Guernsey is an island that is home to a variety of ecosystems and animals. Although the 'official' animals of the island are the donkey and the Guernsey cow, there are a wide variety of native animals that are a part of the rich and varied island habitat.
Guernsey is made up mostly of sandy beaches, grasslands, and rocky cliffs. There are also peat beds and dunes, which are home to a variety of different animals. This diverse island habitat is home to a variety of birds. In fact, books have been written about the varied and unique birds of Guernsey for more than a century. The rich range of species includes rare species such as the Dartmouth Warbler, Cettis' Warbler, Wheatear, and
Ring Ouzel. These and other rare species share their island home with more common European bird species such as the cuckoo, the magpie and the swallow. Guernsey is a popular 'stop' for hundreds of types of European migratory birds, so many non-native species are present throughout the year.
There are plenty of mammals native to the Guernsey Isle, although most of them are small. Rabbits, voles, and Pipistrelle bats are all common as is the Greater White-Toothed Shrew, a rare specimen. The Golden Guernsey goat is a rare, heirloom breed that has lived on the island for much of the area's known history. Despite the diversity of mammals and birds, there are very few lizards and reptiles on Guernsey. There is the slow-worm (a native type of legless lizard) and one other indigenous lizard, with no snakes at all. A few common frogs and toads are present, but they were introduced by man several centuries ago.