Places › Southern shore · Cape

Punta Cires

Anyera (Marruecos) · 35.91° N, 5.48° W

The southern end of the narrowest crossing, opposite Tarifa. First African ground for soaring birds in autumn and departure point in spring. Fewer observers and fewer open records than the northern shore: not less life.

115
bird species: 2001–2025
first and last open record

See the place in the explorer

within about 2 km · Natural Earth cartography, public domain

90 % of the records are from 2007 onwards.

Few open observations: the southern shore has fewer observers, not less life. The figures here describe what has been published, not what is there.

September

What to watch this week

The species with the largest share of their open observations in these weeks of the year, here (week 37 and its two neighbours). A likelihood, not a promise: observations measure effort as well as presence.

Open records within about 2 km of the point by ISO week, all years added up. The current week is outlined.

SeasonalShort-toed Snake EagleCircaetus gallicus
Photo: Vijay Vanaparthy, CC BY
44% of its observations here fall in these weeks
SeasonalBooted EagleAquila pennata
Photo: Дмитрий Еременко, CC BY
41% of its observations here fall in these weeks
SeasonalBlack KiteMilvus migrans
Photo: Valentina Eggler, CC0
29% of its observations here fall in these weeks
ResidentYellow-legged GullLarus michahellis
No freely licensed photo
17% of its observations here fall in these weeks
SeasonalSandwich TernSterna sandvicensis
Photo: Stanley Davis, CC BY
15% of its observations here fall in these weeks
ResidentSardinian WarblerSylvia melanocephala
Photo: Donald Davesne, CC BY
14% of its observations here fall in these weeks

Where to watch today

Forecast wind at Punta Cires, 10:00–16:00

6km/h from the NW

Gusts

19 km/h

Calm: crossing along the whole front

With no dominant wind, soaring birds cross at any point between Tarifa and Gibraltar as soon as the thermals rise. It is the most spread-out day and the most comfortable for watching.

Watchpoint: Any; Cazalla and Algarrobo cover both ends

Forecast for Tuesday 8 September, Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0). A reading, not a prediction of passage.

The ones that define the place

Species more concentrated here than in the rest of the Strait: their share of observations at the place divided by their share across the whole area. An index of 3 means three times more frequent here than expected.

Cyanistes teneriffae×31.7
Common Bubul×16.4
Common Wood Pigeon×4.5

Most observed birds

Birds with 30 or more open records within the site radius. It measures observation effort as well as presence.

Each species' line is its weekly distribution here; the vertical tick is the current week.

The place's calendar

30 %

Monthly distribution of the open observations within about 2 km of the point.

Protection

Reserva de la Biosfera Intercontinental del Mediterráneo

Important Bird Area (IBA)

The IBA inventory covers Spain. The Moroccan shore has its own, which this atlas does not use yet.

Inventory kept by SEO/BirdLife within BirdLife International's IBA programme. It is not a legal protection status, but it carries weight in impact assessments and in court.

Natura 2000 network

The point is not inside any Natura 2000 site.

How to watch

The colonies on Isla Verde and Isla de las Palomas are watched from a distance. Binoculars and telescope, no approach.
No drones over islands, breakwaters or docks: they flush the birds and are forbidden in the port domain without authorisation.

Other places

CC0 and CC BY records from GBIF and OBIS in the own database, deduplicated, within about 2 km of the point. Natura 2000 sites from the European Environment Agency. Protection designations as currently in force; no legal value. 8 September 2026.