Portal de Turismo de Castilla y León

Welcome to La Nava and Campos de Palencia Park House.

As in the rest of the houses of the park spread throughout the Castilla León region, this house is the recommended gateway to these natural areas. At this interpretation centre, you will receive information about the Natural Area and help to plan your visit.

Here, information on emblematic species and habitats is provided to facilitate the identification and highlight the cultural and natural heritage of these places, in a respectful manner and promoting the conservation and appreciation of biodiversity and cultural heritage.

This Park House is located in the town of Fuentes de Nava, a municipality in Palencia in the region of Tierra de Campos, with a population of just over 600 inhabitants.

The House is located in what used to be a 17th century manor house, which occupied the whole block. The working area is now where the Park House is located. The current entrance was the door leading to the stables, pens, bakery, barn, and other service quarters.

Enter the House.

The integral structure of the house remains intact, enabling us to take in the appearance of these traditional constructions. Features such as mud-tiled walls, considerably thick walls, and small windows in the areas most exposed to the sun during the summer are evident.

Here, at the entrance, you can find the green shop, where you can buy typical products and a souvenir. You will also find the reception, where you can pose your questions to the park's educators.

In front of the information desk, there is a tactile model of the two floors of the house. In it, you can differentiate each room by colour or texture.

On the ground floor is the entrance and reception area, both in dark blue; to the right of the reception area, a staircase leads up to the cream-coloured library; to the left of the reception area is the "Lagoon History" room. On the right wall of this room, a corridor leads to the toilets, located on both sides of this corridor, and a lift.

Back in the Lagoon History room, opposite the main entrance to this room, an archway leads into the "chamber" and a door to the left leads into the video room. By going anticlockwise around the seating area, you will come back to the Lagoon History room.

On the first landing, there is the Tierra de Campos Memory Corner and the two rooms with the panels "The stars of many stories" and "Listen and you will see." This floor also houses offices and restricted use facilities.

The visit starts to the right of the green shop, at the computer information point, where you will find a map with the Network of Natural Spaces of Castilla y León.

For the time being, this area has not been declared a specific protected area, but belongs to the group of protected natural areas. In this case, it is a ZEPA area, that is, a Special Protection Area for Birds. The name of this natural area is La Nava y Campos de Palencia and it is included in the Natura 2000 Network, which is the European network of protected natural spaces.

In the Castilla y León region, areas designated as Sites of Community Importance (SCI) are highlighted in yellow, and the Special Protection Areas for Birds.

The La Nava y Campos de Palencia region covers almost 60,000 hectares, devoted mostly to rain-fed crops and cereal steppes. Barley, sunflower, and flax predominate the rain-fed crops. Sugar beet, alfalfa, and corn account for the irrigated land.

Other interesting crops are the thistles, with different species of thistles, among which the wild teasel, which in the past were used for piling wool, and the watling street thistle, where the king trumpet prized king trumpet mushroom grow.

All these areas are declared ZEPAs in order to preserve the habitat of steppe birds, such as great bustards, whose populations have increased thanks to these protection measures.

The great bustard is a majestic bird noted for its imposing size and robust appearance. This terrestrial bird is characterised by its brown plumage with lighter shades on the neck and head, while males usually display a showy crest and a striking black and white collar during the breeding season. These birds are famous for their nuptial behaviours, which include elaborate dances and resonant vocalisations.

The declaration of these areas as protected natural areas contributes to the conservation of biodiversity and of vulnerable species’ habitats. The region is home not only to great bustards, but also to other birds such as Montagu's harriers, lesser kestrels, and little bustards, the latter declared in danger of extinction in 2023 due to the loss of breeding areas.

The extensive steppes are dotted with wetlands that make up the lagoons of La Nava and Campos. The origin of these wetlands goes back to the recovery of the Nava Lagoon, carried out over 30 years ago. These lagoons and wetlands form an important aquatic network for the passage of migratory birds through the centre of the Iberian Peninsula.

