Local Accommodation for Birds at Belmar Resort

A new adventure starts now at Belmar Resort!

The Belmar Spa & Beach Resort will be the stage for a pioneering project by Vita Nativa with operations throughout the Algarve region.

Birds living in a resort? It may sound a little strange, but it's an excellent initiative aimed at promoting the diversity of birdlife in the Algarve. And who doesn't like seeing birds of all colours and sizes freely flying over the skies of a resort during their holidays? That will be the great goal of this project that won the participatory budget in 2018.
Now, outside the Belmar Resort, you will find several nest boxes scattered in locations suitable for nesting birds. There are twelve local accommodations for birds in the form of nest boxes so that the birds can make them their permanent home, and with some hope, they can breed here. There are two models suitable for the sizes of each species, small and medium-size.

What are the most awaited species in the Local Accommodation for birds? The most awaited species in the twelve Local Lodges installed in the Belmar Resort are the Royal Tit, the Blue Tit, the Starling and the Hoopoe. All these species regularly inhabit the Algarve, so one of these individuals will likely occupy the nest boxes. There is a possibility that other species also nest in these wooden birdhouses.

Want to meet with the future tenants of Belmar Resort?

Royal Tit (Parus Major) - It is a bird of small wingspan, despite being the largest in the Tits species. Its feathers boast exotic colours such as white, yellow, black and greenish-grey. It has a white mask around the eyes and a black stripe that runs from the throat to the abdomen, being the male's wider than the female. The wings have a shiny grey-green aspect, and the underparts are yellowish. The Royal Tit is found throughout Portugal and can be seen all the year.

Blue Tit (Cyanistes Caeruleus) - Like the other Royal Tit, the Blue Tit is one of the most colourful birds in our fauna and also one of the most adventurous, as it likes to fly close to humans without showing any fear. The plumage tones of this bird divide by the small body. On the head, this Blue Tit has a hat-like mark in bright blue, a black stripe around the eyes, white cheeks, yellow breast and abdomen and a bluish-grey back. This bird has a fast and frantic flight, so it may be hard to analyse the beauty of this tiny bird's feathers. It can be seen throughout Portugal in wooded areas such as city gardens.

Starling (Sturnus Unicolor) - This is one of the birds most often found in human environments and can easily be confused with the Blackbird. It has entirely black plumage and a yellowish beak, just like the Blackbird. How can you identify it? This bird has a shorter tail, a straighter posture, pinkish legs and a smaller and brighter body. It can be seen all the year, throughout Portugal and in summer, they walk in flocks of dozens or hundreds of individuals.
Hoopoe (Upupa Epops) - The Hoopoe is easily recognisable by the cluster of feathers on the top of its head. The wings of this bird have black and white stripes, and light brown feathers cover the rest of the body. It can be found throughout the country, even in sparsely wooded areas. They can remain all year round in the Algarve region as they prefer the mild climate.

• The last two species described have medium-sized nest boxes waiting for them at the Belmar Resort.

Where can I find Local Accommodation for birds in Belmar? The twelve nest boxes are scattered throughout the gardens and paths of Belmar. Next to reception, you can discover four nest boxes, in the first car park, next to the entrance, another one and at the access to Porto Mós beach, another four nest boxes strategically placed suspended in the trees. The boxes are at a considerable height so that the birds have no fear of approaching the nest boxes when we humans are around. You must keep the noise as low as possible near these birdhouses if you wish to observe the species that will soon inhabit our gardens.

Why place nest boxes in Belmar? Vita Nativa has been developing promotion work and more direct contact with society concerning the birds. By placing these nest boxes, which they creatively call Local Accommodation for Birds, they optimise the fixation of birds in urban environments, and they naturally control biological pests. One such pest, the most common during the winter months and early spring, is the well-known pine caterpillar - Thaumetopoea pityocampa. One of the predators of this caterpillar, is the tit that feeds on insects, but also fruit and seeds. This is a controlled way that does not use toxic products to combat the plague of the processionary caterpillars. These apparently harmless caterpillars can cause hives, allergic reactions in the skin, eyes and respiratory system in humans and more severe reactions in domestic animals.

The Belmar resort is located in a privileged area and surrounded by nature in its gardens. The surrounding area, also graced by natural spaces, invites these bird species to nest in the same place where our guests spend their holidays.

The Belmar Spa & Beach Resort has joined the Vita Nativa nature conservation project because we believe that this is an educational project that promotes the natural heritage of the Algarve region. Ecotourism can and should be present in urban environments, and there is a commonality between city spaces and birdlife. Discover the most natural side of the Algarve through its birds in Belmar Resort.