Print pageStar species
Our star species are some of the most interesting birds you may see on your visit to the reserve.
Curlews are large, brown wading birds with very long, curved bills ideal for probing in the mud on the Hayle Estuary. | ) |
These dainty little white herons can be seen throughout the year here. You can see them fishing in the channels, stirring up fish fry from the muddy bottom with their feet. |  |
You can see oystercatchers at the Hayle Estuary at any time of year. They feed by probing their long, orange bills into the soft mud to find invertebrate food beneath the surface, or, as their name suggests, hammer open shellfish. |  |
Look for tiny teals among the wintering wildfowl on the lagoon in front of the hide and on the estuary. They gather here in large numbers to feed on seeds floating on the water. |  |
During winter, flocks of wigeons are a daily sight. Wintering birds arrive from early September and numbers build up to a peak, usually in January. |  |