Belfast's Window on Wildlife

We're working hard to make our nature reserves safe and ready for our staff, visitors and wildlife. Many have now re-opened in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, although some facilities are not yet available. Some reserves remain closed for now. See our COVID-19 updates page for the latest information (link below).

Address: RSPB Belfast's Window on Wildlife, 100 Airport Rd W, Belfast BT3 9ED

Grid ref: NW500328

See our updates page to see which reserves are open.

Belfast's Window on Wildlife (WOW) is home to birds and wildlife from all over the world. There are more than 100 species of birds and other wildlife to be found here, from lapwings and terns to konik ponies. Trained staff and volunteers will help you tell a wigeon from a teal.

Plan your visit

Belfast WOW is open every day, except Tuesday, from 10am - 4pm (November - February) and 10am - 5pm (March - October).

Free entrance to RSPB members: Yes

Adults: £3

Children: £1.50
Free entrance for under 5s

Student: £2.00

Free entrance for carers: Yes

Car park cost: Free

Facilities

Visitor centre
Car park
Toilets
Accessible toilets
Refreshments
Viewing point
Educational facilities

Accessibility

Download full accessibility statement (PDF)

How to get here

By train

The nearest railway stations are Titanic Quarter and Holywood at 2 miles from the reserve.

By bus

The 26/26A bus service from City Hall to Holywood Exchange runs past the reserve (weekdays only, no service at weekends).

By bike

The Sustrans Comber Greenway terminates in the Titanic Quarter, near the reserve. There is also the Connswater Community Greenway cycle route at Victoria Park (access Airport Road West, via the Sam Thompson bridge).

By road

The reserve is located within Belfast Harbour Estate on Airport Road West. Two main entrances lead into the estate, signposted along the A2. (The Holywood Exchange entrance is closed on Sundays, so please use Dee Street entrance).

Sat nav POI file: If you have a satellite navigation system that can accept POI files, please see our POI page for a download link and instructions.

Get directions from Google Maps

RSPB reserves on Google Earth

We facilitate group visits ranging from talks to walks with the warden.

The Lagoon Room is ideal for meetings, interviews, training courses, launches and events such as film screenings, talks, classes or clubs. For more information, to arrange a visit or to book this room please call 028 9046 1458 or email belfast.lough@rspb.org.uk

Give your class a new learning experience, our carefully designed lesson plans will help primary school pupils explore science and geography while having fun exploring nature. Please contact us to arrange a visit on 028 9046 1458.

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Downloads

Helping you find your way around. PDF, 109Kb

Belfast WOW trail guide

Find out more. PDF, 303Kb

Lagoon Room Hire

Contact Belfast's Window on Wildlife

RSPB Belfast's Window on Wildlife, 100 Airport Rd W, Belfast BT3 9ED
belfast.lough@rspb.org.uk
028 9046 1458

What will you see?

Our star species

Black-tailed godwit

Flocks of black-tailed godwits can be seen on the lagoon in spring and autumn.

Common tern

Watch common terns raising their young on the lagoon in spring and summer.

Lapwing

Lapwings gather in impressive flocks on the lagoon.

Teal

Look for tiny teals among the wintering wildfowl on the lagoon.

Wigeon

You can watch large flocks grazing on vegetation here from autumn until spring.

Nature spectacles

Flocks of black-tailed godwits can be seen on the lagoon. In spring - when they rest and feed here before heading north to Iceland to breed - they are resplendent in their 'tomato soup-red' breeding attire. On their return in autumn, you can pick out the scaly-backed juvenile birds if you look closely.
Watch common terns raising their young on the lagoon in spring and summer. The hides and observation room provide a great opportunity to watch their fascinating courtship and the chicks growing up.
Lapwings gather in impressive flocks on the lagoon. They 'tumble down' to land in a wheeling mass, flashing black one moment and white the next.
Look for tiny teals among the wintering wildfowl on the lagoon. They gather here in large numbers to feed on seeds floating on the water.
Wigeons arrive at Belfast WOW in autumn. You can watch large flocks grazing on vegetation here until the following spring when they depart for northern Europe to breed.

At this time of the year you can see migrant flocks of black-tailed godwits, breeding moorhens, coots and mallards.

Over summer, colonies of breeding common and Arctic terns are easily seen from the hides and observation room.

Migrant flocks of black-tailed godwits, oystercatchers, redshanks, dunlins and curlews gather in autumn.

You will be able to see wintering wildfowl, including teals and wigeons.

About Belfast's Window on Wildlife

Habitat

Belfast Lough Reserve is made up of four sites, Belfast’s Window on Wildlife, Harbour Meadows, Holywood Banks and Whitehouse Lagoon, all of which are special places for nature. We work hard to maintain or improve them to provide homes for some locally and globally threatened species.

Holywood Banks is one of the last remaining mudflats of the many which once surrounded Belfast Lough. The mudflats are an important habitat for migrating birds like curlew and oystercatcher which stop here to feed on the long journeys to and from their northern breeding grounds.

Harbour Meadows is a mosaic of habitats supporting a vast array of bird, insect and plant species. The dry grassland is important for pollinators such as several species of butterfly and bumblebee.

Conservation

We manage the lagoon at Belfast WOW for wintering waders and wildfowl, including redshanks, oystercatchers and wigeons. Our work includes maintaining water levels, mowing grassland and cutting back invasive plants. We also manage the nearby mudflats at Whitehouse Lagoon and Holywood Banks for wintering wildfowl and waders and working to safeguard both from illegal bait digging and fly-tipping. When the tide goes out Whitehouse Lagoon becomes crowded with wading birds like black-tailed godwits, as they probe the mud in search of food. When the tide comes in many of the birds move across the lough to Belfast WOW.

The lagoon at Belfast WOW is carefully managed to create the right habitat for all the species that make their homes here. Artificial islands give common and Arctic terns a safe place to breed. By managing the reed bed we encourage lots of insects which are a food source for species like the sedge warbler, which migrates from Africa in the summer. Our resident konik ponies graze the reserve, creating ideal conditions for wintering wildfowl and ground-nesting birds like lapwings.

Partners

Our supporters are:

Northern Ireland Environment Agency
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Biffa Award

The Belfast Window on Wildlife project was made possible with support from:

European Regional Development Fund administered by Tourism NI
Heritage Lottery Fund
Belfast Harbour Commissioners
Alpha Programme administered and managed by Groundwork NI

Site information

Belfast WOW has two hides which offer great views of nature, constructed from shipping containers to tie in with their natural surroundings. The reserve also boasts a sand martin bank and swift tower.

In order to avoid unnecessary disturbance the Harbour Meadows site is only open to the public on designated event days throughout the year. However, Harbour Meadows will be open to the public for guided walks with the warden in 2018.

What people are saying about Belfast's Window on Wildlife

Belfast's BEST KEPT SECRET. Everything about my short visits was fantastic. The staff (all 4 of them, I was there at the lunchtime change over) were most helpful and engaging, answering all my silly questions. I will be back in the near future to this super centre. 100% Again. Thank you very much.

Graham McCoubrey

Accidentally came across the Harbour lagoon and were really pleased with the warm welcome at the RSPB center, and with the proximity and variety of the birds on the lagoon (godwits, teals and a buzzard). Thank you!

Anna and Gleb Gribakin

What a fabulous facility so close to the heart of the city. Thank you for the warm welcome and the coffee

Dr Marty Holland

Activities and events

Activities for children and families

There are lots of events throughout the year suitable for all ages. In the visitor centre there is a small kids’ corner to keep little ones entertained and interpretation for them to enjoy.

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Belfast's Window on Wildlife