Nothing to grouse about!

ANDALUCIA’S Sandgrouse population has grown by almost 300 percent in the last three years, according to a Ministry of Environment report.

The number of grouse has increased from 102 birds in 2010 to 374 this year.

And two of the three breeding areas are within Donana National Park’s Guadalquivir marshes – an area under threat after the Spanish Government granted permission to extract and transport oil.

Donana alone has seen an increase of 108 grouse and there is also a population based in Los Pedroches, near Cordoba.

With 25 different species, Andalucia has the highest number of marsh dwelling birds in Spain.
Fifteen are considered under threat of extinction.