Birding Holiday Packages and Bird Tours.

Your stay in Portugal is hosted at Monte Horizonte, a small 6 houses self catering family-run eco-resort on the hills 5 kilometers south of Santiago do Cacém.  The lodge is in the middle of nowhere, very peaceful, surrounded by its own gardens and, with a complete absence of any traffic noise at all, is a real break from the hustle and bustle with a friendly, helpful atmosphere.  For the active, swimming, bicycling and walking are always on offer and the beach is only 15 minutes away. We offer several Bird Tours in the region and below are two examples.  Of course we can also plan tours according to your wishes and duration.

Bird Tours:

Bird tour 1: We offer half day and full day tours to the Lagoa de Santo André.

We will make a round tour and stay at several spots near the Lagoa de Santo André for 3 hours. The full day tour does include lunch and has a duration of 8 hours of which we will spent 6 hours at the Lagoa de Santo André.

Best season: All year

List of Special Birds:

 Purple Heron ( Ardea purpurea ), Flamingo ( Phoenicopterus roseus ), Gadwall ( Anas strepera ), Garganey ( Anas querquedula ), Red-Chrested Pochard ( Netta rufina ), Pochard ( Aythya ferina ), Osprey ( Pandion haliaetus ), Hobby ( Falco subbuteo ), Little Tern ( Sterna albifrons ), Great Reed Warbler ( Acrocephalus scirpaceus ), Savi´s Warbler ( Locustella luscinioides ), Purple Swamhen ( Porphyrio porphyrio ), Squacco Heron ( Ardeola ralloides ). 

List of Other Birds:

Little Greb ( Tachybaptus ruficollis ), Cormorant ( Phalacrocorax carbo ), Glossy Ibis ( Plegadis falcinellus ), Teal ( Anas crecca ), Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos ), Marsh Herrier ( Circus aeruginosus ), Coot ( Fulica atra ), Moorhen ( Gallinula chloropus ), Black-winged Stilt ( Himantopus himantopus ), Kentish Plover ( Charadrius alexandrinus ), Snipe ( Gallinago gallinago ), Black-tailed Godwit ( Limosa limosa ), Yello-legged Gull ( Larus michahellis ), Green Woodpecker ( Picus viridis ), Great Spotted Woodpecker ( Dendrocopos major ), Great Reed Warbler ( Acrocephalus arundinaceus ), Nuthatch ( Sitta europaea ), Short-toed Treecreeper ( Certhia brachydactyla ), Azure-winged Magpie ( Cyanopica cyanus )

List of Rare Birds:

Black-throated Loon ( Gavia arctica ), White Pelican ( Pelecanus onocrotalus ), Barnacle Goose ( Branta leucopsis ), Brent Goose ( Branta bernicla ), Blue-winged Teal ( Anas discors ), Marbled Duck ( Marmaronetta angustirostris ),
Green-winged Teal ( Anas carolinensis ), Ruddy Duck ( Oxyura jamaicensis ), Ferruginious Duck ( Aythya nyroca ), 
Ring-necked Duck ( Aythya collaris ), Red-knobbed Coot ( Fulica cristata ), Cream-coloured Courser ( Cursorius cursor ), Pectora Sandpiper ( Calidris melanotos ), Red-necked Phalarope ( Phalaropus lobatus ), Slender-billed Gull ( Larus genei ), Ring-billed Gull ( Larus delawarensis ), White-winged Tern ( Chlidonias leucopterus ), Richard´s Pipit ( Anthus richardi ), Red-throated Pipit ( Anthus cervinus ), Citrine Wagtail ( Motacilla citreola ), Paddyfield Warbler ( Acrocephalus agricola ), Aquatic Warbler ( Acrocephalus paludicola ), Moustached Warbler ( Acrocephalus melanopogon ), Little Bunting ( Emberiza pusilla ), Pallas´s Reed Bunting ( Emberiza pallasi )

Prices:
Half Day Private Tour
1 person – 70 €
2 persons – 110 €
3 persons – 150 €
4 persons – 190 €

Full Day Private Tour  (including lunch)
1 person – 120 €
2 persons – 160 €
3 persons – 210 €
4 persons – 240 €

Bird tour 2: We offer full day tours ( 8 hours) to the Alentejo Plains (inland) including lunch.

