Despite its proximity to a large urban environment, L’Albufera bustles with biodiversity. A great part of the international projection of L’Albufera of Valencia and its surrounding area is due to the diversity and abundance of avifauna. Some 350 bird species use this area at some point during their vital cycle. About 90 of them nest regularly in this Natural Park.
L’Albufera of Valencia can harbour more than 50.000 water birds in certain periods. These birds feed on invertebrates and water plant seeds produced in the vast marsh, as well as the abundant fresh and salt water fish. It’s a fragile food chain, threatened by water pollution and the intensified human activities in the area.
In L’Albufera there are bird groups that visit the wetlands along their migratory trips throughout the year. Amongst them we can find ducks, herons, seagulls, terns and waders. Many of these species are catalogued as vulnerable or threatened at the European and national level.
Many of the birds we can find in L’Albufera make long journeys. Some come from African towns several thousand kilometres to the South and, after reaching L’Albufera, they still have a trip of several thousand kilometres towards the North, before they reach the Arctic.
In spite of its spectacular nature, avifauna is only one part of the natural wealth of this area. The habitat diversity favours the presence of a large number of botanic elements and fauna. Dunes, beaches, forest, lagoon, salt marsh, rice fields, etc.. There are over 800 plant species in L’Albufera of Valencia, many of them are catalogued as rare, endemic or threatened. Moreover, there are several zoological groups forming an ensemble of unquestionable beauty in the area such as insects, molluscs, crustaceans, amphibians, reptiles, fish and mammals.