Noss, a small island off the east coast of Bressay, is a National Nature Reserve with over 100,000 pairs of breeding seabirds. The island is also grazed by around 350 Shetland ewes and demonstrates a good example of conservation and agricultural practices working together.

The reserve is managed by Scottish Natural Heritage and staffed by seasonal wardens who provide a frequent summer boat service. The island is open from loam to 5pm (except Mondays and Thursdays) from late May to the end of August. Visitors should wait at the sign on the shore at Noss Sound for the boat to collect them.

At Gungstie there is a small visitor centre and a restored Shetland Pony pund. Between 1871 and 1900 Noss was leased by the Marquis of Londonderry for breeding Shetland ponies to work underground in his coal mines at Durham. A walk around the perimeter of the island will take at least 3 hours.

The sandstone cliffs on the east side of the island have weathered into innumerable parallel ledges and crevices providing ideal nest sites for over 7,000 pairs of gannets, 30,000 pairs of guillemots and smaller numbers of kittiwake, shag, puffin and razorbill.

The moorland interior supports about 100 pairs of great skuas (bonxies) and a few pairs of Arctic skua.