It really is an unmistakable bird but their call could easily be confused for geese! They are much more fun to watch then geese though, I think it is because they feed upside down.
They have become a regular sight for us now in Olhão, and whilst you won’t see flocks in their hundreds here you will see up to 50 at any one time around the saltpans. Larger flocks will be see in Ludo and Castro Marim, but for the really large numbers you need to head north to Lisbon and the Tagus Valley. They are seen year round, but their movements remain erratic so you are never too sure when they will appear.