Birds in Brière

Welcome to Brière! This map will help you discover some of the birds that can be spotted in the marshes. Click on the markers to find out more about each species and set off to explore the incredible biodiversity that makes this area so special. All these species are found throughout Brière, but there is a particularly high concentration of them to the west of Saint-Malo-de-Guersac.

  • The grey heron
  • The little egret
  • The great egret
  • The white stork
  • The white spoonbill
  • The grey bittern
  • The purple heron
  • The marsh harrier
  • The common buzzard
  • The osprey
  • The mallard
  • The spotted duck
  • The whistling duck
  • The common coot
  • The moorhen
  • The blue-throated warbler
  • The reed bunting
  • The reed warbler
  • The crested lapwing
  • The reed cisticola

The grey heron

It is a large wading bird with grey plumage; it hunts fish and small animals in wetlands.

The little egret

It is an elegant white bird with black legs and yellow feet; it feeds in shallow waters.

The great egret

It is the largest of the European egrets and is distinguished by its entirely white plumage and long neck.

The white stork

It is a long-distance migrant, recognisable by its red beak, and often nests near human settlements.

The white spoonbill

It is a white bird with a spatula-shaped beak, which it sweeps through the water to catch its prey.

The grey bittern

It is a stocky heron, mainly active at dusk and at night, and is often found in marshes and reed beds.

The purple heron

It is a slender heron with reddish and purplish plumage, often hidden amongst the reeds.

The marsh harrier

It is a marsh bird of prey that flies low over the reed beds in search of prey.

The variable nozzle

It is a very common bird of prey whose plumage varies considerably from one individual to another.

The osprey

It is a bird of prey specialising in fishing, capable of diving to catch fish.

The mallard

It is the most common duck in Europe; the male is recognisable by its bright green head.

The spotted duck

It is a duck with a broad, spoon-shaped bill, which is well-suited to filtering food from the water.

The whistling duck

It is a migratory duck, the male of which produces a distinctive whistle.

The common coot

It is a black waterbird, recognisable by its white forehead patch.

The moorhen

It is a bird found in ponds and ditches, recognisable by its red beak with a yellow tip.

The blue-throated warbler

It is a small passerine bird with a bright blue breast in the male, found in wetlands.

The reed bunting

It is a small marsh bird that likes to nest in reed beds.

The reed warbler

She is a shy reed warbler, more often heard than seen.

The crested lapwing

It is an elegant wading bird with a long crest and a highly acrobatic flight.

The reed cisticola

It is a small passerine found in wet meadows, known for its distinctive song whilst in flight.