Lagoa dos Salgados

Lagoa dos Salgados is a small coastal wetland between Armação de Pera and Albufeira, well known for its enormous ornithological wealth. It is one of the Algarve's most fascinating birdwatching spots. More than 150 species occur there every year, some of them uncommon and others very sensitive. It is an Important Bird Area (IBA), a status awarded by the Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds / Birdlife International and is awaiting classification as a Nature Reserve, according to a project proposed by the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests. Among the most common bird species in this area, we highlight the Osprey, Purple Swamp hen, Spoonbill, Black-winged Stilt, Purple Heron, among many others. The area also harbours very important botanical values and is one of the places where the endemic Linaria algarviana occurs most frequently.