Description of the attraction
The Sado Estuary Nature Reserve covers an area of over 23,000 hectares and was created to protect the estuary of the river of the same name, which is considered one of the main rivers in Portugal. Rice and reed fields are nearby.
The nature reserve is considered one of the most important wetlands in the country. The mouth of the Sadu River is included in the Ramsar List (Convention on Wetlands of International Importance for Waterfowl Habitats). The nature reserve is home to rare bird species. It is an ideal place to study the behavior of birds such as the white stork, herons and flamingos in the wild. Fish species found in these waters include mullet, stingrays, flounder and Mediterranean toad fish. It is also home to a rare breed of dolphins - bottlenose dolphins, which can often be seen when you cross the river on a ferry to the Troy Peninsula. Bottlenose dolphins are a symbol of the nature reserve.
Boat excursions are organized in the nature reserve and visitors can enjoy the beautiful scenery. The tour usually starts from Praias do Sado, a wide swampy saline plain, home to flamingos and other bird species. This is followed by the vast and endless rice fields in Zambujal, where white storks, ducks and herons nest, and among them there is a rare species of heron - the red heron. Pinheiro, one of the largest private areas, has many trees that are home to many predators, as well as birds such as the pygmy eagle, common snake eagle, gray shrike and many others. Sultanka and yellow heron can be seen only in spring and summer.
