Portugal Special Protection Area for birds
Costa Sudoeste
192 bird species recorded; the most in October.
Vitor Oliveira from Torres Vedras, PORTUGAL · CC BY-SA 2.0
This month here
118 species in January.110 species in February.112 species in March.103 species in April.116 species in May.94 species in June.91 species in July.116 species in August.133 species in September.149 species in October.131 species in November.125 species in December.
The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.
VU
VU
VU
VU
VU
- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
192 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 192Speciesrecorded more than once
- 84Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 6ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 15,143Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 19Raptors
- 4Owls
- 24Waders
- 15Gulls & seabirds
- 5Ducks & geese
- 11Herons, ibises & grebes
- 2Storks & cranes
- 89Songbirds
- 23Other birds
From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.
The checklist
All 192 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors19 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Common BuzzardButeo buteo
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- Black-winged KiteElanus caeruleus
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- Short-toed eagleCircaetus gallicus
- Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
- Booted eagleHieraaetus pennatus
- Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus
- Bonelli's EagleAquila fasciata
- Griffon VultureGyps fulvus
- Black KiteMilvus migrans
- Egyptian vultureNeophron percnopterus
- Eurasian Black VultureAegypius monachusNT
- Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargus
- Red KiteMilvus milvus
- European Honey-buzzardPernis apivorus
- European HobbyFalco subbuteo
Owls4 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Little OwlAthene noctua
- Tawny OwlStrix aluco
- Western Barn OwlTyto alba
- Eurasian Scops OwlOtus scops
Waders24 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- RedshankTringa totanus
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- Kentish PloverCharadrius alexandrinus
- Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusNT
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- Little StintCalidris minuta
- Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
- Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
- Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
- Eurasian Stone-curlewBurhinus oedicnemus
- Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta
- Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticola
- Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
Gulls & seabirds15 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Yellow-legged GullLarus michahellis
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Northern gannetMorus bassanus
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Audouin's GullIchthyaetus audouinii
- Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
- Balearic shearwaterPuffinus mauretanicusCR
- RazorbillAlca torda
- Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus
- Great skuaStercorarius skua
- Scopoli's ShearwaterCalonectris diomedea
- Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
- Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinus
- Common TernSterna hirundo
- Common GullLarus canus
Ducks & geese5 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- Common ScoterMelanitta nigra
- Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
Herons, ibises & grebes11 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis
- Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
- Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Purple heronArdea purpurea
- Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
Storks & cranes2 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- White StorkCiconia ciconia
- Black storkCiconia nigra
Songbirds89 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
- Sardinian WarblerCurruca melanocephala
- Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- European RobinErithacus rubecula
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- Zitting CisticolaCisticola juncidis
- European GreenfinchChloris chloris
- Common LinnetLinaria cannabina
- Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
- Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- Spotless StarlingSturnus unicolor
- Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
- European SerinSerinus serinus
- Thekla's LarkGalerida theklae
- Eurasian Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- Dartford WarblerSylvia undata
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- Iberian MagpieCyanopica cooki
- Northern RavenCorvus corax
- Cirl BuntingEmberiza cirlus
- Great titParus major
- Crested larkGalerida cristata
- Eurasian Crag MartinPtyonoprogne rupestris
- Eurasian JayGarrulus glandarius
- Iberian Grey ShrikeLanius meridionalisVU
- Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti
- Short-toed treecreeperCerthia brachydactyla
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- Blue Rock ThrushMonticola solitarius
- Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus
- Common WaxbillEstrilda astrild
- Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos
- European Crested TitLophophanes cristatus
- Rock BuntingEmberiza cia
- Iberian ChiffchaffPhylloscopus ibericus
- WoodlarkLullula arborea
- Western JackdawColoeus monedula
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
- European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleuca
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- Melodious WarblerHippolais polyglotta
- Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Eurasian Golden OrioleOriolus oriolus
- Woodchat ShrikeLanius senatorNT
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaea
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- Western Subalpine WarblerCurruca iberiae
- Tawny PipitAnthus campestris
- Snow FinchMontifringilla nivalis
- Eurasian MagpiePica pica
- Ring OuzelTurdus torquatus
- Water PipitAnthus spinoletta
- WhitethroatSylvia communis
- BluethroatLuscinia svecica
- Greater Short-toed LarkCalandrella brachydactyla
- Rock SparrowPetronia petronia
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- Common FirecrestRegulus ignicapilla
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Eurasian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus
- Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
- Sardinian WarblerSylvia melanocephala
- Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
- Garden WarblerSylvia borin
- WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
- European Rock PipitAnthus petrosus
- Great Reed WarblerAcrocephalus arundinaceus
- HawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustes
- African StonechatSaxicola torquatus
- Subalpine WarblerSylvia cantillans
- Spanish sparrowPasser hispaniolensis
- Lanius excubitorLanius excubitor
- Tree PipitAnthus trivialis
- Spectacled WarblerSylvia conspicillata
- BramblingFringilla montifringilla
- Eastern Red-rumped SwallowCecropis daurica
Other birds23 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaNT
- Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
- Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops
- Bee-eaterMerops apiaster
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- European Turtle DoveStreptopelia turturVU
- European SwiftApus apus
- Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melba
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- Common QuailCoturnix coturnix
- Pallid SwiftApus pallidus
- Picus sharpeiPicus sharpei
- European Water RailRallus aquaticus
- Common CuckooCuculus canorus
- Red-necked NightjarCaprimulgus ruficollisNT
- European NightjarCaprimulgus europaeus
- Lesser Spotted WoodpeckerDryobates minor
- WryneckJynx torquilla
- CootFulica atra
- European RollerCoracias garrulus
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species in October.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan15°/8°51 mm
- Feb15°/8°48 mm
- Mar17°/9°58 mm
- Apr19°/11°56 mm
- May23°/13°30 mm
- Jun26°/16°8 mm
- Jul28°/17°1 mm
- Aug29°/17°4 mm
- Sep27°/16°24 mm
- Oct23°/14°71 mm
- Nov18°/11°87 mm
- Dec15°/8°66 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Costa Sudoeste.
