The self-governing Island of Jersey sits in the Golfe of St Malo, off the west coast of Normandy, France.

Despite its relatively small size of 45 square miles, it has an excellent diversity of habitats from large bays which provide good feeding for shorebirds and geese, coastal cliffs, heathlands and dunes, to wetlands, marshes and wooded inland valleys. Its strategic position, mild winter climate and extremely wide tidal range act as a magnet to both migrating and wintering birds and to date, over 340 species have been recorded within the Bailiwick.

In addition to the Island itself, there are two main groups of offshore islets — Les Écréhous, five miles to the north-east and Les Minquiers, ten miles to the South. Both of these groups of rocks act as hosts to a variety of breeding, seabirds which include Shags, Great Cormorants, Common Terns and Great Black-backed Gulls.

Over 100 species of birds have been recorded as breeding in Jersey and these include some species which are scarce, or absent, as breeding birds on the mainland of the United Kingdom. Short-toed Treecreeper, Dartford Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, Nightjar, Roseate Tern and Cirl Bunting have all bred in recent years. Most recently, Little Egrets have colonised the main island as well as Les Écréhous.

Both Great White Egret and Cattle Egret are regular visitors and are likely to follow suit in the future. Red-billed Chough has been re-introduced and has an established breeding population, and Marsh Harriers breed widely on the Island including at St Ouen’s Pond. Peregrines have become re-established after a breeding absence of 40 years and Buzzards have become commonplace since their first breeding in the 1990s.



Spring and autumn can be very rewarding times to birdwatch in Jersey especially if the wind is in the east (or, as often happens, blowing a gale from the west!). Overshooting continental birds occur with species such as Hoopoe, Golden Oriole, Zitting Cisticola, Red-rumped Swallow and Serin among the species which may be seen annually.

Seabirds, feature strongly in the annual records. Apart from the breeding Northern Fulmars, Atlantic Puffins, Razorbills etc… there are good autumn passages (mainly October to December) of three species of divers, sea ducks and Little Gulls, amongst many others. Balearic Shearwaters visit the greater bay area to moult and can be seen between June and December, sometimes in thousands.

The recording of all the Island bird reports is undertaken by the Société Jersiaise and records can be telephoned, or sent via the e-mail, on the contacts page.

Last Updated July 2022