Birds
BIRDWATCHING LOVERS
Come explore nature and see the beautiful feathers of Portugal’s birds.
Follow the flight of the birds. Cross this country in search of the beautiful, native fauna. You will come across unique species in beautiful scenarios, inspiring you to continue the search and fall in love with even more birds.
Despite being relatively small in terms of territory, Portugal is regarded as one of the best destinations in Europe for bird watching because it has an excellent concentration of different habitats.
This richness and variety attract a great diversity of species, with around 330 occurring here regularly, some of which are endemic to the Iberian Peninsula.
Some of the best places to watch birds are in protected areas, which occupy 21% of the national territory. Whereas in the north, you can take a cruise on the Douro Internacional park to enjoy the beauty of the cliffs where the Egyptian vulture and Bonelli’s eagle make their nests.
Near Lisbon, the Tagus and Sado estuaries boast a great wealth of species and enormous flocks of flamingos and spoonbills are a common sight, coloring the salt pans and marshes.
Sagres is a prime place to enjoy one of nature’s most awe-inspiring displays: bird migration. In September and October, thousands of birds fly by.
As Summer ends and the weather begins to turn, a wave of birds sweeps across Europe, from north to south. Those heading to Africa have a considerable hurdle ahead: the Mediterranean. On the western side of the continent, the shortest – and therefore safest – route is across the strait of Gibraltar. But sometimes a lack of experience or a mishap throws birds off route. When that happens, the solution is to cross via Sagres, the “plain of lost birds”.
And why not fly to the islands in the Atlantic Ocean? The trip is worthwhile since you find birds there that are found nowhere else in the world, for example, Zino’s petrel (also known as Madeira’s freira) and the Madeira laurel pigeon (or Trocaz pigeon), or the Azores bullfinch (or priolo). Ponta do Pargo, Ponta de São Lourenço and the Desertas Islands in the Madeira Islands, or Pico da Vara on the Island of São Miguel (Azores) are examples of excellent places for bird watching.
Whatever the choice, you will have the opportunity on your visit to Portugal to enjoy breathtaking landscapes while following the flight of birds across an almost always blue sky. Take a look at our hiking and cycling tours below.