Woody habitat birds

What we need to do and where
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- National Trust, Dougie Holden

A spotted flycatcher sits on a broken tree branch that is covered in moss and lichens against a backdrop of broadleaf ancient woodland. The bird is seen from the side on, facing towards the left of the frame. It has a white underbelly that gets increasingly speckled with grey towards the bib. The head is light brown speckled with white and grey and has a small black eye and short thin dark brown beak. The back of the bird and its wings are dark brown-grey going lighter towards the edges of each feather. The wings are longer and more angular than the small round body of the bird so protrude beyond the rear of the birds body.

Spotted flycatcher, Annie Houston

1. About

Devon supports a wide range of woody habitats, from ancient upland oak woods to wet woodlands, parkland and wood pastures, orchards, parks and gardens. They all provide food (especially seeds and insects), shelter and nesting sites for birds.   

Many species such as blackcap, great spotted woodpecker, nuthatch and tree creeper are still common and widespread across Devon. However other bird species such as lesser-spotted woodpecker, willow tit, pied flycatcher and wood warbler have seen particularly severe declines in the last few decades. Although reasons are not all well understood one key reason is thought to be lack of woodland management. This has reduced the structural diversity of woodlands which in turn has reduced the habitat for insects. For migratory species there may also be links to wintering habitats or migration routes, although evidence for this is limited.   

12 woodland species including mistle thrush, tawny owl and redstart are listed as Devon Species of Conservation Concern.  Seven of these are listed as Focus Species in need of particular action or attention and these are discussed below. Although these species have been brought together into a birds of woody habitats group, they have different habitat needs.  

Pied flycatcher, lesser-spotted woodpecker and wood warbler, need large, insect-rich woodlands. Others, such as tree pipit and nightjar, are found in more open habitats such as heathlands but also use open areas clear-fell areas in conifer plantations and newly-planted woods.  

Key pressures and opportunities

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Woodland management and fragmentation

A decline in the long-term rotational management of woodlands (including coppicing) has led to increased uniformity. However, bird species have different needs. Some, such as pied flycatchers and wood warblers, prefer open habitats while others, such as marsh tits, prefer a dense understorey. These variations in habitat have been lost as woodland management has declined.      

The loss and fragmentation of wet woodlands is a problem for species such as willow tit and lesser-spotted woodpecker.  Woodlands are often small and fragmented, which makes it hard for sedentary species such as willow tit and marsh tit to disperse to new habitats.  

There’s an increasing move to continuous cover forestry. While this benefits some wildlife,  species such as nightjar and tree pipit benefit from clearfell areas which provide open sites for ground-nesting.    

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Woodland creation

There are lots of woodland creation projects across Devon. For birds that need mature woodlands, such as pied flycatchers and lesser-spotted woodpeckers, this is a long-term strategy. However, woodland edge species such as marsh tits will benefit from newly planted or naturally regenerating woodlands fairly quickly. 

For more Pressures and Opportunities relating to woody habitats see links to habitats in What we need to do and where below.   

2. What we need to do and where

Focus species

Lesser-spotted woodpecker

Dendrocopos minor
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Habitat 

Resident throughout the year, lesser-spotted woodpeckers are mainly found in large, mature, open oak woodlands. However, they can also be found in mature wet woodland and parkland and wood pasture as both habitats have old, dead and decaying trees and so lots of insects. Their winter territories cover several hundred hectares and they seem to favour woodlands with a dense shrub layer.   

Population 

The lesser-spotted woodpecker is the UK’s smallest and rarest woodpecker and one of the country’s fastest declining birds. Populations have declined hugely since the 1980s and they’re on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red list. Reasons for the declines aren’t well understood but are thought to be related to loss of open woodland (due to lack of management), along with lack of dead wood, competition, predation and climate change.  

Lesser-spotted woodpeckers were found in 15% of Devon tetrads in 1988 but this has declined to 2% by 2016. There are now thought to be only 30-50 pairs in the county. Most confirmed records are now from oak woodlands on the fringes of Dartmoor but there are a few other records across the county. 

