EVOA

The bird observatory of the Lezíria, near Vila Franca de Xira, among the wetlands of the Tagus.

In the wetlands of the Lezíria, near Vila Franca de Xira, the EVOA — Espaço de Visitação e Observação de Aves — opens the world of the birds of the Tagus to visitors. The reserve, created on the fields and marshes of the old Companhia das Lezírias estate, has observatories over the water where hundreds of species can be watched, from herons and waders to the flamingos and birds of prey that cross the estuary.

The reserve

The EVOA was created in the 2010s on the wetlands of the Lezíria, in the territory of the Companhia das Lezírias, one of the oldest agricultural estates of Portugal. Its hides and observatories look over the lagoons and the fields where the birds rest and feed, on the route between Europe and Africa; the visit — on foot and in the reserve’s vehicles — follows the cycles of the water and of the seasons, with the migration of the birds as the great spectacle of the year, and the reserve works on the conservation and study of the wetland habitats.

What to see

The birds of the Lezíria, from the hides and observatories.
The lagoons and marshes of the Tagus wetlands.
The migration seasons, in spring and autumn.
The landscapes of the Lezíria and its estates.

Visiting

The reserve lies near Vila Franca de Xira, around half an hour from Lisbon by road, and combines visits on foot with circuits in the reserve’s vehicles; the programmes, times and bookings are published by the EVOA. Binoculars are part of the experience, and the cool hours of the morning are the best for the observation of the birds.