Many Algarvean storks migrate to Africa in October for the winter months and the skies above Sagres are filled with thousands of storks gliding on thermals until they suddenly take off, as one, to warmer climes. Watching these big birds with their huge wing spans soaring in the skies above is a fantastic sight and it’s quite a sight to see when they all take flight as one. This year the Bird Festival was on 2nd to 5th October but it’s still possible to watch this phenomenon for quite some time after the festival is over.
The National Parks
In the wonderfully under populated county of Aljezur lies Cape Sardão, which is one of the most iconic areas of the the Costa Vicentina Natural Park. It’s the only place in the world where White Storks nest on coastal cliffs. This is a fantastic place to visit for all bird watchers and wildlife lovers too.
Storks are among the hundreds of bird species to be found in the Ria Formosa Natural Park, one of the seven natural wonders of Portugal, and one of the favourite haunts of bird watchers. In fact storks are all over the place!
Useful storks
For many years the stork has been a protected species worldwide and in Portugal they are revered. Portuguese farmers appreciate and protect storks because the birds thrive on small mammals, lizards, snakes and large insects, which save the farmers having to use expensive pesticides on their crops. This in turn protects the bees that pollinate the crops for better harvests, as well as providing valuable honey and its by-products.
High rise living
Storks build their nests up high, perched on tall chimneys, telegraph poles, electricity pylons and even church steeples in all the towns and villages of the Algarve. These fantastic creations are an incredible feat of engineering and balance, and it’s a wonder how such large birds can raise their families in them without toppling down to earth.
Cast your gaze to the skies as you meander through Faro and many other Algarve towns and cities, and you’ll be amazed at how many stork nests are precariously perched atop the buildings there.
Returning to their nests each year, it’s not unusual to see a series of “stork homes” perched on pylon poles or tall buildings where the offspring have chosen to build close to their birth nest. If you’ve ever wondered why you see so many ancient commercial chimneys still standing tall in areas that have been demolished and /or redeveloped, it’s because it’s against the law in Portugal to demolish or disturb a stork’s nest.
This video captures some of the more unusual places that storks have chosen to nest in Faro.
Faithful and loyal
Storks are usually monogamous birds and they divvy up their parenting duties equally. The female lays her eggs in March or April; and the eggs take approximately five weeks to hatch. Once the chicks have hatched, both the male and female take turns in foraging food for their new family and they share the responsibility of raising them safely. Storks have no vocal chords so they “chat” by clacking their beaks. This can be very noisy, especially in the mating season and whilst raising their young.
There’s a wonderful story of a pair nesting on the tall chimney on the road from Faro to São Brás who never produced a baby. One day the male disappeared and the female went into a decline, to the point where she was taken to a bird sanctuary to help her recover. When she was deemed well enough, she was released back to her nest, to find the male had returned. Not long afterwards they had their first offspring and lived happily ever after. Incidentally the nest is still there and is regularly filled with babies. Slowly but surely, more stork nests are appearing in the vicinity, so I suspect they belong to past offspring.
You don’t have to be a twitcher to enjoy watching a stork soaring in the sky or to see them fussing around in their huge nests; just seeing the grace and beauty of these large birds is a delight in itself. Autumn is a magical time in the Algarve when the birds migrate in their thousands to warmer climes. However, other species are arriving for a warmer winter than they would get “at home”. And don’t forget, many storks choose to stay here for the winter too.
Storks in the Algarve
by Sun’s Dragon
Many Algarvean storks migrate to Africa in October for the winter months and the skies above Sagres are filled with thousands of storks gliding on thermals until they suddenly take off, as one, to warmer climes. Watching these big birds with their huge wing spans soaring in the skies above is a fantastic sight and it’s quite a sight to see when they all take flight as one. This year the Bird Festival was on 2nd to 5th October but it’s still possible to watch this phenomenon for quite some time after the festival is over.
In the wonderfully under populated county of Aljezur lies Cape Sardão, which is one of the most iconic areas of the the Costa Vicentina Natural Park. It’s the only place in the world where White Storks nest on coastal cliffs. This is a fantastic place to visit for all bird watchers and wildlife lovers too.
Storks are among the hundreds of bird species to be found in the Ria Formosa Natural Park, one of the seven natural wonders of Portugal, and one of the favourite haunts of bird watchers. In fact storks are all over the place!
Useful storks
For many years the stork has been a protected species worldwide and in Portugal they are revered. Portuguese farmers appreciate and protect storks because the birds thrive on small mammals, lizards, snakes and large insects, which save the farmers having to use expensive pesticides on their crops. This in turn protects the bees that pollinate the crops for better harvests, as well as providing valuable honey and its by-products.
Storks build their nests up high, perched on tall chimneys, telegraph poles, electricity pylons and even church steeples in all the towns and villages of the Algarve. These fantastic creations are an incredible feat of engineering and balance, and it’s a wonder how such large birds can raise their families in them without toppling down to earth.
Cast your gaze to the skies as you meander through Faro and many other Algarve towns and cities, and you’ll be amazed at how many stork nests are precariously perched atop the buildings there.
Returning to their nests each year, it’s not unusual to see a series of “stork homes” perched on pylon poles or tall buildings where the offspring have chosen to build close to their birth nest. If you’ve ever wondered why you see so many ancient commercial chimneys still standing tall in areas that have been demolished and /or redeveloped, it’s because it’s against the law in Portugal to demolish or disturb a stork’s nest.
This video captures some of the more unusual places that storks have chosen to nest in Faro.
Faithful and loyal
Storks are usually monogamous birds and they divvy up their parenting duties equally. The female lays her eggs in March or April; and the eggs take approximately five weeks to hatch. Once the chicks have hatched, both the male and female take turns in foraging food for their new family and they share the responsibility of raising them safely. Storks have no vocal chords so they “chat” by clacking their beaks. This can be very noisy, especially in the mating season and whilst raising their young.
You don’t have to be a twitcher to enjoy watching a stork soaring in the sky or to see them fussing around in their huge nests; just seeing the grace and beauty of these large birds is a delight in itself. Autumn is a magical time in the Algarve when the birds migrate in their thousands to warmer climes. However, other species are arriving for a warmer winter than they would get “at home”. And don’t forget, many storks choose to stay here for the winter too.
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