These three lagoons form a part of the wetlands located in the heart of the Cordoba countryside where olive groves and vineyards abound. They are authentic oases of biodiversity, host to a variety of important aquatic birds. The importance of these lagoons as a place for wintering, nesting and in migratory passages, has led to their designation as Wetland of International Importance (RAMSAR).

In Aguilar de la Frontera (Cordoba), the 16 metre deep Zóñar lagoon can be considered the only lake in Andalusia, as it has a vertical distribution of temperature, oxygenation and nutrients. In addition, its waters are permanent as they have recharge from the aquifer. It is an ideal place to spot the white-headed duck, great crested grebes, pochards, shovelers and the marsh harrier in flight skimming the water or over the surrounding marsh vegetation. The Laguna de Zóñar Visitor Centre is close by and provides information on the immediate area and the rest of the wetlands in the south of Cordoba. There are also three trails in the vicinity of the lagoon.

The Rincón lagoon, which is also in Aguilar de la Frontera, stands out for its close sightings of white-headed ducks, red-crested pochards, common coots, common grebes and black necked grebes, among many other species of aquatic birds, thanks to its public observatory. The Amarga lagoon is in Lucena, and is home to several red-knobbled coot breeding pairs, a species which is included in the Andalusian Catalogue of Endangered Species, and the lagoon is one of the few breeding grounds in Andalusia. The lagoon gets its name (Amarga, meaning bitter) from the limestone and dolomite infused groundwater that recharges this wetland (aside from rainfall). The Rincón and Amarga Lagoons are also permanent, but there are seasonal lagoons on their periphery, such as Santiago and Dulce, respectively.