Scotland’s Wildlife Guide

Scotland’s open hills and high plateaus are home to some of our most iconic wildlife. Look for mountain hare bounding across the heather and ptarmigan so well camouflaged they can disappear just a few feet away.

High above the crags, golden eagles ride the thermals while red deer graze across the glens below. On higher ridges, you may hear the deep croak of a raven or, in summer, glimpse the rare migratory dotterel.

Among Scotland’s forests, flashes of russet fur often reveal a red squirrel racing along the branches. Far harder to see is the elusive wildcat, which sleeps by day and hunts by night in the Highland woods.

Listen for the drumming of woodpeckers and the chatter of coal tits and chaffinches. Roe deer are sometimes glimpsed between the trees, and in the most remote pine forests, and if you’re lucky, you may see a capercaillie, a large grouse found in the remote native pine forests.

Discover our Scottish flora and fungi guide to learn more.

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Rivers and lochs are rich with wildlife if you know where to look. Beavers are gradually returning, leaving signs such as gnawed trunks, dams and slides into the water, particularly in the Cairngorms and Tayside. Otters are shy but sometimes seen at dawn or dusk along quiet shores.

In many rivers, Atlantic salmon (the only native salmon species in Britain) make their seasonal journeys upstream, providing an inspiring spectacle. Wading birds such as oystercatchers, redshanks and curlews frequent shallow loch edges, while ospreys often patrol larger waters in search of fish.

These waterways are also at the heart of vital restoration efforts such as the Riverwoods project, which is working to revive Scotland’s river ecosystems and support species like salmon and beaver. This initiative forms part of our partnership with Scotland: The Big Picture.

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Along Scotland’s coastline, seals rest on rocky skerries or slip quietly into the sea. White-tailed sea eagles — the UK’s largest birds of prey — can sometimes be seen lifting fish from the waves.

In summer, the coast is even livelier: puffins arrive to breed on offshore islands from May to August, and dolphins are often spotted just beyond the shore. The Outer Hebrides offer some of the best opportunities to encounter this rich coastal wildlife.