Critter News

MAY 9, 2010

From the Portugal News. The European Commission said on Wednesday it is pursuing legal action against Portugal for breaching nature protection legislation. Tags: habitat europe portugal environment wildlife endangered species. Oh, it's no surprise that the Portuguese are allowing rampant development for tourism.

Portugal 100

Portugal Endangered Species Legislation 2000 100

Critter News

DECEMBER 6, 2008

There are dog fights and dog attacks in Portugal and, per the December 5 post , the government came up with some legislation without consulting any animal rights groups. Tags: dog attacks portugal dog fighting. This link is to ANIMAL's blog , written in Portuguese. ANIMAL says that the legislation is not effective and is too loose.

Portugal 100

Portugal Legislation Dogs Laws 100

Critter News

DECEMBER 28, 2009

My 2010 resolution is to try and track animal rights issues in the homelands of Spain and Portugal. Spain is much more advanced than Portugal in this area, but both need improvement (as do we all.). Tags: europe portugal farm animal welfare.

Animal Welfare 100

Animal Welfare Portugal Farmed Animals Farm Animal 100

10,000 Birds

JULY 28, 2024

The Gulf of Cadiz, from Cadiz itself, right along the coasts of Huelva and the Algarve to Cape St Vincent in Portugal, is a favourite hunting ground of mine and the operators willing to take you out have been on the increase in recent years. We’re fast approaching a preferred time of mine for going out on boats in search of seabirds.

Portugal 283

Portugal Breeding Hunting Species 283

Critter News

MARCH 21, 2009

Miguel Rodrigues, spokesperson for SOS Lynx, stated: "Irrational attitudes constitute one of the main barriers to predator conservation in Spain and Portugal. Tags: Stupid eagle portugal fox hunting. If predator persecution cannot be adequately controlled, the future recovery of many important predator species will be in doubt".

Portugal 100

Portugal Eagles Spain Fox 100

10,000 Birds

APRIL 27, 2024

With only a few exceptions, the core of the distribution of most steppe birds lies in Spain so the southeastern part of Portugal is the better area to visit. So why go to Portugal if Spain has the same birds? Better is to turn into the many roads to the left or right. Leave early from Castro Verde towards Mértola.

Portugal 183

Portugal Pigs Spain Eagles 183

10,000 Birds

JUNE 18, 2021

The label Casa Ferreirinha dates to 1845, when Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira took over her family’s port business in the Douro Valley of Portugal.

2017 240

2017 Portugal Africa Europe 240

Critter News

JUNE 3, 2011

I like this story because I can only imagine the conditions of circus animals in Portugal. When I was in the Azores, there was a circus called Atlas I think and there were horrible, gaudy posters. I just had a sick feeling about the possible treatment of those animals.

Portugal 100

Portugal Circus Animals Animal Welfare Welfare 100

Critter News

JULY 27, 2012

From the Portugal News Online.sad stuff. Thousands of pets are being abandoned across Portugal, either being dumped at the gates of charitable associations or simply taken far from home and left behind, as owners struggle to make ends meet due to the continuing financial crisis.

Portugal 100

Portugal Abandoning Abandonment Abandon 100

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 29, 2023

I only scored 43 in March, but that was because I was away birding in Portugal and Estonia. Pallid Swift , already back on the breeding grounds in early March Many waders winter on the salt marshes of the Algrave in southern Portugal. My overseas trips did boost the overall year list considerably. These are Dunlins.

Estonia 245

Estonia Portugal Greece Barn Owls 245

10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2020

For much of its history, Portugal has sat secluded at what was long considered the very end of the known world — at least from a Western point of view. But like Spain, its only neighbor on the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal is cut off from the rest of Europe by the steep, natural border formed by the Pyrenees.

Portugal 166

Portugal 2015 France Europe 166

10,000 Birds

JULY 2, 2021

As with our last Birds and Booze post , we’re in Portugal yet again, this time revisiting what is perhaps the world’s most quenching style of wine: vinho verde. Now that it’s officially summer (in the Northern Hemisphere, at least), it’s time to cool off with some lighter, more refreshing wines.

2019 264

2019 Blackbirds Portugal Bats 264

10,000 Birds

MARCH 29, 2019

After three visits to southern Italy, followed by a lone excursion to Belgium, we’ll head back south to end our month-long “Grand Tour” of falconry-themed wine and ales in Portugal. Portugal has a long history of both falconry and winemaking. Portugal was a source of less poetic, practical information on falconry, as well.

