"Sierra de las Aguilas y San Pascual" Municipal Nature Reserve is located in the town of Monforte del Cid (Alicante). These two enclaves occupy a total area of 384.06 ha and are delimited by a large agricultural area and the Bética mountain range.
This landscape is composed of small farms dedicated mainly to the cultivation of grapes, which rise progressively over the Vinalopó valley. It is without a doubt one of the most attractive areas for visitors in the town of Monforte del Cid.
Most interesting species
Residents: Golden eagle, Bonelli’s eagle, Eurasian eagle-owl, common raven, red-billed chough, black wheatear, Eurasian crag martin, red-legged partridge, Dartford warbler, common wood pigeon, little owl, European crested tit, African stonechat and the Eurasian stone-curlew.
Summer: European scops owl, great spotted cuckoo, European bee-eater, rufous-tailed scrub robin and subalpine warbler.
Winter: Great cormorant, mallard duck, black-necked grebe and common sandpiper.
Birdwatching points of interest
To access the bird watching route, take the Alicante Motorway (A-31) to the Orito exit and follow the signs to the Santuario de la Cueva de San Pascual (Sanctuary of the Cave of Saint Paschal). Once there, leave the car in the car park to start the tour.
From the viewpoint (1), you can see the Sierra de San Pascual and frequently observe species such as the golden eagle, Bonelli’s eagle, Eurasian eagle-owl and other rock-dwelling species such as the raven or the red-billed chough.
Much of the itinerary coincides with the PRCV-170 trail, crossing through underdeveloped forests of Aleppo pines and scrublands where the European crested tit, common wood pigeon or the red‑legged partridge can be observed
Once we reach the road to the Embalse de las Águilas (Las Águilas Reservoir) (2), esparto fields and uncultivated hillsides on the left divide and the European bee-eater, great spotted cuckoo, black wheatear, lesser whitethroat and even the hard to spot Eurasian stone-curlew can be observed.
In thand winter, large irrigation pools act as resting areas for numerous ducks, cormorants and grebes. Returning back along the circular route, there are small thalwegs with ancient cultivation terraces where you can observe the European scops owl, little owl and rufous-tailed scrub robin.
Accommodation and restaurant
Although there is a campsite near Orito, most of the restaurants and accommodations are located in the town of Monforte del Cid.
Other nearby places
The nearby Sierra del Cid expands the possibilities of observing rock-dwelling species such as the golden eagle, Eurasian eagle-owl and peregrine falcon. Also noteworthy is the presence of groups of Barbary sheep grazing on its slopes and thalwegs.