Shannon Callows

The name "callows" is an anglicisation of the Irish word caladh which means "water meadows".[1]

The Callows are a classified as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).[2] The Irish Wildlife Trust has a reserve on Bullock Island in County Offaly.[3] The SAC covers an area of 59 square kilometres (23 sq mi).[4]

Protection of the Callows is particularly important due to the many species of birds occurring on the Callows. Recorded are, amongst others, black-tailed godwit, corncrake, curlew, golden plover, lapwing, mute swan, redshank, common sandpiper, whooper swan and wigeon. Mammals recorded include American mink, fox and otter. Grazing of cattle keeps alder and willow from spreading. Sections of Callow at higher elevation and therefore less prone to flooding have a greater diversity of plants, in particular clover, creeping buttercup, cuckoo flower, marsh bedstraw, marsh marigold, meadow grass, meadowsweet, sedge and water mint.[5]

The area was one of the most important breeding areas for corncrakes in Ireland and the local farmers supported a project to mow the callows later in the summer to give the birds the chance to rear a second brood. However, the early summer flooding which became predominant stopped the corncrakes breeding at all, the corncrake being said the first bird to be extirpated from Shannon system due to climate change. They also support 80% of the Irish population of whinchat.[1]