Birds in the Tagus estuary near Lisbon

Watching birds in the Tagus estuary is one of the most beautiful nature experiences around Lisbon. Last October, I joined a day tour from Lisbon and was impressed by the diversity of species and the vast landscape. In this post, I share my impressions of the day trip, introduce some of the bird species I observed, and give you an insight into the Tagus estuary nature area.

Lisbon

The fortress complex Castelo de São Jorge, the Torre de Belém – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – or a ride on the legendary Tram 28 are among the city’s most famous attractions. Also worth mentioning are Lisbon Cathedral (Sé Patriarcal) and the Santa Justa Lift, located not far from the lively Rua Augusta. In addition, there are numerous viewpoints such as Miradouro da Graça, Miradouro São Pedro de Alcântara, Miradouro de Santa Catarina, and Miradouro Nossa Senhora do Monte – and many more.

In short: Lisbon has an incredible amount to offer.

So how does one come to center a trip around birdwatching in the Tagus estuary, given all the must-see attractions?

In fact, Lisbon is an extremely exciting place for birdwatching – in every season. I visited in October and was very curious about which bird species I would encounter. My main destination was the Tagus estuary, which is still part of the greater Lisbon area and is considered an important bird habitat. Birdwatching in the Tagus estuary was the main reason for my trip.

Of course, I still took time to explore the city itself and set aside a full day for sightseeing. Much as I enjoyed Lisbon, I was especially looking forward to observing birds in the Tagus estuary – for me, the perfect balance. Originally, I had planned to spend two days birdwatching, but unfortunately the weather got in the way. On one rainy day, I decided instead to visit the Oceanário de Lisboa.

However, since this blog post is not about Lisbon itself but about the birds of the Tagus estuary, I will limit myself here to a few photographic impressions of the city.

Birds in the Tagus estuary

Before my trip to Lisbon, I faced the question of whether I should go out on my own to birdwatch independently – or whether I should instead book a local guide who knows the Tagus estuary well and can show me as many different bird species as possible in just one day.

In the end, I chose the second option – and I was completely satisfied with that decision.

A few days earlier, I had already been birdwatching in Tarifa and Barbate, but on my own and without a guide. Perhaps with a local bird guide there, I might have spotted more species. For Lisbon, I therefore deliberately chose a different approach and decided to be accompanied by an experienced guide.

In hindsight, it was exactly the right decision: thanks to my guide, I was able to observe numerous bird species in the greater Lisbon area within a single day that I would probably not have found on my own, or only with significantly more effort.

The tour with Rui started early in the morning at 7:15 a.m. Since the sun had already risen at 7:01 a.m. that day, it was just beginning to get light. Among the first birds Rui was able to show me were a little owl (photo), a black redstart, and a house sparrow.

When I write about my birdwatching here, I deliberately leave out the exact locations. We visited several different spots, and I neither remembered the names of the individual places nor asked about them. On that day, I simply wanted to focus entirely on the birds in the Tagus estuary without having to worry about much else.

Shortly after I had seen the first three bird species, a common hoopoe suddenly appeared.

Wow! An absolute highlight right at the start of the tour – what else was I about to experience?

I had actually been especially looking forward to seeing a common hoopoe. I knew that common hoopoes occur in the greater Lisbon area, but I definitely hadn’t expected to encounter one so early in the day. It came completely out of the blue. Apparently, many bird enthusiasts travel to Lisbon mainly because of this remarkable species.

And I can understand why: the common hoopoe is a beautiful and truly distinctive bird. For me, it was the first time I had ever seen a common hoopoe in the wild.

Unfortunately, it didn’t stay perched on the wall for long and soon flew over to a rooftop instead.

We continued by car.

Hidden in the bushes next to the gravel track, I spotted a grey heron and a white stork. A western marsh harrier glided past above us, and common spoonbills, great cormorants, and greater flamingos were also moving elegantly through the air. Later on, I would be able to observe these birds more closely in the Tagus estuary.

Suddenly, a water pipit landed on a post. I carefully tried to photograph it from inside the car – not an easy task at all!

Although the water pipit also occurs in mountainous regions, in winter it often moves to lower altitudes and coastal areas, where it finds open landscapes and wetlands. The wetlands of the Tagus estuary provide exactly these conditions, which attract the species during this time of year.

On a side road, we spotted numerous white storks. Unfortunately, we unintentionally startled them as we drove past, and they flew off.

