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Description
The waters around the Canary Islands attract many marine birds. The best way to see these birds is either to take the ferry to La Gomera or by a dolphin tour. Different dolphin tours depart from the harbour of Puerto Colón. A dolphin (or whale watching) trip on Tenerife is a great experience in itself. Almost 30 species of dolphins and whales have been observed around the island. From the resident Pilot Whales and Bottlenose Dolphins to migrating giants as the Blue Whale (extremely rare, but is occasionally seen). Sperm whales are regularly seen.
But a dolphin trip is even more interesting for birdwatchers because on such a boat trip you have the chance to see Cory's Shearwater up close. Depending on the season you can also see other pelagic birds like Furtunar comun (June-Oct), Furtunar de Madeira (Sept-Feb, because this bird breeds in the archipelago during winter. It breeds on inaccessible rocky islands but if you are lucky it can be seen flying out at sea looking for food), Ielcovan atlantic mic (Feb-Jun), Chiră de mare (on migration), Chiră de baltă (Mar-Nov), Petrel cu coadă ascuțită (Feb-Sep) and Ielcovan pitic (Jan-Dec).
It is worth to look for hunting groups of tuna, dolphins and seabirds. Cory's Shearwater follow dolphins in hopes of getting some food. Cory's Shearwater is the most common bird, you can see hundreds, and its the dominant species between March and October. They sometimes come very close to the boat (you can observe and photograph them much closer then on the ferry to La Gomera). Also flying fish, tuna and turtels might be spotted. The last years sometimes Faeton cu cioc roșu is observed.
Details
Access
The harbour of Puerto Colón on the southwest coast of Tenerife is the place to be for boat trips. You can park (paid) on the quay, directly at the jetties for the boats. Click on the P in the map for directions. There are several operators offering all kinds of boat trips. You can sail on catamaran or motorboats, or rent a boat by yourself. A good operator is White Tenerife (see the link below). Price of a 3 hour dolphin trip on an ecological catamaran is € 40 (including drinks and sandwiches). A 5 hour trip costs € 57 and includes sailing to the cliffs of Los Gigantes and Masca Bay (Prices 2023). Special pelagic boat excursions are hardly offered, but on request some operators will organize them. Expect to pay higher prices.
Terrain and Habitat
SeaConditions
No shadow , Open landscapeCircular trail
NoIs a telescope useful?
NoGood birding season
All year roundBest time to visit
Spring migration , Autumn migrationRoute
Paved roadDifficulty walking trail
EasyAccessible by
BoatBirdwatching hide / platform
NoExtra info
You can also see seabirds on the ferry to La Gomera (also described on Birdingplaces, see separate entry). This is a much cheaper option. But most of the time you see the birds from a greater distance and you miss the close encounters.
Links
- www.whitetenerife.com
- www.montecristocatamaran.com
- www.tenerifedolphin.com
- www.whalewatchtenerife.org
- www.bonadea2catamaran.com
- www.freebirdone.com