Arrocampo Reservoir Special Protection Area

The last thing you expect to find near Monfragüe is a reservoir meant to cool a nuclear reactor that has become a protected haven for birds. Well, that’s just what you’ll find at the Parque Ornitológico de Arrocampo, a sanctuary whose famous wealth of aviary life is due to the higher temperature of the water (which results in a richer plant life) and the fact that the water is still, not moving. Magpies, sandpipers, herons, and cabochons were the species that I personally saw during my visit to the Parque Ornitológico de Arrocampo, although my guide Raúl said that grebes, spoonbills, cormorants, and rails also thrive at the park.

This was the starting point for our visit to the Monfragüe National Park. It’s a great place to birdwatch thanks to its unique microclimate provided by the warm and stable waters of the Arrocampo reservoirs. It’s a spectacular and wholly unexpected bird sanctuary designed to cool nuclear reactors and you’re sure to see plenty of herons, kingfishers, and storks, among many others.

The small reservoir of Arrocampo, near Saucedilla, is known as the “little Doñana” (a famous bird sanctuary on the Mediterranean coast) and is a must for birdwatchers and nature-lovers. The park has an information office and five observation points around the reservoir. It’s easy to spot species like grebes, coots, swans, herons, kites, and reed buntings.