Portugal Ramsar wetland
Fajã dos Cubres
149 bird species recorded; the most from October to November.
José Luís Ávila Silveira/Pedro Noronha e Costa · Public domain
This month here
74 species in January.64 species in February.69 species in March.64 species in April.59 species in May.48 species in June.36 species in July.40 species in August.62 species in September.85 species in October.85 species in November.75 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.
NT
NT
NT
NT
VUNT
NT
NTNT
NT
NTNT
NT
NTNTNT
- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
149 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).
- 149Speciesrecorded more than once
- 64Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 10ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 45,322Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 5Raptors
- 2Owls
- 34Waders
- 38Gulls & seabirds
- 21Ducks & geese
- 11Herons, ibises & grebes
- 24Songbirds
- 14Other 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 149 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors5 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common BuzzardButeo buteo
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- Red-footed FalconFalco vespertinusVU
Owls2 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Long-eared OwlAsio otus
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
Waders34 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticola
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- Spotted SandpiperActitis macularius
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
- Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatus
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaNT
- Kentish PloverCharadrius alexandrinus
- White-rumped SandpiperCalidris fuscicollisVU
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
- Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaNT
- RuffCalidris pugnax
- Grey (Red) PhalaropePhalaropus fulicarius
- Purple SandpiperCalidris maritima
- Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
- KilldeerCharadrius vociferusNT
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- Wilson's SnipeGallinago delicata
- American golden ploverPluvialis dominica
- Lesser yellowlegsTringa flavipesVU
- Solitary SandpiperTringa solitaria
- Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotos
- Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusNT
- RedshankTringa totanus
- European Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
- Little StintCalidris minuta
Gulls & seabirds38 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Scopoli's ShearwaterCalonectris diomedea
- Yellow-legged GullLarus michahellis
- Common TernSterna hirundo
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Roseate TernSterna dougallii
- Laughing GullLeucophaeus atricilla
- Leach's Storm PetrelOceanodroma leucorhoaVU
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
- Common LoonGavia immer
- Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis
- Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreus
- Iceland GullLarus glaucoides
- Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphia
- Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus
- White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterus
- Great shearwaterPuffinus gravis
- Little AukAlle alle
- Great skuaStercorarius skua
- Arctic TernSterna paradisaea
- Black-legged kittiwakeRissa tridactylaVU
- Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
- Black-browed AlbatrossThalassarche melanophris
- Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinus
- Northern gannetMorus bassanus
- Long-tailed SkuaStercorarius longicaudus
- Forster's TernSterna forsteri
- Barolo ShearwaterPuffinus baroli
- Arctic SkuaStercorarius parasiticus
- Band-rumped Storm PetrelOceanodroma castro
- Sooty shearwaterPuffinus griseus
- Common GullLarus canus
- Atlantic PuffinFratercula arcticaVU
- Wilson's Storm-PetrelOceanites oceanicus
- Little ShearwaterPuffinus assimilis
- European Herring GullLarus argentatus
- Bulwer’s petrelBulweria bulwerii
- Pomarine SkuaStercorarius pomarinus
Ducks & geese21 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- Cairina moschataCairina moschata
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Common ScoterMelanitta nigra
- Greylag GooseAnser anser
- Long-tailed duckClangula hyemalisVU
- Blue-winged TealSpatula discors
- American WigeonMareca americana
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- Ring-necked DuckAythya collaris
- Lesser ScaupAythya affinis
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- Greater ScaupAythya marila
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
- Red-crested pochardNetta rufina
- Common EiderSomateria mollissimaNT
- Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillata
- Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
- Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
- Wood DuckAix sponsa
- Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatus
Herons, ibises & grebes11 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Double-crested CormorantPhalacrocorax auritus
- Snowy EgretEgretta thula
- Green HeronButorides virescens
- Great Blue HeronArdea herodias
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax
- Squacco HeronArdeola ralloides
Songbirds24 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Atlantic CanarySerinus canaria
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- European RobinErithacus rubecula
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- Fringilla morelettiFringilla moreletti
- European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- European GreenfinchChloris chloris
- Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulus
- Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- Cape May WarblerSetophaga tigrina
- Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
- American RedstartSetophaga ruticilla
- Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianus
- Myrtle WarblerSetophaga coronata
- Swainson's ThrushCatharus ustulatus
- Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalis
Other birds14 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- Common QuailCoturnix coturnix
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- Yellow-billed CuckooCoccyzus americanus
- European SwiftApus apus
- Chimney SwiftChaetura pelagicaVU
- CootFulica atra
- Common NighthawkChordeiles minor
- Purple GallinulePorphyrio martinica
- Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melba
- Yellow-shafted FlickerColaptes auratus
- Allen's GallinulePorphyrio alleni
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species from October to November.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan17°/15°87 mm
- Feb16°/14°84 mm
- Mar16°/14°85 mm
- Apr16°/15°66 mm
- May18°/16°66 mm
- Jun20°/18°46 mm
- Jul22°/21°29 mm
- Aug24°/22°38 mm
- Sep23°/21°70 mm
- Oct21°/19°92 mm
- Nov19°/17°75 mm
- Dec17°/16°113 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Fajã dos Cubres.
