Private Full-Day Birdwatching Tour from Lisbon to the Sado Estuary
The Sado Estuary, the second largest estuary in Portugal, is an area of enormous natural wealth and biodiversity. The area lies a little more than 30 minutes from Lisbon and includes two Zones of Special Protection and a Natural Reserve (RNES), which together cover an area of about 23,000 hectares. The Sado Estuary is also a Ramsar site of international importance.
The richness of different biotopes in this area ensures a prolific avifaunal diversity, not just amongst aquatic species, but also birds associated with woodland habitat. Compared with its bigger counterpart (the Tagus Estuary), the Sado Estuary offers better opportunities to see certain species, including Red-breasted Merganser, Black-necked Grebe, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Caspian Tern, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Iberian Green Woodpecker, Scaly-breasted Munia, Hawfinch and Cirl Bunting. Besides an excellent range of ducks, waders and gulls, other charismatic species regularly seen include Greater Flamingo, Eurasian Spoonbill, European Bee-eater, Eurasian Hoopoe, Iberian Grey Shrike and Iberian Magpie. The natural reserve bird list comprises more than 250 species.
Though the wetland area is of great importance as a wintering site and migration stop-over point, it also holds important breeding populations of a number of species. A visit to the Sado Estuary is interesting at any time of the year. In winter the area holds thousands of wintering aquatic birds; during migration, the number of species increases and it is not unusual to observe more than 100 bird species in a single day; in summer, the breeding species may number close to 100.
The estuary is home to a small and unique population of Bottle-nosed Dolphins; individuals and small pods are frequently seen.
The places visited include a variety of special habitats: open water, inter-tidal mudflats, salt marshes, salt pans, rice fields, reedbeds, river beaches, sand dunes, Cork Oak and Stone Pine woodlands, small dams, eucalypt plantations and poplars and willows.
Given the closeness of Lisbon to the Sado Estuary, Birds & Nature has half day (morning or afternoon) and full day guided tours to the area.
(+ 60 € per additional person)
Photos by Pedro Marques