During our tour we will visit the Special Protection Area Castro Verde area famous of it´s Great Bustards.

This SPA also holds important populations of Black-bellied sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis), Calandra Lark (Melanocorypha calandra), Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) and Montagu’s harrier (Circus pygargus) and, furthermore, it is a breeding area for the Bonelli’s eagle (Aquila fasciata) as well as the main breeding area of the European Roller (Coracias garrulus) in Portugal.

During the winter we can find important densities of Cranes (Grus grus), Lapwings (Vanellus vanellus), Golden plovers (Pluvialis apricaria) and Skylarks (Alauda arvensis). There is a regular presence of winter birds of prey such as the Red Kite (Milvus milvus) and the Hen harrier (Circus cyaneus). The fallow lands and pastures are important feed zones for the Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus), the Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus), the Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti) and the Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetus). 

Full Day Private Tour  (including lunch)
1 person – 160 €
2 persons – 200 €
3 persons – 240 €
4 persons – 280 €

Bookings: The months July, August and September at least five nights.

Pricelist 2012, VAT included

Price per Night	Extra bed 25 euros/night	Extra bed 25 euros/night	Extra bed 25 euros/night	Extra bed 25 euros/night	Extra bed 25 euros/night	Extra bed 25 euros/night	Extra bed 25 euros/night
January	60	60	60	80	80	90	160
Februari	60	60	60	80	80	90	160
March	65	65	65	85	85	95	170
April	70	70	70	90	90	100	180
May	75	75	75	95	95	105	190
June	80	80	80	100	100	110	200
July	90	90	90	125	125	135	250
August	110	110	110	150	150	170	300
September	90	90	90	125	125	135	250
Oktober	70	70	70	90	90	100	180
November	60	60	60	80	80	90	160
December	60	60	60	80	80	90	160

The Christmas holidays, Carnival and Easter are considered peak season with the same price as the month of July.

Eco resort Monte Horizonte is a licensed rural tourism by Turismo de Portugal and located in the wonderful Alentejo region of Portugal at only 15 kms from the beach and just five kms to the historic city Santiago do Cacém. It is run completely on solar and wind energy.

Birdwatching tours and trips in the Alentejo region of Portugal.

The Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) is a medium to large bird of prey, whose range covers most of Europe and extends into Asia. It is usually resident all year, except in the coldest parts of its range, and in the case of one subspecies.

Common Buzzard, Buizerd, Mäusebussard, Águia-d'asa-redonda, Ratonero común

The Common Buzzard measures between 40 and 58 cm (16 and 23 in) in length with a 109–136 cm (43–54 in) wingspan and a body mass of 427–1,364 g (0.94–3.01 lb), making it a medium-sized raptor.

This broad-winged raptor has a wide variety of plumages, and in Europe can be confused with the similar Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus) and the only distantly related Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus), which mimics the Common Buzzard's plumage for a degree of protection from Northern Goshawks[citation needed]. The plumage can vary in Britain from almost pure white to black, but is usually shades of brown, with a pale 'necklace' of feathers.

The Common Buzzard breeds in woodlands, usually on the fringes, but favours hunting over open land. It eats mainly small mammals, and will come to carrion. A great opportunist, it adapts well to a varied diet of pheasant, rabbit, other small mammals to medium mammals, snakes and lizards, and can often be seen walking over recently ploughed fields looking for worms and insects. The birds have incredible strength and are therefore able to pick up food of all weights.

