Grazed moor, heath and rough grasslands

What we need to do and where

Dunlin, Bob Brewer

1. About

This group brings together Focus Species that live on Devon’s invertebrate-rich tussocky heaths, moors, rough grasslands and mires. These grazed habitats provide food, shelter and nesting sites for a wide range of birds. However, due to habitat loss and a decline in its condition, many of the birds which use these habitats are now threatened.  

There are  xxxx  Devon Species of Conservation Concern associated with these habitats. Eleven are listed as Focus Species, the majority of which are on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red list.   Whinchats are a Devon Special Species. 

Focus Species, such as curlew, cuckoo, snipe and whinchat were once found across Devon. They are now mainly found on Dartmoor and Exmoor. The short-term priority is to improve habitat for the remaining breeding populations. However they should not be seen as upland species and the long-term aim must be to restore these species across Devon – and ensure that everyone is familiar with the call of the cuckoo. 

Golden plover, ring ouzel and lapwing no longer breed on Dartmoor and merlin and red-backed shrike are only occasional breeders. They are not included as Focus Species but the actions proposed will benefit them if they return.   

Other Focus Species that use these habitats are skylark, linnet and yellowhammer.  See  the Lowland farmland birds group for details about these species.  

Key pressures and opportunities

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Upland habitat management

The overriding need in the uplands is to help those who own and farm moorland to manage their land with a stronger focus on nature recovery. The condition of breeding bird habitat has deteriorated with undergrazing in higher, more inaccessible areas allowing  purple moor grass to dominate and overgrazing of habitat in other areas reducing the habitat structure required for nesting. There is currently a focus on the management of Dartmoor commons due to the Fursden review and the Land Use Management Group which will hopefully lead to a positive way forwards for farming and wildlife. There are also huge opportunites through Landscape Recovery Projects on Dartmoor and Exmoor. 

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Lowland habitat

There have been huge losses of habitats in lowland areas and a reduction in habitat quality and food (invertebrates). Incentives are needed to allow a network of healthy habitats to be restored across the county which provide grazing for livestock, habitat and recreational opportunities. 

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Peatland restoration

Current and planned work to restore peatland habitats on Dartmoor and Exmoor should benefit some of these species, in particular dunlin, snipe and grasshopper warbler.  

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Recreational disturbance

Recreational activities, especially dog walking, can disturb ground-nesting species. There are several projects that aim to reduce recreational disturbance on Dartmoor and the Pebblebed Heaths. 

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Predation

Ground-nesting species such as curlew, lapwing and nightjar are increasingly vulnerable to predation (especially by crows and foxes) as their numbers decline due to habitat loss. Both habitat management and predation control are needed to increase numbers.   

See Heath, moor and mire for more details and links. 

2. What we need to do and where

Focus species

A Dunlin sits on a piece of rocky coast looking to the right, out to sea. It has a white bib and belly, with pale brown- yellow legs. The back, wings, and head are a mottled light brown, getting lighter towards the head. The beak is a very pale brown and long and thin, tapered to a point. The eyes are are black and circular.

Dunlin

Calidris alpina
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Habitat 

Around 9,000 pairs of dunlin spend the winter in Europe and north Africa and come to the UK to breed in the spring, usually on upland moors and bogs. They are an important indicator species for the quality of upland bogs. Dartmoor has 20-25 breeding pairs, the world’s most southerly breeding population and the only population in Devon. 

Population 

The UK’s breeding population of dunlins has seen a severe decline and they’re on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red list. The decline is due to a loss of and fall in the health of peat bogs caused by drainage and changing rainfall patterns. Drier peatlands support fewer soil invertebrates such as cranefly larvae that dunlins feed on.  

The University of Exeter estimates that just 1% of Dartmoor’s deep peat area is healthy, peat-forming bog. The majority has been severely damaged by drainage, cutting, drying and erosion. However, recent blanket bog restoration on Dartmoor has seen dunlin numbers increase in areas such as Winney’s Down and Cowsic Head. 

A snipe stands on a wooden fencepost against a blurred background of grey sky and green vegetation. The long straight, brown beak is two thirds the length of its body. The bird has a pale off-white belly and legs and towards its rear. the head, wings, chest and back are all light brown with distinctive darker brown markings. On the head these are clear stripes going from front to rear, the rest of the body has broken stripe markings.

Snipe

Gallinago gallinago
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should this be a focus species? explain lowland situation

Habitat 

Snipe are a widespread breeding species in the UK, and our resident population is supplemented by birds that migrate from northern Europe in winter. They’re found in particularly high numbers on northern uplands.  

