Málaga is a province on the coast and, despite its high population, it still has some important sites where one can watch seabirds and shorebirds. Moreover, the strategic location of the province, which is between two seas and two continents, makes it possible to see a great variety of migratory birds in spring and autumn besides species which are present on regular bases.

Recently, the County Council of Málaga has published two guides which give information about where and when shorebirds can be seen, and which are the main features one needs to know to be able to identify them. The names of the guides are 'Seabirds and Shorebirds in the Province of Málaga' and 'Seagulls in the Province of Málaga'.

Classification

Water birds that we can see on the coast can be divided in two groups based on their ecological features and their closeness to the shore:  seabirds and shorebirds.
Seabirds are those which spend most part of their life at the sea, and only come to land to reproduce, above all, on the cliffs or small isles in the sea. They are also known as marine birds can also be pelagic.  This group includes shearwaters, auks or other birds of the family Alcidae, European storm petrels and northern gannets.

On the other hand, shorebirds are also connected to the sea, but they are more often on the shore - almost every season, and they can even be seen on the beaches. This group includes some seagulls, waders and terns. There are also species which reproduce in other ecosystems or are common in certain time of the year like the black-necked grebe and the little egret.

How Can you See Them?

Bird watching is one of the most enjoyable and relaxing hobbies. The province of Málaga has 175-kilometre-long coast and, even though, its territory is getting more and more developed and populated, it still has plenty of sites where shore and seabirds can be seen.

Shorebirds include seagulls, waders and terns, and can be easily seen from the land with binoculars or telescope. However, the situation is completely different in the case of seabirds. Their habitat is the sea, where they feed, rest and migrate. They only go to land to reproduce. Human beings are on the other side of the sea, and far away from these birds.

If we join these traits, it becomes clear that watching marine birds has always been a real challenge for ornithologists and nature lovers.

Where and When they Can be Seen

If there is an opportunity to get on a boat and sail some miles away from the coast, it is more probable you will see marine birds that rarely approach the coast like European storm petrels, shearwaters and skuas.

If you go bird watching from the land, you should find ledges of cliffs that go into the sea, like capes or headlands, such as Punta de Chullera (Manilva), Saladillo (Estepona) o Calaburras. Docks and breakwaters in the ports can also get us closer to the sea.

Considering that seabirds feed on the fish which is thrown away by fishermen, you might choose to look for fishing boats which fish close to the coast or go to ports when boats come to unload the fish. Ports are also a good shelter for seabirds during storms, which is why they come there when its raining or very windy, when you can go for a walk along the ports and admire them during their visit.

Other places which we recommend for those who want to see shorebirds are wetlands on the coast, like the Vélez River delta and the the Mouth of the Guadalhorce Naural Beauty Spot , where waders, terns and seagulls usually go to feed and rest during their migration journeys.
There are also cliffs and rocks on the coast like Maro Cerro Gordo Cliffs, beaches with stones and pebbles in Rincón and Araña, Tajo de la Soga beach in Benalmádena or the surroundings of Calaburras, El Chaparral and Calahonda in Mijas, where one can see little egrets, cormorants, seagulls and ruddy turnstones.

Remember that there is a section called 'Bird Watching Sites' at the webpage Birding Málaga, where you can choose routes, bird watching sites and other places which are important for ornithology.

Species that Can Be Seen on Our Coast

• Black-Necked Grebe
• Scopoli's Shearwater
• Balearic Shearwater
• European Storm Petrel,
• Northern Gannet
• Great Cormorant
• Greater Flamingo
• Little Egret.
• Common Scoter
• Osprey
• Eurasian Oystercatcher
• Kentish Plover
• Sanderling
• Ruddy Turnstone
• Bar-Tailed Godwit
• Eurasian Whimbrel
• Great Skua
• Pomarine Skua
• Parasitic Jaeger,
• Black-Headed Gull
• Slender-Billed Gull
• Audouin's Gull
• Mediterranean gull
• Yellow-Legged Gull
• Lesser Black-Backed Gull
• Little Tern
• Sandwich Tern
• Common Tern
• Caspian Tern
• Black Tern
• Whiskered Tern
• Atlantic Puffin
• Razorbill.