Portugal is two pelagic birding destinations in one. On the Atlantic coast of mainland Europe, the Sagres peninsula and Cape St. Vincent funnel an extraordinary post-breeding migration of shearwaters, storm-petrels, and skuas between July and October. Nine hundred kilometres out into the open Atlantic, the Azores archipelago hosts the only reliable site in the world to see the endemic Monteiro’s Storm-Petrel — a species with a global breeding population of fewer than 300 pairs that returns to Banco da Fortuna off Graciosa for barely five months each year.
Both destinations are world-class. They also operate on overlapping but distinct seasonal windows, so getting the timing right matters.
Azores: June to October for Monteiro’s Storm-Petrel
The Azores pelagic season is anchored by one species. Monteiro’s Storm-Petrel was described to science only in 1999 by the Portuguese ornithologist Luís Monteiro, who identified it as a distinct species breeding in turf burrows on Graciosa, Pico, and Faial. Birds commute daily to offshore seamounts to feed, principally Banco da Fortuna off Graciosa’s northwest coast. The Azores Wildlife Birders Pelagic targets Banco da Fortuna specifically — it is the only regular pelagic trip anywhere in the world designed around this species, and the encounter rate on most departures exceeds 90%.
Monteiro’s Storm-Petrel arrives at breeding sites in late May or early June and departs for unknown winter quarters by late October. The accessible trip window is June through October.
June
The earliest Azores trips run in mid-to-late June. Monteiro’s Storm-Petrel encounter rates at Banco da Fortuna are already high as birds establish burrow territories and begin courtship. Barolo Shearwater — the North Atlantic’s smallest shearwater — is present in good numbers and is regularly seen on June departures, flying low and fast with rapid, stiff wingbeats quite unlike the leisurely banking of the ever-present Cory’s Shearwater. Bulwer’s Petrel arrives in May and is regularly seen throughout June, gliding along current edges between the islands. Band-rumped Storm-Petrel is present from early June as it begins attending its own burrow colonies on Graciosa and Faial.
July and August: Peak Season
July and August are the optimal months for Azores pelagic birding. Monteiro’s Storm-Petrel encounter rates peak as birds are actively feeding fledglings; the Azores Wildlife Birders Pelagic regularly records 15–30 individuals per trip during this window, sometimes more. Barolo Shearwater abundance peaks in July, with adults present in the waters around the central Azorean islands before post-breeding dispersal begins.
Cory’s Shearwater is ever-present throughout summer, sometimes in groups of hundreds on a single trip. Band-rumped Storm-Petrel is numerous and conspicuous — the Azores holds the most important North Atlantic colonies of this species, and Azorean pelagic trips offer by far the best regular access to it. Wilson’s Storm-Petrel is a regular offshore companion.
August into September is the window most likely to produce rare storm-petrels. Swinhoe’s Storm-Petrel — a vagrant from the Pacific — has been recorded with increasing frequency on Azorean pelagic trips over the past decade, with most records falling in August and early September. Zino’s Petrel, the Critically Endangered Madeiran endemic with a global population of around 170 pairs, has been recorded as a vagrant on Azorean trips, typically in late summer.
September
September remains an excellent Azores month. Monteiro’s Storm-Petrel is still numerous at Banco da Fortuna before departure, though counts are beginning to decline by late September. Barolo Shearwater numbers fall as birds disperse from Azorean waters. Great and Sooty Shearwaters appear in increasing numbers — both species breed in the South Atlantic and pass through Azorean waters in large numbers during their northward post-breeding migration. A September Azores trip can produce both the core Banco da Fortuna storm-petrel suite and several additional shearwater species attracted to the chum slick.
October
October is the tail end of the Azores season. Monteiro’s Storm-Petrel numbers drop sharply as most birds depart for winter; encounters are still possible but not reliable on every trip. Compensating for the reduction, October brings autumn passage migrants: Leach’s Storm-Petrel appears in small numbers, and Great Skuas begin following chum slicks to visiting pelagic boats. The crossing to Banco da Fortuna in October can be rougher as Atlantic depressions become more frequent, and some trips are rescheduled due to weather. Budget accordingly.
Sagres, Algarve: July to October for Balearic Shearwater
The Sagres peninsula and Cape St. Vincent at the southwestern tip of continental Europe deliver a fundamentally different pelagic experience. The Mar Ilimitado Sagres Seabird Watching trips operate within 20 nautical miles of the cape, but the position of Sagres at the Atlantic entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar means that vast numbers of shearwaters, storm-petrels, and skuas funnel past on their post-breeding southward migration from July through October.
The defining target species is the Balearic Shearwater — the world’s only Critically Endangered shearwater, with a total global population estimated at 15,000–20,000 individuals. After breeding on the Balearic Islands in spring, birds disperse westward through the Strait of Gibraltar and follow the Iberian Atlantic coast south, making the waters off Sagres one of the most important post-breeding feeding grounds for the species in the world.
July
The Sagres season opens in July as the first Balearic Shearwaters arrive from the Mediterranean. Numbers build through the month; early July trips may produce a few dozen, late July trips regularly reach triple figures. Wilson’s Storm-Petrel is present from July onward, often in large numbers attracted to fishing boat activity offshore. Cory’s Shearwaters are numerous throughout summer. The first Great and Pomarine Skuas of the season begin to appear in late July.
