Bird Watching

What it’s all about

About

About
Offaly really is a haven for birds and bird watchers alike. Some of the best opportunities for birders in Ireland can be found in the county and it’s increasingly becoming a go-to place for anyone hoping to spot some of the island’s iconic bird species.
The natural floodplain known as the Shannon Callows is world renowned for its birds and wildlife and has one of the largest concentrations of breeding waders in these islands with lapwing, redshank, curlew, sandpiper and godwit living there. Offaly’s other notable bird-spotting areas include the Lough Boora parklands/wetlands, Little Brosna (Ashton’s) Callows, the Slieve Bloom Mountains and Turraun Nature Reserve.

Explore
There are some great bird watching spots in Offaly and here are just a few of them. The grey partridge is one of Ireland’s most iconic native game and rarest birds and they can be seen at the grey partridge sanctuary adjacent to Lough Boora Discovery Park. This is the best place in the country to see the species. The Slieve Bloom Mountains are a designated Special Protection Area (SPA) for the rare bird life found there including the hen harrier and the red grouse.
The River Little Brosna Callows is one of the top ten spots to see wintering waterfowl in Ireland. Rare birds such as the Greenland white-fronted goose and black-tailed godwit attract avid bird watchers from around the country.