The presence of some of the most remarkable species of Portuguesebirdlife, along with a growing interest in birdwatching, is another reason to visit this area.

The quartzite scarp territories with high-altitude scruband water courses in the area create perfect conditions for the presence - and nesting - of emblematic species of birdlife.

Some of these sites are listed below, along with the main species present or nesting there:

Casal de São Simão - Fragas de São Simão (quartzite scarps)

• Bubo bubo
• Ciconia nigra
• Falco peregrinus
• Sitta europaea
• Cinclus cinclus
• Monticola solitarius

Fajão - Penedos de Fajão (quartzite scarps)

• Falco tinunculus
• Monticola solitarius

Janeiro de Baixo - Barragem de Santa Luzia/Serra do Vidual (quartzite scarps)

• Carduelis spinus
• Emberiza cia
• Falco peregrinus
• Parus ater
• Ptyonoprogne rupestris
• Regulus ignicapillus
• Monticola solitarius

Occasionally, from February to July:

• Ciconia nigra (nested there until a few years ago)

In winter

• Tichodroma muraria

Pena - Penedos de Góis(quartzíte scarps)

• Ciconia nigra
• Falco peregrinus

Rio Ceira and Rio Zêzere(water courses)

• Ardea cinerea
• Cinclus cinclus
• Phalacrocorax carbo
• Alcedo athis

Serra do Açor and Serra da Lousã(high-altitude scrub)

• Circus pygargus
• Sylvia undata
• Prunella modularis
• Emberiza cia

In addition to the locations and species already mentioned, we also highlight, in general, the presence of the following in the Aldeias do Xisto region:

• Sylvia melanocephala
• Circus pygargus
• Circaetus gallicus
• Aquila pennata
• Accipiter gentilis
• Accipiter nisus
• Corvus corax
• Cecropis daurica
• Parus cristatus
• Picus viridis
• Caprimulgus europaeus
• Merops apiaster
• Oriolus oriolus