Malta Ramsar wetland
Simar Nature Reserve
223 bird species recorded; the most from March to April.
Continentaleurope · CC BY-SA 4.0
This month here
80 species in January.88 species in February.161 species in March.155 species in April.119 species in May.32 species in June.48 species in July.72 species in August.143 species in September.123 species in October.100 species in November.86 species in December.
The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.
VU
VU
VU
NT
NT
NT
NT
NT
VU
- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
223 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 223Speciesrecorded more than once
- 144Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 8ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 23,312Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 15Raptors
- 2Owls
- 36Waders
- 26Gulls & seabirds
- 13Ducks & geese
- 14Herons, ibises & grebes
- 3Storks & cranes
- 1Flamingos
- 90Songbirds
- 23Other birds
From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.
The checklist
All 223 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors15 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- Lesser kestrelFalco naumanni
- European Honey-buzzardPernis apivorus
- Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargus
- Pallid HarrierCircus macrourusNT
- European HobbyFalco subbuteo
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Black KiteMilvus migrans
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- Red-footed FalconFalco vespertinusVU
- Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
- Eleonora's FalconFalco eleonorae
- Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus
- Short-toed eagleCircaetus gallicus
Owls2 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
- Eurasian Scops OwlOtus scops
Waders36 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Little StintCalidris minuta
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- RuffCalidris pugnax
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta
- RedshankTringa totanus
- Temminck's StintCalidris temminckii
- Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusNT
- Spotted RedshankTringa erythropus
- Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
- Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
- Kentish PloverCharadrius alexandrinus
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
- Great SnipeGallinago mediaNT
- European Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria
- Eurasian DotterelCharadrius morinellus
- Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
- Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus
- Eurasian Stone-curlewBurhinus oedicnemus
- Little ringed ploverCharadrius dubius
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Collared PratincoleGlareola pratincola
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticola
- Terek SandpiperXenus cinereus
- Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
Gulls & seabirds26 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Yellow-legged GullLarus michahellis
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus
- Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Slender-billed GullChroicocephalus genei
- Scopoli's ShearwaterCalonectris diomedea
- Audouin's GullIchthyaetus audouinii
- Yelkouan ShearwaterPuffinus yelkouanVU
- Pontic gullLarus cachinnans
- Little GullHydrocoloeus minutus
- Common GullLarus canus
- Northern gannetMorus bassanus
- Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia
- Black TernChlidonias niger
- Pomarine SkuaStercorarius pomarinus
- Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphia
- Great skuaStercorarius skua
- Gull-billed TernGelochelidon nilotica
- European Storm-PetrelHydrobates pelagicus
- Whiskered TernChlidonias hybrida
- Arctic SkuaStercorarius parasiticus
- White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterus
- Black-legged kittiwakeRissa tridactylaVU
- Little TernSternula albifrons
- Common TernSterna hirundo
Ducks & geese13 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
- Ferruginous DuckAythya nyrocaNT
- GarganeySpatula querquedula
- Cairina moschataCairina moschata
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- GadwallMareca strepera
- Marbled TealMarmaronetta angustirostrisNT
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
- Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
- Mute SwanCygnus olor
Herons, ibises & grebes14 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Eared GrebePodiceps nigricollis
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
- Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax
- Purple heronArdea purpurea
- Squacco HeronArdeola ralloides
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia
- Eurasian BitternBotaurus stellaris
Storks & cranes3 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- White StorkCiconia ciconia