Buzzards do not normally form flocks, but several may be seen together on migration or in good habitat. The Victorian writer on Dartmoor, William Crossing, noted he had on occasions seen flocks of 15 or more at some places. Though a rare occurrence, as many as 20 buzzards can be spotted in one field area, approximately 30 metres apart, so cannot be classed as a flock in the general sense, consisting of birds without a mate or territory. They are fiercely territorial, and, though rare, fights do break out if one strays onto another pair's territory, but dominant displays of aggression will normally see off the interloper. Pairs mate for life. To attract a mate (or impress his existing mate) the male performs a ritual aerial display before the beginning of spring. This spectacular display is known as 'the roller coaster'. He will rise high up in the sky, to turn and plummet downward, in a spiral, twisting and turning as he comes down. He then rises immediately upward to repeat the exercise.

The call is a plaintive peea-ay, similar to a cat's meow.

Other synonyms:

Afrikaans: Bruinjakkalsvoel, Bruinjakkalsvoël
Asturian: Pardón, Zaperu
Azerbaijani: Adi sar
Bulgarian: obiknoven mišelov
Breton: Ar vaou boutin, baou, Zapelatz arrunt
Catalan: aligot, Aligot comú
Catalan (Balears): Aligot
Valencian: Aligot comú
Welsh: Bod teircail, Boda, Boda llwyd, Boncath, bwncath
Danish: Musvåge
German: Bussard, Maeusebussard, Mäusebussard, Mäusebussard-buto
Emiliano-romagnolo: Puiàn
English: Buzzard, Common buzzard, Eurasian buzzard, European Common Buzzard, Steppe Buzzard
Esperanto: buteo
Spanish: Aguila ratonera, buharro, Busardo Común, Busardo Ratonero, Ratonero común
Estonian: hiireviu
Basque: Aligot comú, zapelatz, Zapelatz arrunt, Zapelatz arrunta
Finnish: Hiirihaukka
Faroese: músvákur
French: buse, Buse des steppes, Buse variable, Épervier d'Europe
Friulian: cagne, poiane
Frisian: Mûzebiter, mûzefalk
Irish: bexato, clamhán, miñato
Gaelic: Clamhan
Galician: Aligot comú, Bexato, Miñato, Miñato común
Manx: shirragh
Croatian: mišar, Škanjac, Škanjac mišar
Hungarian: Egerészölyv, ölyv
Indonesian: Elang Buteo
Icelandic: Músvákur
Italian: Matàs, Poiana, Poiana comune, Poiana delle steppe, Poiana eurasiatica
Brescian: Matàs, Poiana
Japanese: Kuso-tobi, nosuri
Karelian: Hiirihaukku
Cornish: bargos
Kwangali: Siimbi
Latin: Buteo buteo, Buteo buteo buteo, Buteo vulpinus
Ladino: gabinel
Ladin: Gabinel
Lithuanian: Klykuolis, Paprastasis suopis, Piepis, suopis, Vakarinis suopis
Malay: Helang Gempal
Dutch: buizerd
Norwegian: musvåk, Ormhauk, Skjorvengje, Vasspip
Occitan: tartana
Polish: myszolów
Portuguese: águia de asa redonda, Águia-d'asa-redonda, Águia-de-asa-redonda, Bútio-comum, milhafre
Romansh: girun da mieurs
Romanian: sorecar
Romany: Worla, Worolo, worolo worla
Russian: kanjuk
Sardinian: Apayoni, atturistu, istore pudarzu, lepperadore, Pigana, pilloni farrancau, Spraperi, stori furapuddas, sutzulia, tappàiu, Tappayu,  tzampaghe, tzueddia, tzurrulliu, tzurulia, Zueddìa
Scots: àrmhaigh, Clamhan
Northern Sami: sáhpánboaimmáš, sáhpánfálli
Slovak: Myšiak hôrny, myšiak lesný, myšiak lesný (myšiak hôrny)
Slovenian: kanja, navadna kanja
Albanian: huta
Serbian: Jastreb mišar
Sotho, Southern: Khajoane
Swedish: Ormvråk
Swahili: Shakivale-nyika
Tswana: Phakwê
Venetian: Poia
Sorbian, Lower: pašturlica
Sorbian, Upper: paskulica, pašturlica

