The Irish Wetland Bird Survey
(I-WeBS)

The Irish Wetland Bird Survey (I-WeBS) is the scheme that monitors wintering waterbirds in Ireland. The survey runs from September to March each winter. Wetlands of all types and sizes are monitored, including estuaries, coastlines, bays, rivers, turloughs, lakes, streams and flooded fields.  Each winter, there are over 350 people that take part who count waterbirds at more than 250 wetland sites throughout the country. We are always looking for new recruits... 

What is involved

I-WeBS involves conducting counts of all waterbirds at wetland sites once per month from September to March on predefined count days. The counts are recorded on the count forms provided by the I-WeBS Office or entered onto the online data entry system at the end of each visit.

How to take part

Wetland sites range from small ponds and river stretches with small numbers of birds that can easily be can covered by one observer with a pair of binoculars to large complex estuaries that hold thousands of birds and require a team of experienced observers with telescopes.

If you would like to get involved, please contact the I-WeBS Office, letting us know where you are based, whether or not you have a telescope, and we’ll find the right site for you. We are hugely grateful for your help.  

I-WeBS is jointly run by BirdWatch Ireland and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.