2016 144

2016 Portugal Belgium Falcons 144

10,000 Birds

MARCH 27, 2012

I am on a quick trip to the Lisbon area in Portugal and – I must admit – I was taken completely by surprise about how this conglomeration of people, water and nature are put togerther. In preparation for this trip I had spent some time with my friend the google machine and he (she?

Portugal 162

Portugal Spain Protection Birds 162

10,000 Birds

APRIL 6, 2023

Dave Gosney’s Finding Birds Series covers mostly the Western Palearctic and describes birding in various regions of Portugal, Spain, Morocco, France, Finland, Estonia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, etc., with some additions, namely South Texas, The Gambia, and Goa (India).

Greece 231

Greece Macedonia Bulgaria Gambia 231

Critter News

JANUARY 11, 2009

I like reading the blog for ANIMAL, the animal rights group in Portugal. I have no idea how big or effective they are, but it's nice to know that there are people in Portugal who feel the same about animals as I do. Tags: portuguese-americans portugal animal rights. VIVA ANIMAL!

Portugal 100

Portugal Animal Rights Groups Animal 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 29, 2012

Blue skies with perhaps a touch of smog over the scintillating central coast of Portugal (Find out why Dale Forbes finds Lisbon birding pretty crazy …) a. Whatever your plans this weekend, make time to enjoy SkyWatch Friday. Also be sure to come back Monday to share your best bird of the weekend !

Portugal 147

Portugal 2012 Owls Birds 147

Critter News

FEBRUARY 2, 2010

Portugal is NOT known for its kindness to animals so this is a significant development for a Portuguese city. From the Portugal News Online. Tags: animal shelters portugal strays.

Stray 100

Stray Portugal Kennels Unwanted Dogs 100

Critter News

DECEMBER 23, 2008

A British student studying in Porto, Portugal, was handing out leaflets in front of "Beigel," a fur shop. Tags: fur portugal. The post in the ANIMAL blog is in Portuguese , but here's the gist of it. She was volunteering for ANIMAL. She had already been threatened by the owner on Wednesday for trespassing on her premises.

Fur 100

Fur Portugal Animal Rights Animal 100

10,000 Birds

MAY 25, 2024

However, the last few hours were absolutely worth the trouble as I drove through springtime Extremadura and southern Portugal. May is just an excellent time to visit Spain and Portugal. The dehesas/montados were all freshly green and the wildflowers were blooming. Very nice to observe such spectacle along the motorway.

Spain 161

Spain Portugal Ducks Lions 161

Critter News

JUNE 23, 2009

First up, Paul Watson goes through Portuguese Customs: At one point the officer came into the room and asked if I had ever been in trouble in Portugal and then added, “Something about a Dutch ship about 10 years ago?” A few moments later he returned and said, “Excuse me, did you do anything illegal in the 70’s in Portugal?” “I

Portugal 100

Portugal Whaling Whales illegal 100

10,000 Birds

APRIL 20, 2023

He now lives in the Algarve, Portugal where he is Chairman of the Portuguese Rarities Committee. He is an associate of the Royal Photographic Society and his photographs are regularly published in journals and books all over the world.

United Kingdom 199

United Kingdom Portugal Birds Asia 199

10,000 Birds

JULY 6, 2024

Some trash birds fly a bit out of range and become a stonker like the Eurasian Dotterel below (out of range and out of season in mid July Portugal). There’s the extremely rare , the drop-dead gorgeous , and the impressive. Wait a minute… When a lot of birds are out of range than they become an Invasive Species.

Lions 237

Lions Birds Namibia Portugal 237

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2012

Talking to Jan Södersved the editor of the Birdlife Finland magazine Linnut whilst we were both in Portugal in early October suggested that all of the owl species in Finland had had a very productive breeding season. Short-eared Owls do breed in Britain but every few years an ‘irruption’ of the like we are seeing occurs.

Barn Owls 201

Barn Owls Finland Owls Portugal 201

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 20, 2019

We also have a hoopoe gracing the label of this week’s wine, the 2017 Vinho Verde “Bicudo” from the Quintas das Arcas vineyards in northern Portugal. Once an obscure specialty of northern Portugal, vinho verde has become increasingly popular and easier to find abroad.