We continued and came across another group of white storks. Because they were so numerous, they almost seemed “ordinary” and no longer had the special impact that rarer bird species tend to create. I had also become far too familiar with the grey heron by then.

A bird I otherwise only rarely see, but can identify quite well, is the common spoonbill. It belongs to the same family as the glossy ibis. I was able to observe particularly large numbers of glossy ibises in the Doñana National Park, but they are also commonly found in the Tagus estuary.

Still, I was especially excited about the common spoonbill, because although I knew the species, I had never before been able to observe or photograph it in the wild.

I focused mainly on the birds in the field – unfortunately with the drawback that I missed the little bittern, which ran into the reeds behind the car. I was quite annoyed about it; I would have loved to see it as well.

On the other hand, I did notice a European robin, which landed right in front of us on a thin tree stump. Unfortunately, it only stayed there briefly before moving on again.

Numerous lesser black-backed gulls and yellow-legged gulls passed by us.

I turned my attention back to the white storks. A group was standing quietly together – a sight I rarely experience. I have seen white storks many times before, but although it is not unusual for them to gather in groups, I seldom see them standing so closely side by side. It was a fascinating and at the same time beautiful moment.

There are birds that immediately catch the eye – and then there are those that don’t actually hide, but still go almost unnoticed. Luckily, I had a guide who pointed out a common sandpiper to me.

Wow! Later on, we discovered more common sandpipers, but in that moment I was absolutely thrilled – it was the first time I had seen this species in the wild. I don’t have a strict bucket list of all the birds I want to see, but it is always a special experience to discover a new species – especially one as beautiful as the common sandpiper.

In the fields, numerous common spoonbills and grey herons could be observed. Among them, a cattle egret joined a grey heron (left photo). Just a few meters away, a lesser black-backed gull was resting (right photo).

So there was quite a lot going on – a lively bustle that turned the fields into a vibrant bird paradise.

A few moments later, Rui pointed out a bird I had been hoping to see for a long time: the northern lapwing.

The northern lapwing was named Bird of the Year in Germany in 2024. As a meadow breeder, it is particularly threatened, as intensive agriculture puts it under significant pressure. Other ground-nesting birds, such as the Eurasian skylark, face similar challenges.

The northern lapwing is a beautiful bird – unfortunately, it is becoming increasingly rare. In Germany, I have only once briefly seen one so far. All the more I was delighted to be able to observe several northern lapwings in Portugal.

That was another wonderful experience.

Just a few meters away from the northern lapwings, I spotted a sandpiper. Was it another common sandpiper?

No – this time it was a green sandpiper. I have to admit, I needed some help to tell these two species apart. I simply don’t see birds like this very often, so an eye of an expert is always welcome.

We continued our drive and spotted a grey heron that seemed to be watching us attentively. A cattle egret was perched on a cow – a sight that is quite common. Cattle egrets like to stay close to grazing livestock because they feed on insects. When the cattle move across the fields, they disturb insects in the grass – a welcome opportunity for the birds to quickly catch their prey.

Our route then led us onto a paved road. There, we spotted a white wagtail, which quickly flew off again. Just moments later, we came across numerous crayfish, which immediately raised their claws whenever you got too close – a small roadside spectacle.

Our next destination was a body of water, in the hope of observing greater flamingos.

Even along the way, we encountered many birds: a group of common wood pigeons was sitting on the power lines, and further away I spotted a Eurasian magpie – how beautiful! That day, I came across many different species, but one was unfortunately missing: the Iberian magpie, which also occurs in Portugal. Luckily, I had seen it just a few days earlier, and the Eurasin magpie that day was also a lovely sight.

Before we reached our next destination, we had to stop briefly once again – the reason: zitting cisticola.

Although I had already seen this species just a few days earlier in Tarifa, so it wasn’t my first encounter, I was still absolutely delighted. Even though I don’t know zitting cisticolas particularly well, I am very fond of them. So small, with short little wings and seemingly inconspicuous, they still leave a lasting impression thanks to their song. They usually only sing for a brief moment before disappearing again – and that is exactly what makes them so special to me. I wish I could observe this bird as regularly as common blackbirds or great tits, in order to get to know it better.

Finally, we reached the body of water where I was able to observe a few greater flamingos. Among the older birds, I also spotted juveniles, which can be recognized by their plumage being less intensely pink than that of the adults.

There were only a few greater flamingos, and unfortunately they soon flew off again. Hopefully it wasn’t because of us! As much as I love watching birds, I would never want to be the reason they leave a place.

