Albufeira de Santa Maria de Aguiar

Albufeira de Santa Maria de Aguiar is housed in a valley with gentle slopes, where the Aguiar river flows. This reservoir is one of the most important wetlands in the district of Guarda. The scarcity of other wetlands nearby makes this area an important refuge for water birds, especially for Ćubasti Gnjurac, with this reservoir having one of the most important population centers nationally. Of the water birds also stand out species like Patka Žličarka, Divlja Patka, Patka Lastarka, Patka Kreketaljka, Kržulja, Glavata Patka, Mali Gnjurac, Liska, Mlakuša, Vlastelica, Modronoga Sabljarka, Čaplja Danguba, Blistavi Ibis and Žličarka. On the banks of the reservoir and the streams that flow into it, the aquatic and riparian vegetation is occupied by Šljuka Kokošica, Riđa Štijoka, Čapljica Voljak, Siva Čaplja, Slavuj, Svilorepa, Pjegavi Cvrčić, Veliki Trstenjak, Trstenjak cvrkutić,Trstenjak Rogožar and Vodomar.

As regards the surrounding area, the vegetation is dominated by farmland, pastures and small forest areas that allow the presence of landbirds. In the bushes and trees of the east bank it is possible to hear and, with luck, observe species such as Zelena žuna, Veliki Djetlić, Mali djetao, Šojka, Vuga, Crvenonoga jarebica, Prepelica, Bjelobrka Grmuša. You can also observe species like Pupavac, Pčelarica, Vivak, Riđoglavi Svračak, Iberian Grey Shrike, Svraka, Modra svraka and Thekla's Lark on the banks of this reservoir. You should also prospect the skies, which are often crossed by large birds of prey, such as Bukoč, Bijela lunja, Crkavica, Škanjac osaš, Black Vulture, Bjeloglavi sup, Zmijar, Patuljasti orao, Suri orao, Eja Močvarica, Eja Livadarka, Kobac, Jastreb, Crvena lunja, Crna lunja, Sivi Sokol, Sokol Lastavičar, Vjetruša. In the skies you can also see several species of swallows: Lastavica, Daurska Lastavica, Hridna lastavica, Piljak, Bregunica; and swifts: Čiopa, Bijela Čiopa, Smeđa čiopa.