2017 122

2017 Portugal Rabbits Europe 122

10,000 Birds

APRIL 26, 2024

Cyprus Wheatears are the easiest to find of the three endemic birds that occur on Cyprus Black Francolins once bred in Portugal, Spain and Italy, all countries from which this handsome little game bird has long been lost.

Cyprus 242

Cyprus Breeders Falcons Hunters 242

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2024

We exchanged notes on where to find good birds in southern Portugal. A meticulous note keeper, a keen eye and ear, impressive knowledge and most importantly: member of the local BirdLife partner SPEA. Although my credibility was at an all-time low, he was nice and polite not to rub it in. I really hope he will find the Great Bustards.

Psychology 199

Psychology Portugal Japan Eagles 199

10,000 Birds

JULY 27, 2012

Cabo da Roca in Portugal is actually slightly farther west, but at the time accurate measurements were not much on people’s minds. So, end of the world, and here ends the story as well.

Portugal 166

Portugal ALA 2007 Sparrows 166

10,000 Birds

JUNE 1, 2012

When he returned to Portugal in disgrace after usurping his position from the rightful governor, Sampayo supposedly took tulip bulbs with him from Sri Lanka. The era during which the Ottoman Empire was wealthiest is called the Tulip era, or Lale Devri in Turkish.

Sri Lanka 224

Sri Lanka Kazakhstan Portugal 2009 224

Critter News

SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

For the whole story, go to Portugal News On-Line. As a Portuguese-American, I find this just revolting. Prótoiro, the Portuguese Federation of Bullfighting Associations, placed an injunction again Viana do Castelo Town Hall this month after their refusal to allow the event to go ahead on municipal land.

Portugal 100

Portugal illegal Rights 100

10,000 Birds

MAY 3, 2013

Portugese workers brought in to trim the local trees clustered around the television set, drinking heavily and watching a Portugal-Spain soccer match; during a moment of celebratory elation, a shirtless man raced by with a Portugese flag stuck down the back of his pants, the red and green banner snapping jauntily as he disappeared out the door.

Wildlife Rehabilitation 183

Wildlife Rehabilitation Spain France Birds 183

10,000 Birds

APRIL 27, 2023

It seems that the Red-billed Leiothrix can be vocally dominant (it accounts for 37% of an entire bird community soundscape in northern Italy) and can influence the singing behavior, particularly of native Eurasian Blackcaps and European Robins (in Portugal and Italy). And who wants birds with highly visible Hitler mustaches anyway?

Italy 222

Italy China France Eggs 222

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 19, 2024

Hare taxonomy is confusing, but I’ve seen Iberian hares in Spain and Portugal, Corsican Hares in Corsica (where else?), Brown hares are one of the most photogenic of animals On the run: a Brown Hare After Muntjac and Grey Squirrels, the mammal I see most often when birding at home is the Brown Hare.

Fur 238

Fur Boars Deer Estonia 238

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 28, 2014

The colorful Purple Swamphen ( Porphyrio porphyrio ) lives in wetlands from Portugal and Senegal all the way east to New Zealand and the Samoan Islands, and a feral population is now well established in Florida.

Papua New Guinea 211

Papua New Guinea Philippines New Zealand Florida 211

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2019

Reachable by direct flights from Portugal, the island country of Sao Tome and Principe lying in the Gulf of Guinea, in the armpit of Africa, has about 140 bird species and 28 endemics – more endemics per square mile than anywhere else on Earth.

Costa Rica 203

Costa Rica Sri Lanka Rwanda Papua New Guinea 203

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 15, 2023

The dagger beak allows the Nuthatch to dominate at the bird feeder Of the world’s 32 species of nuthatch, the Eurasian is by far the most widespread, occurring from Portugal in the west to Japan in the east With their distinctive shape and sharply pointed, dagger-like beak, there’s nothing to confuse a Nuthatch with.

Barn Owls 241

Barn Owls Rats Japan Blackbirds 241

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2016

Instead of wintering in Africa and breeding in Europe, growing numbers of the birds now appear to be staying put in Spain and Portugal. The paper, published in the journal Movement Ecology , describes a striking change in White Storks’ migratory behavior. Makes sense—why drive for take-out when you’ve got a permanent dine-in option?).

Portugal 108

Portugal Spain Africa Europe 108