Birdwatching Alentejo Portugal

Spotted at the Santo André Lagoon in the Alentejo region of Portugal.     Northern Pintail song    

The Pintail or Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) is a widely occurring duck which breeds in the northern areas of Europe, Asia and North America. It is strongly migratory and winters south of its breeding range to the equator. Unusually for a bird with such a large range, it has no geographical subspecies if the possibly con-specific Eaton's Pintail is considered to be a separate species.

Northern Pintail, Pijlstaart, Spießente, Arrabio, Ánade Rabudo

This is a fairly large duck, with a long pointed tail that gives rise to the species' English and scientific names. The Northern Pintail's many names describe the male's two long black tail feathers, which in flight look like a single pin or twig (thus, the nickname sprig). These feathers are very distinctive, accounting for a quarter of the total length of the drake when in full plumage.

Fast and graceful fliers, pintails are equipped with long wings, small heads, and long necks that seem built for streamlined aerodynamics. Both sexes have blue gray bills and gray legs and feet. The drake is more striking, having a thin white stripe running from the back of its chocolate-colored head down its neck to its mostly white undercarriage.

The drake also has attractive gray, brown, and black patterning on its back and sides. The hen's plumage is more subtle and subdued, with drab brown feathers similar to those of other female dabblers. Hens make a coarse quack and the drakes a flute-like whistle.

The Northern Pintail is a bird of open wetlands which nests on the ground, often some distance from water. It feeds by dabbling for plant food and adds small invertebrates to its diet during the nesting season. It is highly gregarious when not breeding, forming large mixed flocks with other species of duck.

This duck's population is affected by predators, parasites and avian diseases. Human activities, such as agriculture, hunting and fishing, have also had a significant impact on numbers. Nevertheless, this species' huge range and large population mean that it is not threatened globally.

Other synonyms:

Afrikaans: Pylsterteend
Asturian: Coríu Rabullargu, Coríu Raullargu
Azerbaijani: Bizquyruq
Catalan: Ànec cuallarg, Coer, Cua de jonc
Valencian: Cua de jonc
Welsh: Hwyaden gynffonfain, Hwyaden lostfain
Danish: Spidsand
German: Spießente, Spiessente-acuta
Emiliano-romagnolo: Culanz
English: Common Pintail, Common Pintail Duck, Holarctic Northern Pintail, Northern Pintail, Pintail
Esperanto: Pintvostanaso
Spanish: Anade rabudo, Ánade rabudo, Pato golondrino, Pato Golondrino Norteño, Pato Guineo, Pato Pescuecilargo, Pato rabilargo, Pato Rabo-de-gallo, Pato rabudo
Estonian: pahlsaba-part, Soopart, Soopart, pahlsaba-part 
Basque: Ahate buztanluze, Ahate buztanluzea, Ànec cuallarg
Finnish: Jouhisorsa
Faroese: Brimont, Brim-ont, Røtugás, Røtu-gás, Snælduont, Snældu-ont, Stikkont, Stikk-ont
French: Canard pilet, Canard pilet ordinaire, Pilet
Frisian: Pylksturt
Irish: Biorearrach, Lacha stiúrach
Gaelic: Lach Stiùireach
Galician: Ànec cuallarg, Pato rabilongo
Manx: Laagh Fammanagh
Haitian Creole French: Kanna pilè
Croatian: Patka Lastarka
Hungarian: Nyílfarkú réce
Indonesian: Itik Utara
Icelandic: Grafönd
Italian: Codone, Codone comune
Inuktitut: Ivurak, Kashluak
Japanese: onagagamo, O-naga-gamo, Onaga-gamo
Cornish: Hos Gwaf
Latin: Anas acuta, Anas acuta acuta, Dafila acuta acuta
Latvian: Garkaklis
Malay: Itik Ekor Runcing
Maltese: Silfjun
Dutch: Pijlstaart, Pijlstaart eend
Norwegian: Stjertand
Polish: rozeniec
Portuguese: Arrabio, marreca-arrebio
Romansh: Anda gita
Scots: Lach stiuireach
Northern Sami: Codone, Vuojaš
Slovak: Ka?ica ostrochvostá
Slovenian: dolgorepa raca
Albanian: Rosa bishtgjele
Swedish: Stjärtand
Swahili: Bata Kipini
Turkish: Kilkuyruk, kylkuyruk