Actions

Manage and create large, well connected woody habitats for lesser spotter woodpecker. 

Manage and create large, connected areas of broadleaved woodlands, wet woodlands and parkland and wood pasture with mature trees, dead and decaying wood and areas of dense shrub.  

Where to focus action

Temperate Rainforest zones in southern and eastern Dartmoor valleys. See the LNRS Viewer. 

Pied flycatcher and wood warbler

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Pied flycatcher

Ficedula hypoleuca

Habitat 

Pied flycatchers spend the winter in west Africa and come to the UK to breed. They’re found in heavily-wooded landscapes and tend to avoid small woods (less than 1 hectare).  In Devon, they’re found in mature oak woodlands on the edge of Dartmoor and Exmoor, where they nest in pre-existing holes in old trees. They snatch flying insects from the air and so prefer a fairly open understorey. 

Population 

The UK population declined around the turn of the millennium, but this decrease appears to have levelled off. However, they’re still on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Amber list and, as Devon is a stronghold, are a Focus Species. The reasons for the decline are unknown, but are thought to be linked to lack of management of woodlands as well as potential issues on wintering grounds and migration. Nest box schemes in Dartmoor woods allow populations to be monitored.  

Wood warbler

Phylloscopus sibilatrix

Habitat 

Like pied flycatchers wood warblers overwinter in Africa. They’re most often found in oak woodlands in western Britain. In Devon, they’re currently found in insect-rich Dartmoor and Exmoor oak woodlands with high canopy cover and fairly open understorey, similar habitat to pied flycatchers. However, unlike pied flycatchers, they pick insects from vegetation and nest on or close to the ground among grass tussocks. They seem to need low perches, such as side branches, close to their nest.   

Population 

The national population has seen a huge decline and wood warblers have been on the UK Red List since 2009.  Causes are unknown but are thought to include lack of management of woodlands as well as potential changes in wintering grounds or migration routes. Devon is a stronghold and the 1977-85 Devon Bird Atlas shows that they were then probably much more widespread across Devon. 

Actions

Manage and create insect-rich oak woodlands for pied flycatchers and wood warblers with an open understorey, dead wood and mature trees. 

  • Lightly graze woodlands to maintain a low, species-rich field layer and sparse shrub layer that provides perches for wood warblers. 
  • Eradicate invasives such as rhododendron and cherry laurel from woodlands to open up the understorey. 
  • Selectively thin, retaining >75% of the tree canopy to maintain shade and limit understorey regeneration. Keep mature trees with natural holes and dead wood.  
  • Consider extending the nest box scheme in woodlands with colonising pied flycatcher. 

Where to focus action

Woodlands with recent records of these species need  have been mapped as High Opportunity Areas.  See the LNRS Viewer.   

A spotted flycatcher sits on a broken tree branch that is covered in moss and lichens against a backdrop of broadleaf ancient woodland. The bird is seen from the side on, facing towards the left of the frame. It has a white underbelly that gets increasingly speckled with grey towards the bib. The head is light brown speckled with white and grey and has a small black eye and short thin dark brown beak. The back of the bird and its wings are dark brown-grey going lighter towards the edges of each feather. The wings are longer and more angular than the small round body of the bird so protrude beyond the rear of the birds body.

Spotted flycatcher

Muscicapa striata
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Habitat 

Spotted flycatchers are summer migrants from Africa, often not arriving until late April or early May. They breed throughout the UK, apart from the very far north and west. Spotted flycatchers can be found anywhere with large mature trees that support lots of insects such as woodlands, parklands and large gardens. In woodland, they seem to prefer sites which aren’t too open or too dense. They nest in sheltered crevices and on creepers climbing up walls and trees. They fly out from a perch to grab a flying insect, usually returning to the same spot.  

