The Small Isles have 4 out of Scotland's Big 5!

The Small isles are one of the best places to spot most of Scotland's top species: Red Deer, Seals, Otters and the Golden Eagle which are 4 of  Scotland's Big 5. Only the Red Squirrel is missing and chances are that you will be able to see it on your way to the Small Isles.

Top of the list is the Golden Eagle, the feathered superstar of the Scottish Highlands. Eigg's Golden Eagles are one of 440 breeding pairs in Scotland. The Golden Eagle as well as the White Tail sea-eagle can also be seen on Canna and Rum.

Common Seals are abundant around Eigg and Muck and can easily be seen basking on the skerries or peering out of the water with their large dark eyes and their whiskery muzzles. Grey Seals also live off Eigg's northern coast on Talm island.

Otters inhabit each of the Small Isles. Dog otters have even been seen swinming between Rum and Eigg!  These playful and sleek hunters can be spied crushing crabs or fish in their powerful jaws, their tracks often found on the Small Isles' sandy beaches.

Rum is the Red Deer kingdom, where each autumn, the rut brings roaring contenders for the title of monarch of the glen in the imposing landscape of the Rum Cuillins. Autumn Watch enthusiasts can observe these magnificent anmals in their own environment from the safety of the Kilmory Deer hide. And as the deer on Rum have been studied since 1953, one of the longest vertegbrates's studies in the world, the Red Deer Project researchers can offer a unique insight in their lives which are known in extraordinary detail!  

But the Small Isles have much more than the Big 5. They have a truly astonishing wealth of wildlife which local rangers will only be too happy to help you discover.

Bird-watching

Bird-watching

With hundreds of bird species recorded in the Small Isles, the islands are a bird-watcher's paradise. Canna's cliffs have the largest amount of sea-bird species whilst Eigg has the largest population of song-birds, due to its extensive woodland cover. The rare corncrake now comes back each year to nest in Muck's abundant hay fields, whilst Rum's Shearwater large colonies are unique in the UK.

Each spring and autumn sees the return of migrant geese, waders and various passerines, with at times real rarities such as Leach Petrel, Quail, Pomarine Skua, Glaucous and Iceland Gull, Black Tern, Little Auk, Subalpine Warbler, Red Breasted Flycatcher, Arctic Redpoll, Common Rosefinch, Black Headed Bunting and latterly Black Ibis!

• Canna:176 Species recorded
• Rum 205 Species recorded
• Eigg 208 Species recorded
• Muck 120 Species recorded

See the http://www.visitsmallisles.com/si/small-isles/ornithology/ page for more details of the Small Isles species

Botany

Botany

The Small Isles have a rich and varied plant life. Spring and summer turn the islands into a real botanical heaven, with over 500 plant species, grasses and ferns. Included in these are at least 20 national rarities, amongst which are insect-eating Sundew, alpines such as the Purple and Yellow Saxifrages and artic species such as Arctic Sandwort.

Naturalists have been called Eigg ‘the Isle of Flowers’ and Canna, 'the Garden of the Hebrides' on account of the 300 flowering species present there.

Spring brings Celandine, Bluebells and Yellow Flag irises to all four islands whilst on Eigg and Rum the pungent Ramsom or wild garlic will delight wild food foragers. 

Twelve species of Orchids grow on the islands, dappling the grassland throughout the summer months, including the often abundant Heath Spotted, Fragrant and Northern Marsh Orchids. Scarcer species are the Great Butterfly, Small White and Frog Orchid.

Ferns include species such as Rusty Bark, Adderstongue and the odd-looking Moonwort.

With hundreds of species to see and smell, there is something for everyone, from the amateur to the keen botanist.