Fajã dos Cubres is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in Portugal.
149 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 45,322 open records.
The most recorded are the Scopoli's Shearwater, the Yellow-legged Gull and the House Sparrow.
16 species come for the summer, 46 for the winter and 2 only pass through.
10 are threatened worldwide, including Leach's Storm Petrel, Grey Plover and White-rumped Sandpiper.
The most species are recorded from October to November.
Get there and watch
- Bearsu Nature Almoxarifecampsite · 2.7 km · 5 within 10 km
- Paula's Houseplace to stay · 0.3 km · 199 within 10 km
- Hortanearest town · 0.5 km in a straight line
- Horta Airport (HOR)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 8 km in a straight lineCar hire at HOR airport (Horta)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
- 1observation towers within 6 kmTorre de Observação
- 1marked trails within 4 kmPRC08FAI Entre Montes
- 2visitor centres within 6 kmCasa da Baía da Horta, Posto de Turismo Faial - Terminal Marítimo
- 24viewpoints within 5 kmMiradouro da Vista Alegre, Miradouro do Salto da Ribeira, Miradouro da Lira and 21 more
- 161car parks within 3 km
- 43restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 5campsites within 10 kmBearsu Nature Almoxarife, Azul Singular, Parque de campismo da Boca da Ribeira and 2 more
- 199places to stay within 10 kmPaula's House, Residência Neves, Apartamentos Kósmos and 196 more
- bird hides 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 Fajã dos Cubres.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Peakyas40 mountains within 25 kmMonte da Guia · 1.7 kmTambroso497 m · 7.5 kmCabeço Gordo1,043 m · 9.2 kmSelado · 16 kmCabeço do Canto · 17 kmCapelinhos143 m · volcano · 19 kmMount Pico2,351 m · volcano · 21 km↗Cabeço do Escalvado · 24 km
Coastya3 beaches within 10 kmPraia Do Porto Pim · 1.0 kmCaldeira do Inferno · 1.8 kmPraia do Almoxarife · 2.9 km
Darkskyas6 dark-sky places within 30 kmTambrosoBortle 2 · 7.6 kmFaial IslandBortle 2 · 8.0 km↗Cabeço GordoBortle 2 · 9.4 kmCapelinhosBortle 1 · 19 kmMount PicoBortle 1 · 21 km↗Pico IslandBortle 1 · 24 km↗
Cavernyas1 caves within 20 kmGruta das Torres · 11 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.
Fajã dos Cubres
Portugal
- 76Birdyas Score
- 149Species
- 64Migrants
- 10Threatened
Lajes do Pico - Ilha do Pico
Portugal · 37 km
- 65Birdyas Score
- 113Species
- 44Migrants
- 8Threatened
Caldeira e Capelinhos - Ilha do Faial
Portugal · 12 km
- 40Birdyas Score
- 55Species
- 19Migrants
- 1Threatened
Furnas / Sto.António - Ilha do Pico
Portugal · 26 km
- 44Birdyas Score
- 68Species
- 20Migrants
- 2Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q5431437) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 45,322 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, Islandyas, Coastya, Darkskyas, Cavernyas |
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?
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Every island from the sea up: size, sea temperature, ferries and 3D.Visit 
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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
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forests
Every forest with its land-cover rings, what grows and lives in it, and the best months to walk it.Coming soonVisit