Southern Mallorca -
Salines des Salobrar Itinerary

Starting point: The western edge of Ses Salines.

Time: 3 hours or more.

Birding Itinerary:

Approximately 2 kilometres out of Ses Salines turn left onto a minor road just before a pronounced right-hand bend. Turn right at the next junction and pull off the road near the house on the right ("S'Hort de Ca'n Pere des Turó") countryside of southern Mallorca is beautiful in the spring..

Stone Curlew, Thekla Lark, Short-toed Lark and Serin inhabit the surrounding area and there are distant views over the salines.
Thekla Lark - Photo by Beat Rüegger

Stone Curlew, Thekla Lark, Short-toed Lark and Serin inhabit the surrounding area and there are distant views over the salines.

Birding in southern Mallorca: a field of flowers and Salines des Salobrar in the background.

Continue to the junction with the main road, turn left and then turn right onto the access road to the Banys de la Font Santa. Park here and follow on foot along the track that leads to the saltpans on your right. On reaching the saltpans A view over the saltpans of the Salines des Salobrar. check the nearest pans for waders before turning left in front of the palm trees and then bearing right onto the main track that bissects the northern section of the saltpans.

The number and variety of waders and other wetland birds such as Greater Flamingo, Spoonbill, Shelduck, Water Rail, marsh terns etc. that you may find varies considerably with the season and even the day during peak migration periods. That's birding! (See bird species list for the most regular species).

Retrace your steps to the vehicle and continue for a short distance along the PM-604 in the direction of Colonia de Sant Jordi, past the Banys to a right turning signposted "Es Trenc". This road follows the eastern edge of the saltpans The southern part of the salines des Salobrar can be viewed from the road to the Es Trenc beach. to the Es Trenc beach car park. Here it is possible to pull off the road at certain points and survey the birdlife of the saltpans (a telescope would be useful), although the road gets busy and you should park with care and attention to other road users.

Unless you want to visit the beach turn round when you reach the end of the saltpans and rejoin the main road, following it to the outskirts of Colonia de Sant Jordi. Turn right at the petrol station and then left at the following roundabout.
The salines (saltpans) at Colònia de Sant Jordi can hold some interesting waders and the odd gull or two.
This road runs alongside saltpans which are smaller than those of Es Salobrar Another view of the salines at Colònia de Sant Jordi. but which can produce a variety of waders and gulls, including Audouin's Gull and even the occasional Slender-billed Gull.

Salines des Salobrar ItineraryMap

Salines des Salobrar Itinerary Map

Southern Mallorca Birding Experience:

Birding in Southern MallorcaBirding in Southern Mallorca: The southern tip of Mallorca is a remarkably unspoilt and picturesque part of the island of Mallorca. Meanwhile the bird-rich saltpans of the Salines des Salobrar cannot be overlooked by the visiting birder.

Cap de Ses Salines itineraryCap de Ses Salines itinerary: This birding itinerary transcurs through the beautiful countryside of the S'Avall estate and finishes near the Cap de Ses Salines lighthouse with wonderful views over to the island of Cabrera...

Vital Info: The Banys de la Font Santa overlooking the salines is a hotel built around curative waters classed as highly mineralized and thermal sodium chlorides.

The access road to the 3km-long Es Trenc beach is narrow and busy and there are few places for pulling over. Park responsibly. The car park at the end of the road cost 6 € in 2008.