Glossy ibises and black-winged stilts were passing over the water. I would have liked to see more black-winged stilts – and in fact, I would get that opportunity a little later on.

We didn’t stay long at this spot, as the birds in the Tagus estuary seemed to prefer being elsewhere that day.

What I did manage to observe, however, was a northern shoveler. There were only a few, but later on I would see many more of these beautiful birds.

We continued to another location where a kingfisher was supposed to occur. Unfortunately, it did not show itself that day either.

Instead, I once again spotted a zitting cisticola – these small birds really do seem to be regularly present here. Simply beautiful!

A few greater flamingos also flew over the water, but there were no large flocks like the ones I had seen in the Doñana National Park. I only ever saw single individuals. Apparently, there are also larger groups in the Tagus estuary, but on this day I was simply unlucky when it came to the flamingos.

Suddenly, Rui pointed out a bird to me – unfortunately, it was very far away, and it took me a moment to even spot it. It was an osprey! It was a pity that it was so distant, as it was also one of my first sightings ever.

Otherwise, I also observed several other familiar bird species in the Tagus estuary: a little egret (top photo), black-headed gulls, northern shovelers, Eurasian coots, and a great egret (bottom left photo). I also encountered a little grebe (bottom right photo). I only rarely see little grebes – but on one occasion, I was even lucky enough to spot them swimming in a pond in the middle of Berlin.

One bird that kept crossing our path was the common waxbill. Hadn’t I seen it before? Yes, I had – I had already observed many common waxbills in the Botanical Garden of Rio de Janeiro. I still remembered how quickly they darted about. Back then, I at least managed to take a few photos of them, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to do so in the Tagus estuary. At one point, one even perched right in front of me – it would have been the perfect shot, but I struggled to get the focus right. What a pity!

Even so, I was able to photograph several other birds more successfully. One of them was the black redstart. At another location, a black redstart even seemed to be welcoming us.

However, it seemed rather excited, and it was only at the very end that I managed to photograph it calmly. Perhaps it was its way of saying goodbye to us?

In between, there was of course much more to discover. Two spotless starlings were perched on a boat, accompanied by a few house sparrows.

Speaking of spotless starlings: In Málaga, I could hear large flocks of starlings gathering in the trees in the evenings, most of them spotless starlings. I witnessed something similar in Tarifa, where countless starlings flew into a large tree at dusk to spend the night. Interestingly, they shared this communal roost with several cattle egrets – a truly fascinating sight.

Nevertheless, I kept looking out for other birds. On one of the boats, a white wagtail was perched, while another was occupied by a common sandpiper – two species I had already encountered earlier that day in the Tagus estuary.

The shoreline also offered plenty of exciting observations. One bird I immediately recognized was the ruddy turnstone (left), a species I already knew from Heligoland and Borkum. Feeding alongside the turnstones was a plover (right). I was already familiar with this type of bird as well, having seen plovers on Borkum, on Grímsey in Iceland, and during an earlier visit to Barbate in Andalusia. This particular bird was a common ringed plover.

At the far end of the shoreline, a group of common spoonbills could be seen, although they were quite far away. They stood quietly in the water, apparently resting there – perhaps also because the shallow water offered them some protection from potential predators.

From this spot, there was also a beautiful view of Lisbon. It shows that you don’t have to travel far from a city to enjoy rewarding birdwatching opportunities.

A common sandpiper was also feeding nearby. It quietly made its way along the shoreline, repeatedly disappearing behind the waterside vegetation. I was careful to keep my distance and move as unobtrusively as possible so as not to disturb it.

After saying goodbye to the black redstart, we moved on.

At another location, I was finally rewarded with a much better view of a black-winged stilt. Earlier that morning, I had only seen one in flight, but now it was wading through the shallow water right in front of me. Unlike the common ringed plover or the common sandpiper, the black-winged stilt is very easy to identify – above all because of its remarkably long, bright red legs.

Near the black-winged stilts, I was also able to observe several pied avocets. Interestingly, both the pied avocet and the black-winged stilt belong to the same bird family, the avocets and stilts (Recurvirostridae).

Unfortunately, the pied avocets were too far away for good photographs. However, at a later location I would get to see many more of them.

The area where the black-winged stilts could be observed so well was also home to a variety of other birds, including common shelducks, greater flamingos, black-headed gulls, lesser black-backed gulls, common ringed plovers, and northern shovelers. There was truly a lot to discover.

