Wildlife on the Isle of Lewis

Despite the rugged landscape and sometimes hostile climate, wildlife on the Isle of Lewis is thriving. The balance between croft farming, fishing and the environment is complicated but a sustainable balance has been found with the island seeing an increase in species numbers.

Red deer

Red Deer can frequently be spotted roaming the rugged hills and moorlands across Lewis. This large deer species, with its distinctive antlers on the stags, tends to travel in herds. In the autumn months, the stags form a hareem and at this time it is more common to see the stag and females together. The Uig hills in the southwest support one of the island’s main populations. Red deer can also be seen in the North Harris hills and the Pairc District, which was historically managed as a deer park by the local estate.

Otters

Lewis is home to the European otter. Though shy and elusive, you may catch a glimpse of these sleek semi-aquatic mammals hunting for fish in lochs and coastal areas. They will often follow freshwater streams and rivers down to the lochs and shoreline where they will hunt for crabs, octopus and small fish. South Lochs in southeast Lewis provides one of the better otter viewing areas due to its lower human disturbance. The otters are easily disturbed and more likely to be found in remote areas with very little disturbance. However, there is always the chance of an unexpected encounter.

Mink

The introduction of the non-native American mink, which likely escaped from fur farms established in the 1950s and had feral populations documented on Lewis by 1969, posed a significant threat to many of the islands’ ground-nesting bird species across the Outer Hebrides. A project has been in place since 2001 to manage the population on Lewis to help protect ground-nesting birds. There are still a few on the island which are smaller but bolder than the native otters and can be seen from time to time

Coast and lochs

A wide variety of wading birds and shorebirds can be seen feeding along the coasts and lochs of Lewis. Species frequently encountered include the redshank, oystercatcher, curlew and dunlin probing the mudflats and shorelines with their long bills. The grassy machairs around beaches attract breeding lapwing that nest deep in the grasses and wildflowers. Loch Erisort in South Lochs hosts shelduck and red-breasted mergansers and greylag geese can be found across the southern part of Lewis. The more elusive red and black-throated divers breed on small inland lochs, fishing for trout. Both species are remarkable for their plumage and haunting calls that echo across the landscape.

Moorlands and peat bogs

The moorlands and peat bogs across the interior make ideal breeding habitats for ground-nesting birds. The distinctive piping call of the curlew rings out over the boggy interior. Well-camouflaged merlins can be seen hunting small meadow birds low over the vegetation. These small birds of prey are ground nesting and without predators including foxes on the island, their numbers are slowly increasing. Common buzzards are the island’s most frequently seen raptor soaring over the open moorland and are often mistaken for eagles.

Sea cliffs

Sea cliffs like those at Mangersta and Butt of Lewis support colonies of nesting seabirds like guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and cormorants. In the summer months, the cliffs can be home to thousands of birds which can be seen soaring on the thermals. In the autumn and winter, the cliffs fall silent and become a landscape exposed to the elements and the wild winter storms crash waves up the cliffs.

While the seabird colonies on Lewis are impressive, for larger colonies and seabirds on an unimaginable scale then the Shiant Islands and St Kilda are an essential trip. Both are remote and exposed and a visit is dependent on the weather. Despite numerous attempts, I am still to make it to either. If you do make it across you will find large colonies of puffins and on St Kilda, the world’s largest gannet colony.

Marine life

Finally, Lewis’ coastal waters are a haven for marine mammals and are part of the Hebridean Whale Trail. Grey and common seals bask on rocks and can sometimes be seen in Stornoway harbour following fishing boats. Offshore, boat tours may spot larger species like harbour porpoises, dolphins, and even various whale species passing through these nutrient-rich northern waters seasonally. The Shiant Isles and St. Kilda are among the best places for marine wildlife viewing trips along with the Minch. The Minch is the channel between mainland Scotland and Lewis and is one of the best areas in the UK for spotting marine life. Even during the ferry over you can spot dolphins and whales, so stay outside and make the most of the crossing.

Sheep

Writing about the wildlife in Lewis would not be complete without mentioning the sheep! While they are not wild they roam the hills in the north of Lewis and you will see them wandering across the road as if they own it. They are all owned by the crofters who farm the island and are kept into areas by the gates and cattle grids. As with other places, always make sure you leave gates as you find them and drive slowly especially at night to avoid hitting a sheep that may be in the road.

Wildflowers and Machair

The Isle of Lewis and Harris is one of the few places in the world where machair is found. This unique coastal habitat is found on western shores in the Outer Hebrides, Orkney, Inner Hebrides and the Irish coast. The coastal wildflower meadows that form the machair prefer the sandy soil that runs into the dunes. Through the unique croft farming techniques on the island, this coastal habitat is maintained. In May and June, the coast comes alive with beautiful flower meadows that contain clover, harebells, orchids and daisies as well as a range of other species.