Hidden heaven

São Miguel has different habitats for different species of birds. From forests to observe passerines, coastal areas for waders, lagoons for water birds and the ocean for sea birds. Throughout the year, resident birds coexist with different regular migratory birds and also some rare ones that choose this island to land. On the rim of Lagoa das Sete Cidades and Lagoa das Furnas, you can find several species.

They are considered one of the best places for bird watching in the Region. The surrounding forest area is a source of food and shelter and the ideal place to see several endemic and wader species. Join us and we’ll do the rest!

The only nesting area in the world for Priolo

If you are looking for endemic birds, that is, those who can only be seen in the Azores, know that you can find one in particular, and a very special one – the priolo (Pyrrhula murina).

They live in Serra da Tronqueira, between Nordeste and Povoação. It is the only place in the world where this species exists. As a result of hard work carried out over the years, fortunately the priolo is no longer in danger of extinction and, therefore, has become a symbol of the environmental quality of the Azores.

The priolo is one of the rarest birds in Europe and one of the two endemic species in the archipelago. Currently it is estimated that there are about 1,000 individuals. In the central group, on the island of Graciosa there is the second endemic species of the archipelago: the Paínho-de-Monteiro (Hydrobates monteiroi), which nests in two islets of this island: Ilhéu da Praia and Ilhéu de Baixo.

More than 33 bird species are nesting in the Azores

Many different endemic subspecies can be seen across the island, such as the Saffron finch (Serinus canaria) exclusive only from Macaronesia. Also sub-endemic species such as the common chaffinch of the Azores (Fringilla coelebs moreletti), the Goldcrest (Regulus regulus azorica), Azores Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus azorica) and Kite (Buteo buteo rothschildi).

Kites play a very important role in the natural ecosystem of the Azores. It is the only daytime bird of prey that nests in the archipelago, making it an effective pest controller, as it hunts rats and rabbits. There is a very interesting curiosity about kites. They were responsible for the name of the archipelago. The first inhabitants of the islands saw many birds thinking that they were Goshawks (Accipiter gentilis), called « Açor » in Portuguese, and thus the name Azores was born. But in fact, it was kites (Buteo buteo rothschildi) that they saw!

Another species of bird very special to the archipelago is the Cory’s shearwater (Calonectris borealis). 85% of the world population chooses the Azores to nest and mate. Shearwaters appear more frequently during the months of March and April in our waters and enchant us with their characteristic song and eating behavior during our trips at sea. They usually fly between 15,000 km and 35,000 km on their migration.