About Bird Watching in Madeira
Madeira holds particular interest to bird watchers because of its
unique ecosystems that support a wide variety of land and sea birds, including endemic, unusual and endangered species. There are 42 breeding species or subspecies of birds found in the island.
Some of the most interesting are listed
here.
Bird Watching Tours
We offer a wide variety of tours for small groups lasting from half a day to 6 days both on land and at sea. Experienced guides will accompany you on all the tours to help you spot and identify the birds. We work with SPEA Madeira, Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds to learn more about and protect Madeira's birds.
On this page you can find out more about our land based tours.
There is more information on our pelagic bird watching tours and our specialist bird watching in Madeira holiday here Land based bird watching tours
Zino's Night Tour
This tour takes you into the mountains of Madeira Natural Park in
search of the Zino's Petrel Pterodroma Madeira. One of Europe's most endangered birds it was believed extinct before being rediscovered in 1969. There are now an estimated 65 to 80 breeding pairs mostly in the park. Our tour guide will lead you on a short trek through the park stunning scenery of the park and then in the silence of the night you should hear the Zino's Petrels calling as they return to the colonies. In order to protect the birds only certified companies such as ourselves are allowed to offer this tour and the price includes a charge levied by the Madeira Natural Park to fund the Zino's Petrel conservation project.
This tour takes place every day between April and mid September 20:00h - 00:00h. The price per person is €55? and includes an experienced guide, transportation with pick up in Funchal, insurance, fee to the Natural Park of Madeira)and torch. Minimum: 2 people per tour
please contact us for more information about bird watching in Madeira or to book your trip
Madeira Birds ½ day Tour
Explore Madeira with our experienced guide and observe some species and subspecies that are endemic to Madeira and the Macaronesian Region. The tour will take you through laurel forest, by hills, plateaus, and lagoons to the coast. We'll be keeping a particular look out for the Trocaz Pigeon Columba trocaz, Madeira Firecrest Regulus madeirensis, and the Pallid Swift Apus pallidus. This tour can be tailored to your particular interests.
The tour takes 4 hours and runs all year. The price per person is €35? and includes experienced guide, transportation, insurance, and telescope. Minimum 2 people per tour
please contact us for more information about bird watching in Madeira or to book your trip
Madeira birds 1 day tour
Discover the diversity of Madeira's landscape and birdlife. This tour starts early in the morning to watch birds such as the Trocaz Pigeon Columba trocaz and the sub-specie Madeira Firecrest Regulus madeirensis go about their morning routines. As the day goes on we'd hope to see a variety of other species including the Pallid Swift Apus pallidus, the Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata bella, the Madeiran Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs maderensis, the Berthelot's Pipit Anthus berthelotii madeirensis, the Plain Swift Apus unicolor, the
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus canariensis, the Buzzard Buteo buteo
harterti and the Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus granti. The tour, stretching from west to east Madeira, takes in the native laurisilva forest, viewing points near high ravines and gorges, high altitude zones and dramatic coastal cliffs so we can observe both land and marine birds. This tour can be tailored to your particular interests. Lunch in a typical local restaurant is included
The tour lasts for 8 hours and runs all year round. The price per person is €85 and includes experienced guide, transportation, insurance and a telescope. Minimum of 2 people per tour
please contact us for more information about bird watching in Madeira or to book tour trip
Forest Eco tour
Open to all nature enthusiasts, this is a fascinating journey through Madeira's unusual fauna and flora. The archipelago is characterised by the Macaronesian subtropical mountain humid forest known as laurisilva. This important and rare ecosystem is home to many interesting species many only found here. With over 1200 plant species, 42 breeding bird species and over 500 endemic invertebrates found here this forest walking tour will give you an insight into the sheer biodiversity and beauty of Madeira's landscape.
This tour lasts 3.5 hours and runs all year round. The price per person is €35 and includes experienced guide, transportation, insurance. A minimum of 2 people per tour.
Thank-you for your interest in bird watching in Madeira.
If you're planning a trip here are some interesting birds to keep an eye out for:
Seabirds
Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae deserta
Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii
Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea borealis
Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus
Little Shearwater Puffinus assimilis baroli
Madeiran Storm-petrel Oceanodroma castro
White-faced Storm-petrel Pelagodroma marina
Atlantic Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis atlantis
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis
Common Tern Sterna hirundo
Roseate Tern Sterna dougalii
Landbirds
Madeira Firecrest Regulus madeirensis
Trocaz Pigeon Columba trocaz
Plain Swift Apus unicolor
Berthelot's Pipit Anthus berthelotii madeirensis
Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus granti
Buzzard Buteo buteo harterti
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus canariensis
Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata bella
Find out more about..
our sea bird watching tours and bird watching holiday
other fun things to do in Madeira
bird watching in Madeira photographs copyright: Luis Dias
Licensed Travel Agency RNAVT 5595.
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