- Common CraneGrus grus
- Black storkCiconia nigra
Flamingos1 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseus
Songbirds90 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Spanish sparrowPasser hispaniolensis
- Sardinian WarblerCurruca melanocephala
- Zitting CisticolaCisticola juncidis
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- European RobinErithacus rubecula
- Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
- Blue Rock ThrushMonticola solitarius
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanus
- Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibillatrix
- Tree PipitAnthus trivialis
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
- Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
- Spectacled WarblerSylvia conspicillata
- European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleuca
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
- Eastern Subalpine WarblerCurruca cantillans
- Greater Short-toed LarkCalandrella brachydactyla
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos
- Collared FlycatcherFicedula albicollis
- Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
- WhitethroatSylvia communis
- Tawny PipitAnthus campestris
- Garden WarblerSylvia borin
- Great Reed WarblerAcrocephalus arundinaceus
- Eurasian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Eurasian Golden OrioleOriolus oriolus
- Woodchat ShrikeLanius senatorNT
- Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
- Isabelline wheatearOenanthe isabellina
- Red-throated PipitAnthus cervinus
- Common LinnetLinaria cannabina
- Icterine warblerHippolais icterina
- Common FirecrestRegulus ignicapilla
- Moustached WarblerAcrocephalus melanopogon
- Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
- Western Black-eared WheatearOenanthe hispanica
- Italian SparrowPasser italiaeVU
- Yellow-browed WarblerPhylloscopus inornatus
- European GreenfinchChloris chloris
- Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus
- European SerinSerinus serinus
- BluethroatLuscinia svecica
- Common Rock ThrushMonticola saxatilis
- Half-collared FlycatcherFicedula semitorquata
- Water PipitAnthus spinoletta
- Sardinian WarblerSylvia melanocephala
- Eastern Yellow WagtailMotacilla tschutschensis
- Lesser Short-toed LarkCalandrella rufescens
- Dartford WarblerSylvia undata
- Eurasian Crag MartinPtyonoprogne rupestris
- Olive-backed PipitAnthus hodgsoni
- Citrine WagtailMotacilla citreola
- Hoopoe LarkAlaemon alaudipes
- Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
- Red-breasted flycatcherFicedula parva
- Lesser whitethroatSylvia curruca
- Richard's PipitAnthus richardi
- Moltoni's WarblerCurruca subalpina
- Eurasian Penduline TitRemiz pendulinus
- Calandra larkMelanocorypha calandra
- FieldfareTurdus pilaris
- Subalpine WarblerSylvia cantillans
- Western Bonelli's WarblerPhylloscopus bonelli
- HawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustes
- Common RosefinchCarpodacus erythrinus
- Eastern Bonelli's WarblerPhylloscopus orientalis
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Desert wheatearOenanthe deserti
- Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- Pale Crag MartinPtyonoprogne obsoleta
- Rüppell's WarblerSylvia ruppeli
Other birds23 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- European SwiftApus apus
- CootFulica atra
- Bee-eaterMerops apiaster
- Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops
- European Water RailRallus aquaticus
- European Turtle DoveStreptopelia turturVU
- WryneckJynx torquilla
- Common QuailCoturnix coturnix
- Pallid SwiftApus pallidus
- Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melba
- Spotted CrakePorzana porzana
- Porzana parvaPorzana parva
- Common CuckooCuculus canorus
- European NightjarCaprimulgus europaeus
- European RollerCoracias garrulus
- Baillon's CrakePorzana pusilla
- Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
- Great spotted cuckooClamator glandarius
- Indian PeafowlPavo cristatus
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species from March to April.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan15°/14°74 mm
- Feb15°/13°65 mm
- Mar15°/14°51 mm
- Apr17°/16°33 mm
- May20°/18°17 mm
- Jun24°/22°11 mm
- Jul27°/25°4 mm
- Aug28°/26°10 mm
- Sep26°/24°63 mm
- Oct23°/22°82 mm
- Nov20°/19°95 mm
- Dec17°/16°82 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Simar Nature Reserve.
Nature reserve in Malta
Simar Nature Reserve is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in Malta.
223 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 23,312 open records.
The most recorded are the Spanish sparrow, the Sardinian Warbler and the Zitting Cisticola.
62 species come for the summer, 65 for the winter and 17 only pass through.
8 are threatened worldwide, including Curlew Sandpiper, European Turtle Dove and Yelkouan Shearwater.
The most species are recorded from March to April.
