Andalucía is a region of contrast. There are wild mountains and extensive marshes, dry semi-desert and barren karst, but also leafy woodlands laced with murmuring streams. The biodiversity is the highest of any of the Spanish regions. Andalucía is the stronghold of the endangered Iberian Lynx. Herds of wild Ibex roam the mountains and large numbers of vultures and eagles nest on remote, precipitous cliffs. Rare, endemic plants grow in the dry riverbeds in the Desierto and numerous butterflies grace the boulder-strewn heights of the Sierra Nevada.
Andalucía is too large and diverse to do it justice in a single guidebook. This book covers the eastern half – roughly the provinces of Córdoba, Jaen, Granada and Almería. Like all other Crossbill Guides, it answers two questions: What makes this area so special, and how you can see this for yourself. The book describes the flora and fauna, landscape and traditional land use of this region, plus 18 detailed routes and 28 sites covering Sierra Nevada, Sierra de Cazorla, Sierra de Andújar, Cabo de Gata and Desierto de Tabernas, to name a few, with concrete indications on where and how to find the birds, wildlife and flora.
Albert Vliegenthart (The Netherlands, 1975) works at ‘de Vlinderstichting’ – the Dutch butterfly conservancy and is specialized in butterflies and dragonflies, next to being a keen birdwatcher.
Bouke ten Cate (The Netherlands, 1985) practically grew up in the field and is out and about whenever he can. Bouke is an allround naturalist with special interest in birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals, but he is above all a keen naturalist.
Dirk Hilbers (The Netherlands, 1976), is the founder of the Crossbill Guides Foundation and travels Europe to write Crossbill Guides about the continent’s most beautiful natural areas.
Kees Woutersen (The Netherlands, 1956) lives in Huesca and works as a nature guide in Spain. He runs his own nature travel company (Aragon Natuurreizen) and is the author of several books on birds and natural history of the Pyrenees.