John In Ireland
Well-known member
Does anyone know the best places to see Golden Oriole and Roller in the Algarve and the best time of year to see them there. Thank you in anticipation.
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Roller and Golden Oriole (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter John In Ireland
- Start date
Simon Wates
Well-known member
Hi John - I 've been "off the radar" so to speak for a while here!
Golden Oriole is quite a common breeder in the Algarve, though far from abundant. They arrive mainly through April - towards the end of the month and through May and June being the best time to see and hear them. Its hard to give exact sites without knowing where you will be. A large area where they are in good density is up in the Serra do Caldeirão. The N2 road that leads from Faro northwards is an excellent route - around Barranco do Velho village is a great area for them as is around the village of Feiteira a few kms along the N124 from Barranco. However, wherever you are based there will be little pockets of them somewhere not too far away.
Roller is an endangered species and doesn't breed in the Algarve. The best area in Portugal is around the steppelands of SPA Castro Verde where the majority of the 60-70 pairs in Portugal breed. Some arrive earlier but best wait till after around 20th April and through May and June.
Golden Oriole is quite a common breeder in the Algarve, though far from abundant. They arrive mainly through April - towards the end of the month and through May and June being the best time to see and hear them. Its hard to give exact sites without knowing where you will be. A large area where they are in good density is up in the Serra do Caldeirão. The N2 road that leads from Faro northwards is an excellent route - around Barranco do Velho village is a great area for them as is around the village of Feiteira a few kms along the N124 from Barranco. However, wherever you are based there will be little pockets of them somewhere not too far away.
Roller is an endangered species and doesn't breed in the Algarve. The best area in Portugal is around the steppelands of SPA Castro Verde where the majority of the 60-70 pairs in Portugal breed. Some arrive earlier but best wait till after around 20th April and through May and June.
John In Ireland
Well-known member
Thank you for that detailed reply Simon. I will be in the Tavira / Cabanas area for three weeks in May.
Gonçalo Elias
avesdeportugal.info
As far as I've seen in the breeding bird atlas, the best area for Oriole in the Algarve is in the northeastern part (around Alcoutim).
Simon Wates
Well-known member
Yes Gonçalo - I did the Alcoutim square - I think I made contact in almost every tetrad
Ideal time John, they are in good density once you go north of Tavira inland . Best look and listen in areas with evergreen oaks (cork or holm) punctuated by a group of taller trees (usually roadside or riverside Eucalyptus) - often by a stream/river but not always. You will find lots of places like this, especially once you get some 20kms from the coast. Go in warm, calm not windy weather and they should be very vocal and active.
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john-henry
Well-known member
Yes Gonçalo - I did the Alcoutim square - I think I made contact in almost every tetrad
Ideal time John, they are in good density once you go north of Tavira inland . Best look and listen in areas with evergreen oaks (cork or holm) punctuated by a group of taller trees (usually roadside or riverside Eucalyptus) - often by a stream/river but not always. You will find lots of places like this, especially once you get some 20kms from the coast. Go in warm, calm not windy weather and they should be very vocal and active.
Simon, did your area include the Odeleite - Alcoutim road, I've seen some good looking eucalyptus (or similar looking) stands along here.
Simon Wates
Well-known member
Yes - but probably best away from the main road on one of the many tarmac roads going west. Along the route you mention there are Golden Orioles where the road crosses the small river; Ribeira de Vascão (at the Algarve/Alentejo border).
I prefer the smaller by-ways as there is much less chance of being disturbed by traffic or sightseers. Also, and importantly once the temps hot up through May its a prime area for finding one of the pairs of White-rumped Swifts that use this area most years. Due to apparent vandalism or egging of a nest some years ago we all keep locations quiet (why would someone vandalise an isolated WRS nest?...hmmmm) but the truth is that pairs do turn up at new sites often. I think its very likely that pairs go undetected too.
On the subject of Golden Oriole there are also plenty of pairs throughout the Algarve - apparently reducing in density towards the more oceanic west Algarve. However, there are even a couple of breeding sites not far from Sagres and also in the far west, in the small county of Lagos, where I live, there are certainly over a dozen regular breeding sites.
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Gonçalo Elias
avesdeportugal.info
Simon any signs of Olivaceous Warbler in that area?
john-henry
Well-known member
Many thanks Simon, there's obviously a lot of birds in the Algarve the casual visitor doesn't get to see through lack of time, effort, and visiting the same well known places instead of trying new areas.
Simon Wates
Well-known member
No Gonçalo - they are on my radar and I've never heard or seen one in Portugal except once near Sagres in early autumn. The area in question is certainly potential - parts of the Rio Guadiana in the Baixo Alentejo and Algarve certainly look right and with the right climate - compared to sites not so far away in Spain where I know them well.
Western Olivaceous is a very quietly singing bird and terribly unobtrusive in habits so windy or otherwise unsuitable days are not good for detecting them at their time in April, May and June - add this to small number of people aware of the species and visiting this large area its not surprising that any small populations have gone undetected IMO. I'm still hoping!
Gonçalo Elias
avesdeportugal.info
Thanks Simon, I just asked because on the first breeding bird atlas there are several dots in that area.
Did you cover the whole Alcoutim county? Or just the Alcoutim square?
Did you cover the whole Alcoutim county? Or just the Alcoutim square?
Simon Wates
Well-known member
During the atlas work (some 10 years ago) I did the Alcoutim 10x10km square. I though at the time that around Alcoutim itself looked pretty good - but I remember it being breezy on my visits and the noise of the breeze in waterside trees would have made it unlikely to detect any in the limited time allocated. I have visited many places throughout county many times especially around Martimlongo, Vaqueiros, Giões - especially in the breeding season. For Olivaceous Warbler I would be looking in waterside Tamarix and/or White Poplars.and I suspect along the eastern border of the county along and close to the Rio Guadiana is the most potential area. I have spent quite a bit of time between Pomerão and Foz de Odeleite along the riverside over the years - but there are so many niches - often with difficult access so my coverage is scant really.
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Gonçalo Elias
avesdeportugal.info
Thanks. Just wondering. I might spend some time there this spring.