Snipe live in marshes, wet grassland and moorlands, where they nest in simple scrapes they create in tussocky vegetation that’s generally 10-30 cm tall. They feed mainly on earthworms, leatherjackets, beetles and caterpillars. During the breeding season, males can be heard making a unique drumming sound as they vibrate their tail feathers during aerial courtship displays. 

Population 

Snipe’s UK range declined by 32% between 1970 and 2010 and they’re on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Amber list. The main reason for their decline is loss of habitat due to drainage.   

In Devon, snipe are now mainly found breeding in the wet, valley mires on Exmoor and Dartmoor. Dartmoor has around 200 pairs, the largest breeding population in southern England. 22 breeding snipe were recorded on Exmoor in 2014 and 55 in 2024.    

Snipe is a great flagship species for wetlands and as such is a Focus Species. 

Whinchat

Saxicola rubetra
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Habitat 

Whinchats are summer visitors that breed in invertebrate-rich moorlands and species-rich grasslands. They nest on or near the ground and like mosaics of tussocky grasses, bracken, heathland shrubs (such as bilberry and heathers) and a scattering of scrub and small trees to perch on.   

  

Population 

In the UK whinchats are increasingly confined to the uplands after their breeding population declined by 60% between 1995 and 2022, mirroring the trend across southwest Europe. They’re on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red list.  

In Devon their range fell from 187 to 90 tetrads between the 1977-85 and 2007-13 Bird Atlas periods,. Breeding whinchats are now almost all confined to steep-sided valleys on Dartmoor and Exmoor, although they were previously also recorded scattered across the culm and heaths of north and east Devon. In 2022, 164 known nesting sites were re-visited. The birds were present in 60 and absent in 104, representing a 63% reduction since 1979. The long term vision is for whinchats to be found across Devon again.  However in the short term the priority is to maintain and increase the upland populations. 

Dartmoor and Exmoor (along with Salisbury Plain) now support the only significant breeding populations of whinchats in southern England. 

Cuckoo

Cuculus canorus
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Habitat 

Cuckoos are summer visitors to the UK from Africa, arriving in late April. Females lay their eggs in other birds’ nests, especially meadow pipits, dunnocks and reed warblers. They  remove one of the host bird’s eggs and lay their own in its place. As their young are raised by other birds, adults are free to leave in June.  

Population 

Cuckoos were once widespread but the UK population has declined by 70% over the last 20 years and they are on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red list. The cuckoo is one of the fastest declining species in Devon, with their range falling from 78.9% of tetrads in 1988 to 20% in 2016. They’re now only known to breed on Dartmoor, where they lay eggs in meadow pipit nests (see below for meadow pipit details).  

The reasons for their rapid decline are not fully understood and the University of Exeter, British Trust for Ornithology and the RSPB are researching Dartmoor’s cuckoos. Possible causes are a reduction in caterpillars (an important part of their diet), fewer meadow pipits in lowland Devon and habitat loss on migration routes. 

Meadow pipit

Anthus pratensis
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Meadow pipits nest on the ground in dense vegetation on moorland, heathland and rough grasslands.  They feed largely on invertebrates in the summer (moths, beetles, flies and spiders) and seeds and berries in the autumn. Most are here all year. 

Meadow pipits are still widespread across the UK but have declined significantly in distribution and abundance and are on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Amber list. The reasons for their decline are not fully understood but may be linked to a general decline in invertebrates due to habitat loss and climate change.  

Meadow pipits are still common on Dartmoor but their range across Devon has declined from 44% of tetrads in 1988 to 25% in 2016. They’re listed as a Focus Species because of their huge decline in lowland Devon and as an increase in cuckoos depends on a healthy meadow pipit population.  

Grasshopper warbler

Locustella naevia
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should this be a Focus Species?

Habitat 

Grasshopper warblers are summer migrant visitors to the UK from Africa.  They’re found in wet meadows with dense grassland vegetation, which provides cover, and scattered scrub.  They eat a wide range of insects including flies, moths, caterpillars, beetles and spiders.  

Population 

From the 1960s grasshopper warblers suffered a dramatic decline in population and range (especially in southern and central England) and they’re on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red list. Declines are likely to be due to loss of wetland habitats.   

In Devon, grasshopper warblers were found in 13% of tetrads in 1988 and now? Although they’ve declined in many areas they’re thought to be stable or even increasing on parts of Dartmoor. They’re also found in wet grassland areas on Exmoor, Torridge and in grasslands on both coasts.   

Kestrel

Falco tinnunculus
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Habitat 

Kestrels can be found across the UK. They favour open habitats with a supply of field voles, such as rough grassland and heathland. They also eat mice, shrews, small birds and sometimes worms and insects. They nest in natural cavities in trees and nests abandoned by other species. They’re easy to identify due to their ability to hover motionless over fields while stalking their prey. 

