Madeira birdwatching
Madeira Butterflies
· Updated 30 September 2025
Madeira, as an island, has a distinct habitat from other mainland continents and the butterflies that survived to a long distance migration or were transported somehow sometimes colonised the island. When adapting to their new habitat, species usually develop some skills or characteristics that distinguish them from their European, African or even American relatives. But the introduction of other butterfly species might threaten the native butterflies, as the case of Madeiran Large White Pieris brassicae wollastoni that is now probably extinct after the introduction, in the mid-seventies, of the congeneric Small White Pieris rapae (Aguiar & Karsholt, 2006) and as it is probably the case of the Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria, a widespread species in Europe which colonized the island in the 1970s and is now possibly threatening the Madeiran Speckled Wood Pararge xiphia (Jones & Lace 2008).
Below is the checklist of butterflies of Madeira archipelago with a total of 17 species with confirmed records to Madeira archipelago, from which 5 are endemic species or subspecies to Madeira, and 1 species is endemic to Macaronesia region (underlined on the list below).
PIERIDAE
- Madeiran Large White Pieris brassicae wollastoni - thought to be extinct
- Small White Pieris rapae
- Clouded Yellow Colias croceus
- Pale Clouded Yellow Colias hyale - Unconfirmed record
- Madeiran Cleopatra Gonepteryx maderensis
- African Migrant Catopsilia florella
LYCAENIDAE
- Madeiran Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas phlaeoides
- Long-tailed Blue Lampides boeticus
- Geranium bronze Cacyreus marshalli - Unconfirmed record
- Lang's Short-tailed Blue Leptotes pirithous
NYMPHALIDAE
- Queen of Spain Fritillary Issoria lathonia
- Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
- Macaronesian Red Admiral Vanessa vulcania
- Painted Lady Vanessa cardui
- Danaid Eggfly or Diadem or False Plain Tiger Hypolimnas misippus
- Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
- Madeiran Speckled Wood Pararge xiphia
- Madeiran Grayling Hipparchia maderensis
- Monarch or Milkweed Danaus plexippus
Some of these species, depending on the season and weather, may be observed on a Half-day birdwatching tour as several habitats are visited and the naturalists tour leaders will not only look at birds but also butterflies and dragonflies.