Every year in the beginning of spring, nature presents a spectacle at the Portuguese west coast, when the white storks return from Africa to nest on the cliffs of Cabo Sardão. A 20-minutes drive from Vila Nova de Milfontes, this unique natural event takes place every year and attracts many visitors and photographers. Nevertheless, the remarkable behavior of the white storks building their nests on the dangerous and noisy cliffs of Cabo Sardão remains a mystery. Scientists speculate that the storks find the inaccessible cliffs a safe heaven from predators.
Storks’ mating dance and nests of more than 1,000 kilograms
The storks at Cabo Sardão are creatures of habit and ritual. It’s known that they return to the same nests each year and partnerships between males and females are enduring. Observers at the Portuguese west coast have the chance to spot the storks’ mating dances, a prelude to mating that lasts several days. The final nests of the white stork can weigh up to 1,000 kilograms as they mostly built their nests in layers over years.
The rough coast of Cabo Sardão with its steep cliffs near the lighthouse, offers narrow rock ledges where storks build their homes. However, this area is not only a paradise for storks, but also for the stonechat, whose melodies fill the air throughout the day.
Best time to see white storks at Cabo Sardão
The unique natural phenomenon of storks breeding at the rough Alentejo coast has no parallel anywhere else in the world. Usually you will have the best chances to observe this phenomenon during the breeding season from April to the end of August. The colonies at Cabo Sardão highlight the remarkable adaptability of nature and provide great insights into the lives of these majestic birds. For nature enthusiasts and bird watchers, the breeding season at Cabo Sardão is a must-see event, as it offers a rare opportunity to observe these storks in their unusual nesting habitat.