Below are some photos we took and here is the list:

Black-necked Grebe
Purple Heron
Shoveler (about 30)
Common Waxbill
Great Crested Grebe
Little Egret
Great White Egret Cattle Egret
Common Coot
Great Cormorant
White Stork
Grey Heron
House Sparrow
Barn Swallow
Sand Martin
Common Stonechat
Little Grebe
Southern Grey Shrike
Azure-winged Magpie
Chaffinch
European Serin
European Goldfinch
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Carrion Crow
Mallard
Turtle Dove
Greenfinch
Blackbird
Wood Pigeon

Purple Heron

Alentejo, Portugal

The Santo André Lagoon is the largest lagoon of the Alentejo coast in Portugal, formed by the retention of river basins surrounding the dune ridges.

Although human occupation in the area is present, there are areas in this lagoon with high densities of waterfowl, making this excellent for observation.

All visits to this unique lagoon system must include the observation by the lagoon itself, as well as taking a trip in the area of 'wells'. What this means is that we before us two distinct landscapes: the lagoon and surrounding area, and the small lakes and dune systems around it.

Access to small lakes called "wells" is made from the road that leads to the beach of Porto das Carretas, and along the trail that there exists, can be spotted a set of forest birds typical of the coastal pine forests, such as the Blue Tit, Great-spotted Woodpecker and Short-toed Treecreeper, among others, as well as a Hobby although this hawk is difficult to detect.

In small lakes called 'wells' occur the species of Purple Heron, the Great Reed Warbler, Mallard and Moorhen.

The entire area east of the lake is surrounded by farmland and small patches of pine-nut. Access to a high point to allow to see the whole mirror of water is not always easy, and the ideal is to take village of Brescos as a starting point, and turn right after 1 km on the road that connects this village to Vila Nova de Santo André, near the bridge over the Ribeira da Cascalheira.

The Santo André Lagoon host large populations of waterfowl, especially during the winter. There are impressive numbers of Common Coot, Teal, Gadwall and Cormorant. Also the flamingo is present in this lagoon. Scarce but still regular, is the presence of birds of prey such as the Osprey and the Marsh Harrier, or waterfowl such as the Ferruginous Duck, the Pochard or Garganey.

The Red-chrested Pochard, one of the symbols of this lagoon, is present during throughout the year and is here in the greatest concentrations of winter in Portugal. The Little Tern also nests in the area. In the reeds you can find a Purple Heron, the Black-winged Stilt, the Savi´s Warbler and Reed Warbler.

During the migratory passages there can be spotted a variety of large migratory species, and this is the place where every year migratory ringing campaigns are carried out.

In the surrounding area, particularly in wooded patches, can be found other species, different from typical waterfowl that are in the waters of the lagoon, as exemplified by the Nuthatch, the Great Tit, the Green Woodpecker and the Azure-winged magpie.

Beyond this habitat, there are also cultivated fields in lowland areas surrounding the lagoon, where there are some waterfowl, especially during the winter, including the Black-tailed Godwit, Snipe and the Glossy Ibis, although this is more scarce.

