Andorra’s compact Pyrenean landscape — with rocky ridgelines, mountain meadows and fast, clear streams — supports a surprising variety of birds in a small area. A few hours of walking can take you from wooded valleys up to alpine scree, so species change quickly with elevation.
There are 30 Birds of Andorra, ranging from Alpine Accentor to White-throated Dipper. The list shows each species’ Scientific name, Status, and Months present — you’ll find below.
When is the best time to see birds in Andorra?
Spring (April–June) is often the most productive: breeding activity and migrants are on territory, while summer highlights high-altitude breeders and clear song displays. Autumn migration adds passage species too; use the Months present column to target specific birds.
How can I use this list to plan a birdwatching trip?
Match the Status column (resident, migrant, etc.) with the Months present to choose dates, then pick habitats accordingly — visit streams for dippers and rocky high zones for species like the Alpine Accentor. The Scientific name helps confirm identifications and find more species-specific timing.
Birds of Andorra
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Months present |
|---|---|---|---|
| Griffon Vulture | Gyps fulvus | Resident and breeding | Jan–Dec |
| Bearded Vulture | Gypaetus barbatus | Rare vagrant | Apr–Oct |
| Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | Resident | Jan–Dec |
| Common Buzzard | Buteo buteo | Resident | Jan–Dec |
| Eurasian Sparrowhawk | Accipiter nisus | Resident | Jan–Dec |
| Eurasian Kestrel | Falco tinnunculus | Resident | Jan–Dec |
| Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus | Resident and breeding | Jan–Dec |
| Alpine Chough | Pyrrhocorax graculus | Resident and breeding | Jan–Dec |
| Red-billed Chough | Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax | Resident and breeding | Jan–Dec |
| Common Raven | Corvus corax | Resident | Jan–Dec |
| Eurasian Jay | Garrulus glandarius | Resident | Jan–Dec |
| Eurasian Magpie | Pica pica | Resident | Jan–Dec |
| Hoopoe | Upupa epops | Migrant and breeding | Mar–Sep |
| Black Redstart | Phoenicurus ochruros | Resident and breeding | Jan–Dec |
| Common Redstart | Phoenicurus phoenicurus | Migrant and breeding | Apr–Sep |
| White-throated Dipper | Cinclus cinclus | Resident and breeding | Jan–Dec |
| Wallcreeper | Tichodroma muraria | Resident and breeding | Jan–Dec |
| Alpine Accentor | Prunella collaris | Resident and breeding | Jan–Dec |
| European Robin | Erithacus rubecula | Resident | Jan–Dec |
| Blackbird | Turdus merula | Resident | Jan–Dec |
| Song Thrush | Turdus philomelos | Resident and migrant | Jan–Dec |
| Ring Ouzel | Turdus torquatus | Migrant | Apr–Jun |
| Eurasian Wren | Troglodytes troglodytes | Resident | Jan–Dec |
| Common Starling | Sturnus vulgaris | Resident and migrant | Jan–Dec |
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Resident | Jan–Dec |
| Snowfinch | Montifringilla nivalis | Resident and breeding | Jan–Dec |
| Common Chaffinch | Fringilla coelebs | Resident | Jan–Dec |
| Citril Finch | Serinus citrinella | Resident and breeding | Jan–Dec |
| Eurasian Siskin | Spinus spinus | Winter visitor and migrant | Oct–Apr |
| European Goldfinch | Carduelis carduelis | Resident | Jan–Dec |
Images and Descriptions
Griffon Vulture
Large, pale vulture often seen soaring over Andorra’s valleys; common on cliffs and thermals. Regular breeder on high cliffs, often in groups numbering tens. Look from mountain roads and reserves; conservation success after protections.
Bearded Vulture
Spectacular lammergeier occasionally recorded in Andorra following Pyrenean reintroductions; very rare. Long-winged, wedge-tailed scavenger that feeds on bone marrow. Watch high crags and wide valleys in spring and summer; sightings are special and usually widely reported.
Golden Eagle
Powerful mountain raptor seen across Andorra’s high plateaus and forests; resident and territorial. Look for heavy eagle with long wings and golden nape soaring alone or in pairs. Best viewed from high passes; protected and sensitive to disturbance.
Common Buzzard
Adaptable broad-winged raptor common in valleys and woodlands; resident. Often seen perched on pylons or soaring in thermals. Migratory influxes occur in autumn. Good views from roads and viewpoints; variable plumage can confuse with other Buteo species.
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Small agile forest hawk preying on songbirds; resident. Darts through woodlands and town edges; females larger and barred. Look for abrupt bursts of flight and perched birds scanning shrubs. Common but secretive, often at dawn and dusk near villages.
Eurasian Kestrel
Falcon-like kestrel hovering over fields and slopes; common resident. Identified by steady hover and long tail; males have rufous back, females streaked. Found near open habitats and villages year-round. Easy to observe from roadsides and reservoirs.
Peregrine Falcon
High-speed cliff specialist occurring on rocky crags; breeding in Andorra and migratory at times. Distinctive fast stoops and barred underparts. Best seen at escarpments and canyon viewpoints; populations benefited from pesticide controls and protection.
