The Embut Wetland and the Illa de Mar Wetland are two constructed treatment wetlands in the Ebro Delta, built by ACUAMED (Ministry for the Ecological Transition) and managed by VEOLIA. Since their creation in 2013, they have become privileged sites for the migration and nesting of a large number of bird species, with more than 150 species recorded over the years.
They currently host one of the main breeding colonies of herons and egrets in the Ebro Delta, with hundreds of pairs of Little Egrets, Cattle Egrets, Squacco Herons, Black-crowned Night Herons, Grey Herons, Purple Herons, Great Egrets and Glossy Ibises.
In recent years, the regular breeding of Western Marsh Harriers has also been recorded, making these wetlands one of the species’ recovery sites in the Delta.
These recently created wetlands are therefore actively contributing to the preservation of biodiversity throughout the Ebro Delta, while also helping to improve the quality of the water discharged from rice cultivation into the Delta’s natural water bodies. They are, therefore, clear examples of green infrastructure.
This year, at the Delta Birding Festival, you will have the opportunity to enjoy these wetlands through several activities: on Saturday afternoon, with the guided activity “From Birdsong to Bat Ultrasound”, and on Sunday afternoon, during the “Delta Hot Spots” outings.