Plant lists

Plant lists

 

Isle of Eigg Plant List (2011)
Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum)	Wilson’s Filmy Fern (Hymenophyllum wilsonii)
Lemon Scented Fern (Oreopteris limbosperma)	Beech Fern (Phegopteris connectilis)
Oak Fern (Gymnocarpium dryopteris)	Adder’s Tongue (Ophioglossum vulgatum)
Small Adderstongue (O. azoricum)	Moonwort (Botrychium lunaria)
Hart’s Tongue (Phyllitis scolopendrium)	Sea Spleenwort (Asplenium marinum)
Maidenhair Spleenwort (A. trichomanes)	Wall Rue (A. ruta-muraria)
Black Spleenwort (A. adiantum-nigrum)	Rustyback Fern (Ceterach offinarum)
Brittle Bladder Fern (Cystopteris fragilis)	Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina)
Male Fern (Dryopteris filix-mas)	Mountain Male Fern (D. oreades)
Scaly Male Fern (D. affinis)	Broad Buckler Fern (D. dilatata)
Narrow Buckler Fern (D. carthusiana)	Northern Buckler Fern (D. expansa)
Hard Shield Fern (Polystichum aculeatum)	Common Polypody (Polypodium vulgare)
Hard Fern (Blechnum spicant)	Field Horsetail (Equisetum arvense)
Water Horsetail (E. fluviatile)	Marsh Horsetail (E. palustre)
Wood Horsetail (E. sylvaticum)	Shade Horsetail (E. pratense)
Fir Clubmoss (Huperzia selago)	Stag’s Horn Clubmoss (Lycopodium clavatum)
Lesser Clubmoss (Selaginella selaginoides)	Alpine Clubmoss (Diphasiastrum alpinum)
Quillwort (Isoetes lacustris)	Alpine Meadow-rue (Thalictrum alpinum)
Lesser Meadow-rue (T. minus)	Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris) E
Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa)	Ivy Leaved Crowfoot (Ranunculus hederaceus)
Lesser Spearwort (R. flammula)	Lesser Spearwort (R. scoticus)
Meadow Buttercup (R. acris)	Creeping Buttercup (R. repens)
Lesser Celandine (R. ficaria)	Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris)
Globe Flower (Trollius europaeus)	Yellow Corydalis (Corydalis lutea) E
Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis) *1930	Wall Fumitory (F. bastardii)
Welsh Poppy (Meconopsis cambrica)	Long Smooth Headed Poppy (Papaver dubium)
Watercress (Nasturtium aquaticum)	Rape (Brassica napus)
Wild Turnip (B. rapa)	Charlock (Sinapsis arvensis)
Common Wintercress (Barbarea vulgaris)	Lady’s Smock (Cardamine pratensis)
Hairy Bittercress (C. hirsuta)	Wavy Bittercress (C. flexuosa)
Thale Cress (Arabidopsis thaliana)	Hairy Rockcress (Arabis hirsuta)
Twisted Whitlow-grass (Draba incana)	Sea Rocket (Cakile maritima)
Scurvy Grass (Cochlearia officinalis)	Northern Scurvy Grass (C. scotia)
Stalked Scurvy Grass (C. danila)	Shepherd’s Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)
Downy Pepperwort (Lepidium heterophyllum)	Common Milkwort (Polygala vulgaris)
Heath Milkwort (P. serpyllifolia)	Common Dog Violet (Viola riviniana)
Bog Violet (V. palustris)	Wild Pansy (V. tricolor)
Field Pansy (V. arvensis) *1947	Sea Campion (Silene maritima)
Moss Campion (S. acaulis)	Red Campion (S. dioica)
Ragged Robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi)	Three Veined Sandwort (Moehringia trinervia)
Sea Sandwort (Honkenya peploides)	Arctic Sandwort (Arenaria norvegica)
Thyme Leaved Sandwort (A. serpyllifolia)	Slender Sandwort (A. leptoclados)
Common Mouse-ear (Cerastium fontanum)	Clustered Mouse-ear (C. glomeratum)
Dark Green Chickweed (C. diffisum)	Chickweed (Stellaria media)
Greater Stitchwort (S. holostea)	Lesser Stitchwort (S. graminea)
Bog Stitchwort (S. alsine)	Procumbent Pearlwort (Sagina procumbens)
Ciliate Pearlwort (S. apetala)	Heath Pearlwort (S. subulata)
Knotted Pearlwort (S. nodosa)	Corn Spurrey (Spergula arvensis)
Greater Sea Spurrey (Spergularia media)	Sand Spurrey (S. rubra)
Tutsan (Hypericum androsaemum)	Perforate St john’s Wort (H. perforatum)
