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 native and migratory birds, some butterflies, indigenous and exotic species of plants and trees while sightseeing out of normal tourist routes.

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

First stop is at Caniçal where we look for the endemic Berthelot's Pipit Anthus berthelotii madeirensis, Kestrel Falco tinnunculus canariensis and, if we are lucky, the secretive Rock Sparrows Petronia petronia petronia or the scarce Spanish Sparrows Passer hispaniolensis.

Then a visit to a rivermouth is a good birdwatching spot for Grey Wagtails Motacilla cinerea schmitzi, Plain swifts Apus unicolor, Atlantic Canary Serinus canaria and some vagrant waders and waterfowl. European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis parva and Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild are also likely to be observed.

Up at 800 meters of altitude, in Santo da Serra splendid gardens are the luxurious habitat of the skittish Madeira Firecrest Regulus madeirensis, the bluish Madeira Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs madeirensis, the Robin Erithacus rubecula rubecula and the Greenfinch Carduelis chloris aurantiiventri on the top of the trees.

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 Madeira avifauna.