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Notes

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Little Grebe

Resident throughout the year on the lake in front of the Quinta, but more visible during the winter. During other periods of the year one is more likely to find them on the Sado, the Plains or the Rio Formosa, where they are abundant

Podiceps cristatus

Great Crested Grebe

Resident throughout the year on the lake in front of the Quinta, but more visible during the winter. During other periods of the year one is more likely to find them on the Sado, the Plains or the Rio Formosa, where they are abundant.

Podiceps nigricollis

Black-necked Grebe

A good spot, but regularly seen on the Sado or the Rio Formosa, especially during the winter and early spring.

Morus bassanus

Gannet

Seen on migration off the west coast.

Phalacrocorax carbo

Cormorant

A relatively common species, sometimes seen on the lake in front of the Quinta.

Phalacrocorax aristotelis

Shag

Rio Formosa, Sado and sometimes even on the Plains.

Ixobrychus minutus

Little Bittern

Relatively common species, (on the Rio Formosa especially),  between March and September

Nycticorax nycticorax

Night Heron

A difficult species to spot, but breeds and over-winters on the Paul de Boquilobo, north of Lisbon.

Ardeola ralloides

Squacco Heron

A nice species to spot, and sometimes surprisingly easy in the Algarve. Present March to September.

Bubulcus ibis

Cattle Egret

Abundant throughout the year, but best viewed in breeding plumage during April.

Egretta garzetta

Little Egret

Abundant throughout the year.

Egretta alba

Great White Egret

A rare species in Portugal, but records exist of a few every year on the Sado and the Plains of the Alentejo.

Ardea cinerea

Grey Heron

Resident throughout the year and breeds on the lake in front of the Quinta.

Ardea purpurea

Purple Heron

A beautiful species, rare but regularly seen on the Rio Formosa and the Sado between March and October.

Ciconia nigra

Black Stork

Rare but sometimes seen on the Plains.

Ciconia ciconia

White Stork

Abundant throughout the year, and a pair is nesting in Santa Clara across the lake from the Quinta.

Plegadis falcinellus

Glossy Ibis

Rare, but sometimes seen in the Rio Formosa.

Platalea leucorodia

Spoonbill

Regularly seen in small parties on the Rio Formosa, the Sado, the Plains and the Tagus.

Phoenicopterus ruber

Greater Flamingo

Increasingly common throughout southern Portugal.

Anas penelope

Wigeon

Over-winters on the Rio Formosa where the male’s melodious whistling is the sound of the time of year!

Anas strepera

Gadwall

Common throughout the year.

Anas acuta

Pintail

Commonly over-winters in the Algarve, on the Sado and the Tagus.

Anas crecca

Teal

Common during the winter throughout southern Portugal.

Anas platyrhynchos

Mallard

Common throughout southern Portugal throughout the year.

Anas clypeata

Shoveler

Relatively common throughout the year.

Netta rufina

Red-crested Pochard

A relatively common species in the Algarve and on the Plains if you know where to look.

Aythya ferina

Pochard

A common bird throughout the year in the Algarve.

Aythea fuligula

Tufted Duck

A rareish species confined to the winter.

Aythea nyroca

Ferruginous Duck

Rare but occasionally seen in the Algarve and on the Sado.

Oxyura leucocophala

White-headed Duck

Extremely rare, but has been seen on the Sado.

Melanita negra

Common Scoter

Over-winters between September to May off the west and south coasts.

Mergus serrator

Red-breasted Merganser

Over-winters in Portugal. A nice species to see, but difficult.

Pernis apivorus

Honey Buzzard

A difficult species to find, but has been seen in the Algarve as well as further north.

Elanus caeruleus

Black-winged Kite

A surprisingly common species for us, with 18 different individuals in one day as the highest record to date.

Milvus migrans

Black Kite

Regularly seen on the Plains from March through to September.

Milvus milvus

Red Kite

Often seen on the Plains and in recent years also further south.

Neophron percnopterus

Egyptian Vulture

A rare species though sometimes seen on the Plains.