Square Stalked St John’s Wort (H. tetrapterum)	Creeping St John’s Wort (H. humifusum)
Slender St John’s Wort (H. pulchrum)	Daffodil (Narcissus agg) E
White Flax (Linum catharticum)	Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)
Meadow Cranesbill (G.pratense) E	Dovesfoot Cranesbill (G. molle)
Cut-leaved Cranesbill (G. dissectum)	Sun Spurge (Euphorbia helioscopia)
Wood Sorrel (Oxalis ascetosella)	Holly (Ilex aquifolium)
Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus)	Field Maple (A. campestre) E
Gorse (Ulex europaeus)	Laburnum (Laburnum anagyroides) E
Black Medick (Medicago lupulina)	Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
Zigzag Clover (T. medium)	White Clover (T. repens)
Lesser Yellow Trefoil (T. dubium)	Hop Trefoil (T. campestre)
Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria)	Bird’s Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
Greater Bird’s Foot Trefoil (L. pedunculatus)	Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca)
Bush Vetch (V. sepium)	Wood Vetch (V. sylvatica)
Common Vetch (V. angustifolia)	Spring Vetch (V. lathyroides)
Meadow Vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis)	Bitter Vetchling (L. montanus)
Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)	Wild Cherry (P. avium)
Bird Cherry (P. padus)	Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
Common Agrimony (Agrimony eupatoria)	Parsley Piert (Aphanes arvensis)
Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla glabra)	Lady’s Mantle (A. xanthochlora)
Lady’s Mantle (A. vestita)	Marsh Cinquefoil (Potentilla palustris)
Barren Strawberry (P. sterilis)	Silverweed (P. anserina)
Tormentil (P.erecta)	Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)
Raspberry (Rubus idaeus)	Stone Bramble (R. saxatillis)
Bramble (R. fruiticocus)	Mountain Aven (Dryas octopetala)
Wood Aven (Geum urbanum)	Water Aven (G. rivale)
Wood and Water Aven Hybrid	Burnet Rose (Rosa pimpinellifolia)
Downy Rose (R. tormentosa)	Dog Rose (R. canina)
Small Leaved Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster microphylla) E	Himalayan Cotoneaster (C. simonsii) E
Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)	Whitebeam (S. aria)
Crab Apple (Malus sylvestris)	Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
Yellow Saxifrage (Saxifraga aizoides)	Starry Saxifrage (S. stellaris)
Mossy Saxifrage (S. hypnoides)	Purple Saxifrage (S. oppositifolia)
Opposite Leaved Golden Saxifrage	(Chrysoplenium oppositifolium)
Redcurrant (Ribes sylvestre)	Gooseberry (R. uva-crispa)
Grass of Parnassus (Parnassia palustris)	Roseroot (Sedum rosea)
English Stonecrop (S. anglicum)	Biting Stonecrop (S. acre)
Common Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)	Great Sundew (D. anglica)
Long Leaved Sundew (D. intermedia)	Alternate Water Milfoil (Myriophyllum alteniflorum)
Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)	Rosebay Willowherb (Epilobium angustifolium)
Broad Leaved Willowherb (E. montanum)	Hairy Willowherb (E. paruiflorum)
Bog Willowherb (E.palustre)	Short Fruited Willowherb (E. obscurum)
Chickweed Willowherb (E. alsinifolium)	Alpine Willowherb (E. anagallidifolium)
New Zealand Willowherb (E. nerterioides)	Enchanter’s Nightshade (Circaea lutetiana)
Enchanter’s Nightshade (C. intermedia)	Marsh Pennywort (Hydrocotyle vulgaris)
Sanicle (Sanicula europaea)	Pignut (Conopodium majus)
Ground Elder (Aegopodium podagraria)	Hemlock Water Dropwort (Oenanthe crocata)
Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris)	Scots Lovage (Ligusticum scoticum)
Wild Angelica (Angelica sylvestris)	Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium)
