3. Biodiversity Trail Eglinton Canal

Stop 3 on the NUI Galway biodiversity trail is Eglinton Canal. Although it is a man-made habitat, Eglinton Canal hosts a wide variety of flora and fauna. From the O’Shaughnessy bridge, keep an eye out for wagtails, which hunt for insects along the stone canal walls. Another bird that can be seen here is the charismatic kingfisher.In the water, plants provide food for aquatic insects, such as caddisfly larvae. There are around 150 species of caddisflies in Ireland and they are an important food source for juvenile salmon and trout. The larvae metamorphose into moth-like adults and leave the water. As adults, they can live for a few days to a couple of months.The adult caddisflies are a food source for bats, such as Daubenton’s bat. Daubenton’s bats are best seen in summer months one hour after sunset. They are easily identified as they fly just above the water’s surface, catching riverflies with their large feet.