Birdwatching in the Algarve

Over 300 species of bird have been recorded in this stunning wetland including Audouin's gull, not to mention some 30,000 migratory visitors and wintering species such as the red-crested pochard.

The Sagres peninsula lies in the far south west. There are over 300 bird species recorded here, and it is particularly noted for raptors, including the booted eagle, and eurasian griffon vulture. Steppe and seabirds such as the greater short-toed lark and the tawny pipit, as well as migratory species, may also be seen here.

Starting in Faro, capital of the Algarve, today’s tour explores the sandy beaches and traditional fishing ports of the eastern coast. Discover Faro’s 13th-century Old Town and the whitewashed Moorish city of Olhão before continuing to Tavira, on the edge of Ria Formosa Natural Park, where salt pans and tidal lagoons attract flamingos. Cross the Gilão River to Cacela Velha for its beaches and shallow lagoons, then continue to Vila Real de Santo António, set on the Guadiana River by the Spanish border, where the tour concludes.

The steppe landscape of the lower part of Alentejo province includes the Special Protection Area of Castro Verde. with its grasslands and oak woods. Look out here for great and little bustards, the hen harrier and black-bellied sandgrouse. Raptors, including kites and even eagles, may be seen in this diverse and enigmatic area.