous Warbler

Mediterranean short-toed lark / Calandrella rufescens

Mediterranean short-toed lark

Glossy ibis / Geronticus eremita

Glossy ibis

Little swift / Apus affinis

Little swift

Common bulbul / Pycnonotus barbatus

Common bulbul

A few remarkable plant species

Pinsapo (Abies pinsapo), endémisme de la Cordillère Bétique

Spanish fir

davallia canariensis, une fougère épiphyte en Andalousie

Hare’s-foot fern

Andalousie, le paradis des orquidées

Orchids

Chêne liège (Quercus suber), arbre du bassin méditerranén

Cork oak

Plante carnivore Drosophyle (Drosophylum lusitanica)

Moorish sundew

Outstanding invertebrates and insects

Mante Apteromantis aptera en Andalousie

Apteromantis aptera

Libelulle Trithemis kirbyi en Europe

Kirby’s dropwing

Papillon monarque en Europe

Monarch butterfly

Neuroptère Nemoptera bipennis dans la péninsule ibérique

Iberian spoonwing

Criquets aptères de la famille pamphagidae en Espagne

Stone-grasshoppers

Our G3-guides of vertebrates in Andalusia

birds of Andalusia
mammals of Andalusia
amphibians of Andalusia
reptiles of Andalusia
fish of Andalusia

Birds

Mammals

Amphibians

Reptiles

Fish

Introduction to invertebrates in southern Spain

dragonflies of Andalusia
butterflies of Andalusia
grasshoppers of Andalusia
other insects of Andalusia
large branchiopods

Birds

Butterflies

Grasshoppers…

Other insects

Large branchiopods

Our G3-guides of vertebrates in Andalusia

birds of Andalusia

Birds

mammals of Andalusia

Mammals

amphibians of Andalusia

Amphibians

reptiles of Andalusia

Reptiles

fish of Andalusia

Fish

Introduction to invertebrates in southern Spain

dragonflies of Andalusia

Dragonflies

butterflies of Andalusia

Butterflies

grasshoppers of Andalusia

Grasshoppers…

other insects of Andalusia

Other insects

large branchiopods

Large branchiopods