Population 

The UK’s kestrel population has fallen by half since 1970 and they’re on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Amber list.  The decline is thought to be due to loss of rough grasslands which can support field voles, due to secondary poisoning from eating voles and mice that have eaten poison meant for rats, and due to loss of nesting sites such as old trees with cavities.  Need to add information on the Devon population…. 

A tree pipit sits on a tree branch singing, against a backdrop of blue skies and other tree branches. The pale off-white belly is visible, as well as the mottled lght brown bib and head, with the dark wings and back mostly hidden from view by the branch. The birds small, thin, pointed beak is open in mid song.

Tree pipit

Anthus trivialis
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Habitat 

Tree pipits are a long-distance summer migrant to the UK, arriving in April. They’re a ground-nesting species, found in heathland, rough grassland, young deciduous and conifer plantations, parkland and wood pasture where they use isolated trees as singing posts. They mainly eat small invertebrates, particularly beetles, but will eat berries and seeds. 

Population 

The population has declined dramatically over recent decades and the species is on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red list. It’s not known why but reasons may include disturbance to nests, lack of open woody habitat and issues relating to migration or wintering grounds.  

In Devon tree pipits mostly occur around Dartmoor and Exmoor with scattered pairs on heathlands and culm grasslands. Between 1988 and 2016 their range reduced from 36% of tetrads to just 13%. 

A nightjar sits on top of a flat tree trunk with blurred green vegetation in the background. The bird is the same mottled brown-grey as the tree trunk and is hard to see as the wings are tucked in, no legs or feet are visible, and the short neck and beak give the bird the appearance of a piece of wood.

Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeus
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Another summer visitor to the UK, nightjars are ground-nesting birds found on undisturbed heathlands that have occasional taller trees and lots of invertebrates. They will also nest in open areas in woodlands created by clear felling. They’re nocturnal, catching food such as moths, flies and beetles on the wing.    

Nightjars were once much more widely distributed but as heathland has been lost their numbers have declined. In recent decades their population and range has increased. This is thought to be due to heathland restoration as well as the creation of open nesting habitat through clear felling areas of conifer plantation. However, they’re still of national conservation concern and are on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Amber list.  

Devon’s nightjar population appears to be stable or increasing, with much of the increase thought to come from woodland clear fell areas. Heathland and forestry plantations on Dartmoor and Exmoor and in Haldon Forest all support nationally important populations.  Nightjars are also a qualifying feature of the Pebblebed Heaths SAC.   However, nightjar is listed as a Focus Species as the Devon population remains vulnerable to changes in forestry management, loss of insects and potentially an increase in recreational disturbance.   

Curlew

Numenius arquata
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ask J Avon to check and add to text

Habitat 

Curlews are the largest European wading bird, feeding on estuaries in winter and breeding on rough grassland, moorland and bog in summer. They nest in scrapes on the ground between tall tussocks of grasses to protect them from predators. Adults and chicks feed on worms, caterpillars and other invertebrates found in rough, damp pastures.    

Population 

Their breeding population has suffered a severe decline and they’re now increasingly concentrated in northern Britain. They’re on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red list and the UK breeding population is of international importance. Declines are due to loss of habitat, particularly draining and reseeding of wet grasslands. As their numbers decline they become more vulnerable to predation, especially by foxes which take eggs, chicks and adult birds. 

Curlews once bred across Devon’s heathlands and in rough, wet grasslands such as the north Devon culm. However, the breeding population has declined by 85% since 1985. There are now only 1-3 pairs of curlew that attempt to breed on Dartmoor’s damp valley mires, and few, if any, of the chicks survive.  

A curlew reintroduction project has been rearing and releasing birds on Dartmoor since 2021. See Inspiration below for more information.  

A Dartford warbler sits on a gorse branch with yellow flowers visible, the background is blurred gorse bushes. The small bird has a small pale yellow butterfly in its beak. The bird has a grey head, back and wings, and a reddy brown belly and chest. A distinctive red eye ring around a black eye is visible. The feet and legs cannot be seen.

Dartford warbler

Curruca undata
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Habitat 

A ground-nesting, resident species, Dartford warblers are specialists of lowland heathlands and coastal scrub and heath. They like a mosaic of tall and shorter scrub and will often nest in dense stands of gorse that provide important shelter in cold winters. They mainly eat small invertebrates. 

Population 

Dartford warblers have come back from the brink of extinction over the last 50 years and are now restricted to the south and east of the UK. Their European range is moving north and in the future the UK may hold a significant proportion of the global population. They’re on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Amber list. 

