Looking After The Wildlife

The assemblage of birds and mammals that live on moorlands is unique to Scotland, but many species have declined historically as the moorland area has decreased. Some of these birds are still in decline, particularly waders such as the Curlew and Lapwing, and it is vital that moorlands are carefully managed for a sustainable balance of bird and mammal species.

 

Key bird species

 

The most protected moorland specialist birds are on the Red list and include : Hen Harrier, Black grouse (also a Biodiversity Action Plan species), and Ring Ouzel.

Amber list: Golden eagle, Merlin, Red grouse, Dotterel, Lapwing, Dunlin, Snipe, Curlew, Redshank, Short eared owl.

 

Research shows that there is a strong link between how a moor is managed and bird populations, and a concise summary of this is provided in the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust’s booklet - Singing Fields

 

 

Control of predators

 

Most moorland birds nest on the ground and are vulnerable to a wide range of mammalian predators, such as foxes, stoats, weasels, rats and predatory birds such as carrion and hooded crows and some species of gulls.

 

These can be controlled legally by shooting, trapping and snaring, and this is one of the most important task of the moorland manager. An eight year research project at Otterburn, Northumberland has been undertaken by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust to measure the impact of predator control on other moorland birds, particularly waders.  Final results are coming through during 2008 which demonstrate that breeding of Lapwing, Golden plover and Curlew can be three times greater on keepered moors than on unkeepered moors.  Improved techniques for humane control of predators are constantly being developed. The control of foxes and crows are equally important to sheep farmers who lose many lambs to these predators in the spring. 

 

 

Birds of Prey

 

Part of the moorland bird assemblage are raptors, the most unusual being Hen Harriers, Golden Eagle, Merlin and Peregrine Falcon, down to the increasingly common Buzzards and Ravens.  Many raptors thrive on moors where management provides an abundance of prey, but that creates a problem for those prey species themselves.  Due to the complete protection given to all birds of prey under European and Domestic legislation, their numbers cannot be legally controlled, like other predators, although frequent allegations are made about illegal control - see The Big Debates. 

 

An assessment of the current bird of prey situation across was published by the RSPB in April 2008 -

On a wing and a prayer

 

Mountain Hares

 

In the Highlands, the populations of White or Mountain Hares are closely associated with management, particularly for grouse shooting.  A report published in April 2008 for Scottish Natural Heritage found that there has been no decline in the number or range of Mountain Hares 

 

 

Red Deer

 

Red deer are another important element of moorland wildlife in the Highlands and the western side of Scotland.  Many wildlife managers combine stalking and deer culling with their other work - Wise Use.  Red deer numbers have increased to some 300,000 in recent decades, along with all other deer species in the UK.  They represent an iconic asset and sustainable source of some income, but need to be culled to the correct level 

 

 

Sheep Ticks

 

Another problem faced by  moorland managers is the increasing prevalence of the blood sucking insect, sheep tick, which can cause Lyme disease in humans and louping ill in sheep and Red grouse.  The only practical ways to reduce tick infestations are to dip sheep with acaracides, which will kill the tick, or to reduce the numbers of deer and hares which “host” the tick for a vital part of its life cycle. 

 

 

Grit

 

The Red grouse digests its heather diet by grinding it down in its gizzard, and helps this process by eating grit.  On some moors there is natural mineral grit in the soil, but on others it is supplemented by the keeper putting out small piles on strategic points across the moor. 

 

 

Worm Control

 

Given the right mixture of short and long heather to feed and nest in, the Red grouse is fairly self sufficient.  However it is prone to a build up of the strongyle worm in its gut, which can cause regular and large scale population reductions, hence the cyclical nature of grouse bags.  Managing this worm build up is an important part of grouse keepering, and it is most often done by using grit which has an anthelmintic addative. For a general overview of moorland management - Scotland’s Moorland Forum booklet - The Principles of Moorland Management.

 

For more detail on specific topics see - The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust   

 

 

 

 

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