Pechar
Ourense
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Pechar
Ourense
Play Ampliar
Pechar
Ourense
Play Ampliar
Pechar
Ourense
Play Ampliar
Pechar
Ourense
Play Ampliar

Ourense

The Miño river and its tributaries are the most determinant natural elements in the city of Ourense. They attract various water and land birds that have a distinctive Mediterranean character.

On the banks of the Miño

On its middle reaches, as it passes through the city of Ourense, the Miño is a river of considerable size. Despite being in the middle of an urban area it retains a high degree of naturalness on its banks, which host quite a few birds. As regards this environment, note should be taken of an important item of heritage: its Roman bridge that several bird species have chosen as a nesting place. Other much smaller rivers flowing into the Miño, such as the Lonia, form a suburban network that host a surprising number of birds.

The routes
Mapa de Ourense
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Route on foot: Miño river

BEST TIME

Year-round, especially spring

DISTANCE

5.8 km, one way

DURATION

2 hours on foot and a half-hour by bicycle (one way)

DIFFICULTY

None

COUNCILS

Barbadás, Ourense

PATH

Río river

Mapa de Route 1
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Key points on the route:

  1. Along the route pay attention to the vegetation, as is often possible to see cetti's warblers, european robins, iberian chiffchaffs in spring and common chiffchaffs in winter. 
  2. In spring, it is worth stopping at A Ponte Vella (1) to witness the frantic traffic of common swifts and some pallid swifts struggling to interact with each other and catch insects.
  3. Also pay attention to the birds that fly over the river: in winter there are yellow-legged gulls and black kites in spring and summer.
  4. In the rapids (2), white and grey wagtails are frequent.
  5. Outariz bridge (3), at the end of the route, is fantastic for watching house martins and swallows.

Route on foot or by bike: A Lonia - Castro de San Tomé

BEST TIME

Year-round, especially spring

DURATION

1,5 horas a pé, media hora en bicicleta (só ida)

DIFFICULTY

None

COUNCILS

Ourense

PATH

A Lonia - Castro de San Tomé

Mapa de Route 2
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Key points on the route:

  1. The route starts at the mouth of the Lonia in the Miño (1), where there are cetti's warblers, european robins and iberian chiffchaffs. 
  2. Remain attentive to the tree groves, as they are the ideal place to locate one of the most elusive woodpeckers: the lesser spotted woodpecker.
  3. In the rapids there are white-throated dipper, while common kingfisher can pass swiftly by at any time.
  4. At the end of the route (2), we move through more open areas where eurasian hobby and black kite can be seen.
Common Swift
Apus apus
Cetti's Warbler
Cettia cetti
Black Kite
Milvus migrans
Ourense
Ponte Romana
Ourense
The birds

Birds characteristic of rivers, such as grey wagtails, white-throated dippers, common sandpipers and common kingfishers are easily seen in Ourense. On its banks settle birds typical of river groves such as cetti's warbler and the lesser spotted woodpecker, which is rare in these latitudes. The Miño and its surroundings are also favourite feeding places for birds as attractive as  house martins, swallows and swifts. Various raptors such as the eurasian hobby and black kite can also be seen with relative ease.

Tips and resources

  • You are in an urban area so pay attention to traffic.

  • Urban birds are an excellent educational resource that is easy to observe and available to everyone. 

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