Birding Day Trip in Algarve / April 2026

I meet Eléonore and her family at their accommodation in Faro at 8am. They stay at the wonderful Herdade dos Salgados. Eléonore is an avid birdwatcher and wildlife photographer, and she is joined by her husband and daughter. Weather conditions are delightful, it could not be better. April is one the best months to go birding in Algarve.

The idea for me is to guide to my favourite birding hotspots around Faro, both east and west of the city. I plan to explore 4 different locations, in order to have them discover a good diversity of habitats and bird species, and also giving them a good balance between hides and walks.

We start the day at a fantastic bird observatory where we spot not less than 35 bird species. Highlights include a Booted Eagle, a Black-winged Kite, a Western Swamphen, a Little Bittern, a Little Grebe feeding on a crayfish, and a Purple Heron going to its nest with a prey!

As we leave, we are surrounded by the calls of Black-headed Weavers along the dirt road. We stop and see a few nests in the reeds! As we stay still and watch, we can see both the males building some nests and females going in and out of other nests.

We then go explore the reknown Quinta do Lago, doing a long walk along the boardwalk and stopping at the bird hide. We see many many great species like the Eurasian Spoonbill, the Pied Avocet, the Black-winged Stilt, etc etc.. but also a Peregrine Falcon and an Osprey perched on trees next to each other. What a sight!

It is now time to stop for lunch. We enjoy a great meal in a local restaurant. For the afternoon, I plan to bring our guests on the other side of Faro, exploring the Quinta Marim in Olhão. We do a nice long loop, exploring the different ecosystems of the site. In the hide overlooking the pond in the heart of the site, we are stunned to see the Little Egret and Western Cattle-Egrets colony. It is absolutely fantastic to watch them flying around, taking care of the chicks, calling and even fighting.

Finally, on our way back to their accommodation, we stop along the saltpans to watch Greater Flamingos and many shorebirds under a beautiful late afternoon light.

It was a memorable birding day in the Algarve. We spotted 73 bird species and had a great time sharing our passion for birds.

Salva Fauna