Love wildlife? Whether you go to the Algarve specifically for the wild coastline and stunning inland landscapes or you’d just like to know what you might see while wandering around this glorious place, here’s some insight into which wild creatures you might spot, where and when.
Wildlife to spot on your Algarve holiday
You’re in luck on the Algarve, with a total of five nature reserves to explore as well as fantastic food, glorious beaches, lovely old towns and top class partying. Many are found in the region’s superb official nature reserves.
The Reserva Natural Ria de Alvor is a family favourite, a place of chilled-out walks around the western Algarve’s precious wetlands and mudflats, sandbanks, and marshes, a place where you’ll spot purple herons in spring and autumn, along with more familiar creatures like foxes and European Western hedgehogs, plus exotic lizards we don’t see in the UK.
You’ll love the wooden boardwalks strung across the enormous wetlands and the earthen walking trails inland along the route of the Alvor River to Mexilhoeira Grande. There’s a lovely beach in the reserve too, the Praia de Alvor.
The coastal walks at Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina deliver a wealth of wild creatures. You access it via the N-120 or the N-268 roads, both only a small distance from the coast. Expect secluded beaches at Praia da Barradinha, which is wild and rocky, Praia da Arrifana where you’ll find towering cliffs, and Praia da Amoreira near the estuary of the beautiful Aljezur River. There are extraordinary Instagrammable views of nature from Cabo de São Vicente near Sagres, Europe’s most south westerly point and a place where the skies are full of seabirds, many of which are migrants en route elsewhere.
This is home to the outstandingly gorgeous Trilho dos Pescadores trail, 141 miles of heavenly paths known as some of the region’s finest, loved for world-class coastal hiking. This is one of the few places on earth where elegant white storks nest on the cliffs.
The eastern Algarve also has wildlife on offer, including fascinating bird species at Parque Natural da Ria Formosa. Expect an enormous area made up of protected barrier islands, tidal flats and deserted beaches. This is where the purple swamphen lives, a stunning bird with a scarlet beak and opalescent blue and green plumage, and ospreys – super-rare in the UK – which soar high above your head.
There’s interesting supporting information on tap at the Centro de Educação Ambiental de Marim, where there are also special ‘hides’ especially for discreet birdwatching. You can cycle on the paths here, a brilliant way to explore, and you can visit the islands of Faro, Barreta, Culatra, Armona and Tavira, accessible by ferry and part of the reserve. Local people here make a living by extracting salt from the flats, fishing, and collecting shellfish to sell.
The Reserva Natural Caminho da Baleeira is near Albufeira, and it’s wonderfully quiet and calm there despite being so close to the buzzy, seething coastal resorts. Wander the dizzying cliff top paths, fall in love with the beautiful sea views, and simply enjoy the relative solitude. But if serious birdwatching is on your Algarve agenda, don’t miss the Reserva Natural do Sapal de Castro Marim e Vila Real de Santo António, a haven for birders. You’ll find it to the Algarve’s far east, a unique a landscape of marsh, creeks, charcas, canals and ancient pre-Roman salt pans populated by storks, avocets, sandpipers and huge flocks of flamingos, over 400 plant species and various reptiles, amphibians and mammals. The little Nature Centre there offers insights into the unique ecology, and there’s a bird observatory where you can watch local and migrant species going about their business.
Sit still somewhere secluded, chill out, stay quiet and you might see the Eurasian otter. Out to sea you’ll possibly see dolphins, whales and sharks. During the day you might see a shy Iberian Hare or a rabbit or two, but most mammals in the region are nocturnal: all sorts of mice, shrews, desmans, bats, moles, the European Wildcat, Iberian wolf, and the Mediterranean Monk Seal. Plus the European Badger, Polecat, Stoat, Weasel, American Mink, hooded seal, bearded seal, Beech Marten, Egyptian Mongoose, and ringed seal.
You might see a red deer or roe deer, European fallow deer or even a Spanish Ibex. A wild boar might cross your path somewhere remote. With its black eye mask and white knickers, the fierce Iberian Grey Shrike is a skilled predator who impales its victims on thorns and barbed wire. Head for Castro Marim, Alvor, Carrapateira and the Sagres Peninsula for the best chance of spotting it.
There are plenty of greater flamingos here, a bird reaching as tall as five feet with a six foot wingspan. Head for the shallow lagoons, salt pans, and coastal wetlands to see big flocks of them busy feeding, the best places being Ludo, Tavira and Castro Marim. You might see charming little owls. The Glossy Ibis is quite a sight, as is the Common Redshank, an uncommonly attractive bird. The Common waxbill, also called the St Helena waxbill, is a small and colourful finch native to Africa, who lives happily here.
A member of the ibis family, the Spoonbill likes shallow fresh water and wetlands, found at Ludo, Castro Marim, Salgados, Alvor and Dunas Douradas. And the glorious Iberian Azure winged magpie’s blue plumage is awesome, usually spotted in the area’s holm oak and cork oak woodlands. Watch out for them in Quinta do Lago, Ludo, Pontal, Vilamoura and Alvor.
There are some wonderful insects in the Algarve region, from butterflies to moths to beetles, each as intricate and strange as the last, more than 2600 species in total. And last but not least, pods of Orca pass by the coast in spring and summer, an extraordinary, moving and unforgettable sight.
Nature-spotting tips on the Algarve
Our first tip is this: wild creatures are not daft. Unlike us they tend to stay out of the blazing sunshine and come out to play when it’s cooler, either early in the morning or late afternoon.
Just like in the UK, the further away you are from humans, the more likely you are to see wildlife.
You’re most likely to see thrilling sea creatures like whales, porpoises and dolphins out at sea on a boat trip. The sea is packed with life all of its own and the beaches, wherever there are rock pools, are perfect for spotting all sorts of interesting smaller denizens of the salt water, from fish and shrimps to shellfish, starfish and crabs.
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