London Heathrow Airport opens birdwatching hide shaped like control tower to spotlight biodiversity and sustainability efforts

Credit: London Heathrow Airport

London Heathrow Airport (LHR) has unveiled a birdwatching hide modelled on its iconic air traffic control tower, located in one of its 13 biodiversity sites. The Nature Traffic Control Tower is free to visit as part of a bookable tour, allowing guests to observe local bird species and wildlife across the 170 hectares Heathrow manages for biodiversity—10% of its overall footprint.

Details on London Heathrow Airport’s birdwatching hide

The initiative supports Heathrow’s Nature Positive Plan, which aims to understand, reduce and restore the airport’s environmental impact. It forms part of Heathrow’s broader Connecting People and Planet sustainability strategy, backed by a £250 million investment between 2022 and 2026.

Launched at Causeway Nature Reserve, the bird hide offers visitors the chance to spot over 79 bird species and rare wildlife including the Black Poplar tree, Small Heath butterfly and grass snakes. Other biodiversity sites, like Princes Lakes, support hundreds of moth species, 90 bee species and serve as a winter refuge for the Smew duck and Little Egret.

Big Jet TV’s Jerry Dyer, the UK’s most famous plane spotter, was the first to experience the hide. Sharing the moment with followers, he said:

“I’ve watched thousands of aircraft land at Heathrow, but seeing feathered friends touch down at one of the airport’s nature sites from a bird hide styled like the control tower? That’s next-level plane spotting!

“It’s an ingenious idea that brings together two of my favourite things – aviation and nature.

“What’s really impressed me, though, is the work Heathrow’s doing behind the scenes… making real investments in sustainability.”

The experience taps into a global surge in birdwatching, with #birdwatching exceeding 2 billion views on TikTok.

Becky Coffin, Heathrow’s Communities and Sustainability Director, added:

“Our work to support nature happens all year round… Maintaining and restoring nature is a priority for Heathrow, and we hope this birdwatching experience helps bring our Nature Positive Plan to life.”

The plan includes growing Heathrow’s conservation land, reducing water pollution, expanding biodiversity sites and investing in UK forests and peatlands. The airport has held The Wildlife Trusts’ Biodiversity Benchmark for 17 consecutive years.

The launch coincided with record travel over Easter, including Heathrow’s busiest-ever arrivals day, with over 140,000 passengers landing on Easter Monday. Almost 1 million passengers used the airport over the holiday weekend.

Free birdwatching tours at the Nature Traffic Control Tower can be booked via Eventbrite:

www.eventbrite.com/e/heathrow-nature-tour-tickets-1341655781559

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