Population 

The UK breeding population declined by 93% between 1967 and 2022 and they are on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red List. It’s not known what caused this decline but it may be related to habitat decline in the UK or issues during migration or in their wintering grounds.  They’re widespread across Devon but in low numbers. 

Actions

Manage and create insect-rich open woody habitats for spotted flycatchers. 

  • Protect and manage veteran and mature trees, dead wood, ivy and other climbers.   
  • In woodlands, create and enhance open woodland rides, glades and woodland edge with shelter and irregular edges.  

Where to focus action

Actions for spotted flycatchers are needed in all open woody habitats across Devon.   Broadleaved woodland and wood pasture and parkland are shown on the  LNRS Viewer.  

Marsh tit

Poecile palustris
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Habitat 

Marsh tits are a resident species which prefer large (minimum 0.5 hectares and generally over ten hectares), mature deciduous woodland with a dense shrub layer and shrubby woodland edges. They’re fairly sedentary birds and adults stay on or near their territory all year round. They nest in natural holes (and will use nest boxes) and feed on insects and seeds.   

Population 

The UK population declined by 80% between 1967 and 2022 and they are on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red list. The decline may be due to loss of habitat and connectivity as well as a decline in habitat condition (fewer insects and seeds), in particular loss of a dense shrub layer in many woodlands. Marsh tits may be outcompeted by blue tits and great tits.  

Marsh tits were found in 60% of Devon tetrads in but suffered a major decline and were only found in 24% in 2016. They are scarcer in the south and east.  

Actions

Manage and create insect-rich woodlands with a dense shrub layer and shrubby edge 

  • Exclude deer and livestock to allow a dense shrub layer to develop. 
  • Restore rotation coppice cycles of about 15 years, with standards to open up the canopy and allow a shrub layer and future veteran trees to develop. 
  • Expand woodlands and increase connectivity between suitable woodlands to support dispersing juveniles. 

Where to focus action

Actions should be targeted to all broadleaved woodlands across Devon.    

Willow tit

Poecile montanus
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Habitat 

Willow tits are a resident species that live in wet woodlands (often birch, willow, alder scrub) and feed on insects, especially craneflies. They prefer to nest in dense scrub that’s 2-4m high.  Like marsh tits, they’re generally sedentary and poor at dispersing.  

Population 

In the UK the population is thought to have declined by 86% between 1995 and 2020. Their range has also contracted, especially in southern and eastern Britain. Willow tits are thought to be the country’s fastest declining resident bird and are on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red List. It’s not fully understood why willow tits have declined but loss and fragmentation of wet woodlands is thought to be the main issue, along with loss of deadwood and predation of nests. Climate change may also be causing a loss of habitat and decline in insects.  

In Devon, willow tits are largely confined to wet woodlands in the northwest of the county and the north Dartmoor fringes. The 1988 Devon Bird Atlas reported willow tits in 12% of tetrads, with birds spread widely across northern Devon and scattered populations in east Devon. However, by the 2016 Bird Atlas, the number of occupied tetrads had dropped to just 3 %. In 2016, Devon Birds and DBRC undertook a countywide survey. They recorded 297 breeding pairs, nearly 7% of the England population.   

Actions

Manage and create a network of insect-rich wet woodlands for willow tits, connected by hedgerow and stream corridors 

  • Maintain wet woodlands in willow tit areas with plenty of dead wood and scrub which is 2-4m high. Avoid putting up nest boxes as they may favour competing species.  add dispersal distance….. 
  • Allow birch, alder and willow to regenerate on wet ground which is not already a wildlife-rich habitat. 
  • Manage bushy hedgerow corridors and well-vegetated watercourses to improve connectivity between wet woodlands. 

See Wet woodlands for more information on wet woodland management. 

Where to focus action

Areas where action is most needed for willow tits have been mapped as High Opportunity Areas for wet woodland. See the LNRS Viewer. 

