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Access to the Escuaín Valley to start the Bearded Vulture route
From Aínsa, head north towards Escalona and then towards Escuaín and Añisclo. After leaving behind the road to the Añisclo Valley, we begin an ascent on a narrow road of approximately 15 km. The last seven km are particularly spectacular, passing through forests and steep slopes. We park at the beginning of the village near the information panels. Don’t forget to bring binoculars and a camera to capture every detail.
Escuaín and the Information Center
Escuaín is located at an altitude of 1200 m and has around 10 houses and the church of San Pedro. From here, there are many possible routes to explore the surroundings, including the Escuaín Gorge formed by the Yaga River. In the same village, you can take the route of the viewpoints. One of the buildings houses an information center where you can consult trail options and watch live footage of birds of prey such as the Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) through a webcam.
Trail to reach the birds of prey observatory
From the parking area in Escuaín, we follow a forest track (closed to cars) in a steady ascent for three kilometers through pine forests and meadows. Near km 3.5, we take a detour towards the Birds of Prey Observatory-Puente de los Mallos. We continue ascending on a trail for another 1.5 km until we reach the La Valle meadow, where we find the entrance to the observatory.
It is recommended to follow the instructions to avoid disturbing the birds, although they will generally be at a safe distance. The route can continue towards the Puente de los Mallos and the village of Revilla, but on this occasion, we focus on observing the birds and returning along the same path.
Birds of Prey Observatory to see the Bearded Vulture
The observatory is a wooden structure with openings facing southeast. Here, there is a sloping meadow where animals graze and where the Bearded Vultures usually perch and take flight. Inside, there are informational panels about the different species of birds of prey present in the area.
The Bearded Vulture is the main attraction, with around six hundred individuals in the peninsula. From the observatory, it is common to see adults and juveniles flying. Some of them have wing tags for individual identification. Visitors can contribute by sending sighting data. It is recommended to take some time to calmly observe the flight and interactions of the birds.
