Near the mouth of the Côa River, the rugged valley with large rocky outcrops is classified as an 'Important Bird Area' by BirdLife International.
Fauna
The Douro region has two Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for birds: the Vale do Côa SPA and the Douro Internacional e Vale do Águeda SPA.
Some of the region's symbols
The following birds are symbols of the region: the Egyptian vulture, the black stork, the griffon vulture, the scops owl, the black wheatear, the red-billed chow, and the golden oriole.
Some critically endangered species can also be found in the region, such as:
Cinereous Vulture (CR)
Aegypius monachus
Aegypius monachus
Red-kite (CR)
Milvus
Milvus
Northen-harrier (CR | VU)
Circus yaneus
Circus yaneus
Black wheatear(CR)
Oenanthe leucura
Oenanthe leucura
Mammal species are also abundant in the region, some of them also endangered, such as:
The Iberian wolf (EN)
Canis lupus
The Cabrera vole (VU)
Microtus cabrerae
The Pyrenean desman (VU)
Galemys pyrenaicus
Schreiber's bent-winged bat (VU)
Miniopterus schreibersi
The lesser mouse-eared Myotis (CR)
Myotis blythii
The greater mouse-eared bat (VU)
Myotis myotis
Natterer's bat (VU)
Myotis nattereri