Get there and watch
- VisitingCheck opening hours and access rules: some hides and reserves close in the breeding season.Official site↗
- Għajn Tuffieħa Scout Campsitecampsite · 3.6 km · 7 within 10 km
- Gillieru Harbour Hotelplace to stay · 2.2 km · 169 within 10 km
- Mellieħanearest town · 2.2 km in a straight line
- Malta International Airport (MLA)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 15 km in a straight lineCar hire at MLA airport (Valletta)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
Plan the visit
A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.
Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.
From above
The place and its surroundings.
The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- 14bird hides within 6 km
- 5observation towers within 6 km
- 9marked trails within 4 kmMMV Tour 7, MMV Tour 2, MMV Tour 4 and 6 more
- 5visitor centres within 6 kmIs-Simar nature reserve, Hello Malta Tours, Tourist Information Office and 2 more
- 29viewpoints within 5 kmSaint Paul's Island Viewpoint, Victoria Lines, Sea View Bar and 26 more
- 46car parks within 3 km
- 137restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 7campsites within 10 kmGħajn Tuffieħa Scout Campsite, Mosta Scout Campsite & Activity Centre, Adventure Campsite and 4 more
- 169places to stay within 10 kmGillieru Harbour Hotel, Pebbles Resort, Relax Inn and 166 more
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around Simar Nature Reserve.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Peakyas18 mountains within 25 kmNadur238 m · 5.1 kmIl-Qolla183 m · 5.1 kmĠebel San Pietru147 m · 6.6 kmTa' Baldu186 m · 8.1 kmTa' Dmejrek253 m · 11 km↗Il-Gelmus133 m · 18 kmTa' Dbieġi177 m · 19 kmTa’ Għammar186 m · 19 km
Coastya20 beaches within 10 kmIr-Ramla tal-Pwales · 0.1 km↗Ix-Xtajta ta’ Buġibba · 3.3 kmIr-Ramla tal Mixquqa · 3.7 km↗Ir-Ramla ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa · 4.0 kmIx-Xtajta tal-Qawra · 4.0 kmArmier Bay · 5.3 km↗Ramla tal-Qortin · 5.6 kmIr-Ramla taċ-Ċirkewwa · 6.2 km
Darkskyas1 dark-sky places within 30 kmFlarestar ObservatoryBortle 8 · 8.9 km
Cavernyas13 caves within 20 kmGhar Lapsi · 14 kmBlue Grotto · 15 kmRamla Bay · 16 kmCalypso’s Cave · 16 kmNinu's Cave · 16 kmXerri's Grotto · 16 kmGħar Dalam · 18 kmGħar Ħasan · 20 km
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Photographs
The place, as people saw it.
Other places nearby.
Simar Nature Reserve
Malta
- 82Birdyas Score
- 223Species
- 144Migrants
- 8Threatened
Rdum Tal-Madonna Important Bird Area
Malta · 4 km
- 82Birdyas Score
- 222Species
- 142Migrants
- 8Threatened
Il-Kullana to ta' Gifen Cliffs Important Bird Area
Malta · 13 km
- 68Birdyas Score
- 135Species
- 89Migrants
- 4Threatened
Ta' Ċenċ Cliffs Important Bird Area
Malta · 16 km
- 66Birdyas Score
- 137Species
- 78Migrants
- 4Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q20949594) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 23,312 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
| Sister atlases | Peakyas, Islandyas, Coastya, Darkskyas, Cavernyas |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?
Same idea, other landscapes: field atlases built on open data, in seven languages.
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Every river from source to sea: the journey, the flow and the basin in numbers.Visit 
canyons
Every canyon cut to scale: depth to the floor, rim and floor temperatures, trails and viewpoints.Visit caves
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Where the night is still dark: the sky of every place, the Milky Way month by month, the Moon, eclipses and auroras.Visit 
viewpoints
Every viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit 
birdwatching
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Every forest with its land-cover rings, what grows and lives in it, and the best months to walk it.Coming soonVisit