Wild Carrot (Daucus carota)	Ivy (Hedera helix)
Elder (Sambucus nigra)	Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum)
Bindweed (Calystegia sepium)	Lady’s Bedstraw (Galium verum)
Heath Bedstraw (G. saxatile)	Marsh Bedstraw (G. palustre)
Northern Bedstraw (G. boreale)	Woodruff (G. odoratum)
Cleavers (G. aparine)	Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)
Lamb’s Lettuce (Valerianella locusta)	Devil’s Bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis)
Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum)	Golden Rod (Solidago virgaurea)
Daisy (Bellis perennis)	Scentless Mayweed
(Tripleurospermum maritimum)	Pineapple Mayweed (Matricaria matricarioides)
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)	Mountain Everlasting (Antennaria dioica)
Marsh Cudweed (Gnaphalium uliginosum)	Heath Cudweed (G. sylvaticum)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)	Sneezewort (A. ptarmica)
Corn Marigold (Chrysanthemum segetum)	Ox-eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)	Butterbur (Petasites hybridus)
Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris)	Sticky Groundsel (S. viscosus)
Ragwort (S. jacobaea)	Marsh Ragwort (S. aquaticus)
Carline Thistle (Carlina vulgaris)	Lesser Burdock (Arctium minus)
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)	Spear Thistle (Cirsium vulgare)
Marsh Thistle (C. palustre)	Melancholy Thistle (C. heterophyllum)
Creeping Thistle (C. arvense)	Knapweed (Centaurea nigra)
Perennial Sow Thistle (Sonchus arvensis)	Prickly Sow Thistle (S. asper)
Nipplewort (Lapsana communis)	Common Cat’s Ear (Hypochoeris radicata)
Rough Hawkbit (Leontodon hispidus) *1975	Hawkweed (Hieracium anglicum)
Hawkweed (H. vulgatum)	Hawkweed (H. pseudosterstoenie)
Hawkweed (H. lingulatum)	Leafy Hawkweed (H. umbellatum)
Mouse-ear Hawkweed (H. pilosella)	Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Smooth Hawksbeard (Crepis capillaris)	Smooth Hawkbit (Leontodon autumnalis)
Water Lobellia (Lobelia dortmanna)	Creeping Bell Flower (Campanula rapunculoides)
Harebell (C. rotundifolia)	Ling (Caluna vulgaris)
Cross-leaved Heath (Erica tetralix)	Bell Heather (E. cinerea)
Crowberry (Empetrum nigrum)	Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)
Cowberry (V. vitis-idaea)	Rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum) E
Thrift (Armeria maritima)	Primrose (Primula vulgaris)
Yellow Pimpernel (Lysmachia nemorum)	Sea Milkwort (Glaux maritima)
Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis aruensis)	Bog Pimpernel (A. tenella)
Chaffweed (A. minima)	Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)
Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)	Lime (Tilia eurpaea)
Common Centaury (Centaurium erythraeaminus)	Field Gentian (Gentianella campestris)
Bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata)	Oysterplant (Mertensia maritima) *1972
Russian Comfrey (Symphytum xuplandicum)	Creeping Forget-me-not (Myosotis secunda)
Water Forget-me-not (M. scorpioides)	Field Forget-me-not (M. arvensis)
Lesser Forget-me-not (M. caespitosa)	Changing Forget-me-not (M. discolor)
Lesser Bugloss (Anchusa arvensis)	Figwort (Scrophularia nodosa)
Monkey Flower (Mimulus guttatus) E	Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
Thyme-leaved Speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia)	Heath Speedwell (V. officinalis)
Slender Speedwell (V. filfiformis)	Field Speedwell (V. persica)
Germander Speedwell (V. chamaedrys)	Brooklime (V. beccabunga)
Wall Speedwell (V. arvensis)	Wood Speedwell (V. montana)
Marsh Speedwell (V. scutellata)	Common Eyebright (Euphrasia agg.)
