It is the start of Golden Eagle’s breeding season what brings us to Hondonero at this time of year as this is an easily accessible place with reasonable chances for good and relatively close views of this majestic bird of prey. Unfortunately, our resident Andalusian eagles, Golden and Bonelli’s, are not “ever-flying” birds like the vultures, so it is now that we can better witness their displaying diving and patrolling flights over their territories. Golden Eagles at Sierra de Camarolos and Jobo prefer the south face of these sierras to hunt so we have to pay attention to the ridges of the rocky hills in order to spot them together with Griffon Vultures, Kestrels, Sparrowhawks and Peregrine Falcons.
Some birds present at Hondonero Highlands in January: Red-legged Partridge, Griffon Vulture, Golden Eagle, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Wood Pigeon, Eagle Owl, Tawny Owl, Crag Martin, Meadow Pipit, Robin, Black Redstart, Stonechat, Song Thrush, Redwind, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Ring Ouzel, Blue Rock Thrush, Blackcap, Sardinian Warbler, Chiffchaff, Firecrest, Wren, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Crested Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Nuthatch, Short-toed Treecreeper, Iberian Grey Shrike, Azure-winged Magpie, Jay, Chough, Spotless Starling, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Serin, Siskin, Bullfinch, Hawfinch, Common Crossbill, Cirl Bunting and Rock Bunting.
Itinerary
The Altos (highlands) de Hondonero extend south of Villanueva del Rosario, on the north side of the Sierra del Jobo, in the Northeast District of Malaga province. The Sierras del Jobo, Camarolos and San Jorge, make up the so called Malaga central limestone arc, separating the Northeast and Axarquia districts, and are included in Natura 2000 Network as Site of Community Importance and Special Areas of Conservation named Sierra de Camarolos (ES6170012). We hope this stunning site will soon be part of the Andalusian Network of Protected Natural Sites as well.
The Altos de Hondonero, dominated by the huge limestone rock of Chamizo peak (the highest mountain in the central limestone arc, with 1,640 m. above sea level), present a mixture of the typical mountain vegetation of southern Iberia (Holm and Portuguese Oaks, Montpelier Maple and Hawthorn), some reforestation stands of Aleppo Pine Trees and the traditional olive groves still subject to some of the old uses like that of separating the properties by using hedges made of stone, Blackberry, Dog Rose and Hawthorn. The abundance of Hawthorn and Olive Trees provides birds with food from the early autumn till the end of January, making this area very appropriate for thrushes to winter.
If you are interested in doing this route, click on this link where we will provide you information about how to do it and which are the best points of interest.
Birds that can be seen
- African stonechat
- Azure-winged magpie
- Black redstart
- Blue rock thrush
- Cirl bunting
- Coal tit
- Common blackbird
- Common chaffinch
- Common chiffchaff
- Common crossbill
- Common firecrest
- Common kestrel
- Common linnet
- Common wood pigeon
- Eurasian blackcap
- Eurasian blue tit
- Eurasian bullfinch
- Eurasian crag-martin
- Eurasian eagle-owl
- Eurasian jay
- Eurasian nuthatch
- Eurasian siskin
- Eurasian sparrowhawk
- European crested tit
- European goldfinch
- European greenfinch
- European robin
- European serin
- Golden eagle
- Great grey shrike
- Great tit
- Griffon vulture
- Hawfinch
- Long-tailed tit
- Meadow pipit
- Mistle thrush
- Peregrine falcon
- Red-billed chough
- Red-legged partridge
- Redwing
- Ring ouzel
- Rock bunting
- Sardinian warbler
- Short-toed treecreeper
- Song thrush
- Spotless starling
- Wren