Azores Adventures

For much of my life, my familiarity with the Azores was limited to casual, cursory knowledge. As a child, I first became aware of the archipelago through the lens of its famously isolated location in the middle of the North Atlantic. Animal books and nature documentaries highlighted the diverse array of marine creatures that frequent the surrounding waters, while atlases and encyclopedias revealed tales of fiery origins as a volcanic hotspot. In adulthood, I came to know the islands as a celebrated birding destination for dedicated European listers seeking far-flung North American vagrants. Reports of familiar warblers and waterbirds from my own local patches sending my cohorts across the pond into a manic state of megararity madness never failed to fill me with amusement. Despite being privy to more regular updates from this Portuguese territory than the average citizen of the United States, I must confess that I had never actively considered the possibility of visiting the Azores myself. When my wonderful in-laws began planning a vacation of their own, however, Jacqi and I were hard-pressed to say no to this golden opportunity! 

With my 10th schoolyear as a full-time teacher quickly drawing to a close, I was eager to finally get my summer break started. We departed slightly later than originally planned for our overnight flight across the Atlantic, but the minor delay was quickly forgotten once we landed on the island of São Miguel. Our first guide, Rafael, picked us up at the airport and gave us an introductory tour on the way to our lodgings in Furnas. Once we settled in at the hotel, I swiftly set about the business of surveying my new surroundings. As expected for such a remote assemblage of rather small islands, the overall diversity of terrestrial wildlife on the Azores is relatively low compared to mainland ecosystems. Critter watching in this archipelago is definitely a matter of quality over quantity, as I soon discovered during my preliminary stakeout on my hotel balcony. One of the first birds I met was the handsome Azores Chaffinch, an endemic species that was only recently split from its continental cousins. These friendly finches proved to be one of the most abundant and widespread birds across all of the islands we visited, and their cheerful songs and charming behavior quickly won our hearts. This initial outing also produced my first sightings of Island Canary, the progenitor of the perennially popular cagebird. Though not quite as range-restricted as the chaffinches, these Macaronesian endemics can only be found in the Azores, Madeira, and the archipelago that originally gave them their name. I had scarcely left my hotel room and I was already two for three on the expected local specialty birds. The trip was off to a solid start!

After lunch, the rest of the family joined me for a walk through the impressive botanical gardens neighboring our hotel. As we wandered amidst the colorful blooms and towering trees, I was delighted by the opportunity to reacquaint myself with a number of familiar feathered faces. Iconic species like European Robin, Eurasian Blackbird, and Gray Wagtail, which I had last seen during my February 2018 trip to Spain, proved to be common residents of the parks and gardens in the Azores. One of the more surprising observations of the afternoon, however, came when my brother-in-law James and his girlfriend Francesca beckoned me over to a hollowed-out tree alongside the trail. Even from a few paces away, I could hear persistent chittering noises emanating from the shadows within the cavity. As I drew closer, I discovered that my family had happened upon a colony of Azores Noctules, the only endemic terrestrial mammal in the archipelago! These lovable little bats have a noteworthy penchant for regularly foraging during daylight hours, a unique behavior made possible by the absence of regularly occurring aerial predators in the region. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the tree hollow was in fact a nursery roost, with several naked pups clambering about on the trunk as their mothers watched on from above. Unexpectedly stumbling into a close encounter with this globally rare species during a casual stroll on my very first day in the Azores served to highlight the inherent magic of these isolated islands.

The next morning, we set out with Rafael to explore the western reaches of São Miguel. We began our day with a drizzly, misty hike at Lagoa do Fogo, a flooded caldera near the center point of the island. In addition to nesting colonies of Yellow-legged Gulls of the distinctive Azorean subspecies, I also picked up my overdue lifer Goldcrests twittering in the treetops along the trail. From there we proceeded to Sete Cidades, where a gradual improvement in weather conditions allowed us to enjoy multiple magnificent vistas showcasing the contrasting blue and green hues of the twin lagoons bordering the town. Our time on the road between sites passed quickly thanks to a steady stream of stories and jokes from Rafael. The long drive also featured a number of sightings of soaring Common Buzzards, the species that, according to legend, may have given the Azores their name. The story goes that the first Portuguese visitors to these islands took notice of the abundant raptors, but applied the wrong moniker to the archipelago after mistaking the birds for goshawks. Considering that a similar case of mistaken identity is responsible for us Americans referring to our Red-tails as hawks rather than buzzards, this potential origin myth seems plausible to me. In any case, the pastoral scenery of São Miguel certainly left a lasting impression. With much of the countryside dominated by agricultural plots and introduced flora, this volcanic island felt superficially similar in many ways to Hawaii, albeit with a distinctly European flavor. 