Other information in the interactive feature is the artistic, cultural, and folkloric heritage of the region, village by village. This area is very rich in art, its churches are actual museums of the main artists of the Spanish Renaissance.

The computer provides visitors with information on routes, such as the Nava Lagoon, detailing distances and difficulties, as well as more extensive routes such as the GR Canal de Castilla.

The Nava Lagoon is a natural treasure of extraordinary biological importance. This steppe lagoon, declared a Nature Reserve in 1986, extends over an area of approximately 450 hectares and constitutes one of the main wetlands of the Iberian Peninsula. Surrounded by rolling hills and farmland, the lagoon is a vital refuge that serves as a breeding, wintering, and resting habitat for numerous species of migratory birds. The preservation of the Nava Lagoon is essential to ensure the conservation of this fragile ecosystem and contribute to the protection of the migratory birds that depend on it.

Now, go behind the reception desk and approach the board "The Lagoon Journal".

Here you are shown information about the birds present in the wetland at any given time. The staff of the Territorial Environmental Service carry out periodic bird censuses, updating the information both on this board and on another located in one of the observatories in the lagoon, and on social media. This way, you can know what birds you can observe in the wetland during your visit, as the birds of the Nava Lagoon are migratory birds and are not here year round.

For example, in autumn, the wintering season begins, when thousands of birds from central and northern Europe, such as geese, ducks, and cranes arrive to spend the cold season. From February or March onwards, with the change of season, these birds fly north, and in their place, birds that have spent the winter in Africa arrive. Some pass on their migration, while others settle down to breed and stay until summer. Therefore, the Nava Lagoon plays a crucial role as a wintering, breeding, and resting area for migratory birds that face increasing difficulties in finding areas with water on their long migratory routes.

Make your way to the staircase. On your right, you will come to a room with panels on the Nava Lagoon and Mar de Campos.

The Nava has its origin in an ancient lagoon known as the Nava Lagoon, also known as Mar de Campos. An old map illustrates the Mar de Campos, which occupied almost the entire 26 kilometres separating La Nava and the city of Palencia.

This lagoon was formed naturally in a clay soil bed that was not very permeable, ideal for retaining rainwater. Each year, in autumn and winter, the lagoon filled up, varying in size between 3,500 and 5,000 hectares, depending on rainfall. Being over 25 kilometres long, it was the largest and most important wetland in the north of the Iberian Peninsula.

During the spring, rainfall, and moderate weather maintained the lagoon's humidity, while the summer heat and low rainfall led to its natural drying out.

During the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, an attempt was made to drain the Nava Lagoon because it was a source of infection, but they didn’t find a way to do so. In the 20th century, after the Civil War, the Nava Lagoon was drained with works that took 18 years to complete. The draining consisted of opening the basin to allow drainage, widening the course of the Valdeginate River that evacuates the waters, and building a new channel at its mouth into the Carrión River. The purpose of this draining was to boost economic activity in the region, transforming the entire lagoon into thousands of hectares of farmland.

During that time, Cascón de la Nava was built, a village of settlers where people from northern towns where reservoirs were being built, such as Riaño, lived.

Practically all the land was used for agriculture, except for some plots owned by the Town Council of Fuentes de Nava and the neighbouring municipality of Mazariegos. After draining the land, it was rented out for grazing in spring and summer, but the water no longer accumulated naturally. The shepherds then built dams with sacks in the streams and managed the water for irrigation of the different farms.

In 1990, the Nava Lagoon was restored in the pasture areas. The pastures disappeared and a small 407-hectare wetland was created in their place, though it was ten times smaller than the old Nava Lagoon, with a surface area of two and a half kilometres long. The main lagoon covers about 300 hectares, plus two others that were subsequently reclaimed from Mazariegos' land. The present-day complex forms the Nava wetland and is home to thousands of birds.

The current Nava Lagoon is an artificial reservoir. To achieve this, more than twenty gates are installed, such as the replica in the centre of this room.

