Madeira Birdwatching Half Day Tour

Watch the endemic land birds of Madeira in just 4 hours! Observe Trocaz Pigeon, Madeira Firecrest, Berthelot's Pipit, Atlantic Canary and some important subspecies as Madeira Chaffinch!

  • Madeira Island, Portugal

    A pleasant introduction to the endemic land birds of Madeira through the southeast of the island.

    • Price

      60 EUR per person (>10 years old)
      50 EUR per child (1-10 years old)

    • Target species

      Madeira Firecrest, Berthelot's Pipit, Atlantic Canary, Grey Wagtail, Rock Sparrow & Common Waxbill

    • Itinerary

      Southeast of Madeira, from sea level up to 700 meters of altitude (2300 feet), though the itinerary is dependent on weather conditions, so it may vary.

    • Schedule

      Pickups start around 9:30 and drop off is around 13:30. Check availability during your stay.

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    Highlights

    6 endemic bird species and subspecies of Madeira and Macaronesia
    Visit nice places with interesting aspects of geology and flora
    Friendly, local tour leaders with publications on Madeira ornithology

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    Inclusions

    Pick up and drop off at the same place
    Use of quality telescope & binoculars (shared by group), guide books
    English and Portuguese speaking ornithologists

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    Friendly advice

    Bring a jacket which is always useful for the altitude cold, a hat and a bottle of water

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    Group size

    Minimum people to run the trip: 2
    Maximum group size: 8

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    Meeting point

    City centers of Funchal, Caniço, Santa Cruz and Machico. As long as your hotel is not too difficult to access due to traffic, very narrow roads or controlled entrance, pick up is at the hotel, otherwise it will be at a meeting point close by. For other locations, please contact us.

This birding tour is ideal for all ages as it is mainly by car through the Southeast of Madeira, with short and easy walks on each spot where several endemic bird species and subspecies of Madeira and Macaronesia can be observed in their natural habitat.

From sea level up to 600 meters of altitude you have the chance to observe the endemic bird species and subspecies of Madeira and Macaronesia.

The places visited during this tour always depend on weather conditions, so sometimes we might visit different places in order to observe the aimed bird species.

First we start looking for the Trocaz Pigeon Columba trocaz close to areas with some Laurel trees and farming.

At Caniçal where we look for the endemics Berthelot's Pipit Anthus berthelotii madeirensis and Atlantic Canary Serinus canaria and the Macaronesia subspecies of Kestrel Falco tinnunculus canariensis. If we are lucky, the secretive Rock Sparrows Petronia petronia petronia might be around.

Up at 600 meters of altitude, in Santo da Serra splendid gardens are the luxurious habitat of the skittish Madeira Firecrest Regulus madeirensis and the bluish Madeira Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs madeirensis.

We started operating this Madeira birdwatching tour back in 2004 when Wind Birds was founded. It has been analysed and optimized regularly and we believe that is the ideal tour to get you introduced to the endemic land birds of Madeira.

Upcoming Tours

Birdwatching tour pick ups available at the city centres of Funchal, Machico, Santa Cruz, Caniço, Cabo Girão.

Jan27

Madeira Birdwatching Half Day7 places available

Feb3

Madeira Birdwatching Half Day8 places available

Feb9

Madeira Birdwatching Half Day8 places available

Feb11

Madeira Birdwatching Half Day8 places available

  • Madeira Birdwatching Berthelot Pipit Anthus Berthelotii
  • Madeira Birdwatching Madeira Firecrest Regulus Madeirensis
  • Madeira Birdwatching Atlantic Canary Serinus Canaria
  • Madeira Birdwatching European Robin Erithacus Rubecula Rubecula
  • Madeira Birdwatching Berthelot Pipit Anthus Berthelotii
  • Madeira Birdwatching Madeira Firecrest Regulus Madeirensis
  • Madeira Birdwatching Atlantic Canary Serinus Canaria
  • Madeira Birdwatching European Robin Erithacus Rubecula Rubecula

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have other questions, please contact us.

  • What should I take?

    We recommend you bring a warm jumper, a waterproof jacket, a hat or a seamed cap, walking boots or shoes with a good grip and a bottle of water.

  • Do you have a scope?

    Yes, we have Swarovski and Leica telescopes for the group's use, and we do have two pairs of binoculars that we can lend to anyone who does not have them during the tour.

  • What type of payment do you accept?

    We accept Visa, MasterCard, Amex and cash. Google Pay and ApplePay are also accepted.

  • The weather conditions are bad. Do you still run the tour?

    If the forecasts for the day of your activity are not suitable for birdwatching or not safe to operate, we will try to postpone or cancel it (refundable).