Behaviors and reproduction of wild animals

Red deer roar in Andalusian forests

Autumn rains signal the new hydrological year and a certain rebirth of ecosystems. Dominant Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) utter guttural, hoarse and loud calls that are very easy to hear from a distance. When they face each other, two individuals confront each other by violently clashing their antlers. These appendages are actually bones (not horns) that fall off and grow back every year, growing bigger. An incredible expenditure of energy invests in order to access reproduction.

Typical year: October.

The birth of spotted salamanders

Rainy and mild autumn nights (>14ºC) are ideal for observing the activity of Fire salamanders (Salamandra salamandra) in the forests of Andalusia, a very discreet species in other circumstances. It is much easier to discover the larvae in the spawning grounds. The females give birth directly to larvae (the eggs hatch in the uterus and the young larva is already developing in the body of the adult), even exceptionally juveniles (i.e. individuals metamorphosed in the body of their mother who will not experience the larval stage in the ponds).

Typical year: October – February.

Duel of the Spanish ibexes in the Betic Cordillera

The Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica) rut is spectacular with particularly violent shocks between males. Remember that these ritual fights select the most powerful individuals (weighing almost double the females), more apt to transmit their descendants. Females in heat run errands to attract the attention of males. Otherwise, the rest of the year, the species is gregarious and shy.

Typical year: late November – early December.

Heronries on the river islands of the Guadalquivir

Lynx pardelle rut in the Sierra Morena

Winter is undoubtedly the best season to observe the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) in the wild, the most classic spot being the Sierra de Andújar. During this period, individuals become more gregarious and interactions between individuals increase. You can even hear the of these big wild cats.

Typical year: late December – January.

Crane roosts and migration

Nowadays, common cranes (Grus grus) no longer breed in Spain. However, they continue to visit our region during the winter in families (couples accompanied or not by their youngsters). Large flocks congregate in the early evening and form large communal roosts in inaccessible wetlands. We should also point out the greylag geese (Anser anser) also wintering in Andalusia (Doñana) in large groups.

Typical year: all winter, departures in February.

Nuptial displays of large resident raptors in the Iberian mountains

Imperial eagles (Aquila adalbertii), Golden eagles (A. chrysaetos), Bonelli’s eagles (A. fasciata) and Black vultures (Aegypius monachus), large raptors that spend the winter in the Iberian Peninsula and begin their nuptial processions very early in the season before the explosion of spring life. Austere wedding processions in full flight in the silence of winter nature.

Typical year: January – March.

Reproduction of amphibians in Mediterranean temporary pools

The Mediterranean temporary pools welcome the reproduction of amphibians since all the larvae of European species are aquatic. They are noticed from a distance in the cold winter night because the males are not very discreet and vocalize loudly to attract the females. Natterjack Toads (Bufo calamita) and Southern Tree Frogs (Hyla meridionalis) are certainly the loudest singers and rub shoulders with active nocturnal birds of prey.

Typical year: February – April.

The white storks on the steeples of the white villages

Sociability in Spanish warrens

Leks of Great Bustards in the cereal farmlands

The males of the Great bustard (Otis tarda) are very imposing, weighing more than double the females, and gather in small groups (lek) on high and visible points in the cereal plains. The dominant male occupies the best position while carrying out his nuptial procession in a “foam bath” visible from several kilometers away. Crazier: the male conceals his head and “parade upside down” showing off the puffy white plumage of the back of the body.

Typical year: March.

The migration of freshwater fish

Leaps of little bustards in the Iberian pseudo-steppes

The courtship display of the Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax) is remarkable: small jumps followed by a backfiring vocalization. Increasingly rare species throughout Spain.

The large colony of flamingos at Laguna Fuente de Piedra

The European bald ibis colony

Grâce à un programme de réintroduction, l’ibis chauve (Geronticus eremita), une des espèces d’oiseaux les plus menacées au monde, s’est installé définitivement en Andalousie et a installé une petite colonie à proximité de Barbate (Cadix). Attraction ornithologique d’intérêt mondial. L’espèce est résidente et visible toute l’année en Andalousie.

Thanks to a reintroduction program, the northern bald ibis (Geronticus eremita), one of the most endangered bird species in the world, has settled permanently in Andalusia and established a small colony near Barbate (Cadiz). Ornithological attraction of world interest. The species is resident and visible all year round in Andalusia.

Resident species.