Guide to Fuente de Piedra Reserva Natural

Fuente de Piedra Reserva Natural, Malaga province, Andalucia, Spain, famous for its flamingoes

By Nick Nutter | Updated 29 Aug 2022 | Málaga | Parks | Login to add to YOUR Favourites or Read Later

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Flamingos at Fuente de Piedra

The Fuente de Piedra lagoon, at 1,400 hectares, is the largest in Andalucia. It is situated in Malaga province near the town of Antequerra. The lagoon is home to the largest colony of flamingos in the Iberian Peninsula. It is fed by underground springs and two streams, the Santillan and El Humilladero. Due to the saline nature of the strata beneath the lagoon, the water is very salty. During the summer a salt crust forms on the surface of the water. The salt has been exploited since Roman times, and the ancient dykes and walls are essential for the breeding flamingos and other aquatic birds such as the gull-billed tern, slender-billed gull, the white stork and the shoveler. Sandpipers are common visitors during the winter.

Black winged stilt

Avocet

Coots

A pair of shovellers

How to get there

The José Antonio Valverde visitor centre is located on a small hill known as the Cerro del Palo, overlooking the Fuente de Piedra lagoon offering the chance to enjoy spectacular views across the lagoon.

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