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. In spring, you can hear their gorgeous, 'bubbling' song. | ) |
Watch the nesting lapwings here chasing predators that may come too close to their nests or show too much of an interest in their chicks. The protective parents regularly give chase to crows and do not stop their 'mobbing' attacks until the danger has passed. |  |
Keep an eye out for the redshanks' towering display flights over the wet meadows in spring. They are sometimes known as 'the sentinel of the marshes' for their noisy habit of drawing attention to predators. |  |
These cryptically-coloured waders can be seen here all year-round, with the greatest numbers in spring. Look for them probing their long beaks into the soft ground and around the edges of the lochans. |  |
Up to 100 whooper swans arrive here in October from Iceland, where they spend the summer, and stay until early April. |  |