Redpoll

Acanthis flammea
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Habitat 

The redpoll is a small finch which feeds on invertebrates and seeds , in particular birch and alder. They’re therefore found in a wide range of habitats that support birch and alder including woodland, birch scrub, wet woodland, heathland and moorland edge with scrubby gorse and willow. They also use conifer woodlands with clearings, wide rides or areas with regenerating scrub, as well as young plantations.  

Population 

Redpolls were abundant and widespread in lowland Britain in the 1970s but experienced a dramatic decline in population and range and no longer breed in large areas of lowland England. They’re on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red list. The decline may relate to loss of birch as woodlands have matured and birch has decreased.    

In Devon, redpolls are scarce and mostly confined to Dartmoor and Exmoor. Numbers have decreased on the culm grasslands and Pebblebed heaths. 

Actions

Maintain areas of birch and alder in all habitats for redpoll, including in conifer stands and around the edges of woodlands. 

Where to focus action

Heaths, moors and woodlands across Devon.  See the LNRS Viewer. 

Tree pipit and nightjar

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Tree pipit

Anthus trivialis

Habitat 

Tree pipits are a long-distance summer migrant to the UK, arriving in April. They’re a ground nesting species, found in open woody habitats (young deciduous and conifer plantations, parkland and wood pasture, heathland, rough grassland) with isolated trees which they use as singing posts. They are not found in closed canopy woodlands. 

Population 

The population has undergone dramatic declines over recent decades and the species is on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red List. It’s not known why but 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%. 

Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeus

Another ground nesting species which are largely found on heaths but have important populations in Dartmoor conifer woodlands where they nest in areas of clear fell.

Actions

Maintain open areas in woody habitats for ground nesting tree pipit and nightjar.

  • Keep some rotational clear-fell in conifer plantations to create open areas with trees. 
  • Maintain scattered trees on heaths and rough grasslands 
  • Reduce any potential disturbance to ground-nesting birds in areas with public access 

For other actions for tree pipits and nightjars see birds of moor, heath and rough grassland for details.

Where to focus action

All open woody habitats across Devon such as woodlands, heaths, rough grasslands, and parkland.  

Dartmoor’s large conifer plantations (Fernworthy, Bellever, Soussons, Brimpts). See the LNRS Viewer. 

Actions for all Woody habitat birds

Survey

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

Habitat management

All birds which use woody habitats will benefit from the actions set out in the habitat pages: 

3. Inspiration

Case studies

Fingle woods

Fingle Woods is an 825-acre ancient woodland, made up of eight different woods, in the Teign Valley on the northern edge of Dartmoor. In 2013, the National Trust and Woodland Trust bought the woodland and are restoring it for wildlife and for public access. 39 species of breeding birds have been recorded there, including lesser-spotted woodpecker, wood warbler and pied flycatcher.  

Pied flycatcher nest boxes

Pied flycatcher nest boxes have been provided in 38 Devon woodlands as part of  PiedFly.Net. Exeter University and Devon Birds are working with community volunteers to co-ordinate pied flycatcher monitoring to better understand their ecology and population trends.   

Where to visit

Always follow the Countryside Code and keep to footpaths and sites which are managed for public access.  

Fingle woods

For information on visiting these and other sites see the Explore Devon website. 

4. Find out more

The Devon Bird Atlas shows the distribution of birds in 1977-85 (published 1988) and 2007-13 (published 2016).    

The British Trust for Ornithology publish maps and books with statistics for species distribution and change. 

The Sylva Foundation has a Woodland Wildlife Toolkit that has advice on managing woodlands for wildlife, in particular rare and declining species that are dependent on woodland habitats.   

The RSPB publishes results from the National Willow Tit survey.    

Wotton, S. R., Eaton, M. A., Facey, R., Grice, P. V., & Bellamy, P. In prep). The status of the Willow Tit Poecile montanus population in Great Britain, 2019 to 2021.   

The Back from the Brink project has published a Willow Tit Conservation Handbook. 

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