Sheep's-bit
With its fluffy-looking, light blue flower heads, sheep's-bit is a pretty plant of dry grassland, heaths and clifftops. Sometimes carpeting an area, it is popular with nectar-loving insects.
Shelduck
One of our largest ducks, the shelduck is a handsome creature with a dark green head, red bill and chestnut-brown band across its white body. Look out for it around most of our coastline, particularly in winter.
Shepherd's purse
Shepherd's purse is often considered a 'weed'. It produces a lot of seeds and can be found on cultivated and disturbed land, such as arable fields, tracks and gardens.
Shore clingfish / Cornish sucker
One of the most bizarre fish to find on the rocky shore, the clingfish appears an assortment of different animals stuck together!
Shore crab
This crab is common around all of the UK. If you've ever been rockpooling or crabbing, it's probably the shore crab that you've met.
Shore lark
This distinctive lark is a passage migrant and winter visitor to the UK, most often found along the east coast of Britain.
Short-eared owl
The short-eared owl, or 'Shortie', is an unusual owl because it prefers to be out and about in the daytime. Learn more about it in our species information page.
Short-snouted seahorse
One of 2 seahorses found in UK seas, short snouted seahorses are recognisable by their shorter snout - surprisingly enough!
Shoveler
Living up to its name, the shoveler has a large and distinctive shovel-like bill which it uses to feed at the surface of the water. It breeds in small numbers in the UK, but is widespread in winter.
Shrill carder bee
The shrill carder bee can be spotted flying quickly around flowers in unimproved pastures. The queens produce a loud, high-pitched buzz, hence the name. It is declining rapidly and is restricted to just a few locations.
Silver birch
A spindly tree of heathland and moorlands, and dry and sandy soils, the Silver birch is well known for its paper-thin, white bark. It is a great coloniser and can quickly spread in an area.
Silver Y
The Silver Y migrates to the UK in massive numbers each year - sometimes, an estimated 220 million can reach our shores in spring! Seen throughout the year, it is very common in gardens and grasslands.