Goncalo Elias

Birding hotspots in the Algarve Goncalo Elias

This is the fifth volume in the series 'Birding hotspots in the Algarve'. It covers the central part of the inner Algarve and deals only with inland sites (Serra do Caldeirão and Barrocal). Serra is the Portuguese word given to a chain of hills. Caldeirão means cauldron. Serra do Caldeirão is a hilly area lying in the northern half of central Algarve. It peaks at 589 m north of Loulé. The Barrocal is the name given to a strip of limestone hills that lie between the Serra do Caldeirão and the coastal lowlands. It is the first line of hills that can be seen from the coast when one looks north and it extends northwards until the limestone ends and is replaced by schist. For the visiting birdwatcher, the inland areas provide an opportunity to see a number of species that are very difficult to find at the coast. The serra has vast expanses of woodland, namely Cork and Holm Oak and Maritime Pine. These woods are home to a number of forest birds, including Tawny Owl, Woodlark, Redstart, Orphean Warbler, Crested Tit, Nuthatch, Short-toed Treecreeper, Golden Oriole, and Hawfinch. Some hillsides are covered mainly with scrub, where typical birds include Thekla Lark, Subalpine and Dartford Warblers, and Rock Bunting. A few deep valleys have riparian galleries, where one can find Melodious Warbler, Iberian Chiffchaff, and Long-tailed Tit.