We continued our drive. Then, all of a sudden, a very special bird appeared: the Eurasian hoopoe.

Looking back, joining a guided tour was definitely the right decision for me. Without the expertise of a local guide, I would never have been able to observe so many species of birds in the Tagus estuary in a single day.

On our way to the next location, we made another stop because a common redshank was feeding there. Its bright orange-red to deep red legs are one of its most distinctive features—and the reason behind its English and German names.

There were also several white wagtails – they really do seem to be everywhere – as well as black-headed gulls and Kentish plovers.

One bird that particularly caught my eye was a greater flamingo, although it was not yet an adult. That was easy to tell from its plumage, as greater flamingos take several years to develop their characteristic pink colouring.

We then drove into a completely different habitat – a much drier area. As a result, species such as greater flamingos, Eurasian spoonbills, and common sandpipers were no longer present here. I was all the more curious to see which birds I would encounter next in the Tagus estuary.

Shortly after we began exploring this new area, we came across a European stonechat (left photo) and a Eurasian kestrel (right photo).

I had already seen countless European stonechats a few days earlier in Tarifa, and I am very familiar with Eurasian kestrels from Berlin, where they can regularly be observed on the Tempelhofer Feld.

Suddenly, I spotted a spotless starling perched on a fence post. After only a brief stop, it soon flew off again.

Not far away, a meadow pipit tried to hide behind some dry grasses.

A white wagtail was also present again – they really do seem to thrive almost everywhere.

However, my attention was not only drawn to the dry meadow, but also to the fence posts, in the hope of spotting more birds. And indeed: alongside a juvenile white wagtail and a male European stonechat, a common chiffchaff also briefly settled there.

I always appreciate every encounter with a common chiffchaff, as these birds are difficult to observe – even when you know they are nearby because of their song.

After these observations, we continued our drive very slowly so as not to miss any birds.

One species that is hard to overlook in such situations is the common buzzard. Unlike the smaller songbirds, it is easy to spot – a common buzzard simply cannot hide very well.

As we continued driving, we spotted more northern lapwings on a dry meadow, together with a few horses. However, they were rather distant, so we did not stay long and moved on.

Larks were singing everywhere. I would very much like to see a crested lark up close one day. In Berlin, I am familiar with Eurasian skylarks – there they have found a habitat right in the middle of the city on the Tempelhofer Feld.

Larks, whether crested larks or Eurasian skylarks, prefer dry grassland, and the area we were in seemed ideal for them. Eventually, a crested lark landed on a wooden post, and I took the opportunity to photograph it.

It was simply beautiful.

We continued our drive, but only a few meters further on, another crested lark was already sitting on a fence post. Was it the same one as before, or a different individual?

Larks are relatively easy to observe when they perch on fence posts, but they do not always do so. They prefer dry grassland and usually stay on the ground.

It was truly a wonderful set of observations.

Afterwards, we drove to a completely different habitat – a place with plenty of water again. Northern lapwings were flying overhead, and the water seemed to be teeming with northern shovelers.

For me, it was especially exciting to find myself in such a different environment again – and all this just a short distance from the centre of Lisbon.

As greater flamingos and black-winged stilts are fond of water, they could also be observed here.

Very close to the shore, two tufted ducks were swimming – a special encounter, as they are said to be only rarely seen at this location.

A barn owl was also living in one of the buildings. It usually seems to stay in the large barn or hides in one of the smaller houses. In any case, it sleeps during the day.

Once again, greater flamingos flew overhead.

After further wonderful bird observations, we continued our drive – and once again encountered numerous birds. Earlier that morning, we had already seen a western marsh harrier, and now another one appeared, this time slightly easier to observe.

On the way to our final observation site, we also spotted a great cormorant with a large fish in its beak. Northern wheatears kept appearing along the way as well – sometimes very close to the car, but I still couldn’t manage to focus a single photo of them from inside the vehicle.

Our final destination was a nature conservation centre that regularly hosts school groups. It is truly wonderful that places like this exist, where young people can experience nature up close.

Unfortunately, it began to drizzle slightly towards the end of the day, but luckily it was not heavy. We were well protected inside the observation hides anyway. At this nature conservation centre, there are several such hides from which waterbirds can be observed in peace.

One of the first birds that caught my attention was a rail. It was neither a Eurasian coot nor a common moorhen—both of which are also members of the rail family. No, this time it was a purple gallinule.

Apparently, seeing a purple gallinule at this site is not an everyday occurrence, which made the encounter particularly special.