The natural history of the Azores, sadly, mirrors that of so many other island ecosystems around the world. In the wake of human colonization, modifications to the landscape resulted in a dramatic reduction, and in some cases outright loss, of the unique varieties of plants and animals that originally inhabited the archipelago. The native vegetation of the Azores is known as Macaronesian laurisilva, a type of evergreen cloud forest rich with laurels, junipers, and shrubs that grow as tall as trees. Initially found across the islands from sea level to the highest peaks, this distinctive habitat was intentionally cleared by the first settlers and subjected to intense competition from introduced plants. The indigenous woodlands were once home to several species of rails and a nearly flightless scops-owl, all of which went extinct shortly after the arrival of mankind. Today, the most famous bird within the diminished cast of surviving endemics is the Azores Bullfinch. Known to locals as the Priolo, this pleasingly plump songbird is found exclusively on the island of São Miguel, and even there only among the high eastern valleys that still hold tracts of intact laurisilva. In addition to the pressures of habitat destruction, this species also faced targeted persecution during the early 20th century, when it was viewed as a potential pest by the orange orchard business. Indeed, the bullfinch was believed lost for more than three decades prior to its official rediscovery in 1967. Intensive management efforts spearheaded by dedicated Azoreans managed to rescue the species from the brink of oblivion, eventually resulting in its downlisting from critically endangered to vulnerable. Despite the continuing risks associated with its small range and specialized habitat requirements, the Azores Bullfinch is now lauded as a conservation success story. I was eager to try my hand at searching for this iconic island endemic, especially since I knew that this might well be my only opportunity to do so!

If you want to see birds in the Azores, your best bet is to team up with esteemed local guide Gerby Michielsen. Given our limited window of time on São Miguel, my mother-in-law Laura took great pains to ensure that we would have a chance to seek out the bullfinch before we departed for our next destination. With just a few hours to spare before our flight to Terceira, Jacqi and I set out with Gerby to try our luck on the slopes of Pico de Vara. The early start, necessitated by our strict itinerary, ended up working out in our favor. Azores Bullfinches are typically most active in the morning hours, briefly descending from their laurisilva strongholds to forage along the roadsides at slightly lower elevations. With decades of experience under his belt, our seasoned host knew exactly where to begin our search. As soon as we stepped out of the van, I heard an unmistakable series of plaintive whistles ringing out across the valley. A few moments later, I spied an adorable gray and black finch fluttering down out of the trees a short distance away. We had the remarkable fortune to encounter multiple pairs of Priolos at close range, watching with awe as they bounced along the road together, calling softly while munching on flowers and seedheads. One extraordinary individual showed strikingly dilute pigmentation, with patchier, paler plumage and pastel pink feet. I had feared that our quest for these endearing endemics might take up much of our morning, so I was especially delighted to achieve such exceptional views right out of the gate!

Given our early victory with our primary objective, we decided to make full use of our unanticipated flex time by seeking out some bonus critters. I asked Gerby whether he knew of any reliable spots to look for Italian Crested Newts, an introduced species that represented one of the few herpetological lifers available to me on this trip. He happily obliged, ferrying us to the farm fields of Lagoa Seca just outside Furnas. We found a number of young newts slithering through the lingering patches of wet mud at this seasonal lagoon, as well as a number of Iberian Green Frogs, but the biggest surprise at this location turned out to be an unexpectedly familiar bird. As we approached the edge of a small pool, I was stunned by the sight of a dark-headed duck with brilliant yellow eyes staring back at me from the dense vegetation. We quickly realized that we were looking at a Ring-necked Duck, a North American species which is one of the more regular transatlantic visitors sought by visiting European birders. This individual was apparently a continuing bird, but according to Gerby it had last been reliably reported several months prior, so its ongoing presence was a bit of a shock. Moving on to Lagoa das Furnas, we wound up scoring a hat trick of vagrant waterbirds when I spotted a Pied-billed Grebe from across the lake and Gerby picked up an American Wigeon foraging along the shoreline near the parking lot. These, too, were known overwinterers that had gone missing for some time, but my guide was nevertheless quite amused that I had self-found two “Yanks” after traveling so far from home. With our departure time fast approaching and a wildly successful morning of birding under our belts, we finally started making our way back to the hotel. We thanked Gerby profusely for his expertise, guidance, and good humor, rejoining our family in Furnas just in time for checkout.

