Featured on: The Bovey Birder, 25/06/2025
Link: https://theboveybirder.com/2025/06/25/mallorcas-birding-brilliance/

In my last post, I wrote the first instalment of the latest Mallorca series, detailing the first impressions of where we were staying and the surrounding area, as well as giving a few sneak peeks as to the birds and wildlife we were fortunate to encounter during our week-long stay. But why is Mallorca so amazing for birding, with between 25 and 30 thousand birdwatching tourists visiting annually? Well, as we had discovered on both of our previous trips to the island, there are several reasons which interlink to create the perfect birding paradise.

It should be mentioned that Mallorca is home to several endemic species, as well as hosting crucial populations of others. The Balearic Warbler is probably the most well-known, with it only breeding on the Balearics, excluding Menorca. It thrives in the open, rocky and partially vegetated coastal areas that are found across the islands, especially on smaller islands like Dragonera and Cabrera. Another species endemic to Mallorca can be seen in other spots around the Mediterranean, and even in the English Channel at the right time of year! It is, of course, the Balearic Shearwater, a species prized on pelagics and seawatches on the south coast of England and Ireland. They nest in crevices and caves on the cliffs that are plentiful around the islands’ coastlines. With the Shearwater, it is worth noting that the word endemic describes a species that only breeds in one particular place. So despite it being seen further afield in other seasons, it is still endemic to Mallorca!

Recently, a new species was recognised by the IUCN, that only breeds on the Balearics, Corsica and Sardinia. These populations have been split from the Spotted Flycatcher, and are now known as the Mediteranean Flycatcher, due to studies showing that the populations on the above Mediterranean islands exhibit genetic differences, as well as slight differences in their plumage and other physical characteristics. Mallorca is also home to several endemic subspecies, such as the Balearic Woodchat Shrike. This subspecies differs from the Woodchat Shrike due to the lack of a white patch on the primary feathers and a deeper bill, and also has a case to become a separate species in the future.

Black Vultures are a species that are currently thriving in Mallorca thanks to dedicated conservation efforts bringing them back from the brink of local extinction. But Mallorca’s breeding population is the only one in the world currently sustainably based on an offshore island, making Mallorca’s birds crucial for ornithologists to study. But now I’ve outlined just a few of Mallorca’s more well-known specialty species, let’s delve into why Mallorca is just so good for birds.

To start with, the location of the island is perfect. Providing one of the largest stop-off points between Europe and Africa, it is strategically placed to entertain migrants that need to rest and recuperate on their journeys in Spring and Autumn. And Mallorca has the diverse range of habitats to accommodate many different species, from waders and wildfowl on huge wetlands such as S’Albufera, to passerines pausing on Cap de Formentor, a breathtaking headland jutting out into the northern Mediterranean Sea. Around 33% of Mallorca is still woodland, its mountains play host to several species of large raptors, and the open plains in the middle of the island are full of birdlife.

But another reason lies in Mallorca’s agricultural stance. 55.5% of Mallorca is covered by farmland, but the island is increasingly embracing practices that benefit both people and nature, with a large shift towards sustainable and regenerative farming methods. Much of Mallorca’s produce is now produced organically with no pesticides, and agroforestry (integrating trees and shrubs into farmland to increase diversity and sustainability) is gaining traction on the island. Above all, these practices aim to improve soil health, enhance biodiversity and battle climate change, all while being sustainable and affordable.

Mallorca’s Key Habitats

Wetlands play a big part in Mallorca’s ecosystem, with large sites such as S’Albufera, S’Albufereta, along with smaller ones such as Maristany, playing host to many species of birds and wildlife. They offer a mix of reedbeds, marshes, lagoons and canals, providing habitat for several species that can be relatively hard to find in other parts of Europe. Red Knobbed Coots, one of Europe’s most endangered waterbirds, can be found within the park boundaries of S’Albufera, while the above sites are some of the best places to spot Eleonora’s Falcons that feed on the insects above the marshes. Mallorca is one of the best places in the world to spot these incredibly agile falcons.

Another of Mallorca’s key habitats is the mountainous regions in the west of the island. A far cry from the bustling wetlands, these rocky, open spaces complete with stunted vegetation give life to raptor species from the Black Vulture to the Bonelli’s Eagle. The rugged landscapes of sites such as the Serra de Tramuntana create ideal conditions for raptors to soar high in the sky, with the high ridges generating thermals for the birds to climb effortlessly. With the mountains offering many ideal nesting sites, as well as open, more vegetated spaces for hunting, why would they want to leave? The mountains are also home to other desirable species such as the Common Rock Thrush and Eurasian Crag Martin, both cliff and mountainside specialists.

All around Mallorca’s coastline, from Formentor to the islands of Dragonera and Cabrera, you’ll find rocky, coastal scrubby habitats, which are the perfect living conditions for many of the passerine species that call Mallorca home or are just stopping by on migration. The Balearic Warbler loves this kind of habitat, along with the Moltoni’s Warbler, a rare Mediterranean species that only breeds in the Balearics, Corsica, Sardinia and northern Italy, which all have one thing in common; that scrubby, open habitat that this species really loves. Dominant plant that make up this habitat on Mallorca include Kidney Vetch, Mallorca St John’s Wort, Mediterranean Heath and Rosemary, which are all adapted to the low rainfall, strong sea breezes and the highly alkaline soils that all feature heavily on the clifftops of Mallorca.

In Spring, Mallorca’s cliffs are packed with birds, all looking to take advantage of the protection the cliffs offer from predators and harsh weather. The cliffs are covered with vegetation and natural crevices, providing plenty of nest sites that give shelter from the elements. The proximity to the sea also plays a part in birds’ decisions to nest on the cliffs, with seabirds like Shags and Audouin’s Gulls (considered one of the rarest gull species in the world) taking full advantage of this. Eleonora’s Falcons will also nest in the cliffs, with their breeding season uniquely timed with autumn passerine migration (about July to October) so that they can prey on the many tired birds passing through.

Mallorca is a truly special place for birds and birdwatchers alike, and I hope that you have understood that from this blog. It is quite possibly my favourite birding destination, and it’s migration seasons, Spring and Autumn, are truly spectacular, from soaring raptors to tiny passerines, and everything in between. It was incredible to be back there again, and I hope I can express my sheer joy in birding on that beautiful island through this post, and those to come.