Red Bartsia (Odontites verna)	Marsh Lousewort (Pedicularis palustris)
Lousewort (P. sylvatica)	Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor)
Common Cow-wheat (Melampyrum pratense)	Thyme Broomrape (Orobanche alba)
Common Butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris)	Pale Butterwort (P. lusitanica)
Intermediate Bladderwort (Ultricularia intermedia)	Greater Bladderwort (U. vulgaris)
Lesser Bladderwort (U. minor)	Water Mint (Mentha aquatica)
Round-leaved Mint (M. rotundifolia) E	Gypsywort (Lycopus europaeus)
Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea)	Wild Thyme (Thymus drucei)
Skullcap (Scutellaria galericulata)	Lesser Skullcap (S. minor)
Self Heal (Prunella vulgaris)	Large Flowered Hemp Nettle (Galeopsis speciosa)
Common Hemp Nettle (G. tetrahit)	Cut Leafed Dead Nettle (Lamium hybridum)
Purple Dead Nettle (Lamium purpureum)	Intermediate Dead Nettle (L. molucellifolium)
Hedge Woundwort (Stachys sylvatica)	Marsh Woundwort (S. palustris)
Wood Sage (Teucrium scordonia)	Pyramidal Bugle (Ajuga pyramidalis)
Common Bugle (A repens)	Common x Pyramidal Bugle hybrid
Sea Plantain (Plantago maritima)	Greater Plantain (P. major)
Ribwort Plantain (P. lanceolata)	Buckshorn Plantain (P. coronopus)
Fat Hen (Chenopodium album)	Shoreweed (Littorella uniflora)
Redshank (Polygonum persicaria)	Knotgrass (P. aviculare)
Small Leaved Knotgrass (P. arenastrum)	Amphibious Persicaria (P. amphibium)
Water Pepper (P. hydropiper)	Ray’s Knotgrass (P. oxyspermum)
Black Bindweed (Fallopia convolvulus)	Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria japonica)
Water Blinks (Montia fontana)	Broad Leaved Dock (Rumex obtusifolius)
Curled Dock (R. crispus)	Common Sorrel (R. acetosa)
Sheep’s Sorrel (R. acetosella)	Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides)
Dog’s Mercury (Mercurialis perennis)	Common Orache (Atriplex patula)
Frosted Orache (A. lanciniata)	Babington’s Orache (A. glabruiscula)
Prickly Saltwort (Salsola kali)	Wych Elm (Ulmus glabra)
Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)	Small Nettle (U. urens)
Aspen (Populus tremula)	Silver Birch (Betula pendula)
Downy Birch (B. pubescens)	Alder (Alnus glutinosa)
Hazel (Corylus avellana)	Sessile Oak (Quercus petraea)
Pedunculate Oak (Q. robor)	Beech (Fagus sylvatica)
Bog Myrtle (Myrica gale)	Eared Willow (Salix aurita)
Goat Willow (S. caprea)	White Willow (S. alba)
Grey Willow (S.cinerea)	Purple Willow (S. purpurea)
Creeping Willow (S. repens)	Dwarf Willow (S. herbacea)
Common Osier (S. viminalis)	Bog Orchid (Hammarbya paludosa)
Twayblade (Listera ovata)	Lesser Twayblade (L. cordata)
Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula)	Fragrant Orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea)
Northern Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza purpurella)	Heath Spotted Orchid (D. maculata)
Common Spotted Orchid (D. fuchsii)	Early Marsh Orchid (D. incarnata)
– including sub-sp coccinea	Small White Orchid (Pseudorchis albida)
Frog Orchid (Coeloglossum viride)	Greater Butterfly Orchid (Plantanthera chlorantha)
Yellow Flag (Iris pseudacoris)	Montbretia (Crocosima X crocosmiiflora) E
Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum)	Bog Asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum)
Bluebell (Endymion non-scriptus)	Scot’s Pine (Pinus sylvestris)
Corsican Pine (P. nigra maritima)	Austrian Pine (P. nigra)
Lodgepole Pine (P. contorta)	Larch (Larix decidua)
Prostrate Juniper (Juniperus nana)	Norway Spruce (Picea abies)
Sitka Spruce (P. sitchensis)	Silver Fir (Abies alba)
Grand Fir (A. grandis)	Lawson Cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana)
