Birdwatching in North Portugal

17 September 2017

Birdwatching in North Portugal

Birdwatching in North Portugal is becoming more and more popular. As more hikers and nature photographers spend their holidays here, the secret is out. Portugal is one of Europe’s top destinations when wanting to watch our feathered friends in their natural habitat.In North Portugal the landscape features fine countryside areas with its rolling hills, deep valleys, impressive slopes of the Port terraced vineyards and sheltering villages that still preserve the old community ways. The north is rich in scenarios that allow direct contact with nature and tranquility. You will also find some of the largest protected areas in Portugal around here.

For a long time we at Quinta Rural have taken our feathered friends for granted. Never once thought about promoting this area to bird lovers, surely those birds weren’t that special? Until several bird loving Dutch guests ensured us that they were, enthusiastically trying to take pictures of the oepoe or the snake eagle. Coming home, they spread the word (and the pictures), making Quinta Rural a mini-birdwatch-vacay.

Below we have only shown some of the bird species you can see ‘from your lazy chair’. We’ve chosen the ones we regularly see at Quinta Rural without any effort. There are many more species to be seen at Quinta Rural. But also in the rest of the Serra da Cabreira, in the National or natural parks such as the Peneda de Geres, the Alvao, Montesinho and the Douro.

the best months for birdwatching in North Portugal are end of April, May, and beginning of June.

Otus scops

scops owl

dwergooruil

a yearly nest near the farm house

Troglodytes troglodytes

the hoopoe

The Eurasian wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) is a very small bird, and the only member of the wren family Troglodytidae found in Eurasia and Africa (Maghreb).

Carriça – winterkoning ‘klein jantje’

Lots of them here.

Athene noctua

little owl

small owl with relatively long legs, short tail, and a rather flat head with no ear-tufts. Can find them in open land, bushy (or young trees) area, near tree holes, cavities in dry stone walls etc.

Eats insects, birds, small mammals, anfibios, lizards ans snakes. Flies fast in a ‘wave’ kind of way. Nests in tree holes and houses. Appears next to goddess Athena in Greek mythology, as symbol of wisdom.

Mocho-galego – steenuil

Upupa epops

the hoopoe

Colourful bird with a distinctive ‘crown’ of feathers, found across Afro-Eurasia. They prefer agricultural grounds with a not too dense vegetation of shrubs.
Can also be seen in wine & fruit tree orchards. Generally in dryer areas.
Tend to avoid heavy population, high altitude and mono culture of pine or eucalyptus trees.
Live of larvees and insects found on the ground or on leaves.
Nest in tree holes and holes between stone dry stacked walls.
Timid yet not shy.

may & june are excellent hoopoe months at Quinta Rural

Not a day goes by without at least 10 spottings (by foot, by car and especially, just right here at Quinta Rural)
Beginning of July it’s great to watch the young ones feeding themselves.

Circaetus gallicus

short-toed snake eagle

Live where there’s still traditional farming, stoney mountain areas, dry and open shrub areas, open areas with few trees. Monogamic species, nest in upper part of tree
Most chance to spot them: when it’s hot outside, when they’re flying.

Águia-cobreira – slangenarend

There’s one nest just below the camping ground for some years now, so we get to see lot of them.

We’ve spotted others (might just as well have been the same family) several times within a 6 kms radius.

Strix aluco

tawny owl

Medium-sized chunky owl with a large, rounded head. No ear-tufts.
They prefer areas with loads of ‘national’ trees such as oak, cork, chestnut, big trees. Less seen around farming land, if there, look for the right trees and you’ll find them. Night animal. Prey on small mammals. Good nocturnal predator, waits for the prey to show, often on a tree branch,sees and scopes. Builds nests in tree holes.

Coruja-do-mato – bosuil

For some 4 years in a row now, they’ve nested somewhere nearby. We often see the young ones sitting in the oak tree just up front.

Certhia brachydactyla

short-toed treecreeper

Prefers forests with old leaf treas, parks, gardens, cedar trees.
Nest in natural tree holes.
Spot: early morning and late afternoon. You’ll often see them vertically grabbing onto a tree, and ‘picking’ for insects.

Trepadeira comum

We get to see a lot of them, just here around the house, grabbing onto the old mossed wall.

Cuculus canorus

Common Cuckoo

They spend their summers in Europe and Asia, and winters in Afrika.
Being a brood parasite, it lays their eggs in other birds nests, mimicking the looks of the other species (like dunnocks, meadow pipits, and reed warblers).
Prefer lots of trees. Can be spotted early morning and late afternoon.

Cuco – koekoek

We hear rather than see them a lot

Alectoris rufa

red-legged partridge

Can be spotted in several habitats, such as open field, rocky area, mountains and even above the tree growing line.
Mostly seen at early mornings or end of the afternoon. Mainly feeds on seeds, insects are especially for the little ones. Nest in pit on the ground, camouflaged between the shrubs, grass and pens to ‘comfy up’ the nest. Likes to walk.
Perdiz vermelha – rode patrijs

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National park Peneda de Geres

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Natural park the Alvao

If you’re done with ‘our’ birds at Quinta Rural, you might want to consider other ‘birdwatching in North Portugal’ possibilities.