Sluice gates are used to regulate the flow of water in the streams, thus reproducing the natural cycle of the ancient Nava Lagoon.

If you turn the gate, the images on the third panel of this room will show the different seasons of the year according to the amount of water stored.

During the rainy season, October and November, the sluice gates are opened to allow water to come in, thus recreating the natural flooding process. This time of the year also coincides with the migration of birds from northern and central Europe. Throughout the autumn and winter months, thousands of common geese arrive, as well as other rare species of geese that are difficult to see so far south, such as widgeons, barnacle geese, bar-headed geese, snow geese and numerous species of ducks, such as shovelers, widgeons, teals, and pintails. Winter is the season of the year with the highest presence of birds in the lagoon.

When the gate is turned again, the image of the lagoon and its inhabitants changes. As spring approaches, birds that have spent the winter on the Iberian Peninsula return to central and northern Europe. In January and February, the migratory passage of geese, cranes, and species that have wintered in the south of the peninsula can be observed. They stop here before continuing their route to their natural areas. From February and March onwards, the spring and summer birds begin to arrive. These birds spend winters in Africa, and spring and summer in areas with milder temperatures and abundant food. This season represents the period of greatest diversity of birds in the lagoon.

Hundreds of birds arrive at the Nava Lagoon to feed and continue their migratory route to different regions of Europe. Others choose to stay to breed, and during the summer, species such as black-winged stilts, coots, black-headed gulls, great crested grebes, black-necked grebes, little grebes, and purple herons can be observed. These birds form the largest breeding colony in Castilla y León in La Nava. The dense vegetation that grows during this period provides cover for reproduction.

Turning the floodgate again, the image on the panel changes, showing the situation, and the inhabitants of the lagoon during the summer months. From June onwards, when the rains stop, the old the Nava Lagoon used to dry up. At present, the floodgates are closed and the flow of water is stopped, allowing the lagoon to dry out progressively. The chicks hatched here grow, develop the ability to fly, and in mid-summer, return to Africa.

During the summer months, Nava becomes an important resting and recovery area for the extensive migratory routes of many birds returning to Africa after breeding in central and eastern Europe.

In the next room, you will find maps and displays.

This room offers you the opportunity to operate a camera located in the heart of the lagoon that displays images in real time. With the remote control, you can turn the camera 360 degrees and discover the central area of the wetland.

In the photo on the right wall, you can see an aerial view of the current lagoon and the crops as far as Mazariegos. The image features the areas mentioned in the previous room, which have been recovered as part of the Nava Lagoon.

You are located in the upper left corner of the photo, in Fuentes de Nava. From here, if you take the road to Mazariegos and you will pass by the Nava Lagoon. At the entrance you will find a first car park and the initial observatory.

If you follow the road for two and a half kilometres, you will find another car park, which marks the end of the lagoon. This point is the beginning of a path of about 700 metres, which takes you to three observation points to see the birds.

In the centre of the area between the two car parks is the camera that you can operate from here, which shows the areas that are not accessible from the observatories or the road.

Some of the birds that can be observed with this camera are shown on the panel in this room, including wintering birds, ducks, geese, and some breeding and passage birds.

Ducks and geese are waterfowl known for their ability to adapt to life on water and land. Ducks have compact bodies, webbed feet, and broad bills, often displaying a varied and colourful plumage. In contrast, geese are larger birds with extended necks and legs, adapted to grazing on grasslands. Both are social animals, forming groups during reproduction.

Continue to the video room through a small door in this room and relax on the tiered seating in the centre.

The video projection provides information on the species that inhabit the Nava Lagoon at different times of the year.

The lagoon is home to a large number of waterbirds and currently has a catalogue of 222 bird species, representing 41% of all the species present in Spain, including the islands.

Among the species that visit the lagoon are the lesser white-fronted goose, lesser kestrel, great bustard, white-headed duck, spoonbill, squacco heron, great bittern, black stork, gadwall, and whiskered tern. Another bird whose migration passage is important is the aquatic warbler, which was considered endangered. And not much information is available on it.

