Lagoa’s Alagoas Brancas wetland has become well-known as an extremely important area for water birds. However, due to the extreme drought in summer, the number of species in the area decreases significantly.
Still, some birds remain faithful to the area even during the dry period. These include the famous cattle egret and western jackdaw, which every night return to Alagoas Brancas and choose bushes and trees to sleep in away from the dangers of enemies on the ground.
Recently, German biologist Dr Manfred Temme spotted over 500 glossy ibis arriving at Alagoas Brancas at sunset.
“It was a fantastic sight, seeing such a large group of birds, once rare and protected, flying over Alagoas Brancas to settle in the highest trees in the area,” he said.
“A few years ago, the glossy ibis was rarely seen in the Algarve. Meanwhile, thanks to a successful management of water at the Coto Doñana wetland in southern Spain, the number of these birds has been growing exponentially. In winter, many fly to the Algarve and are regular guests at Alagoas Brancas in Lagoa.”
