In the earlier part of the 20th century, a weekly postal service provided contact with the Mainland, and there were fortnightly shopping trips to Deerness, allowing for weather.

Bird's eggs provided a good supplement to the islanders' diet, and men were lowered over the cliffs on a special rope, or were rowed out to the Horse to bring back this addition.

Many interesting facts and accounts of life on Copinsay are still retold in the Deerness Community, with many members still remembering when the island was still home to loved ones.

[10] Although Copinsay today is uninhabited, some fields are still farmed at the behest of the RSPB, to try provide suitable conditions for Corncrake.

The island has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports significant breeding populations of seabirds.