Protected area in Portugal
Costa Sudoeste is a Special Protection Area under the EU Birds Directive in Portugal.
192 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 15,143 open records.
The most recorded are the European Stonechat, the Sardinian Warbler and the Eurasian Blackbird.
32 species come for the summer, 47 for the winter and 5 only pass through.
6 are threatened worldwide, including Iberian Grey Shrike, Grey Plover and European Turtle Dove.
The most species are recorded in October.
Get there and watch
- VisitingHours in OpenStreetMap: 24/7Official site↗
- Parking Aljezurcampsite · 8.2 km · 5 within 10 km
- Oceanoplace to stay · 2.0 km · 37 within 10 km
- Aljezurnearest town · 8.3 km in a straight line
- Portimão Airport (PRM)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 31 km in a straight lineCar hire at FAO airport (Faro)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
Plan the visit
A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.
Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.
From above
The place and its surroundings.
The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- 3marked trails within 4 kmCaminho Histórico, Rota Vicentina - Trilho dos Pescadores - 8, Rota Vicentina - Trilho dos Pescadores - 7
- 11viewpoints within 5 kmPonta da Atalaia and 10 more
- 7car parks within 3 km
- 15restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 5campsites within 10 kmParking Aljezur, Parque de Campismo do Serrão, Francelho on wheels and 2 more
- 37places to stay within 10 kmOceano, Falésias da Arrifana, Living Lodge and 34 more
- bird hides within 6 km
- observation towers within 6 km
- visitor centres within 6 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around Costa Sudoeste.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Peakyas2 mountains within 25 kmCerro do Covão da Loba · 23 kmMonte dos Amantes · 25 km
Coastya8 beaches within 10 kmPraia da Arrifana · 2.1 km↗Praia da Pedra da Agulha · 3.4 kmPraia da Pipa · 4.2 kmPraia de Vale Figueiras · 4.6 kmPraia da Fateixa · 5.7 kmPraia do Monte Clérigo · 6.6 kmPraia da Amoreira · 7.8 kmPraia da Carriagem · 8.6 km
Darkskyas2 dark-sky places within 30 kmPraia da ArrifanaBortle 3 · 2.1 km↗FóiaBortle 3 · 26 km
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Photographs
The place, as people saw it.
Other places nearby.
Costa Sudoeste
Portugal
- 73Birdyas Score
- 192Species
- 84Migrants
- 6Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q63378424) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 15,143 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
| Sister atlases | Peakyas, Coastya, Darkskyas |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?
Same idea, other landscapes: field atlases built on open data, in seven languages.
beaches
Find your beach: sea temperature, sun and swimming month by month.Visit 
lakes
Every lake on Earth: water temperature, ice, depth and the shore.Visit mountains
Every summit in 3D: summit weather, the 0 °C line, huts and trails.Visit 
waterfalls
Every waterfall: height, flow month by month and when it roars.Visit 
islands
Every island from the sea up: size, sea temperature, ferries and 3D.Visit 
rivers
Every river from source to sea: the journey, the flow and the basin in numbers.Visit 
canyons
Every canyon cut to scale: depth to the floor, rim and floor temperatures, trails and viewpoints.Visit 
caves
Every cave with its real depth and length: the rock above, the temperature inside all year, and how to visit.Visit dark skies
Where the night is still dark: the sky of every place, the Milky Way month by month, the Moon, eclipses and auroras.Visit 
viewpoints
Every viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit 
birdwatching
Every bird sanctuary and wetland with the species recorded month by month: who is resident, who comes for the summer, who only passes through.You are here
forests
Every forest with its land-cover rings, what grows and lives in it, and the best months to walk it.Coming soonVisit