The species represented in Campo and Tabernas' dessert are characteristic of plain habitats and open spaces, forming the group of greater ornithological interest in this district.

Species of interest

• The most outstanding sedentary species(Species of Tourist Interest) are the black-bellied sandgrouse, Dupont's Lark, the Calandra lark, the Thekla lark, the black wheater, the trumpeter finch and the rockbounting ( Emberiza Cia ).

• The most outstanding nesting species are the cream-coloured courser, the European roller ( Coracias garrulus ), the greater short-toed lark, the black-eared wheatear ( Oenanthe hispanica ) and the western olivaceous warbler in the ramblas. The lesser kestrel one can be observe during the migratory path.

• Two of the species that can be seen in this district are Arabic-Indo-North African distribution, the trumpeter finch and the cream-coloured courser. The trumpeter finch has in the centre of the county of Almería, Murcia and Alicante, its only European sites, with its main population, 100 couples, in Tabernas' deserted SAC. The cream-coloured courser is only mentioned in continental Europe in Tabernas' deserted.

• Besides the previous species, they are present other plain species that makes the representation of this group in Tabernas' deserted one of the most complete to an European level: hen harrier ( Circus cyaneus ), lesser (during migration) and common kestrels, little bustard, stone-curlew, greater Short-toed lark, crested lark, spectacled warbler ( Sylvia conspicillata ) and corn bunting ( Miliaria calenders ); the therefore only species left, are those more linked to the herbaceous plains, as the great bustard ( Otis tarda ) and the pin-tailed sandgrouse ( Pterocles alchata ).

Time of the year

Preferably during breeding season; since the cream-coloured courser , the European roller, the greater short-toed lark and the b lack-eared wheatear are only sight during breeding besides dispersal movement periods of juvenile t rumpeter finch reduce their population.

Observation Places

• You can consider appropriate almost any site in Tabernas' deserted , varying the specific composition in function of the grade of heath covering and dimensions. During the hottest months, the drinking troughs (pluvial puddles that persist in the ramblas or springs of underground water) are appropriate points for the observation of plains birds, being the black-bellied sandgrouse species that show a greater predilection for the plain.

• In general the first and last hours of the day are the most appropriate to observe plains birds, because is when they show higher activity, especially in the hottest months. The red-necked nightjar (that without being a plains bird can make use of these open spaces), the Dupont's lark and the stone-curlew are species of twilight habits that will be difficult to detect during the day, unless the observer's march alarm one. On the other hand, the red-necked nightjar and the stone-curlew have very characteristic songs and of great intensity, easy to perceive during the twilight and the night.

The most suitable form of observation is walking. During the breeding period, to minimize the disturbance to the birds is recommended that the journey should be made by car or, depending in the specific cases, sometime is even recommended to avoid the access to the breeding areas. Although the nonexistence of hedges or fences invite the walker for a cross country walk, due to the damage that can be done if step accidentally on a nest, you are advise to not to leave the path roads where a great number of visitors can concentrate.

© Photograph: Cinema Sur

The forest birds that are in the arboreal masses of the mountains, have second order attractive that reside in the composition of the communities although they lack some more attractive species, this ecosystems are enriched by the entrance of heath species.

Species of interest

• The structure of the communities of birds in the forest ecosystems represented in the mountains of the district, is similar to that of the ornitocenosis of the heaths due to the small size of the forest surface, relegated to the summit, its degradation state, isolation and the half grow development of the pine forest (4 - 5 m of height). Hence that among the forest species are dominant the generalists (robin, s ong thrush , c ommon chiffchaff , Eurasian green woodpecker , great tit, common chaffinch, etc.), in front of the common ( Certhia brachydactyla ) specialist s hort-toed treecreeper and in the coniferous forests of coal tit ( Parus ater ) and c ommon crossbill ( Loxia curvirostra ).

The forest Species of Tourist Interest or the heaths ones that can be observed as sedentary it is the spotless starling (Sturnus unicolor) and breeding species the red-necked nightjar , the Rufous-tailed scrub robin and the O rphean warbler ( Sylvia hortensis ).

Time of the year

• Although during the breeding season the communities are more numerous as for species present (27), the visit is interesting the whole year, because the main group is that of the sedentary species (22 species during winter).

• The sedentary birds form the most numerous group with 18 species, among other the common woodpigeon ( Columba palumbus ), the Eurasian green woodpecker, the Dartford warbler ( Sylvia undata ), the Sardinian Warbler, the coal tit, the blue tit ( Parus caeruleus ), the great tit, the short-toed treecreeper, the common crossbill and the European serin.

• Among the breeding visitor can be mention European turtledove ( Streptopelia turtur ) , the common cuckoo ( Cuculus canorus ), the Rufous-tailed scrub robin and the Western Bonelli's warbler ( Phylloscopus bonelli ), restricted to the densest areas in the forest and also with presence in the heath, the Eurasian scops-owl ( Otus scops ), the Rufous nightingale ( Luscinia megarhynchos ), the Western Orphean warbler, the spotted flycatcher ( Muscicapa striata ) and the golden oriole ( Oriolus oriolus ) .

Wintering species are not numerous, some of the ones that can be seen are dunnock, the robin and others that can be also in heaths, as the song thrush, the blackcap ( Sylvia atricapilla ) and the common chiffchaff. The sedentary populations of c ommon Woodpigeon can receive immigrations of the rest of Europe.

Observation Sites

• Mainly, the mountains of Filabres and of Alhamilla, compose by many peaks, compose by vegetation gradient of grasslands, thyme, high heath and oak-pine woodlands, with its associate avifauna. The mountain sites are scarce in infrastructures that help to the observation of birds.

Regarding birdwatching in the low hillsides of the mountain, are valid the recommendations made for the observation of plains birds.