Deadwood Plain

Deadwood Plain is open grazing ground in the northeast, and it is the main habitat of the wirebird, a small plover found only on St Helena and the island's only surviving endemic land bird, which nests on the short grass. During the South African War around five thousand Boer prisoners were held in a camp on this plain, and the outlines of it can still be traced. The Barn rises at the far end.

What you actually see

• The wirebird - the endemic plover, the island's only surviving endemic land bird.
• The open grazing - the short grass the birds depend on.
• The camp traces - the outlines of the Boer prisoner camp of 1900 to 1902.
• The Barn - the flat-topped headland rising at the plain's edge.

When to go

Year round; wirebirds are present in all seasons and breed through much of the year. The plain is exposed and windy. Early morning is best for birds.

Honest expectations

Wirebirds are small, well camouflaged and easily missed; binoculars help. Nesting birds are vulnerable and keeping to tracks matters. Nothing marks the camp site.

Nearby

The Barn is northeast, and Millennium Forest is east.