Search for the Wirebird
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Port
Jamestown, St Helena, Ascension & Tristan Da Cunha
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Activity Level
Strenuous Activity
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
$85
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 3 Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Today you will set out on a search for the elusive wirebird. Take this opportunity to see the rare St Helena plover, known as the wirebird due to its spindly legs. It has distinctive head markings, with a black band running across the forecrown and around the eyes and a white stripe immediately above that encircles the head. Wirebird sightings were first recorded on the island in 1638, although it was curiously omitted in Charles Darwin's observations in 1836 when he visited. There were 545 Wirebirds recorded during the 2019 census count by St Helena National Trust.
A guide from the St Helena National Trust will drive your 4x4 vehicle to Deadwood Plain for sightings of this critically-endangered species.
Walk to see their nesting areas and learn about their lifestyle and habitat. Your guide will apprise you of the conservation efforts in place to protect the island's only surviving endemic bird.
Take in the extraordinary scenery of the island on the hour-long drive to and from the plain.
Please note: Ride will be bumpy. Pregnant women or guests with heart, back or neck conditions are not allowed to participate. Rough terrain is covered in the 4x4 vehicle; participates will get bumped around. Tour requires walking on uneven terrain. Not advisable for guests using a wheelchair or for those with mobility limitations. Wildlife sightings are likely but are not guaranteed. The level of guide experience varies on St Helena due to the remoteness of its location. Limited tourism infrastructure is part of the charm here, and you are trading breadth of experience for authentic interaction. Please bring your spirit of adventure and bear with any language difficulties your guide may encounter and with any operational surprises that may crop up.