On the western side of the lagoon, the beach of Santo André, there is little vegetation, and especially sought by species such as the Kentish Plover and the Yellow-legged Gull.

The list of rarities reported in the Lagoa de Santo André is impressive, making this a choice place for lovers in search of incidental species.

Best season: All year

List of Special Birds:

Purple Heron ( Ardea purpurea )
Flamingo ( Phoenicopterus roseus )
Gadwall ( Anas strepera )
Garganey ( Anas querquedula )
Red-Chrested Pochard ( Netta rufina )
Pochard ( Aythya ferina )
Osprey ( Pandion haliaetus )
Hobby ( Falco subbuteo )
Little Tern ( Sterna albifrons )
Great Reed Warbler ( Acrocephalus scirpaceus )
Savi´s Warbler ( Locustella luscinioides )

List of Other Birds:

Little Greb ( Tachybaptus ruficollis )
Cormorant ( Phalacrocorax carbo )
Glossy Ibis ( Plegadis falcinellus )
Teal ( Anas crecca )
Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos )
Marsh Herrier ( Circus aeruginosus )
Coot ( Fulica atra )
Moorhen ( Gallinula chloropus )
Black-winged Stilt ( Himantopus himantopus )
Kentish Plover ( Charadrius alexandrinus )
Snipe ( Gallinago gallinago )
Black-tailed Godwit ( Limosa limosa )
Yello-legged Gull ( Larus michahellis )
Green Woodpecker ( Picus viridis )
Great Spotted Woodpecker ( Dendrocopos major )
Great Reed Warbler ( Acrocephalus arundinaceus )
Nuthatch ( Sitta europaea )
Short-toed Treecreeper ( Certhia brachydactyla )
Azure-winged Magpie ( Cyanopica cyanus )

List of Rare Birds:

Black-throated Loon ( Gavia arctica )
White Pelican ( Pelecanus onocrotalus )
Barnacle Goose ( Branta leucopsis )
Brent Goose ( Branta bernicla )
Blue-winged Teal ( Anas discors )
Marbled Duck ( Marmaronetta angustirostris )
Green-winged Teal ( Anas carolinensis )
Ruddy Duck ( Oxyura jamaicensis )
Ferruginious Duck ( Aythya nyroca )
Ring-necked Duck ( Aythya collaris )
Red-knobbed Coot ( Fulica cristata )
Cream-coloured Courser ( Cursorius cursor )
Pectora Sandpiper ( Calidris melanotos )
Red-necked Phalarope ( Phalaropus lobatus )
Slender-billed Gull ( Larus genei )
Ring-billed Gull ( Larus delawarensis )
White-winged Tern ( Chlidonias leucopterus )
Richard´s Pipit ( Anthus richardi )
Red-throated Pipit ( Anthus cervinus )
Citrine Wagtail ( Motacilla citreola )
Paddyfield Warbler ( Acrocephalus agricola )
Aquatic Warbler ( Acrocephalus paludicola )
Moustached Warbler ( Acrocephalus melanopogon )
Little Bunting ( Emberiza pusilla )
Pallas´s Reed Bunting ( Emberiza pallasi )

Black Kite, Zwarte Wouw, Schwarzmilan, Milano negro

Common Buzzard, Buizerd, Mausebussard, Ratonero comun

Corn Bunting, Grauwe Gors, Grauammer, Triguero

European Bee-eater, Bijeneter, Bienenfresser, Abejaruco comun

Red-legged Partridge, Rode Patrijs, Rothuhn, Perdiz roja

Short-toed Treecreeper, Boomkruiper, Gartenbaumlaufer, Agateador comun

Stonechat, Roodborsttapuit, Schwarzkehlchen, Tarabilla comun

White Stork, Ooievaar, Weissstork, Ciguena comun

Woodchat Shrike, Roodkopklauwier, Rotkopfwurger, Alcaudon comun