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Greater flamingos feeding in the Doñana marshes, with horses beyond
Photo: Smiley.toerist, CC BY-SA 4.0

National park · Spain

Doñana National Park Wildlife Checklist

Doñana National Park in Andalucía, southern Spain, is one of Europe's great wetlands: flamingos, spoonbills and huge winter flocks on the Guadalquivir marshes, Spanish imperial eagles, and a recovering population of Iberian lynx. This checklist covers 64 species. March to May is the best time for birds; December to February gives the best, though still slim, lynx chances.

The park mixes marsh, pine and cork oak woods, scrub and moving dunes behind the Atlantic coast. El Rocío is the usual base, and its lagoon, right beside the village, is among the best birdwatching spots in Doñana.

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The Doñana checklist in the Wilder app, started as a trip with the first animals ticked
Animals to find
64
Where
Spain
Best time
Mar to May
Iberian lynx (Spain and Portugal)
2,663 in 2025

Doñana's star species

  • Iberian Lynx, one of the animals to look for in Doñana

    Iberian Lynx

    Doñana was one of the lynx's last two refuges. Most sightings come on authorised 4x4 tours at dawn and dusk, and even then they are lucky.

    Photo: Dorhi, CC BY-SA 3.0

  • Greater Flamingo, one of the animals to look for in Doñana

    Greater Flamingo

    Greater flamingos feed in the shallow marismas when they hold water after a wet winter. In dry years they gather on the remaining pools.

    Photo: Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0

  • Spanish Imperial Eagle

    One of the rarest eagles in the world. Watch the edges of cork oak and pine woods, and look for the white shoulder patches of adults.

  • Spoonbill

    Breeds in colonies in the park and feeds in shallow water, sweeping its bill side to side. Common around El Rocío in spring.

  • Purple Swamphen

    A big blue-purple rail with a red bill. Watch reed edges at La Rocina and the El Rocío lagoon.

  • Greylag Goose

    Tens of thousands winter on the marshes from October to February, alongside ducks and cranes.

  • Iberian Magpie

    A blue-winged magpie found only in Iberia. Noisy groups move through the pines at El Acebuche.

  • European Bee-eater

    Arrives in April and nests in sandy banks. Listen for the rolling call overhead.

  • Egyptian Mongoose

    Active by day. Watch tracks and field edges for a long, grizzled animal, sometimes in family lines nose to tail.

  • Marbled Duck

    One of Europe's rarest ducks. The José Antonio Valverde centre is the best place to look.

All 64 animals to spot in Doñana

Grouped the way you'll meet them. Tips show where to look.

Mammals 11

Birds of prey 7

Marsh and wetland birds 27

Woodland and scrub birds 9

Reptiles and amphibians 10

  • Last reviewed September 2026.
  • Sources are listed below the questions.
  • Wild animals only. Please give them space.

Best time to see wildlife in Doñana

Doñana's wildlife depends on rain. After a wet winter, the marshes flood and spring is spectacular; after drought years, water is limited to a few pools and birds concentrate there. March to May is the best time overall: migrants arrive from Africa, herons and spoonbills breed, and bee-eaters and rollers return. From June to September the marsh dries and daytime heat is intense, so go out early and late. Autumn rains in October and November refill the lagoons and bring back wintering birds. December to February brings tens of thousands of greylag geese, ducks and cranes. It is also the lynx mating season, when they move more and are seen a little more often.

  • Dec-FebWintering geese and cranes, lynx mating season
  • Mar-MaySpring migration, breeding herons, marsh at its best
  • Jun-SepHot and dry, early starts only
  • Oct-NovAutumn rains, birds return

Tips for spotting wildlife in Doñana

  1. Start at the El Rocío lagoon

    The promenade in front of the village overlooks the marsh. Come early, before the heat and the crowds, for flamingos, spoonbills and glossy ibises.

  2. Book an authorised tour

    Much of the national park can only be entered on licensed tours, such as 4x4 trips from El Acebuche or boats up the Guadalquivir from Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Book ahead in spring.

  3. Visit the visitor centres

    La Rocina, El Acebuche and José Antonio Valverde have hides and boardwalks. José Antonio Valverde, on the marsh edge, is good for herons and rare ducks.

  4. Check the water first

    Ask at the visitor centres which lagoons hold water. In dry years, Dehesa de Abajo and the rice fields on the east side of the marsh can be better.

  5. Drive slowly for lynx

    Lynx are killed on the roads around the park. Drive slowly at dawn and dusk, and watch the verges.

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Doñana wildlife FAQ

Can you see Iberian lynx in Doñana?

Yes, but it takes luck. Doñana was one of only two places where the lynx survived, with fewer than 100 left across Spain in 2002, and the 2025 census counted 2,663 in Spain and Portugal. Your best chances are on authorised 4x4 tours at dawn and dusk, especially in winter. The Sierra de Andújar in Jaén offers better odds for dedicated lynx trips.

When is the best time to visit Doñana?

March to May is the best time for most visitors, with spring migration, breeding herons and spoonbills, and the marshes still wet. Winter, from November to February, is excellent for geese, ducks and cranes, and for the lynx mating season. Summer is very hot and dry, so wildlife is harder to find except at dawn and dusk.

What birds can you see in Doñana?

Doñana is best known for flamingos, spoonbills, herons, the Spanish imperial eagle and huge winter flocks of greylag geese. Spring adds bee-eaters, rollers, black kites and purple swamphens. It is also one of the best places in Europe for rare ducks, including the marbled duck and white-headed duck. More than 300 bird species have been recorded.

Where is the best birdwatching around El Rocío?

The lagoon in front of El Rocío village is the easiest and often the best spot, especially in the early morning. Nearby, La Rocina has boardwalks and hides, while El Acebuche is good for Iberian magpies. For marsh birds, the José Antonio Valverde centre and Dehesa de Abajo are worth the drive on dirt tracks.

Sources

Last reviewed September 2026

Photo credits

All photo credits. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, resized.

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