Sagres Point and Cabo de São Vicente form a funnel for migratory birds crossing from Atlantic feeding grounds to winter quarters in Africa and the Mediterranean. In autumn (September to November) the seabirds — Cory's and Balearic shearwaters, sooty and great shearwaters, European storm petrels, skuas, gannets — pass in enormous numbers on westerly and northerly winds.
Birders from across Europe come specifically for this spectacle. The best position is at the fortress point or the lighthouse at São Vicente. Bring a telescope if you have one; binoculars are sufficient for the larger species. The spring migration is quieter but still impressive. Even in summer the rocky coastline hosts yellow-legged gulls, blue rock thrush, and peregrine falcons nesting in the cliffs.