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Tavira Saltpans

Algarve  >  Portugal

The saltpans are excellently adapted to the landscape of the Ria Formosa natural reserve. Its a humanized environment for birds and a good place for birding.

Added* by Quintamar Algarve
Most recent update 2 October 2023

Description

The large Tavira saltpans are a great place to see several species of seagulls and waders. The saltpans enclose three distinct birding areas: Arraial Ferreira Neto, Santa Luzia and Sítio das Quatro Águas. They are especially good for Audouin's Gull, Caspian Tern, Greater Flamingo, Little Stint, Eurasian Spoonbill and Bluethroat. Autumn, winter and spring are the best seasons to visit. The areas are best seen on foot. Other birds you can see are White Stork, Black-winged Stilt, Avocet and European Bee-eater. Loads of them!

Details

Access

You can park at Quatros Aguas near the ferry to Tavira Island.

Terrain and Habitat

Sea , Lake , Wetland , River

Conditions

Flat

Circular trail

No

Is a telescope useful?

Yes

Good birding season

All year round

Best time to visit

Spring migration , Winter , Summer , Spring , Autumn , Autumn migration

Route

Wide path , Unpaved road

Difficulty walking trail

Easy

Accessible by

Foot , Car , Wheelchair

Birdwatching hide / platform

No

View other birding spots in the area that are published on Birdingplaces

Map

birdingplace
bird
hide/platform
lookout tower
parking
point of interest
restaurant/café
viewpoint
visitor centre
Route
500 m

Top 5 birds

Black-winged Stilt
1. Black-winged Stilt
(Himantopus himantopus)
Audouin's Gull
2. Audouin's Gull
(Ichthyaetus audouinii)
Greater Flamingo
3. Greater Flamingo
(Phoenicopterus roseus)
European Bee-eater
4. European Bee-eater
(Merops apiaster)
Caspian Tern
5. Caspian Tern
(Hydroprogne caspia)

Other birds you can see here

Common Shelduck
Common Shelduck
(Tadorna tadorna)
Little Grebe
Little Grebe
(Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Avocet
Avocet
(Recurvirostra avosetta)
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Eurasian Oystercatcher
(Haematopus ostralegus)
Grey Plover
Grey Plover
(Pluvialis squatarola)
Kentish Plover
Kentish Plover
(Charadrius alexandrinus)
Common Ringed Plover
Common Ringed Plover
(Charadrius hiaticula)
Whimbrel
Whimbrel
(Numenius phaeopus)
Eurasian Curlew
Eurasian Curlew
(Numenius arquata)
Bar-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit
(Limosa lapponica)
Black-tailed Godwit
Black-tailed Godwit
(Limosa limosa)
Ruddy Turnstone
Ruddy Turnstone
(Arenaria interpres)
Red Knot
Red Knot
(Calidris canutus)
Curlew Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper
(Calidris ferruginea)
Sanderling
Sanderling
(Calidris alba)
Dunlin
Dunlin
(Calidris alpina)
Little Stint
Little Stint
(Calidris minuta)
Common Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
(Actitis hypoleucos)
Common Greenshank
Common Greenshank
(Tringa nebularia)
Common Redshank
Common Redshank
(Tringa totanus)
Slender-billed Gull
Slender-billed Gull
(Chroicocephalus genei)
Mediterranean Gull
Mediterranean Gull
(Ichthyaetus melanocephalus)
Yellow-legged Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
(Larus michahellis)
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
(Larus fuscus)
Little Tern
Little Tern
(Sternula albifrons)
Sandwich Tern
Sandwich Tern
(Thalasseus sandvicensis)
White Stork
White Stork
(Ciconia ciconia)
Little Egret
Little Egret
(Egretta garzetta)
Eurasian Spoonbill
Eurasian Spoonbill
(Platalea leucorodia)
Osprey
Osprey
(Pandion haliaetus)
Eurasian Hoopoe
Eurasian Hoopoe
(Upupa epops)
Common Kingfisher
Common Kingfisher
(Alcedo atthis)
Crested Lark
Crested Lark
(Galerida cristata)
Zitting Cisticola
Zitting Cisticola
(Cisticola juncidis)
Sardinian Warbler
Sardinian Warbler
(Curruca melanocephala)
Bluethroat
Bluethroat
(Luscinia svecica)
Western Yellow Wagtail
Western Yellow Wagtail
(Motacilla flava)
European Goldfinch
European Goldfinch
(Carduelis carduelis)
European Serin
European Serin
(Serinus serinus)

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