Birdwatching in Madeira in January

Birdwatching in Madeira in January

January is not the best month for birdwatching in Madeira although the endemic species of land birds are still around. The main problem is the weather as it is one of the rainiest months in the archipelago. January temperatures can go from 19ºC during daytime in Funchal to 0ºC during daytime at the highest peaks. Some shearwaters already fly around the archipelago, back from their migration but it is still quite difficult to see them close to shore. If you would like to observe most of the endemic bird species and subspecies of Madeira during your stay in this island, a Full-day birdwatching tour with Wind Birds should be enough. You may also expect to find some wintering bird species as Ruddy Turnstone, Common Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Grey Heron, Black-headed Gull, but also some not so common visitant birds might be around.

The breeding birds list for Madeira in January is: Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus granti Common Buzzard Buteo buteo buteo Muscovy Duck Cairina moschata - feral Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Plain Swift Apus unicolor - a small part of the population does not migrate Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus - only in Porto Santo Rock Dove Columba livia Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Trocaz Pigeon Columba trocaz Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild Canarian Kestrel Falco tinnunculus canariensis European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis parva European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris Eurasian Siskin Carduelis spinus Madeiran Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs maderensis Common Linnet Carduelis cannabina guentheri Atlantic Canary Serinus canaria White-faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma marina hypoleuca - breeds only in Selvagens islands Madeiran Storm Petrel Oceanodroma castro - offshore bird seen only on offshore pelagic trips Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea schmitzi Berthelot’s Pipit Anthus berthelotii European Robin Erithacus rubecula rubecula Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis - only in Porto Santo island Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia petronia Common Quail Coturnix coturnix coturnix Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus - just arriving back from their migration Barolo’s Shearwater Puffinus baroli - rare, but should be around in January Eurasian Coot Fulica atra Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Madeira Firecrest Regulus madeirensis Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata orbitalis Common Blackbird Turdus merula cabrerae Western Barn Owl Tyto alba schmitzi Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops - breeds only in Porto Santo Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla heineken