At Casa Prema, the land itself is alive. In partnership with SPEA (Sociedade Portuguesa para Estudos das Aves), Casa Prema has become part of a national conservation project to create protected habitats for endangered and native bird species across Portugal.

The project brings together private landowners to form a growing green corridor of biodiversity. Casa Prema was selected as one of 80 initial properties, ranging from small farms to large estates, to participate in this 10-year study and restoration effort.

SPEA conducts seasonal studies throughout the year, carefully recording which species live and migrate through the land during spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Based on these studies, they propose and guide actions to improve the habitat: planting trees and shrubs, adding flowers, creating small water sources, and building nesting shelters. Every step supports the birds’ ability to nest, breed, and thrive.

The first study, supported by early donors, identified 39 species living at Casa Prema. This includes:

Species recorded at Casa Prema

Quail (Codornix coturnix), Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus), Collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto), Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), Common buzzard (Buteo buteo), Little owl (Athene noctua), European bee-eater (Merops apiaster), Hoopoe (Upupa epops), Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), Carrion crow (Corvus corone), Raven (Corvus corax), Crested tit (Lophophanes cristatus), Blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), Great tit (Parus major), Thekla’s lark (Galerida theklae), Crested lark (Galerida cristata), Zitting cisticola (Cisticola juncidis), Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica), House martin (Delichon urbicum), Red-rumped swallow (Cecropis rufula), Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), Sardinian warbler (Curruca melanocephala), Short-toed treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla), Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), Spotless starling (Sturnus unicolor), Song thrush (Turdus philomelos), Blackbird (Turdus merula), Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos), Black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros), Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola), House sparrow (Passer domesticus), Meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis), Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), European greenfinch (Chloris chloris), Linnet (Linaria cannabina), European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), Serin (Serinus serinus), Corn bunting (Emberiza calandra).

This is just the beginning. Over the next decade, this partnership will continue to restore and protect the ecosystem, ensuring that Casa Prema remains not only a sanctuary for people, but also for the wild beings who share this land.