Portugal spans two of the Atlantic's most productive pelagic birding theatres. The Algarve's Sagres peninsula and Cape St. Vincent, at the southwestern tip of continental Europe, intercept massive autumn migrations of Cory's, Sooty, and Balearic Shearwaters funnelling between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Nine hundred kilometres out into the mid-Atlantic, the Azores archipelago is arguably the premier pelagic destination in the entire North Atlantic: the only breeding site for the endemic Monteiro's Storm-Petrel, a reliable location for the rare Barolo Shearwater and Bulwer's Petrel, and a proven vagrant trap for deep-Atlantic rarities including Swinhoe's Storm-Petrel and Zino's Petrel. Together the two regions cover an extraordinary breadth of Atlantic seabird diversity within a single country.
Mar Ilimitado
Almodovar Birding
Azores Wildlife
SeaEO Tours
Madeira Wind Birds
Portugal has 6 pelagic birding trips listed in the directory, spanning 5 sub-regions.
Pelagic trips in Portugal depart from Baleeira Harbour, Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, Doca de Santo Amaro, Gate 3, Lisbon, Flores Island, Azores (optional pickup at Corvo Island marina), Machico Harbour, Madeira, Portugal, Peniche Port, Peniche, Leiria, and Praia Harbour, Graciosa Island, Azores.
Almodovar Birding, Azores Wildlife, Madeira Wind Birds, Mar Ilimitado, SeaEO Tours, and Vanellus operate pelagic birding trips in Portugal.
Portugal's pelagic trips are spread across Algarve, Azores, Leiria, Lisboa, and Madeira.
A seasonal guide to pelagic birding in Portugal: the best months for Monteiro's Storm-Petrel at Banco da Fortuna in the Azores, and the peak Balearic Shearwater season off Sagres in the Algarve.
Read article →A guide to Portugal's top pelagic trips: the Azores Birders Pelagic to Banco da Fortuna — the only reliable site for the endemic Monteiro's Storm-Petrel — and the Sagres Seabird Watching trip off the Algarve coast.
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