In contrast to Eurasian coots and common moorhens, the purple gallinule is considerably larger. Thanks to its long legs and toes, it can easily move through dense vegetation. I watched in fascination as the bird slowly made its way through the water.

A variety of bird species could be observed in the pond, and I had to look very carefully. Some species I only discovered later at home when reviewing my photos.

Of course, I noticed the northern lapwings, which were either flying overhead or resting on a small island. However, I only realized later that a ruff was also present – it was probably not there the entire time, unlike the northern lapwings, which eventually moved on as well.

A grey heron was standing in the water a little further away.

Black-winged stilts were also numerous, and behind one of them a Eurasian teal was swimming.

I had to look very carefully in order not to miss any birds.

Particularly striking were the black-winged stilts, pied avocets, and black-tailed godwits, which were standing just a few meters in front of me in the pond. They didn’t seem to disturb one another at all, despite being different species. Perhaps this mixed grouping offers them better protection from predators?

Individual black-winged stilts were exploring the surroundings, staying slightly apart from the main group. Among the black-tailed godwits, there were also a few solitary birds.

They were clearly foraging for food.

A bird I had already encountered in Iceland is the common snipe – truly fascinating! I have seen so many birds in Iceland and now also here in Portugal: common redshanks, common ringed plovers – and the common snipe.

The common snipe is not particularly conspicuous. It is roughly the size of a common blackbird, and its brownish plumage provides perfect camouflage. However, its striped head pattern and long bill are quite distinctive.

Northern lapwings kept flying over us again and again – there was really a lot going on. Apparently, on other days there is even more activity here.

However, the northern lapwings did not return to rest. Although they could still occasionally be heard overhead, they no longer came back to the small island in the middle of the pond.

Was this perhaps related to the western marsh harrier, which seemed to be hunting for prey over the pond? Although northern lapwings are not typically part of a western marsh harrier’s diet.

Nevertheless, I then discovered another species that was new to me: a spotted redshank.

After this wonderful observation, we stayed by the pond for a while longer, scanning the area for more birds. But slowly, it was time to head back.

The day was drawing to a close. It was not yet dark, but we gradually had to make our way back. On the drive, we once again passed the glossy ibises. I had been hoping for a large group of greater flamingos, but on that day, luck was not on my side with respect to greater flamingos. But that is precisely what makes wildlife watching so special – you never know what to expect.

And I was happy to see the glossy ibises again as well.

Near the glossy ibises, where the water had collected, a few northern lapwings suddenly appeared again. So anyone who would like to see a northern lapwing at least once will find a good place for it in the Tagus estuary near Lisbon. However, it remains open how things might look on other days.

As it was gradually getting dark, we had to set off – driving through this area in the dark is not entirely without risk. If the car were to get stuck, it would have to be pulled out again in the dark.

We made one last brief stop by the greylag geese.

The same applied to a peregrine falcon, which was perched on a electricity pylon.

We had already observed a close relative, the Eurasian kestrel, earlier in the afternoon.

But then we continued driving, passing fields full of gulls and glossy ibises, which, surprisingly, did not seem to disturb one another at all. Before finally heading back into the city centre, we made one last brief stop for a water pipit and a group of white storks. It just didn’t seem to end – there was something to discover everywhere.

In total, Rui recorded 84 bird species that day. I personally saw a few fewer, but still well over 70.

After such a long day, I was starting to feel tired. The following day, bad weather was forecast – so heavy that even birdwatching in the city parks would have been impossible without getting soaked. Instead, I visited the Oceanário de Lisboa.

I would have liked to go on another birding tour along the River Sado. Since that didn’t work out this time, it remains a good reason to return to Lisbon one day – for more birdwatching adventures.

Practical information

Accommodation

I stayed in an accommodation on Rua dos Cavaleiros in Santa Maria. A major advantage was its proximity to many interesting places in the city. However, the street was occasionally noisy in the evenings and at night. I paid 217.77 euros for four nights. The accommodation itself was decent and perfectly fine.

How to get there

I traveled with the bus company Alsa from Seville to Lisbon. The journey started at 8:00 a.m., and I arrived at Sete Rios bus station in Lisbon at 1:30 p.m. I paid 31.00 euros for the one-way ticket. From Sete Rios, I took the metro to Martim Moniz – the ride takes about 20 minutes.

More information

Have you ever gone birdwatching in the Tagus estuary? Or perhaps in another area around Lisbon? Feel free to leave a comment and share your birdwatching experiences.