Alpine Chough
Glossy black corvid with yellow bill, frequent at high summits and ski areas; resident and gregarious. Performs aerial acrobatics and gathers at human-tended sites. Visible year-round on ridges and pass roads; easy to approach in tourist zones.
Red-billed Chough
Acrobatic crow with red bill and legs found on cliffs, pastures and village roofs; resident. Often feeds on insects in alpine meadows. Look at terraces, cliff tops and castle ruins; culturally emblematic in mountain landscapes.
Common Raven
Large black corvid common across Andorra’s mountains and valleys; resident. Intelligent and vocal, often seen in pairs or family groups. Found near cliffs, forests and villages; watch for aerial displays and food caching behaviors.
Eurasian Jay
Colorful woodland corvid with pinkish body and blue wing patches; resident. Common in deciduous and mixed forests, caches acorns and noisy in autumn. Best seen in lower-elevation forests and parkland; shy but conspicuous by call.
Eurasian Magpie
Bold black-and-white corvid common around villages, farmland and forest edges; resident. Noisy and omnivorous omnivore that adapts to human presence. Easy to spot in towns and valley bottoms; often feeds on scraps and small animals.
Hoopoe
Distinctive crested bird that passes through or breeds in warm valleys; migrant and breeder. Striking black-and-white wings and long curved bill probing soil. Seen in low-elevation orchards and sunny slopes from spring into summer.
Black Redstart
Slim dark rock-dwelling bird common in towns and mountain villages; resident and breeding. Males show black plumage with bright red tail; females browner. Found on walls, roofs and rocky scree year-round; easy to spot in settlement areas.
Common Redstart
Attractive migrant with orange-red tail and pale forehead; common spring and summer breeder in woodlands and gardens. Prefers mature trees and stone walls. Look during migration and breeding season in May–Aug; sings from exposed perches.
White-throated Dipper
Stocky riverside bird bobbing on rocks and diving for aquatic invertebrates; resident and breeding. Bright white throat and dark body give clear ID along mountain streams. Best spots are fast-flowing rivers and waterfalls year-round.
Wallcreeper
Stunning crimson, grey and black cliff specialist clinging to vertical rockfaces; resident and breeding in montane zones. Thin, long bill probes crevices for insects. Look at limestone cliffs, quarries and high ravines; sometimes seen at close range in spring.
Alpine Accentor
Small streaked bird of high alpine slopes and boulder fields; resident and breeding. Brown and grey with a fine bill; often feeds on insects and seeds near summits. Frequent on rocky ridges and around ski areas, especially in summer.
European Robin
Familiar, tame insectivorous bird of gardens and forests; resident. Orange-red breast and melodic song year-round. Common in village parks, woodlands and hedgerows; easy to approach and photo. Populations stable, but sensitive to habitat loss locally.
Blackbird
Common across habitats; resident. Melodious song and dark plumage; males black, females brown. Seen in gardens, woodlands and valleys year-round. Feeds on invertebrates and fruit; widespread but declining in some urban areas.
Song Thrush
Spotted-backed thrush common in woodlands and gardens; resident and migrant. Recognizable by repeated musical phrases and speckled breast. Seen in spring and autumn migration plus resident birds year-round in lower valleys and orchards.
Ring Ouzel
Dark mountain thrush with a white crescent on the breast; spring and autumn migrant in Andorra and occasional breeder. Prefers rocky slopes and upland pastures. Best looked for on higher trails and open moorland in April–June.
Eurasian Wren
Tiny, loud, energetic bird of dense vegetation; resident. Short-tailed with bold song and frequent cocked posture. Found in hedgerows, streamsides and forest understory year-round; often heard before seen in valleys and villages.
Common Starling
Gregarious, glossy black passerine often forming large flocks in fields and towns; resident and migrant. Speckled in winter with strong chattering calls. Congregates at roosts and feeding grounds near villages and farmland especially in colder months.
House Sparrow
Small, sociable bird of farms, towns and ski resorts; resident. Males grey-capped with chestnut nape, females streaked. Common around Andorra la Vella and mountain villages year-round; relies on human habitation and agricultural landscapes.
Snowfinch
High-altitude sparrow-like bird of rocky summits and ski slopes; resident and breeding. Pale grey and brown with pinkish bill and white patches, feeds on seeds and insects. Best viewed on ridge lines and near ski lifts in snow-free summer.
Common Chaffinch
Widespread finch with blue-grey cap and rufous underparts in males; resident. Frequent in woodlands, gardens and hedges with a distinctive descending song. Seen year-round in varied habitats from valleys to montane woods.
Citril Finch
Small, bright yellow-green finch of Pyrenean uplands; resident and breeding. Localized in rocky scrub and open pinewoods; sings from exposed perches. A regional specialty best sought on higher slopes and ridgelines where populations concentrate.
Eurasian Siskin
Small green-and-yellow finch visiting coniferous woodlands and feeders; winter visitor and migrant. Often seen in mixed flocks and feeding in larches and pines. Most numerous October–April around higher forests and village feeders.
European Goldfinch
Colorful small finch with red face and black-and-yellow wings; resident. Frequent at meadows, gardens and hedgerows feeding on thistles and seeds. Attractive and vocal, often in small flocks near agricultural valleys and roadside flowerheads.