In Devon, they are found on the Pebblebed Heaths, Haldon heaths, Dartmoor and Exmoor edges and coastal areas, especially the south coast between Stoke Point and Plymouth and the north Devon coast.  Devon’s population of Dartford warblers increased dramatically in the 1990s to over 250 pairs. It subsequently fell, in part due to significant declines on Dartmoor linked to poor weather in 2009 and 2010, but it’s likely that the population is increasing again. Recent surveys on Exmoor show numbers grew from just 25 in 2014 (down from 209 in 2008) to 175 in 2024.  

While the population has increased, this is from very low levels. Dartford warblers are a Focus Species as they remain vulnerable and in need of attention.   

See Lowland farmland birds for information for skylark, linnet and yellowhammer. 

Actions for dunlin, snipe and curlew

Manage and restore bogs and valley mires for breeding dunlin, snipe and curlew (lapwing?)

  • Protect and restore wet flushes, boggy areas and damp, rough grasslands by blocking grips and drains where possible (even small wet flushes, created by blocking one field drain, can be valuable). 
  • Restore bogs with pools and flushes by blocking erosion gullies, drainage channels and peat cuttings. 
  • Improve habitat along the margins of watercourses with light grazing, preferably by cattle, from late summer. 
  • Lightly graze with cattle from mid-March to the end of July to maintain tall vegetation in the wet flushes during the breeding season. Graze cattle from late summer onwards to provide a tussocky structure for nesting and feeding the following spring. 
  • Avoid liming, fertilising or re-seeding.  
  • Avoid burning large moorland patches for grazing. 
  • Control predators where needed. 

Curlew reintroduction

Continue to support the curlew re-introduction project, including specific actions such as predator control.   

Where to focus action

Dartmoor wader recovery zones – see Mapping. 

Actions for whinchat, cuckoo, meadow pipit, grasshopper warbler, kestrel, tree pipit, nightjar and dartford warbler

Manage and restore large areas of invertebrate rich heaths, moots and rough grasslands across Devon for rare birds

  • Manage and restore invertebrate-rich moors, heaths and grasslands on rotation through light cattle and pony grazing to provide a dynamic mosaic of habitats.  This should include bare ground, heathland shrubs, tussocky grassland, patches of dense gorse and other scrub, groups of taller trees and scattered trees.
  • Reduce disturbance to ground-nesting birds in areas with public access.

Cuckoo and whinchat research and action 

Act on the findings of research to maintain cuckoo and whinchat populations. Support further research as needed.  

Survey   

Monitor all Focus Species and share data with the RSPB, DBRC and Devon Birds. 

Discuss and include actions needed relating to agri-env schemes / enabling the habitat actions to be economically viable…..? 

Where to focus action

All species: High Opportunity Areas mapped for heath, moor and mire + Coastal Wildbelt. 

Whinchats:  Whinchat restoration areas on Dartmoor  

See Mapping.

Actions for all birds of moor, heath and rough grassland

Advice and funding 

Continue and expand the RSPB-led Dartmoor Moorland Birds Project. The project, which started in 2023, monitors and advises on land management for upland birds on Dartmoor.   

Habitat management

All birds using this habitat will benefit from the actions set out in the following habitat pages:

Discuss and include actions needed relating to agri-env schemes / enabling the habitat actions to be economically viable…..? 

3. Inspiration

Case studies

Ask for farmer case studies during consultation 

The Dartmoor Curlew Project is a five-year project which started in 2021. It aims to restore breeding curlews to Dartmoor by working with land managers to improve habitat, control predators and release young birds. The project is funded by the Prince of Wales Charitable Foundation and the Duchy of Cornwall and is supported by Dartmoor National Park Authority, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Natural England and the RSPB.  

4. Find out more

Ask for useful links during the Consultation 

The Devon Bird Atlas shows the distribution and abundance of birds in Devon in both the breeding and winter periods. 

The results of the 2016 East Dartmoor Moorland Breeding Bird Survey. 

Link to Dartmoor Moorland Birds Project? 

The Dartmoor Curlew Project aims to restore breeding curlews to Dartmoor by working with land managers to improve habitat, control predators and release young birds. 

Farmers, RSPB scientists and others worked together to restore habitats for rare birds on Dartmoor through the Our Upland Commons Project, led by the Foundation for Common Land.  

Exmoor National Park has published their Vision for Nature Recovery and the nature recovery projects they’re working on in partnership with land owners, land managers and a wide range of other organisations.  

Dartmoor National Park has published Living Dartmoor, their strategy to deliver benefits for Dartmoor’s wildlife. 

The University of Exeter published a report on the Mires on the Moor project, which is researching changes in water quality, habitat dynamics and flood risk following moorland restoration, in the peatlands of the UK’s South West. 

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