To continue your visit, go back out to the reception hall and climb the stairs.

Once on the upper floor, you will find a ramp leading to a corridor, at the end of which there is a multi-purpose room for conferences, temporary exhibitions, workshops, and book presentations. Near the ramp and to your left, an archway with pictures of animals provides access to an interactive room where panels with further information are displayed.

The tour of this room begins at the panel that reads "The divided sedge". This first panel introduces you to the world of botany and the great diversity of plant species found in a wetland.

Some species are located in different places, depending on the presence or absence of water throughout the year. For example, in summer, on dry land, the divided sedge, an invasive plant, requires monitoring and treatment, as its proliferation could clog the lagoon, preventing the growth of other beneficial species. Putrefaction of plant matter could generate oxygen-consuming bacteria, affecting water quality and hindering the presence of selective birds that depend on good water quality. In the interests of biodiversity and the quality of the wetland, the divided sedge is removed in alternate years.

In the areas with permanent water, such as streams or pools, other species grow that need to take root in water, such as reeds, cattails and aphyllanthoideae, which are considered the floral jewels of the Nava Lagoon, as they are very scarce on the peninsula.

The sacatierras, or pools, are deeper areas of the lagoon from which soil has been removed to build the dam surrounding the wetland. These areas are about one and a half metres deep and are occupied by species of vegetation such as La Chana and Faniquella, both of which are important due to their scarcity.

The following panel presents a map of Europe and Africa with arrows representing bird migration routes.

Here, you will enter the world of birds, the most diverse, abundant and easily observed group of fauna in the lagoon. Although in a wetland there are members of all groups of fauna, such as insects, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals, birds are the most numerous and unique, as practically all of them are migratory birds.

In the natural area scientists study what species come to the lagoon, where they come from, how long they stay here, and where they go when they leave.

On the interactive map, you can select with the buttons a bird and a season of the year and the relevant arrow will light up indicating the location of those birds at that specific time.

For example, by clicking on the little bustard and selecting summer, the arrow zone located in northern Europe is illuminated. By selecting autumn, the illuminated area coincides with the Netherlands; and by selecting winter, Iberian Peninsula lights up.

Thousands of wintering birds rest here until spring before returning to their natural areas on a journey of 3,000 to 4,000 km. They use the ponds as resting, service, wintering, and breeding areas. Each year, they move from north to south in search of food and breeding sites.

Proceed to the European golden plover panel and the glass case displaying different ringing systems.

Scientific ringing is a crucial method for obtaining information about birds, such as their movements, stay at a site, morphological changes, and fat loss. Ringing consists of marking birds, either as chicks or adults, using respectful capture methods carried out by expert ringers.

The display case shows elements used in scientific ringing, such as rings of different sizes adapted to the diameter of the leg of each species. Each ring has a code indicating the sender and the ringing station, together with a unique code for the species. When a bird is captured, it is ringed with special pliers and its data are recorded.

Ringing stations in each country share data, allowing better monitoring of bird movements and morphological changes. Although GPS and other tracking systems are also used today, scientific ringing remains essential for ornithological research.

The European golden plover is a bird with an average length of 26 to 29 centimetres and weighs between 150 and 220 grams. During the breeding season, adults have golden and black feathers on the head, back and wings. The face and neck are black and bordered with white, with a black chest and dark caudal area. Legs are black. In winter, they lose their black plumage and the plovers show a yellowish face, and white breast and belly.

On the opposite wall, you will find the marsh harrier interactive panel with buttons.

The marsh harrier is a migratory bird of prey that arrives every winter from central Europe. The image on the panel shows a female bird. Females have certain distinctive features, such as a light-coloured head, chin and wing base, and are slightly larger than males, a common feature in birds of prey.

