Christchurch Harbour is an important feeding and resting site for resident and migrant birds, as well as other wildlife. For this reason, some areas of water are designated as sensitive areas and watercraft users are asked to refrain from entering them. These sensitive areas, which cover less than 10% of the harbour, are marked by yellow buoys and include Stanpit Bight, Mother Siller’s Channel, Parky Meade Rail and Barn Bight.

If you wish to print a copy of the Watercraft User Guide, a PDF copy is available.

Migrant birds, particularly waders, use Christchurch Harbour to feed and rest as they migrate in spring to their northerly breeding grounds, sometimes as far as the Arctic Circle; and then again in the autumn when they return to Europe or Africa. To make these long journeys, the birds need to feed to build up energy for their onward flight. If they are disturbed, they cannot feed or unnecessarily burn energy they have just taken on. On the other hand, birds that spend the winter here need to feed just to stay alive. If they cannot take on enough energy or lose it through having to fly around, it can be fatal for them. There are also a small number of species that use Christchurch Harbour as a breeding site.

Here are some of the bird species for which the harbour is an important area.

Black-tailed Godwit breed in Iceland and spend the winter on the south coast of the UK, as well as in France, Spain and Portugal. In the winter, up to 100 birds may be present in the harbour, but migrant birds from elsewhere also drop in for a re-fuelling session.

Whimbrel, which are very similar to Curlew, pass through in spring and autumn from their west African wintering grounds to their northerly breeding areas; the closest being Shetland, the most distant as far as western Siberia.

Dunlin are both winter visitors and passage migrants. Some of the migrant birds are heading to the Arctic Circle for the summer, while others spend the winter as far south as west Africa. In winter, as many as 500 birds may use the harbour.

A small number of Bar-tailed Godwit spend the winter in Christchurch Harbour, but the majority of birds using the area are on a journey taking them from West Africa to the Arctic Circle, and back again.

Until the 1970s, Brent Goose were considered a rare bird in the area, but nowadays 200 or so spend the winter here after breeding in Northern Siberia around 3000 miles away.

Perhaps the most numerous bird in the harbour during the winter with more than 700 birds sometimes being counted. The Wigeon breeds in Scandinavia and Russia, but migrates south-west to warmer areas for the winter months.

Shelduck once bred regularly in Christchurch Harbour, but nowadays do so only occasionally. Spring and early summer sees the most birds in the area, but they all leave around August for the Waddensee in Holland, where they undergo a full feather moult before trickling back during the winter.