Valle del Guadalhorce
Description

The district of Valle del Guadalhorce has a surface of 722 km² and it is located in the middle-south of the county of Málaga bordering at north on Vega of Antequera, at south on Costa del Sol, at east on the Malaga capital and at west on Sierra de las Nieves. The river Guadalhorce, fluvial main axis of the county of Málaga, crosses the district being the main artery that confers life to the territory. Among its tributaries, the most important is river Grande which carries out the fluvial main contributions to the river Guadalhorce and this fact allows the low tract of the river and its mouth to be an ideal area for the observation of numerous species of residents and migratory birds .

  The district is composed by the following municipalities:
Alhaurín el Grande, Almogía, Álora, Cártama, Coín, Pizarra y Valle de Abdalajís.
The District is located in the Andalusian mountain ranges, among the mediterranean coast to the south and the furrow of the betic mountains to the north and it is articulated following the course of the river Guadalhorce. These characteristics confer to this unit a great landscape variability and diversity of ecosystems.
The river Guadalhorce, the most important in the county of Málaga, crosses the district articulating, on one hand an axis north-south, corresponding to the medium tract of Guadalhorce where the river fits in the narrow pass of Gaitanes, making its way among the Prieta and del agua mountains to the west and the Mounts of Málaga to the east, and on the other hand in an east-west axis forming a wide vega surrounded by mountains.
Ornithological importance
of the District of Valle del Guadalhorce

Strategic position in an area of birds migration. The migratory main route between Europe and África takes advantage of the Valley of Guadalhorce to cross the Andalusian mountains in its approach to the Strait of Gibraltar.

Ecological values. The diversity of ecosystems represented in this district determines the presence of very diverse groups of birds, stressing the importance of the forest birds, rocky birds and species from the agricultural areas.

Birdlife diversity. 151 species of birds can be observed in a regular way, which suppose 29% of the 524 described at the publication Birds in Europe (Birdlife 2004) for the whole European continent, and 38% of around the 400 species of birds that can be observed in Andalusia.


© Photograph: Cinema Sur

 

Threatened species. Of the 226 European species of birds that have a state of non favorable conservation, 64 (29%) can be observed in the district which denotes how important this territory is for the threatened avifauna.

Natural Protected Spaces. The Natural spot Desfiladero de los Gaitanes declared as Site of Community Interest (SIC) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC). The river Guadalhorce, Fahala and Pereilas and the mountains of Abdalajís, Encantada Sur, Alcaparaín and de Aguas are part of the Nature 2000 net, being classified as Sites of Community Importance (SICs).

Presence of Important Bird Areas (IBA´s). Mountains of Antequera and El Chorro are important reproductive areas for the Bonelli´s eagle and of other rocky species.
The Territory



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