From Porto

Overview

Approximately a two-and-a-half hours’ drive from Porto, the International Douro Natural Park, located in Portugal’s extreme north-east, is an area of scenically splendid and wild landscapes, possessing a low-density human population.

The park is home to a suite of birds that are less numerous, or even absent, from other regions of the country. It has a particularly impressive spread of raptors with some twenty species regularly observed; among the most likely to be seen are Egyptian Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Golden Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Red Kite, Black Kite, Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel. Black Stork is also a distinct possibility from late March to early September while specialist cliff-dwelling species include Alpine Swift, Red-billed Chough and Black Wheatear. The park’s bird list stands at an impressive 210 species among which such essentially Mediterranean and pseudo-steppe birds as Montagu’s Harrier, Iberian Grey Shrike, Iberian Magpie, Thekla’s Lark, Greater Short-toed Lark and Tawny Pipit are of particular interest. The diversity of warblers is also notable with Spectacled Warbler, Western Orphean Warbler and Western Subalpine Warbler forming a trio of delightfully distinctive species.

The International Douro Natural Park can claim a long tradition of human presence exemplified by Paleolithic rock drawings, medieval castles and time-honoured stone-built dwellings and offers a distinctive culinary experience embellished by renowned Port wines.

Our tours incorporate the splendid variety of habitats exhibited in the park with Pyrenean Oak and Portuguese Oak woodlands covering the higher elevations, below which Holm and Cork Oaks dominate. Alder, ash and willow hug the rivers and streams while rolling hillsides are clothed in shrubs of broom and cistus. Agriculture is well represented by large fields of cereal crops, olive groves, almond orchards and vineyards.

Due to the distance from Porto, one-day guided tours to this park are impractical and accordingly Birds & Nature tours to this destination are for a minimum of two days and suitable overnight accommodation can be arranged.

Main Species

Common Quail, Red-legged Partridge, Red-necked Nightjar, Eurasian Nightjar, Alpine Swift, Common Swift, Pallid Swift, Common Cuckoo, European Turtle Dove, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Little Ringed Plover, Black Stork, White Stork, Black-winged Kite, Egyptian Vulture, European Honey Buzzard, Griffon Vulture, Cinereous Vulture, Short-toed Snake Eagle, Booted Eagle, Golden Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Eurasian Goshawk, Montagu's Harrier, Red Kite, Black Kite, Common Buzzard, Barn Owl, Little Owl, Eurasian Scops Owl, Eurasian Eagle-Owl, Tawny Owl, Eurasian Hoopoe, European Bee-eater, Eurasian Wryneck, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Iberian Green Woodpecker, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Hobby, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Iberian Grey Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Iberian Magpie, Red-billed Chough, Northern Raven, Woodlark, Eurasian Skylark, Calandra Lark, Thekla's Lark, Crested Lark, Greater Short-toed Lark, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Iberian Chiffchaff, Melodious Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Western Orphean Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Western Subalpine Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Spectacled Warbler, Dartford Warbler, Eurasian Nuthatch, Short-toed Treecreeper, Spotless Starling, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blue Rock Thrush, Northern Wheatear, Western Black-eared Wheatear, Black Wheatear, Tawny Pipit, Hawfinch, Rock Bunting, Cirl Bunting and Ortolan Bunting.

Prices

Price per Day (Private Tour, not including accommodation)

• 1 person – 360 €
• 2 persons – 420 €
• 3 persons – 480 €
• 4 persons – 540 €

(+ 60 € per additional person)