Bog Pondweed (Potamogeton polygonifolius)	Various-leaved Pondweed (P. gramineus)
Floating Pondweed (P. natans)	Unbranched Bur-reed (Sparganium emersum)
Floating Bur-reed (S. angustifolium) *1980	Reedmace (Typha latifolia)
Water Starwort (Callitriche stagnalis)	Starwort (C. hamulata)
Various Leaved Water Starwort (C. platycarpa)	Sea Arrowgrass (Triglochin maritima)
Marsh Arrowgrass (T. palustris)	Green Ribbed Sedge (Carex binervi)
Spring Sedge (C. caryophyllea)	Distant Sedge (C. distans)
Star Sedge (C. echinata)	Glaucous Sedge (C. flacca)
Yellow Sedge (C. demissa)	Long Stalked Yellow Sedge (C. lepidocarpa)
Common Sedge (C. nigra)	Pill Sedge (C. pilulifera)
Oval Sedge (C. ovalis)	False Fox Sedge (C. obtrubae)
Carnation Sedge (C. panicea)	Flea Sedge (C. pulicaris)
Pale Sedge (C. pallescens)	White Sedge (C. curta)
Dioecious Sedge (C. dioica)	Remote Sedge (C. remota)
Tawny Sedge (C. hostiana)	Long Bracted Sedge (C. extensa)
Sand Sedge (C. arenaria)	Bottle Sedge (C. rostrata)
Wood Sedge (C. sylvatica)	Greater Tussock Sedge (C. paniculata)
Black Bog Rush (Schoenus nigricans)	White Beak Sedge (Rhynchospora alba)
Bristle Scirpus (Scirpus setaceus)	Floating Club Rush (S. fluitans)
Sea Club Rush (S. maritimus) *1980	Deergrass (S. cespitosus)
Red Blysmus (Blysmus rufus)	Common Cotton Grass (Eriophorum angustifolium)
Broad Leaved Cotton Grass (E. latifolium)	Hare’s-tail Cotton Grass (E. vaginatum)
Common Spike Rush (Eliocharis palustris)	Few Flowered Spike Rush (E. quinqueflora)
Many Stalked Spike Rush (E. multicauslis)	Slender Spike Rush (E. uniglumis)
Jointed Rush (Juncus articulatus)	Toad Rush (J. bufonius)
Bulbous Rush (J. bulbosus)	Compact Rush (J. conglomeratus)
Sharp Flowered Rush (J. acutiflorus)	Soft Rush (J. effusus)
Saltmarsh Rush (J. gerardi)	Heath Rush (J. squarrosus)
Heath Wood Rush (Luzula multiflora)	Field Wood Rush (L. campestris)
Great Wood Rush (L. sylvatica)	Hairy Wood Rush (L. pilosa)
Common Bent (Agrostis tenuis)	Creeping Bent (A. stolonifera)
Velvet Bent (A. canina)	Marram Grass (Ammophila arenaria)
Sand Couch (Elymus farctus)	Sea Couch (E. pycnanthus)
Common Couch (E. repens)	Sweet Vernal Grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum)
Downy Oat-grass (Avenula pubescens)	Meadow Oat-grass (A. pratensis)
False Oat-grass (Arrhenatherum elatius)	False Brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum)
Hairy Brome (Bromus ramosus)	Soft Brome (B. mollis)
Wood Small Reed (Calamagrostis epigejos)	Marsh Fox-tail (Alopecurus geniculatus)
Meadow Fox-tail (A. pratensis)	Water Whorl Grass (Catabrosa aquaticaminor)
Rough Meadow Grass (Poa trivialis)	Narrow Leaved Meadow Grass (P. angustifolia)
Spreading Meadow Grass (P. subcaerulea)	Annual Meadow Grass (P. annua)
Wood Meadow Grass (P. nemoralis)	Crested Dog’s Tail (Cynosurus cristatus)
Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata)	Yorkshire Fog (Holcus lanatus)
Creeping Soft Grass (H. mollis)	Heath Grass (Sieglingia decumbens)
Tufted Hair Grass (Deschampsia cespitosa)	Wavy Hair Grass (D. flexuosa)
Early Hair Grass (Aira praecox)	Crested Hair Grass (Koleria cristata)
Silvery Hair Grass (Aira caryophyllea)	Sheep’s Fescue (Festuca ovina)
Red Fescue (F. rubra)	Viviparous Fescue (F. vivipara)
Squirrel-tail Fescue (F. bromoides)	Perennial Rye Grass (Lolium perenne)
Purple Moor Grass (Molinaria caerulea)	Mat Grass (Nardus stricta)
Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea)	Timothy Grass (Phleum pratense)
Lesser Cats-tail (P. bertoloni)	Common Reed (Phragmites australis)
Sea Fern Grass (Catapodium marinum)	Common Saltmarsh Grass (Puccinela maritima)
Reflexed Saltmarsh Grass (P. distans)	Floating Sweet Grass (Glyceria fluitan