After one last drive with Rafael, we arrived at the Ponta Delgada airport with plenty of time to prepare for our interisland flight. The journey to Terceira took less than an hour, and once we secured our luggage we were introduced to our new guide, Tiago. Our lodgings for this leg of the trip were located in the scenic town of Angra do Heroísmo, and I quickly discovered that the grounds of our waterfront hotel presented some fantastic wildlife watching opportunities. Madeira Lizards, a species that colonized the Azores by hitching a ride on trade ships, could be readily seen scurrying around the gardens and rock walls near the pool, and I frequently spied Azores Noctules flitting about the property. After the sun set, I was thrilled to hear a chorus of bizarre howls and bleats floating down from the dark skies overhead. Eventually a few individuals passed closely enough for me to pick out the long-winged silhouettes of Cory’s Shearwaters gliding through the gloom. This species is the most abundant breeding seabird in the archipelago, with roughly three quarters of the entire global population nesting on the islands of the Azores. Even though I have come to know these oceanic wanderers quite well over the course of many years of pelagic expeditions, it is always a treat to experience a familiar species in an unfamiliar context. Listening to the haunting cries of shearwaters off my hotel balcony certainly qualified as an exciting new experience!

For our first full day on Terceira, Tiago led us an a whirlwind tour of all that the island had to offer. We kicked off the adventure by taking in the spectacular views of town from atop Monte Brasil, surrounded by the jubilant songs of countless chaffinches and canaries. Continuing northwards through the interior of the island, our guide made regular stops to share fun facts about local history, culture, and ecology at various points along the road. A brief pause for a photo op with some cooperative cattle even delivered an unexpected bird sighting when a pair of Common Snipe flushed from the grass and rocketed past our vehicle. Constant vigilance always pays off in the world of birding!

Taking note of the expansive farm fields similar to those of São Miguel, I asked Tiago about the state of remaining native habitat in this region. He proudly replied that Terceira was home to some of the best tracts of intact laurisilva in the entire archipelago, with a greater percentage of its overall landmass dedicated to native forest than any of the other islands. A quick detour brought us to the outskirts of one such patch of protected woodland, where I was able to study the signature endemic plants of the Azores up close. The broad-leafed Azores Laurel is the dominant, eponymous species in these groves of laurisilva, but I was perhaps most impressed by the towering stands of Azorean Heather, a tree-sized relative of the familiar shrubs found along the barrier beaches back home in New York. Fruiting plants included Faya Bayberry, Azores Blueberry, and Azorean Laurustinus, and we also encountered several gnarled specimens of Azores Junipers during our travels. Given that the swift success of our bullfinch quest on São Miguel had prevented me from fully exploring this unique ecosystem, this impromptu botany class presented a welcome redemption opportunity. Seeing this vanishingly scarce habitat with my own eyes helped to contextualize the complex natural history of the Azores and its wildlife, underscoring the need for ongoing conservation efforts to preserve those species that are still holding on. 

Midday found us in the town of Biscoitos, where we devoted some time to lounging shoreside amongst the jagged lava rocks of the outer coast. Exploring the craggy coves and tide pools proved surprisingly fruitful, producing a grab bag of notable fish including Ornate Wrasse, Rock-pool Blenny, and Thicklip Gray Mullet. We closed out our day with a bit of guided spelunking at Gruta do Natal, an impressive subterranean lava tube. Both the seaside pools and the extensive underground cave networks are results of the archipelago’s volcanic origins, highlighting the turbulent geological history that brought the Azores into existence several million years ago.

Our second and final day on Terceira saw us spending the morning birding with yet another local tour guide, Rui. Our route for this outing took us up the eastern coast of the island towards Praia da Vitória, one of the most celebrated migratory stopover sites in the Azores. Although our visit landed in the brief lull between northbound and southbound migration, we still managed to track down a number of noteworthy local breeders. Highlights included a small group of Roseate Terns nesting among their Common cousins on the rocky headlands, a handful of Kentish Plovers patrolling the sandy shoreline, and several surprisingly conspicuous Common Quails singing loudly from the overgrown pastures adjacent to a beach boardwalk. After a somewhat delayed lunch break, we raced back to our hotel to make our shuttle to the airport with Tiago. We said our farewells to the good people of Terceira, boarding the plane for a quick jump over to Faial to kick off the final leg of our vacation.

