Fauna and Flora of the Azores
The name Azores, it is believed to be given after the first sailors saw the common buzzards and had mistaken it with the goshawk. The common buzzard is the symbol on the Azorean flag.
Because of its location in the center of the Atlantic Ocean, the Azores are chosen by many types of birds as a place to stop and rest, as well as for breeding, to which we refer to them as Migratory birds.
On São Miguel Island, it is important to mention the existence of the Azorean Bullfinch (Pyrrhula Murina), a native species of the Azores, which in the past was close to extinction. Even nowadays, it is considered in danger, with a population of 500 to 800 couples. This species inhabits the Nordeste and Povoação area, on the mountains. Its biggest threat is the degradation of its natural habitat by the presence and advance of different exotic species of plants, such as the ginger lily.
In the Azores, it is also possible to find other type of birds such as the Corey’s shearwater, Azorean grey wagtail, Cliff Pigeon, European Robin, Black Bird, Azorean Chaffinch etc… As for land animals we do not have any snakes or dangerous animals, but we do have hedgehogs, rats, ferrets, and wild rabbits. The bat of the Azores is the only native mammal that you can find in land.
The Azores belong to the Macaronesia area, containing a huge number of endemic species of each Island. And so it is important to mention:
Azores blueberry’s, English holly, Azores Laurel, Erica Azorica, Cedar, etc. Also a few species with flowers were introduced on the island that give a beautiful charm during Spring, we have hydrangeas, azaleas and camellias. On the sides of the roads it is also possible to find the ginger lily, an invasive plant that in August gives a beautiful yellow flower.
Last but not least, the Cryptomeria Japonica and Acacia, introduced on the island, and we can appreciate their big size, reaching 70 meters high and 4 meters of width.