Isle of Eigg

Plant List 2011

NOTE:      Plants marked ‘*’ followed by a date have not been recorded since that year.

Plants marked ‘E’ are definite garden escapees.

Oyster Plant (Mertensia maritima) was recorded at one site in 1972 but was washed out by the sea and no longer exists on the island.

Insects

Insects

Canna's mild oceanic climate and the warmth of its south-facing slopes have allowed the development of an insect fauna found only on very restricted sites on the Atlantic fringe of Europe.

Canna and Sanday, together with the neighbouring lighthouse islet of Heiskeir, are of outstanding importance in the study of bird and insect migration. Such a study was carried on for almost 60 years by Canna's famous 20th century owner, Dr John Lorne Campbell, who was a very keen butterfly and moth collector. His collection of Lepidoptera Cannae and field records and papers are part of the cultural archive of Canna.

Dragonflies and damselflies also are abundant in all the Small Isles, a delight of delicate jewelled colours in motion. A illustrated leaflet showing the species most commonly seen is available on Rum and Eigg.  

On Eigg, the Wilidlife warden is helped by local volunteers to trap moths for identification throughout the summer months and each year, new species are identified. (224 Moth species recorded so far on Eigg).

As to the ubiquitous midge, locals on Rum have even tried to turn the midge into an asset by running an August Midge-fest festival. Warning: not for the faint hearted!

Seashore

Seashore

The Small Isles' wide variety of shorescapes offer an ideal opportunity to discover the unique and fascinating world of the sea-shore with its appeal to young and old alike.

Sandy, pebbly or rocky, the Small Isles sea-shore is a world of its own where sea and land meet, home to plants and animals specially adapted to such conditions. To find out more, look out for our Sea-shore Quiz  and Find the shell activities! 

With a huge variety of colours and shapes, the Small Isles seashore is also where you can most easily uncover the islands' fascinating geological history: on Muck, the seashore at Camus Mor is classified as a Special Site of Scientific Interest on account of its very special rock formation. On Eigg, the coast between Laig and the Singing Sands offers more geological features than anywhere else in Scotland. Canna's stacks are stunning and teeming with seabird life.  Rum's cliffs are impressive in their stark grandeur, and the island's secluded pink sandy beach at Kilmory was for a long time a favourite picnic place for the Royal Family when sailing on the Britannia.