August and September: Peak Season
August through mid-October is the undisputed peak. Balearic Shearwater numbers peak in August and September; seawatch counts from the Sagres headland have recorded over 1,000 individuals in a single day during this period. The Mar Ilimitado trips go offshore to meet active feeding concentrations, where the full autumn shearwater passage — Cory’s, Sooty, Great, Manx, and Balearic simultaneously — can be observed at close range.
Storm-petrel diversity is at its highest in August and September: Wilson’s Storm-Petrel in the largest numbers, European Storm-Petrel regularly, and Leach’s Storm-Petrel beginning to appear from September onward. All four North Atlantic skua species pass the Sagres corridor in these months: Great Skua (bulky and piratical, present from August), Pomarine Skua (peaking September–October), Arctic Skua (August–October), and Long-tailed Skua (small numbers, August–September). A single September day trip can produce three or four skua species.
Sabine’s Gull is an August and September speciality — a graceful silver-and-black gull that migrates through Atlantic waters on a precise schedule. Adults appear in August, and September brings the peak counts before birds disperse south into their Atlantic wintering grounds.
October
October extends the Sagres season with excellent sheer species variety. Balearic Shearwater numbers remain high into mid-October. Great and Sooty Shearwaters are abundant. Leach’s Storm-Petrel numbers peak in October — this is the best Sagres month for this species, which is harder to find at sea than its close relative Wilson’s. Pomarine Skua passage intensifies in October, and late-season Sabine’s Gulls and Grey Phalaropes begin to appear, the latter often resting buoyantly on the sea surface between the boats.
Best Months by Target Species
| Species | Best Months | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Monteiro’s Storm-Petrel | July–August | Azores (Banco da Fortuna) |
| Barolo Shearwater | June–August | Azores |
| Band-rumped Storm-Petrel | June–September | Azores |
| Bulwer’s Petrel | June–September | Azores |
| Swinhoe’s Storm-Petrel (vagrant) | August–September | Azores |
| Cory’s Shearwater | June–October | Both |
| Balearic Shearwater | August–September | Sagres |
| Great Shearwater | September–October | Sagres |
| Sooty Shearwater | August–October | Sagres |
| Wilson’s Storm-Petrel | July–September | Sagres |
| Leach’s Storm-Petrel | September–October | Sagres |
| European Storm-Petrel | August–October | Sagres |
| Pomarine Skua | September–October | Sagres |
| Long-tailed Skua | August–September | Sagres |
| Great Skua | August–October | Sagres |
| Sabine’s Gull | August–September | Sagres |
| Grey Phalarope | October | Sagres |
Quick Reference
Azores: The trip window is June to October. July and August offer the highest Monteiro’s Storm-Petrel encounter rates and the best Barolo Shearwater numbers. September remains productive and adds autumn passage shearwaters. October is the end of the season; expect lower storm-petrel counts and increased weather risk. Book the Azores Wildlife Birders Pelagic well in advance — trips fill months ahead.
Sagres/Algarve: The Mar Ilimitado Sagres Seabird Watching trips run July through October. August and September are peak months for Balearic Shearwater numbers and all four skua species simultaneously. October is the best month for Leach’s Storm-Petrel and Grey Phalarope, with shearwater numbers still high.
Can You Combine Both?
August is the single month when both destinations are simultaneously near their best. Flights from Lisbon to Graciosa take roughly 2.5 hours via Terceira on Azores Airlines; Faro (the Algarve gateway) is a 3-hour drive from Lisbon or a 45-minute direct flight. A combined 8–10 day Portugal pelagic itinerary is feasible: three or four nights based on Graciosa for Banco da Fortuna trips in early August, then return to Lisbon and travel south to Sagres for two or three nights of Algarve trips.
September is the safest single-visit month if you are choosing between the two: Monteiro’s Storm-Petrel is still readily found at Banco da Fortuna, the Sagres Balearic Shearwater peak is in full swing, and the Leach’s Storm-Petrel and skua migration has started at both sites. The weather window is also generally better than October for both locations.
Practical Notes
Azores access: There are no direct international flights to Graciosa. Fly to Lisbon, then connect to Terceira (TAP or Azores Airlines, approximately 2 hours), then take a short inter-island turboprop to Graciosa (20 minutes). The Azores Wildlife Birders Pelagic provides accommodation and local logistics from Santa Cruz, Graciosa’s main town. Allow at least one buffer night on each end for flight connections.
Algarve access: Faro Airport is served by direct flights from London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and most major European hubs. Sagres is 1.5 hours by car from Faro. The Mar Ilimitado trips depart from Sagres harbour; Sagres village has limited accommodation so book early for August and September. The nearby town of Lagos, 30 minutes east, has more options.
Weather and cancellations: The Azores is subject to Atlantic depressions, particularly in September and October. The Azores Wildlife Birders Pelagic provides a rescheduled departure when a trip is cancelled — build flexibility into your itinerary. At Sagres, westerly swells can make the offshore trip uncomfortable in August; the onshore seawatch from the cape headland is an excellent fallback when boat trips are cancelled due to weather, and in fact strong westerlies often improve seawatch counts by pushing birds close inshore.
Seasickness: The crossing to Banco da Fortuna takes 2–3 hours in open Atlantic waters. Come prepared with scopolamine patches or meclizine. The Sagres trips operate in shallower coastal waters and are generally more settled, though August northerly swells can make them choppy.
For the full guide to what trips are available at both sites, see our Best Pelagic Birding Trips in Portugal. Browse all listed Portugal trips at Portugal pelagic directory.