We arrived at the Faial airport rather late in the afternoon, connecting with Leandro for transportation to the port town of Horta, where our hotel was located. This picturesque harbor would serve as the base of operations for some of our most ambitious day trips, and like all of our lodgings on this vacation it turned out to be surprisingly productive for local wildlife. The biggest surprise at this site came while we were walking back from dinner late that first night, when I picked out a shrill screech repeatedly emanating from the trees up the hillside. Thanks to some hopeful preparatory homework in advance of our visit, I quickly recognized these nocturnal noises as the begging cries of a fledgling Long-eared Owl. The entire family was able to enjoy this unexpected auditory experience, and even though I was unable to secure a visual on the owlet I did briefly hear one of its parents hooting close by. In the Azores, Long-ears serve as the night shift counterparts of the local Common Buzzards, the only other resident species of raptor regularly found in the archipelago. I know from experience that owl encounters are never a guarantee, so I was particularly pleased to add this species to our trip list.

Our first expedition from Faial was a trip across the water to the island of Pico, home to the highest peak in all the Azores. The brief ferry crossing featured repeated close observations of Cory’s Shearwaters, including some impressive congregations of birds rafting together on the sea’s surface. Leandro enthusiastically guided us on a thorough circuit around the island, with points of interest ranging from bizarre rock formations to high elevation lakes to botanical gardens. We were also able to partake in an unscheduled wine tasting at one of the local vineyards, sipping a selection of vintages while watching the animated antics of Azores Noctules and Madeira Lizards. After spending much of the day shrouded in dense clouds, the high crest of Ponta do Pico finally emerged from hiding in the late afternoon. Our evening trip back over to Faial produced yet another surprise lifer in the form of a Smooth Hammerhead slicing through the waves just outside the harbor. Anticipation levels were running high as we settled down for bed that night. I knew that we only had one more full day of adventures to enjoy in the Azores, and the next morning held the promise of perhaps the greatest spectacle of our entire trip.

We headed down to the docks bright and early the next day to meet with the crew of Azores Experiences, one of the premiere whale watch outfits in the port of Horta. After meeting with Marta, the onboard naturalist, and Pedro, the skipper, we were treated to a detailed presentation on the marine life of the Azores. Over two dozen species of cetaceans have been documented in the waters surrounding these islands, ranging from the colossal Blue Whale to the diminutive Pygmy Sperm Whale. Even considering the incredibly good fortune that I have been lucky enough to enjoy throughout my years of whale watching experience, I knew that there were several tantalizing lifer possibilities on the table for this voyage. The most likely potential new species, and indeed the primary impetus for booking a cruise offshore, was the mighty Sperm Whale. These majestic marine mammals are considered an Azorean specialty, with pods of females and calves congregating in nearshore waters throughout the year. For as long as I have lived, I have dreamed of one day meeting Sperm Whales in the wild. This is a mythical creature of stunning superlatives: the largest toothed predator alive today and the owner of the planet’s largest brain, capable of producing a louder sound than any other animal while using echolocation to hunt squid in the shadows of the midnight zone. This species is perfectly adapted for deep dives, and this pelagic lifestyle makes them difficult to see in many parts of the world despite their cosmopolitan distribution. The absence of shallow shelf waters surrounding the Azores means that suitable foraging habitat can be found remarkably close to shore, making this archipelago one of the best places on Earth for reliable Sperm Whale viewing opportunities. The whale watching teams on these islands also employ a secret weapon that further increases their odds of success: a network of expert spotters stationed in specialized watchtowers called vigias. As Marta and Pedro were wrapping up their introductory narration, they received a report from the field confirming the presence of a group of whales off the northeastern coast of the island. The game was afoot!

With the safety briefing behind us, we eagerly boarded a rigid-hull inflatable boat and set out for the high seas. Within an hour of shoving off from the docks, I finally found myself face to face with the legendary leviathans themselves. We encountered more than half a dozen individual Sperm Whales over the course of the morning, including a small family tending to a young calf. Plunging to depths of more than half a mile beneath the surface and staying underwater for nearly an hour is a grueling physical challenge for even these champion divers, requiring the whales to spend a significant amount of time recharging on the surface in between hunts. Thanks to a singular, left-skewed blowhole, the spout of a Sperm Whale is strikingly distinctive from a great distance, which allowed us to easily keep tabs on multiple groups as we bobbed along on the waves. The team also deployed a homemade hydrophone, allowing us to tune into the distant symphony of clicks produced by these incredible predators as they prowled through the darkness far below our boat. Pedro was unfailingly committed to the established guidelines for ethical whale watching, constantly maneuvering the vessel to stay out of the direct path of the whales and providing them with plenty of personal space. Even so, these curious creatures were seemingly unable to resist coming over to check us out. The sound of a loud blow just off our stern caught us all off-guard, and we wheeled around to see a huge Sperm Whale swimming right past the back of the boat, a remarkable experience that we could not have set up even if we wanted to. Unexpected close encounters with wildlife are always best when they happen on the animal’s terms!

