At the bottom of the valley, on the banks of the Oribio river or further downstream the Sarria river walk the pilgrims of the Camino de Santiago, perhaps unaware of the mountain range rising to their left. Forests and woodland cover its hills, hosting quite a few birds characteristic of these areas.

Birds on the Camino de Santiago

The peaks of the Serra do Oribio do not reach 1,500 m above sea level, but do drop sharply to 600 metres. In the north-facing slopes, shady forests thrive whilst the other parts are occupied by scrub interspersed with pastures. An occasional small crag completes the picture.

The mountains surrounding the massif, such as the discrete Serra do Édramo, are ridged, resulting in large open areas. At the bottom, the river runs clean, flanked by a substantial riparian forest. For much of the year the area's climate is very harsh so the avifauna in these months is not particularly striking. In spring and summer, however, different species of interest can be seen.

The routes

Route by car: Samos - Triacastela - Monte

BEST TIME

From April to September

DISTANCE

14 Km

DURATION

1 hour

DIFFICULTY

None

COUNCILS

Samos, Triacastela

PATH

Samos - Triacastela - Monte

Key points on the route:

  1. In the surroundings of the Monastery of Samos (1) various birds characteristic of the forest and other species linked to the river such as the white-throated dipper and grey wagtail can be seen. Even in the building the occasional red-billed chough can be seen.
  2. In the valley black kites, booted eagles and short-toed snake eagles are common.
  3. In the rocky area (2) it is worth a stop as eurasian crag martins are frequent.
  4. From Triacastela to the village of Monte (3) countryside birds such as the song thrush, mistle thrush, common buzzard, spotless starling and barn swallow can be seen.

Route on foot: Monte Oribio

BEST TIME

From April to September

DISTANCE

17 Km

DURATION

6 hours

DIFFICULTY

Medium

COUNCILS

Samos, Triacastela

PATH

Monte Oribio

Key points on the route:

  1. Leaving Triacastela (1) the route passes through a wooded area (2) where eurasian nuthatch and eurasian bullfinch can be easily seen.
  2. In the rocky area (3) of the first valley common ravens and eurasian crag martins can be seen.
  3. In the tough climb (4) to the summit it is common to see red-billed chough, northern harrier and montagu's harrier, as well as other birds of prey such as short-toed snake eagles and black kites.
  4. It is a good idea to take a short break at the summit (5) because, with some patience, species such as the water pipit and various birds of prey can be seen.
  5. Once back, look out for many species of countryside and forest birds, such as the song thrush and iberian chiffchaff.
  6. Back in Triacastela, at sunset, look out for the common swift colony that lives in the town. A good place to do so is at its church (6).
The birds

Large tracts of scrub make these mountains favourable for species such as the northern harrier, present throughout the year, and montagu's harrier, which comes from March to August. Other raptors such as the common kestrel and black kite are also common, while the red-billed chough stands out among mountain birds themselves. Forest birds such as the goshawk and booted eagle can be easily seen.

Tips and resources
  • Check the forecast before hiking up the mountains as there may be fog. 

  • For hiking routes a certain level of fitness and mountain experience is required.

  • This whole area is very well maintained, is very accessible in the valleys and therefore offers many possibilities at all times.

Arriba