Aegypius monachus

Black Vulture

A rare species though sometimes seen on the Plains.

Gyps fulvus

Griffon Vulture

Another rare species, though more regularly seen than either of the other two vultures.

Circaetus gallicus

Short-toed Eagle

Regularly seen near the Quinta as well as elsewhere.

Circus aeruginosus

Marsh Harrier

Regularly seen throughout southern Portugal.

Circus cyaneus

Hen Harrier

Over-winters on the Plains.

Circus pygargus

Montagu’s Harrier

A common sight on the Plains from early April through to October.

Accipiter gentilis

Goshawk

An uncommon though regularly seen species near the Quinta.

Accipiter nisus

Sparrowhawk

A relatively common species often seen in the garden at the Quinta.

Buteo buteo

Buzzard

Common, with a pair regularly nesting within a mile of the Quinta.

Aquila adalberti

Imperial Eagle

Extremely rare, though we did see one on the Plains in March 2000.

Aquila chrysaetos

Golden Eagle

A not uncommon species on the Plains.

Hieraaetus pennatus

Booted Eagle

Regularly seen on migration during late September as well as near the Quinta.

Hieraaetus fasciatus

Bonelli’s Eagle

A rare but regularly seen species both near the Quinta and on the Plains.

Falco naumanni

Lesser Kestrel

A rare species, (though expanding in recent years due to indefatigable work by the LPN), we see this most times we visit the Plains.

Falco tinnunculus

Kestrel

Common throughout Southern Portugal.

Pandion haliaetus

Osprey

Often seen in the winter on the lake in front of the Quinta.

Falco eleonorae

Eleonora’s Falcon

A rare visitor to the Quinta and the West coast, usually in the summer.

Falco columbarius

Merlin

Nowhere common, this species is sometimes seen during the winter.

Falco subbuteo

Hobby

Seen not infrequently at the Sado.

Falco peregrinus

Peregrine

Regularly seen near the Quinta where it helps to keep our Tumbling pigeon population within bounds.

Alectoris rufa

Red-legged Partridge

Regularly seen throughout southern Portugal.

Coturnix coturnix

Quail

More often heard than seen, though during April it seems to lose any fear of Man.

Porzana pusilla

Baillon’s Crake

Rarely seen, though can be found with difficulty near the coast.

Porzana parva

Little Crake

A very difficult species to see, but more common on the Tagus and the Sado than the Algarve.

Porzana porzana

Spotted Crake

Easier to find than the other Porzanas, though this is not saying much!

Rallus aquaticus

Water Rail

Seldom seen but often heard, both near the coast and on the Plains of the Alentejo.

Gallinula chloropus

Moorhen

Common throughout southern Portugal.

Porphyrio porphyrio

Purple Gallinule

Becoming more and more common on the Algarve, where more are lost to golf balls than predators.

Fulica atra

Coot

Common throughout southern Portugal.

Grus grus

Common Crane

Small groups are not hard to find during the winter.

Tetrax tetrax

Little Bustard

Relatively easy to find during the Spring, this is a difficult species during the rest of the year due to it gathering at those times into larger flocks. It displays late April.

Otis tarda

Great Bustard

One of southern Portugal’s flagship species, the best time to view is during the last week in March and the first two of April when its display is stunning. At this time of year over 100 birds during a morning is not uncommon.

Haematopus ostralegus

Oystercatcher

Over-winters along the coast, leaving our shores by early April.

Himantopus himantopus

Black-winged Stilt

A common species throughout the year, both inland and on the coast.

Recurvirostra avosetta

Avocet

A relatively common species in any of the salt pans.

Burhinus oedicnemus

Stone Curlew

By no means uncommon on the Plains.

Glareola pratincola

Collared Pratincole

A stunning bird, both in flight and stationary, they are not as uncommon as most people think, as long as one knows where to look. We usually find ours on the Plains.

Charadrius dubius

Little-ringed Plover

Breeding on the shoreline of the lake in front of the Quinta, this is a relatively easy bird to see during a stay at the Quinta anytime from April to October.

