Monfragüe

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Montfragüe is a rural part of Extremadura, Spain which is the country's most recently designated National Park (Parque Nacional Monfragüe). The park had previously been designated a Biosphere reserve.

The park is north of Trujillo and runs from east to west along the valley of the dammed River Tagus. It includes a long mountainous ridge, which the river has cut through, creating on the western side an impressive rock face, the Penafalcon. On the eastern side, a castle, Castillo Monfragüe, is situated. The River Tietar enters the park from the north-east and joins the Tagus just to the east of Penafalcon.

[edit] Biodiversity

Habitats in the park include extensive dense scrub, small oak woodlands, and numerous cliffs and rock faces.

It is an outstanding site for raptors, with more than 15 regular breeding species, including the world's largest breeding concentration of Eurasian Black Vulture, a large population of Griffon Vulture, and several pairs of Spanish Imperial Eagle, Golden Eagle and Bonelli's Eagle.

Other breeding birds for which the park is important are Black Stork and Eurasian Eagle Owl and there is a high density of Azure-winged Magpie. It is also one of the few locations in Europe where White-rumped Swift breeds.

The reserve is also important for the Iberian Lynx.