Ground nesting birds
The New Forest is a great place for all sorts of birds, many of which nest on the ground, especially those that breed in the open heathland and mires.
Wading birds include the curlew, redshank, snipe and lapwing, each of which is becoming rare in the south of England. Other specialties are the woodlark, nightjar and Dartford warbler, again the New Forest is an important stronghold for these unusal birds.
The main danger is that these birds can be frightened away from their nests in spring, leaving eggs or young vulnerable to the cold, or to predators such as crows. Obviously the disturbance could be quite ‘natural’ like a passing fox – but people straying from the main tracks, with or without dogs, are an additional risk.
Activities designed to remind people of this danger include signs at the best breeding sites, the 'Date with Nature' project and a general plea to stick to the main tracks and keep dogs under control between March and the end of July.
Related documents
Laying low Ground nesting birds of the New Forest (1.4 MB)
Ground nesting birds (4.9 MB)