Charadrius hiaticula

Ringed Plover

Leaving our shores during April, it is a common bird during the winter on any of our coasts.

Charadrius alexandrinus

Kentish Plover

Common throughout the year, especially in the Algarve.

Pluvialis apricaria

Golden Plover

Gathers in flocks with the Lapwings on the Plains during the winter.

Pluvialis squatarola

Grey Plover

A regularly seen species during the winter in the Algarve, they leave us during April.

Vanellus vanellus

Lapwing

Dense flocks gather on the Plains throughout the winter.

Calidris alba

Sanderling

A common sight throughout the winter on any shore on the west coast, they are not infrequently seen singly in salt pans too.

Calidris canutus

Knot

An infrequently seen winter visitor.

Calidris ferruginea

Curlew Sandpiper

Sometimes seen during migration in April.

Calidris minuta

Little Stint

An infrequently seen winter visitor.

Calidris alpina

Dunlin

Seen throughout the winter, a flock in various stages of plumage change during April can be instructive.

Philomachus pugnax

Ruff

A few over-winter, but mostly seen on migration, usually on the Sado and in the Algarve.

Gallinago gallinago

Snipe

A not uncommon winter species on the coast.

Limosa limosa

Black-tailed Godwit

Often seen in the Algarve and also the Sado and Tagus estuaries.

Limosa lapponica

Bar-tailed Godwit

Often seen in the Algarve and also the Sado and Tagus estuaries.

Numenius phaeopus

Whimbrel

Often seen on migration both on the coast and further inland.

Numenius arquata

Curlew

An over-wintering species, mostly on the coast.

Tringa erythropus

Spotted Redshank

A striking species when in summer plumage on migration, though they also over-winter on the coast.

Tringa totanus

Redshank

Commonly seen during the winter.

Tringa nebularia

Greenshank

Commonly seen during the winter.

Tringa ochropus

Green Sandpiper

Often seen on the Plains.

Actitis hypoleucos

Common Sandpiper

Very common near the Quinta where it breeds on the shore of the lake.

Arenaria interpres

Turnstone

Regularly seen during the winter.

Larus fuscus

Lesser Blackback

Regularly seen.

Larus cachinnans

Yellow-legged Gull

Regularly seen.

Gelochelidon nilotica

Gull-billed Tern

Often seen on the lake in front of the Quinta as well as on the Plains.

Sterna caspia

Caspian Tern

Often seen on migration in the Algarve during April

Sterna sandvicensis

Sandwich Tern

Regularly seen on any coastal watch.

Sterna dougallii

Roseate Tern

An uncommon species though regular visitor during the winter.

Sterna hirundo

Common Tern

Regularly seen, usually during the winter.

Sterna albifrons

Little Tern

A common species on any estuary trip.

Chlidonias niger

Black Tern

Seen most years during migration in April, both on the lake in front of the Quinta and on the Plains.

Pterocles orientalis

Black-bellied Sandgrouse

A rare species, though regularly seen on the Plains if one starts early enough.

Columba livia

Rock Dove

A difficult species due to the abundance of feral pigeons, but one that is regularly seen.

Columba palumbus

Woodpigeon

A marked increase during recent years.

Streptopelia decaocto

Collared Dove

A rapidly increasing species both in the countryside and also urban environments.

Streptopelia turtur

Turtle Dove

A species that is under increasing pressure unfortunately, though good views are still enjoyed around the Quinta.

Clamator glandarius

Great Spotted Cuckoo

An early arrival and a species that seems to be increasing in numbers and range over recent years. Regularly seen on the Plains and also near the Quinta.

Cuculus canorus

Cuckoo

Arriving in mid March, this species can be easily seen during the Spring near the Quinta.

Tyto alba

Barn Owl

Relatively scarce though not rare species throughout southern Portugal.

Otus scops

Scops Owl

A pair has nested and raised young in the Quinta’s garden over the last four years, and their call is one of our dinner highlights during the Spring.

Bubo bubo

Eagle Owl

Rarely seen though sometimes heard, this species is easiest to find in river valleys on the Plains.

Athene noctua

Little Owl<