Torry Bay is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Intertidal mudflats are an important estuarine habitat for birds and thousands are attracted to the reserve every year. The apparent barrenness of the shore is deceiving. It has been estimated that one square metre of mud may contain up to 60,000 laver spire snails or thousands of ragworms. These invertebrates provide essential food for the birds that overwinter at Torry Bay. In the winter you can see large numbers of great crested grebe, shelduck, wigeon, curlew, redshank and dunlin. Others like sandwich tern, ringed plover, ruff and greenshank occur on migration during the autumn.