Padel in Spain: the proliferation of clubs prompts clubs to protect birds

Ecological debate catches up with Spanish padel

The Spanish padel scene is moving ahead at top speed. From major metropolises to more rural communities, padel courts have become an integral part of the country’s sporting life, driven by ever-increasing demand and an already well-established padel culture. But this growth, spectacular on a European scale, now raises a more sensitive question: what happens when glass infrastructures find themselves in the path of birds?

For several months now, the subject has been gaining momentum in Spain. Environmental associations are warning of bird deaths caused by collisions against the glass of certain padel courts. The phenomenon has been known to occur in other contexts, notably around glazed buildings, transparent walkways or acoustic screens. But with the proliferation of outdoor courts, sometimes bordering parks, countryside or humidity zones, padel is also facing an ecological debate that has become difficult to ignore.

The point is not to present padel as a global threat to nature. That would be simplistic. The real question is more concrete: how can a booming sport continue to develop without creating invisible traps for local birdlife? For clubs, municipalities and installers, the subject is becoming a marker of maturity. Building fast is no longer enough. We also need to build better.

Why runway windows can become a trap

Glass is part of the padel identity. It structures the game, allows rebounds, influences trajectories and gives the court its distinctive look. For players, it’s visible, useful and even indispensable. For the birds, on the other hand, it can blend in with the sky, the brackets or the natural background.

The problem arises above all when the track is installed in an environment that is favourable to bird traffic. Reflections can give the illusion of free passage. At high speed, however, the animal fails to perceive the obstacle and collides with the wall. The consequences are often immediate: serious injury, disorientation or death.

• The glass can reflect the sky or vegetation.
• Birds don’t always distinguish the boundary between the open space and the wall.
• Risks increase near natural areas, parks and transit corridors.
• Migration or reproduction periods can accentuate the phenomenon.

Not all slopes present the same level of risk. An indoor court or club located in a highly urban environment does not have the same potential impact as an outdoor facility built close to an area rich in biodiversity. It’s this distinction that should guide our responses.

More than just a news item

Spain remains one of the world’s great padel laboratories. The country boasts a huge number of tracks and continues to inspire the development of the sport in Europe. It is precisely this density that gives the case such resonance. Even if the collisions mainly concern certain exposed facilities, their repetition is enough to prompt associations and local authorities to take action.

Local figures should be treated with caution. At the present time, there is no single national register enabling us to accurately measure mortality linked to padel courts. However, a number of observations in the short term indicate that dozens of birds are affected every year at sensitive sites. This observation was enough to prompt several Spanish municipalities to take action.

The subject thus takes on a broader dimension. It’s no longer just a question of identifying a problem, but of organizing a response. Local authorities need to identify facilities at risk, clubs need to adapt their equipment, and padel players need to show that they can support the sport’s growth with responsible measures.

Where is the risk greatest?

The location of the runway plays a central role. The same glazed structure can have a very different impact depending on its immediate surroundings. This is why environmental associations advocate a targeted approach, based on observation of the court rather than a uniform rule applied without nuance.

This type of reading helps to avoid caricatures. Padel is not affected everywhere with the same intensity. But where there is a risk, it can be quickly reduced with appropriate measures.

Anti-collision nets: a simple, pragmatic solution

Among the solutions put forward in Spain, anti-collision nets take center stage. Their principle is simple: to make the glass visible to birds without preventing padel play. Installed on the away side of the wall, they create a visual cue and limit the effect of transparency or reflection.

This solution is attractive because it does not disrupt the sporting use of the court. Players continue to use the windows during the game, bounces remain possible and the court retains its original function. For clubs, this is an essential point. An ecological measure can only be truly effective if it remains compatible with day-to-day operations.

Associations such as GREFA promote nets that are sufficiently visible to birdlife, but designed not to neutralize the use of the wall. The goal is not to hide the court. It’s to indicate the obstacle. For clubs close to natural areas, this solution has the advantage of being easy to read, quick to deploy and easily understood by the players.

Guadalajara, Ávila, Galicia: Spain begins to act

The debate has left the strictly associative circle. In Castilla-La Mancha, several municipalities in the province of Guadalajara have joined in prevention campaigns around padel courts. In Ávila, local initiatives have also highlighted the need to secure the most exposed windows. In Galicia, the subject took on a political dimension in the spring of 2026, with calls for concrete measures on existing facilities.

This is an important development. It shows that bird mortality is no longer treated as an isolated incident. It is becoming a public development issue, in the same way as lighting, noise, landscape integration and the management of traffic flows around clubs.

For operators, it changes the way they look at their equipment. Installing a prevention system is no longer just a symbolic gesture. It’s a way of anticipating the expectations of local residents, reassuring local authorities and giving the club a more responsible image. In a competitive market, this dimension can count for a lot.

What solutions for padel clubs?

Nets are not the only possible solution, even if today they appear to be one of the simplest. Clubs can also consider visual markings on windows, a better study of the layout of future courts, or more precise monitoring of reported collisions.

• Diagnosis prior to construction of a new away runway.
• Identify the windows most exposed to bird trajectories.
• Install visible nets or markings on the walls concerned.
• Train club staff to identify and report incidents.
• Exchange with local associations when the club is close to a natural area.

The most effective approach is progressive. A club located in the middle of an urban area does not necessarily have the same needs as a complex set up near a humid area. But as soon as a court is located in a sensitive environment, prevention becomes a common-sense measure.

Raising the profile of European padel

What’s happening in Spain also concerns other European countries. For several years now, France, Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands have been witnessing a strong momentum around infrastructure. The Spanish model is inspiring, but it also highlights the points to watch out for.

European padel is entering a phase where the quality of a club is no longer measured solely by the number of courts, the condition of the turf or the ease of booking. Integration into the local environment is becoming an increasingly visible criterion. Noise, lighting, mobility, artificialization and biodiversity are now part of the discussions surrounding new projects.

In this context, bird protection measures can be a positive sign. They show that padel knows how to move with the times, without waiting for regulatory constraints to impose heavier responses. The growth of the sport has nothing to lose by integrating this type of measure. On the contrary, it can gain in credibility.

Towards more responsible trails

The next step could come in the form of specifications. Municipalities that finance or authorize new trails can incorporate environmental criteria right from the design stage. Installers, for their part, can offer options adapted to sensitive sites. Finally, clubs can promote these choices to their members.

Padel is a sport of rebound, but also a sport of adaptation. On this subject, the answer does not lie in opposing the practice of sport and the protection of nature. It requires concrete, visible and proportionate adjustments. Anti-collision nets won’t solve all the ecological issues associated with sports facilities. But they do represent a simple solution: protect the birds without slowing down the game.

Key takeaway

• The glass on some padel courts can cause fatal collisions for birds.
• The risk is especially high near parks, wetlands, natural areas or transit corridors.
• Anti-collision nets make the walls more visible without altering the track’s sporting use.
• Spain is beginning to treat the subject as a development issue, not just an environmental alert.
• For clubs, prevention can become a marker of seriousness and responsibility.

Further Reading

• elDiario.es investigates bird collisions against padel courts in Spain
• SEO/BirdLife analysis on reducing bird mortality around runways
• GREFA action on anti-collision nets in Budia, Guadalajara
• Our report on the evolution of padel infrastructures in 2026