Wildlife
The Isles of Scilly wildlife makes for a special experience whatever time of year you visit the islands. From birds to sharks and shrews to seals, the Isles of Scilly is home to an abundance of wildlife for you to observe.
It is impossible not to be struck by the number of common birds on the islands. House sparrows, song thrushes, starlings, blackbirds, chaffinches and robins are not only numerous across the Isles, but also incredibly tame.
Rarer birds are frequent visitors to the islands making the Scilly Isles a natural location for bird watchers.
The Scillies are not home to many land mammals; however, the lesser white-toothed shrew (sometimes known as the ‘Scilly shrew’), can be found around the strandlines on the Islands’ beaches despite its absence in mainland Britain.
At sea, grey seals can be found around the Islands anytime of year. They will be seen ‘bottling’ in the sea just about anywhere you turn and the boatmen will happily take you out to see them hauled out on rocks in their favoured locations.
Lucky visitors on a boat trip have been known to spot dolphins and porpoises throughout the year and in summer months it is not uncommon to see basking sharks just beneath the surface. (In fact watch out for them from the helicopter on the way to and from the islands as their proximity to the surface makes them easy to spot).
Get closer to the wildlife on Scilly, hop on board a British International flight into Tresco or St.Mary’s.
