Wildlife on Islay
Sea eagles, deer, wild otters and more. Islay is home to an array of wildlife, both on land and in the surrounding sea. Walk the coast or head out with Islay Sea Adventures and see what you can spot.
The Oa
One of two RSPB nature reserves on Islay, The Oa is home to many important breeding and wintering birds, The Oa is an ideal place to discover the wildlife that resides on Islay. Catch a glimpse of soaring golden eagles, grazing wild goats, wild otters, grey seals on the rocky shore and rare endangered choughs probing for food. You may even be able to do some whale watching.
Loch Gruinart
The second of Islay's RSPB reserves, Loch Gruinart is a reserve trail on the east coast of Islay. The route is a short walk-through woodland, opening out onto a viewing platform overlooking Loch Gruinart. A bird watchers paradise, Loch Gruinart is home to a variety of birds, but is also full of beautiful plants like sundews, Bog Asphodel and wild orchids. Take a picnic and find a spot along the path to stop and take in the scenery.
Golden eagles
Golden eagles can be see soaring above Islay, making the reserve here one of the best locations to visit whilst staying on Islay. From February into early spring, golden eagles are active in the sky displaying territorial flights. Later in the year they remain here, soaring over their home range or hunting for prey such as hares or geese.
Marine life
Islay is the ideal place to find observe grey seals in their natural habitat. If you’re patient enough, you may even spot some otters! The RSPB reserve in The Oa is a great place to spot larger marine life including humpback, orcas, minke whales and if you’re lucky you may even see dolphins playing in the waves. Learn more at The Hebridean Whale Trail.
Deer and stags
Islay is home to three species of deer – Roe, Fallow and Red. They can be very shy, but you may spot these majestic creatures throughout the island. If you’re an aspiring photographer and like to capture wildlife in your shots, this will be a fun challenge for you.
Barnacle geese
You can see a range of Hebridean birds and wildlife whilst staying on Islay. Most notably Greenland barnacle geese who migrate to the island in their thousands - anywhere from 35,000-60,000 or around 60%-70% of the world's population - for a milder winter.
From the blog
Meet wildlife photographer David Dinsley
To find out more about the wildlife on Islay, read our blog by Wildlife photographer David Dinsley, who tells us more about golden eagles, marine life and moorland habitats.