White-rumped Swifts (1 Viewer)

[Phil Andrews]

My better half is looking at Portugal for our family summer holiday - are there any reliable White-rumped Swift sites relatively close to any of the resorts?

Thanks in advance
Phil

 

[Pedro Ramalho]

Depends of the resort, and the defenition of relatively close.

 

[Simon Wates]

Phil, firstly, White-rumped Swifts tend to be kept a bit quiet, due to persecution worries in the past. However they breed every year at a small number of sites in inland eastern Algarve. They disappear and then re-appear at new sitesI would suggest the big road bridges between Castro Marim and Alcoutim (nearer to the latter)and recommend exploring the minor roads east of Alcoutim and towards Martim Longo. Stop off at any bridges over streams and rivers - it often works! (well, sometimes with an extra bit of perseverance!
If you are going to be staying much west of Albufeira it would be a long drive - but if you are in the east; about half an hour drive and you are in their lands