Tenerife or Lanzarote? (1 Viewer)

[John In Ireland]

If I had one choice would I be better off heading to Tenerife or Lanzarote for a birding trip for two weeks in January.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Depends what you are after! Have you done either island (or any of the other Canaries) before?

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

As Phil has suggested it's as broad as it's long, but if you hire a car and you're on Lanzarote it's only a short hop on the boat to Fuerteventura which gives other options (probably more natural freshwater sites but above all Canary Island Stonechat).

 

[Owene]

Lanzarote birds are more distinctive. Both islands you can see them all in one day.

We had a very good turtles and whale boat from Tenerife but there might be equivalents in lanzarote

 

[John In Ireland]

Depends what you are after! Have you done either island (or any of the other Canaries) before?

No never been birding on any of the islands

 

[Phil Andrews]

Probably more ticks on Tenerife but as Owene says more satisfying birds on Lanzarote (plus ability to pop over to Fuert). Far more whale trips out of Tenerife though if you fancy adding Shears/Petrels (don't know what may be about in Jan).

 

[Steve Lister]

Why not a week on each? Or consider Fuerteventura rather than Lanzarote - all the birds and more and maybe less developed.

 

[Jos Stratford]

Why not a week on each? Or consider Fuerteventura rather than Lanzarote - all the birds and more and maybe less developed.

Agree with this.

 

[Scridifer]

We did Tenerife & Fuerteventura in January 2020, trip report here if of interest.

Chris

 

[THE_FERN]

No blue chaffinches on Lanzarote. Perhaps not a consideration but the flora of Tenerife is much more diverse (and it's the plants that are the true interest in the canaries)

 

[Jos Stratford]

Far more whale trips out of Tenerife though if you fancy adding Shears/Petrels (don't know what may be about in Jan).

Near zero seabirds in January.

 

[Jos Stratford]

Perhaps not a consideration but the flora of Tenerife is much more diverse (and it's the plants that are the true interest in the canaries)

More diverse butterflies too, and flying in January

 

[Scridifer]

No blue chaffinches on Lanzarote. Perhaps not a consideration but the flora of Tenerife is much more diverse (and it's the plants that are the true interest in the canaries)

Agreed. Just driving across the caldera of Mount Teide is an experience in itself, despite knowing nothing of botany the plant life is incredible!

Chris

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Having been to Fuerteventura several times, I went to Lanzarote in early 2014 as a last minute substitute for a more exotic trip that was cancelled by the operator at short notice. My reasoning was that I'd been wanting to go there since before my first ever trip abroad, decades ago, but somehow had never got around to it, and I was expecting more or less the same birds as Fuerte (apart from the chat). What a mistake! It wasn't a patch on Fuerteventura, and I won't be back. On the other hand I was back in Fuerteventura 5 months ago, and it was great.

Tenerife is a good spot too. I've been to both islands several times. Like them both, for different reasons, mainly to do with their individual endemics. I wouldn't like to choose between the two, but I'd definitely choose Fuerteventura over Lanzarote.

EDIT. A few pics of Fuerteventura specialities, March 2023