While the Sperm Whales were obviously the top-billed attraction of our whale watching expedition, they were hardly the only wildlife to be seen in the waters off Faial. We repeatedly cross paths with multiple large pods of friendly Atlantic Spotted Dolphins that came in to do a bit of bow-riding and cavorting around our vessel, often with flocks of Cory’s Shearwaters in close attendance. The seamless blue surface of the sea was occasionally broken up by the balloon-like form of a Portuguese Man-O’-War bobbing on the swells, and we were also surprised by a lone flyingfish that erupted from the water at close range, skimming across the waves alongside our boat at top speed for an impressively long distance. All too soon, it was time to start making our way back to port, but we were positively thrilled with the results of our brief offshore jaunt. Even after a lifetime of hype and high expectations building up to this encounter, my first experience with Sperm Whales still managed to leave me awestruck. The ocean is full of so many wonders, and I consider myself incredibly fortunate whenever I get the chance to spend some time in the realm of sea beasties.

Inspired by the illustrations on our beloved print of the Wild World map, I was determined to see as many of the plants and animals chosen to represent the Azores as I possibly could. Apart from the Yellowmouth Barracuda, a popular sport fish that we only saw on our dinner table, and the Azores Forget-me-not, a wildflower found only on the westernmost islands of Corvo and Flores, we had done remarkably well with the species bordering the archipelago on this piece of art by Anton Thomas. With Azores Bullfinch, Sperm Whale, Common Buzzard, Roseate Tern, and Azorean Heather already marked down on our trip list, there was only one more organism that we could still feasibly encounter before heading home: the Azores Bellflower. The sole representative of a unique endemic genus, this beautiful bloom inhabits ocean-facing cliffs and sea stacks throughout the chain of islands. To close out our time on Faial, Jacqi and I decided to take a leisurely stroll along the shore to a spot where the endangered plants were known to occur in the hopes of checking off our last remaining Azores icon. After some careful searching, we eventually located a small colony of bellflowers growing among some nautical debris atop a coastal cliff. Though none of the specimens we found were in bloom, their curious leaf structure made for a rather striking impression all the same. As much as I adore birding, I always appreciate the opportunity to refine my skills as a more generalized naturalist, and successfully tracking down a rare plant is a rewarding achievement in its own right.

When the sun finally set on our last day in the Azores, we begrudgingly made our way back to the hotel to prepare for a long flight across the Atlantic. I could not resist lingering on the balcony before turning in for the night, listening to the keening cries of the hungry young Long-eared Owl and watching squadrons of Cory’s Shearwaters wheeling overhead in the soft ambient light of the harbor. This peculiar pairing of species, both regular in North America but practically unheard of combination with one another, seemed to me a fitting send off for this remarkable wonderland in the middle of the ocean. The next morning saw us returning briefly to São Miguel before catching our international plane back home. A surprise last-minute upgrade to first class certainly helped to soothe the pain of departure at the end of an awesome adventure, but it was nevertheless something of a bittersweet affair. I looked back the islands through my window for as long as I could, watching as their volcanic peaks gradually disappeared into the vast expanse of blue behind us.

In the end, our trip was a wild success, providing countless unforgettable experiences with the wildlife, people, and landscapes of the Azores. With a quartet of new life birds, a bucket list marine mammal, an endemic bat, a handful of introduced herps, some stray fish, and a rich variety of unique plants on our trip list, I clearly managed to make the most of my limited time in this amazing Atlantic archipelago. I am especially grateful that I had the opportunity to explore this remarkable region with my family, and I am confident that the memories we made together on this trip will last a lifetime. No longer will my experience with the Azores be restricted to passing mentions in documentary films or birding rarity reports, for now I have walked their shores with my own feet and witnessed their treasures with my own eyes. From this day forward, these incredible islands, and all of their wonderful inhabitants, will always be a part of my life.