Invited by the Spanish Embassy, we explored the natural and cultural wonders of Extremadura and took part in the 20th edition of FIO, the premier event for birdwatching tourism.
We were on the verge of closing the office and starting our well-deserved Christmas vacation when, a few weeks ago, we received a phone call. One of those calls you’re tempted not to answer, thinking it might be another call center. But this time we answered, and it was the wisest decision we could have made.
‘Mr. Russo, I’m calling from the Spanish Embassy, specifically from the Spanish Tourism Board in Rome, because we would like to invite you to participate in the F.I.O. – International Ornithological Tourism Fair – in Extremadura. Are you familiar with it?’
Of course, we didn’t hesitate for a second to accept this wonderful proposal with great enthusiasm. We are well acquainted with FIO, a global institution in this sector, and we had already planned to attend the next edition. Therefore, receiving an official invitation was an honour and an unmissable opportunity.
The invitation included participation in the fair over the weekend and also a Fam Trip (promotional tour organized for tourism industry operators to get to know a destination up close).
And so, on February 18th, I arrived in Extremadura – a region I knew but hadn’t visited in many years. The city of Mérida was the meeting point for the group of participants from every corner of the planet. Around thirty tourism operators and experts, mostly specializing in ornithological tourism, were invited by the Spanish embassies of their respective countries, and K’ Nature was among them.
As a welcome, we were greeted by Marcos, who led us on an urban birdwatching walk along the Guadiana River, one of the main waterways in western Spain. It was an excellent opportunity to immediately connect with the region’s rich birdlife. We observed numerous groups of Cattle Egrets, Cormorants, Spoonbills, and Glossy Ibises resting along the riverbank, with the “Lusitania” bridge, designed by Santiago Calatrava, providing a scenic backdrop. The afternoon continued with a visit to the historic center of Mérida, rich in archaeological remains from the Roman era. Mérida was the capital of the region known as Lusitania, which also included part of present-day Portugal. The highlights of our visit included the Roman Theatre, the Amphitheater, and the Temple of Diana.
In an extraordinary combination of archaeology and biodiversity, the day ended with a visit to the Roman bridge, one of the longest and best-preserved in the world. We took advantage of the last light of the day for some final birdwatching observations, including a stunning wintering Little Bittern.
Over the following days, accompanied by the excellent local birdwatching guides Marcos and Jose Luis, we explored the region’s main wildlife hotspots: Acedera, a village where a church serves as a nesting site for Lesser Kestrels (Falco naumanni) and White Storks (Ciconia ciconia), now a protected area within the Natura 2000 network and designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA), with its boundaries precisely matching the church’s perimeter; the Alange dam, the uplands above Hornachos (where we spotted the Iberian Imperial Eagle – Aquila adalberti – the Black Wheatear – Oenanthe leucura – and Thekla’s Lark – Galerida thekleae), and the pseudo-steppe areas of Las Serenas and Cabeza del Buey. In these vast open landscapes, we had the incredible opportunity to observe one of the most sought-after species among wildlife enthusiasts visiting Extremadura: the Great Bustard (Otis tarda). This is one of the heaviest flying birds in the world and a true symbol of the Iberian plains, renowned for its spectacular courtship display, in which males puff up their plumage and perform elaborate movements to attract females. Our sighting of around 15 individuals was made even more special by the presence of a male beginning its courtship preparations.
While birdwatching remained our primary activity during these days, we also immersed ourselves in other meaningful experiences. We had the pleasure of visiting the AMUS center (Acción por el Mundo Salvaje), dedicated to wildlife protection and actively engaged in the rehabilitation and reintroduction of threatened species. Thanks to initiatives like the LIFE program, this center plays a crucial role in local ecosystem conservation, employing a scientific approach and careful animal management.
Another noteworthy experience was our visit to the aging and refining cave of the family-run cheese company “Reborto”. The tour was made even more memorable by the tasting session at the end, where we sampled some of their finest cheeses.
As the weekend arrived, we moved further north toward the city of Trujillo. This historically significant town is the birthplace of Francisco Pizarro, the conquistador and key figure in the Spanish colonization of Peru. We had the opportunity to enjoy a cultural visit to the city center, where, thanks to the magnificent evening light, we explored the medieval core, the Moorish castle area, and the narrow streets lined with imposing Renaissance palaces.
Trujillo is just a few dozen kilometers from the main destination of our week in Extremadura: Monfragüe National Park. This true birdlife sanctuary is home to incredible numbers of breeding pairs of rare and threatened species such as the Black Stork, the Cinereous Vulture (which boasts the largest colony in all of Europe here), and the Egyptian Vulture. The park’s landscape is spectacular, featuring towering rock formations carved by the Tagus River and vast stretches of dehesa. This is a semi-natural landscape consisting of open forests of cork oaks (Quercus suber) and holm oaks (Quercus ilex), traditionally used for extensive livestock grazing (such as the Iberian pig) and cork production.
Monfragüe has also been hosting the Feria Internacional de Turismo Ornitológico (FIO) for the past 20 years—the main reason for our trip to Extremadura. We spent most of our time here, though we still found moments to observe all the key bird species currently inhabiting the park and its surroundings!
On the first day, during the workshop dedicated to industry suppliers, we met with more than 20 representatives from protected areas, provincial and local tourism offices, and ecotourism operators, who presented their offerings and proposed possible collaborations.
This was an invaluable opportunity to refine the details of our next trip to Extremadura—something we had been planning for a while and now hope to organize for next winter. It also allowed us to start envisioning new wildlife expeditions in other regions of Spain, such as Almería, Asturias, or the Valencian Community, which have long piqued our interest.
The second day was all about enjoying the fair: visiting the many exhibitor stands, admiring the winning photographs from the competition organized by FIO, and attending several talks. Among these, one focused on Birdwatching and Ornithological Tourism Fairs across different continents, while another featured Jaime Culebras discussing Ecuador’s extraordinary faunal megadiversity and the conservation challenges it faces.
Visiting the bustling exhibitor area was undoubtedly one of the most memorable moments. Beyond meeting dozens of service providers (birdwatching guides, eco-tourism-focused B&Bs, specialized tour operators), it was particularly interesting to see how many Spanish regional and provincial authorities had their own stands specifically promoting ornithological tourism within their territories. This, along with the very concept of FIO and the Fam Trip we had the honor of participating in, clearly demonstrates how Spanish administrations have long recognized the immense potential of biodiversity as a driving force for sustainable territorial development.
We cannot say that this was a revelation for us: we have been visiting Spain for over a decade and are well aware of the attention given to these issues. For even longer, we have been committed to staying updated on the challenges surrounding the promotion of ornithological tourism. While it may not have been a revelation, it was certainly a confirmation of how one of our core missions—promoting the sustainable development of our territories through ecotourism (the real kind, not just greenwashing)—can be particularly valuable.
We are immensely grateful to the Spanish Embassy for giving us the opportunity to take part in such an enriching experience. Above all, we want to thank the people behind the organization of FIO and the promotion of birdwatching tourism in Extremadura—especially Vanessa Palacios, whom we had the pleasure of meeting during the Fam Trip. In our opinion, they have done a truly outstanding job in recent years.
Goodbye, Extremadura—we’ll see you next winter.
In the meantime, this spring, we can’t wait to return to our beloved Andalusia for our most classic expedition: the one that will take us in search of the Iberian Lynx between Doñana Natural Park and the Sierra de Andújar.
