Golden plover © Margaret Holland Habitats and species Buckden Pike © Gordon Haycock Habitats Habitat Blanket bog Bleak, treeless and often shrouded in low cloud, blanket bog can seem a desolate habitat. However, the wildness of the huge, empty… Habitat Moorland One of our most extensive habitats, moorlands cover huge areas in the uplands. Great expanses of unenclosed, wild-seeming land impart a… Habitat Upland spring, flush and fen These tiny habitats, the source of our streams and rivers, are fundamental to the well-being of whole water catchments. Sphagnum cuspidatum © Beth Thomas Plants Species Bell heather Bell heather is our most familiar heather. In summer, it carpets our heaths, woods and coasts with purple-pink flowers that attract all… Species Bog asphodel The yellow, star-like flowers of bog asphodel brighten up our peat bogs, damp heaths and moors in early summer, attracting a range of… Species Bogbean Look for the star-like, feathery, white flowers of Bogbean in ponds, fens, bogs and marshes. It is so-named because its leaves look like… Species Common cotton-grass The fluffy, white heads of common cotton-grass dot our brown, boggy moors and heaths as if a giant bag of cotton wool balls has been… Species Cross-leaved heath Cross-leaved heath is a type of heather that likes bogs, heathland and moorland. It has distinctive pink, bell-shaped flowers that… Species Heather Heather is also called 'ling'. Look for it on our heaths, moors and bogs, where its delicate, loosely arranged pink flowers… Species Round-leaved sundew The carnivorous lifestyle of the round-leaved sundew makes this heathland plant a fascinating species. The round leaves have sticky,… Species Soft rush As its name suggests, the smooth stems of soft rush are thinner and more flexible than those of hard rush. It forms tufts in wetland… Species Sphagnum moss Sphagnum mosses carpet the ground with colour on our marshes, heaths and moors. They play a vital role in the creation of peat bogs: by… Common toad © Emma Goodyer Animals Species Adder Our only venomous snake, the shy adder can be spotted basking in the sunshine in woodland glades and on heathlands. Species Common frog Our most well-known amphibian, the common frog is a regular visitor to garden ponds across the country, where they feast on slugs and… Species Common lizard Look out for a common lizard basking in the warm sun as you wander around heathlands, moorlands and grasslands. You might even be lucky… Species Common toad Despite its warts and ancient associations with witches, the common toad is a gardener's friend, sucking up slugs and snails. It is… Species Daddy longlegs Flitting about the house in summer, the gangly, brown daddy longlegs is familiar to many of us. They are a valuable food source for many… Species Emperor moth An unmistakeable insect of heaths, sand dunes and grasslands, the Emperor moth is fluffy, grey-brown, with big peacock-like eyespots on… Species Field vole With a population of 75 million, the field vole is one of the UK's most common mammals. Hidden among the vegetation of grassland,… Species Green hairstreak The green hairstreak is the UK's only green butterfly. Look out for the vibrant, metallic sheen of the undersides of its wings on… Species Weasel Weasels may look adorable, but they make light work of eating voles, mice and birds! They are related to otters and stoats, which is… Red grouse © Jackie Smith Birds Species Curlew The eerie, 'cur-lee' call of the curlew is a recognisable sound of wet grasslands, moorlands, farmland and coasts. Its long,… Species Dunlin Found along the coast all year-round, the dunlin is a small sandpiper that breeds and winters in the UK. It can be seen in its upland… Species Golden plover From spring, look out for the beautiful, speckled gold-and-black breeding plumage of the golden plover. It can be found in its upland… Species Hen harrier The hen harrier has been severely persecuted for taking game species and has suffered massive declines in numbers as a result.… Species Lapwing The distinctive rounded wings of the lapwing are displayed beautifully when it wheels around a winter sky in a massive flock. In spring… Species Meadow pipit The meadow pipit favours moorland and grassland. It is an unfortunate victim of cuckolding behaviour - their own young being pushed out… Species Merlin Our most diminutive falcon, the merlin is a pretty bird of prey. It chases small birds, flying low to the ground or hovering in the… Species Raven The raven is famous for being the imposing, all-black bird that guards the Tower of London. Wild birds live in forests, and upland and… Species Red grouse The red grouse is an umistakeable bird - plump and round, with a gingery-red body as its name suggests. Found on upland heathlands, it… Species Ring ouzel The blackbird of the mountains, ring ouzels can be found breeding on upland moors and rocky crags in summer. Species Short-eared owl The short-eared owl, or 'Shortie', is an unusual owl because it prefers to be out and about in the daytime. It is most easily… Species Skylark The song of the skylark has been the subject of many great musical and literary works. A quintessential feature of our farmland and…
Habitat Blanket bog Bleak, treeless and often shrouded in low cloud, blanket bog can seem a desolate habitat. However, the wildness of the huge, empty…
Habitat Moorland One of our most extensive habitats, moorlands cover huge areas in the uplands. Great expanses of unenclosed, wild-seeming land impart a…
Habitat Upland spring, flush and fen These tiny habitats, the source of our streams and rivers, are fundamental to the well-being of whole water catchments.
