Editing Banagher (section)

=== Wildlife ===
[[File:Corncrake.jpg|right|thumb|upright|[[Corncrake]]]]
In autumn and winter, the extensive flood plain of the Shannon Callows supports a large number of [[wader]]s, [[swan]]s, [[wildfowl]] and other bird life. The most obvious of all Shannon birds is the [[mute swan]]. Also seen are the [[Eurasian coot]], [[common moorhen]] and [[little grebe]]. The [[common kingfisher|kingfisher]] is widespread as are the [[meadow pipit]] and [[pied wagtail]]. The area has one of the largest concentrations of breeding waders in Ireland including [[northern lapwing|lapwing]], [[common redshank|redshank]], [[common sandpiper]] and [[black-tailed godwit]].<ref>Trodd, V., ''Birds of Brosnaland'', 1983, Offaly Vocational Educational Committee.</ref>

The [[corncrake]] can be seen at the bridge of Banagher in the summer. Once a common summer visitor to Ireland, corncrakes have suffered drastic population declines over the last few decades and are threatened with global extinction.<ref>[http://www.birdwatchireland.ie/Default.aspx?tabid=311 Birdwatch Ireland – Corncrake.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071119093259/http://www.birdwatchireland.ie/Default.aspx?tabid=311 |date=19 November 2007 }} Retrieved 3 November 2008.</ref> Conservation efforts have focused on changing harvesting times to avoid the nesting season, May to August. The hay meadows of the callows support large numbers of these birds – one of the few places in the world where this globally threatened species is still common.<ref>[http://www.iol.ie/~offaly/tull.htm#bana Banagher Along The Shannon.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522140224/http://www.iol.ie/~offaly/tull.htm#bana |date=22 May 2011 }} Retrieved 3 November 2008.</ref>

In winter, the resident bird population is increased by visitors from north-east Europe, in particular the [[Eurasian wigeon]] and the Greenland subspecies of the [[white-fronted goose]].<ref>[http://www.offalyhistory.com/articles/10/1/Landscape-of-Offaly/Page1.html OHAS, ''Landscape of Offaly'', 9 January 2007.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821165027/http://www.offalyhistory.com/articles/10/1/Landscape-of-Offaly/Page1.html |date=21 August 2008 }} Retrieved 3 November 2008.</ref> Riverside [[mammals]] are seen frequently and [[Eurasian otter]], [[American mink]] and [[red fox]] are common. [[Trout]] and [[salmon]] are less common in the Shannon than they once were, but [[Esox|pike]] is still plentiful and attracts anglers.<ref>[https://fishinginireland.info/pike/shannon/banagher/ Pike Fishing Around Banagher], Retrieved 25 January 2023.</ref>