Hills and Mountains
Open ground, big weather and specialist life.
Above the farmland, moorland, heath and rocky slopes support species that cope with wind, cold and thin soils. The plants are low and tough, and many of the birds, such as ring ouzels and golden plovers, are found nowhere else in the region.
Upland peat is one of the biggest carbon stores on land, so keeping it wet and intact matters well beyond the hills themselves.
185 species and 384 sightings have been recorded in hills and mountains habitat by the Bosk community.
Species you may see in hills and mountains habitat
- Orchard Grass (Dactylis glomerata)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- Elk (Cervus canadensis)
- Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
- Strawberry Poison Dart Frog (Oophaga pumilio)
- Viviparous Lizard (Zootoca vivipara)
- Pear Rust (Gymnosporangium sabinae)
- Sycamore Maple (Acer pseudoplatanus)
- Red Kite (Milvus milvus)
- American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)
- Bogong Moth (Agrotis infusa)
- European Beech (Fagus sylvatica)
- Texas Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus)
- Spiny Toad (Bufo spinosus)
- Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
- Coyote (Canis latrans)
- Panicle Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata)
- Pea Blue (Lampides boeticus)
- Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)
- Australian King Parrot (Alisterus scapularis)
- Bosca's Newt (Lissotriton boscai)
- Catalonian Wall Lizard (Podarcis liolepis)
- European Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia)
- European Comma (Polygonia c-album)
What to look for
- Heather and bilberry
- Meadow Pipit
- Birds of prey on the wing
- Red Deer in autumn
Hills and Mountains through the year
Spring
Ground-nesting birds return; keep dogs under close control.
Summer
Heather and bilberry; butterflies on warm slopes.
Autumn
Red deer rut in some regions; heather turns brown and fungi appear.
Winter
Quiet and often snow-covered; mountain hares and grouse in some regions.
Why Hills And Mountains Matter
- Peat bogs store large amounts of carbon.
- Upland streams supply drinking water.
- Specialist plants and birds have nowhere else to go as the climate warms.
How to be kind to hills and mountains wildlife
- Dogs on leads around ground-nesting birds.
- Stay on paths to protect thin soils.
- Take all litter, and never light fires.
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