The species shows significant sexual dimorphism. Adult males have a brown back, yellowish head and nape, reddish underparts turning white towards the chest. Females are darker, with chocolate-brown tones and yellowish areas on the head. Juveniles resemble females, being more homogeneous and slightly darker.

All marshharriers, male and female, sleep in the lagoon, use the wetland vegetation for roosting, and at dawn they come out and move in search of food. The females remain in the lagoon, close to the nests, and the males move far from the wetland, making them harder to find during the day.

The panel offers interesting facts about this species and presents an interactive game in which you have to match silhouettes, flight, tail, and wings.

Go to the next panel on the greylag goose.

The goose is characterised by its bulky body, long neck, and thick, pinkish beak and legs.

It is between 74 and 91 cm long, with a wingspan of between 147 and 180 cm. It usually weighs between 2 and 4.5 kilos, with males being larger than females.

Its plumage is brownish grey, with darker wings, head and neck, and lighter chest and belly, with variable black speckles, its underparts being whitish.

This is the most prevalent species in winter, coming mostly from Norway. They are identified by collars and not by rings, but colour and numbering are also taken into account, as they give information about their origin.

The Nava Lagoon is one of the three areas with most geese each wintering season, together with Villafáfila and Doñana.

Geese are herbivores and feed on the crops surrounding the wetland. They can be observed at dawn, when they go out to feed, and at dusk when they return to the lagoon.

Advance to the black-winged stilt panel. It features an interactive game to match five species of chicks with their adults.

The black-winged stilt is a bird with a length of 33 to 36 cm. It is notable for its long pink legs, slender black beak, and short, triangular wings. Males have black upperparts with green iridescence, while females have brownish upperparts. Both sexes have white underparts and a black spot on the neck, which may get smaller in winter.

In springtime, the lagoon is full of breeding birds and migratory birds arriving from Africa. These birds establish breeding colonies, placing their nests close together as a defence strategy against predators.

Chicks that hatch in these unprotected areas at ground level are nestlings. This characteristic allows them to leave the nest and, at almost one day old, they are able to follow their parents, taking refuge and defending themselves without staying still in the nest.

The interactive game involves matching chicks and adults of five species, the most abundant during the breeding season. A key clue to their identification the beak shape. In the case of the black-winged stilt, it has a long, slender bill, adapted for feeding among the silt in shallow areas.

Move on to the last panel, which depicts the summer season and illustrates the common reed warbler.

While the lagoon dries up in summer, the streams remain wet thanks to the sluice gates. This humidity attracts numerous birds that breed in the area and thousands of birds that breed throughout Europe and return to Africa. For them, finding water in summer is crucial to obtain food.

The common reed warbler, the subject of this panel, is an abundant species that breeds in the reed beds of streams. These birds build deep woven nests of reeds among the reed canes, creating wind-resistant structures that prevent the eggs from falling out.

The bird is 13 cm long and weighs about 12 g. Its plumage is shades of brown on the mantle, with cream-coloured eyebrows and underparts, and pointed wings.

Raise your eyes to the ceiling. From a rafter hangs a Eurasian penduline tit's nest made from clay, sheep's wool, and fluff from various species of trees and shrubs.

In front of the grasshopper panel, you’ll find a pedestal with a magnifying system to observe the micro-organisms in the lagoon’s water. This magnifying glass is connected to a TV set that allows you to examine aquatic life. Here, in the Park House, a weekly analysis and study of the base of the wetland's food chain is carried out. In the drawing of the last panel, you can find an illustrated food chain of the lagoon’s waters, featuring the marsh harrier at the top.

With this audio track, the visit to the La Nava y Campos de Palencia Park House, comes to an end. A place where the wide horizons and the apparent monotony of the landscape of Tierra de Campos endows it with a uniqueness that has been sung by numerous poets, especially by those of the "Generation of '98". From the moors to the south of the natural area, the generosity of this landscape opens up where the fields display their colours in a constant change of seasons.

If you would like more details, you are welcome to come to the reception desk or speak to any of the educators at the Park House.

Thank you for your visit.