Page 40 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

INTRODUCTION

NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND MOORLANDS
hese are tough habitats for wildlife, and many birds are only summer
Tvisitors to the uplands,breeding when insects or other small birds
are available as prey.In winter, snow and exposure to gales and rain
make life impossible for all but a few hardy species. Some birds survive
on a very restricted diet, in areas that offer little variety. Nevertheless,
these are imposing and often inspiring places that do see exciting birds.
NORTHERN MOUNTAINS
These mountains reproduce the cold, windswept, and
barren conditions of far northern lowlands, and so
winter sees most birds journeying south or moving
to lowland areas. In summer, however, these same
habitats offer greater possibilities for migrants, as
insect and plant life has a brief period of abundance
and small rodents multiply quickly in the grasslands,
providing food for predators.
The rocky gullies and crags
provide nest sites for birds and EXPOSED MOUNTAIN REGIONS
good feeding opportunities. On high, exposed ground the tundra-like
conditions, which include sparse vegetation,
cliffs, and screes, are exploited by only a
DOTTEREL
Dotterels like broad, rolling ridges and small selection of hardy sub-Arctic birds.
stony plateaux at high altitude, where they
feed on insect life in summer.
MOORLAND of these birds, such as Skylarks,
Moorland forms on peaty ground where conditions are widespread elsewhere, while
are cold and wet for much of the year.This means others are upland moor and bog
dead plant material is slow to rot, so it builds up into specialists. For example, Dunlins
thick layers of peat.Where this becomes waterlogged, prefer wet bogs, while Golden
extensive blanket bog forms.This is a rare habitat Plovers choose more open
worldwide, but is well represented in northwest spaces of grassy moors or
Europe. Such places are impoverished in wildlife heather for feeding
terms, but still attract a small selection of birds. Some and nesting.

RED GROUSE WHINCHAT
Red Grouse can be scarce on heathery moors. The Whinchat likes gentle slopes
Only where the habitat is managed for them do with bracken and heather, or
they appear in large numbers. They feed almost young conifer plantations.
exclusively on heather shoots and seeds.

38