Private Birdwatching Tour on Sado Estuary

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The Sado's Estuary Nature Reserve is one of the more important wetlands in Portugal and offers Birdwatching opportunities. Its symbol is the Bottlenose Dolphin, whose small population is often seen while crossing the river by boat, between Setubal and Troia.

Your day begins in Praias do Sado, a wide area of saltmarshes and saltpans where you can observe large groups of Flamingos, Black-winged Stilts and Avocets. The Little Tern, Kentish Plover and the Yellow Wagtail, find good nesting places here. The Osprey can be seen during winter and spring.

Arriving to Zambujal, vast rice fields mark the landscape. In this area you may find flocks of White Storks feeding together with egrets, and sometimes with the rare Spoonbills. In the estuary, the Black-necked Grebe appears in good numbers during the high tide, while during the low tide hundreds of waders feed in the exposed muds.

In Pinheiro, extensive wooded areas are an excellent habitat for raptors. Booted Eagles, Short-toed Eagles and Black-winged Kites are all rather frequent species. In the woods, you may also observe Redstarts, Iberian Chiffchaffs, Woodchat and Great Grey Shrikes and Bee-eaters. In the lagoons and rice fields it is possible to see large numbers of ducks and egrets, including the Purple Heron, an uncommon breeding species.

In Monte Novo de Palma, you'll cross a large area with Cork Oaks, occupied by numerous forest species, such as Short-toed Tree creepers, woodpeckers, tits, etc. In the South margin of the Sado's estuary, you will visit the vast rice fields and saltpans of Batalha, where Flamingos and Storks gather in big numbers. In Acude da Murta, a small dam with rich marginal vegetation, you'll find in spring a mixed colony with Little and Cattle Egrets, sometimes with the presence of rarer species, like the Night and Squacco Herons.

The last stop on your tour is Carrasqueira. During low tide, several waders may be observed including Bar-Tailed Godwit.

Sado Estuary, Portugal

Daily

Unavailable Dates:

• January 1 (New Years Day)
• December 24, 25 (Christmas)
• December 31 (New Years Eve)

Tour departs from centrally located Lisbon hotels

8:00am

Tour concludes at original point of departure.

Tour departs from most central Lisbon hotels. Please include the details of your hotel at the time of booking.

Cruise Port Pick Up:
If you are arriving on a cruise ship, port pick up is available. Please advise the name of your ship along with the arrival time at time of booking.

Some of the species you can expect to see are:

• Little Tern - a breeding species in the Sado's estuary, the conservation of this threatened bird depends on the maintenance of the existing saltpans.
• Osprey - a wintering species in Portugal , in the Sado's estuary it is also likely to be seen in Spring.
• Marsh Harrier - this raptor is resident in the Sado's estuary. More than 12 pairs breed in this wetland, in areas of dense reed beds.
• Red-breasted Merganser - the Sado's estuary holds the big majority of the wintering population of this species in Portugal.
• Purple Heron - a summer visitor to the Sado's estuary, about 20 pairs breed in dense reed beds of this wetland.
• Short-eared Owl - rather common wintering species in the Sado's Estuary, occurring in significant numbers in the rice fields in the southern margin.