Page 41 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND MOORLANDS

CONIFER
PLANTATIONS WHERE TO WATCH
Many moorlands have
been planted with alien
conifers. These provide
temporary homes for
Black Grouse, Hen
Harriers, and Whinchats
until they grow too tall
and dense. Chaffinches,
Robins, and Coal Tits
may then move in.
THE CAIRNGORMS
ADAPTATIONS
1VATNA JOKULL, 3 CAIRNGORMS,
Camouflage helps Dotterels,Golden Plovers,and
ICELAND SCOTLAND
other breeding birds to blend in to barren surroundings.
The high central plateau of A unique area in the UK with
Ptarmigan turn white in winter, helping them to Iceland is bleak and forbidding. extensive boulder fields, screes,
hide in the snow.Their feet are feathered to reduce Even in summertime, it has a and cliffs in a very high plateau,
winter heat loss. thick central ice cap that is almost where Dotterels, Ptarmigan, a
devoid of birdlife. Around it is a few Snow Buntings, Ravens, and
The long, fine-tipped bills
spectacular landscape that sees a Golden Eagles breed.
of Dunlin are ideal for picking small range of birds. Bare ground
insects and small worms from provides habitat for Ptarmigans, 4 NORTH PENNINES,
moss-covered bogs in summer, Snow Buntings, and rare Gyr ENGLAND
Falcons and Snowy Owls. Locally,
and for probing in mud for Pink-footed Geese and Purple This is rolling moorland with
feathered worms during winter. Sandpipers breed. heather and limestone grassland,
legs dissected by wooded valleys and
Open moors have few rocky gulleys with tumbling
perches so birds such as streams. Many Golden Plovers,
PTARMIGAN
Golden Plovers and Skylarks Curlews, Wheatears, Snipe,
Meadow Pipits, and Skylarks
sing in flight to claim
breed, as well as a few Merlins,
their territorial rights Short-eared Owls, Dunlins,
and attract females. Dippers, Twites, Whinchats,
PURPLE SANDPIPER Stonechats, and Ring Ouzels.
Muscular gizzards
and elongated 2 DOVREFJELL,
NORWAY
intestines allow
grouse to swallow This national park has a mix
of bogs, lakes, woodland,
grit to help grind up
snowfields, and mountain peaks
the shoots of tough, and plateaux. Here there are
heathery plants. SKYLARK Rough-legged Buzzards, Cranes,
Dotterels, Temminck’s Stints, Red-
necked Phalaropes, Shore Larks,
Bramblings, and Lapland and
Snow Buntings in summer.
CURLEW
1
Mountains and
moorland in
northern Europe 2
3
4
WINTER MOORLAND
Overgrazed moors have little heather and can
degenerate into swathes of acid grassland.
Few birds appear, but Meadow Pipits and
Skylarks will feed on grass seeds and insects
while Curlews take worms from boggy places.
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