Species Bell heather Bell heather is our most familiar heather. In summer, it carpets our heaths, woods and coasts with purple-pink flowers that attract all…
Species Bog asphodel The yellow, star-like flowers of bog asphodel brighten up our peat bogs, damp heaths and moors in early summer, attracting a range of…
Species Bogbean Look for the star-like, feathery, white flowers of Bogbean in ponds, fens, bogs and marshes. It is so-named because its leaves look like…
Species Common cotton-grass The fluffy, white heads of common cotton-grass dot our brown, boggy moors and heaths as if a giant bag of cotton wool balls has been…
Species Cross-leaved heath Cross-leaved heath is a type of heather that likes bogs, heathland and moorland. It has distinctive pink, bell-shaped flowers that…
Species Heather Heather is also called 'ling'. Look for it on our heaths, moors and bogs, where its delicate, loosely arranged pink flowers…
Species Round-leaved sundew The carnivorous lifestyle of the round-leaved sundew makes this heathland plant a fascinating species. The round leaves have sticky,…
Species Soft rush As its name suggests, the smooth stems of soft rush are thinner and more flexible than those of hard rush. It forms tufts in wetland…
Species Sphagnum moss Sphagnum mosses carpet the ground with colour on our marshes, heaths and moors. They play a vital role in the creation of peat bogs: by…
Species Adder Our only venomous snake, the shy adder can be spotted basking in the sunshine in woodland glades and on heathlands.
Species Common frog Our most well-known amphibian, the common frog is a regular visitor to garden ponds across the country, where they feast on slugs and…
Species Common lizard Look out for a common lizard basking in the warm sun as you wander around heathlands, moorlands and grasslands. You might even be lucky…
Species Common toad Despite its warts and ancient associations with witches, the common toad is a gardener's friend, sucking up slugs and snails. It is…
Species Daddy longlegs Flitting about the house in summer, the gangly, brown daddy longlegs is familiar to many of us. They are a valuable food source for many…
Species Emperor moth An unmistakeable insect of heaths, sand dunes and grasslands, the Emperor moth is fluffy, grey-brown, with big peacock-like eyespots on…
Species Field vole With a population of 75 million, the field vole is one of the UK's most common mammals. Hidden among the vegetation of grassland,…
Species Green hairstreak The green hairstreak is the UK's only green butterfly. Look out for the vibrant, metallic sheen of the undersides of its wings on…
Species Weasel Weasels may look adorable, but they make light work of eating voles, mice and birds! They are related to otters and stoats, which is…
Species Curlew The eerie, 'cur-lee' call of the curlew is a recognisable sound of wet grasslands, moorlands, farmland and coasts. Its long,…
Species Dunlin Found along the coast all year-round, the dunlin is a small sandpiper that breeds and winters in the UK. It can be seen in its upland…
Species Golden plover From spring, look out for the beautiful, speckled gold-and-black breeding plumage of the golden plover. It can be found in its upland…
Species Hen harrier The hen harrier has been severely persecuted for taking game species and has suffered massive declines in numbers as a result.…
Species Lapwing The distinctive rounded wings of the lapwing are displayed beautifully when it wheels around a winter sky in a massive flock. In spring…
Species Meadow pipit The meadow pipit favours moorland and grassland. It is an unfortunate victim of cuckolding behaviour - their own young being pushed out…
Species Merlin Our most diminutive falcon, the merlin is a pretty bird of prey. It chases small birds, flying low to the ground or hovering in the…
Species Raven The raven is famous for being the imposing, all-black bird that guards the Tower of London. Wild birds live in forests, and upland and…
Species Red grouse The red grouse is an umistakeable bird - plump and round, with a gingery-red body as its name suggests. Found on upland heathlands, it…
Species Ring ouzel The blackbird of the mountains, ring ouzels can be found breeding on upland moors and rocky crags in summer.
Species Short-eared owl The short-eared owl, or 'Shortie', is an unusual owl because it prefers to be out and about in the daytime. It is most easily…
Species Skylark The song of the skylark has been the subject of many great musical and literary works. A quintessential feature of our farmland and…
