Exmoor Moorland Breeding Bird Survey

Moorland Breeding Birds – What’s Thriving on Exmoor?

Last year we led an extensive survey of Exmoor Moorland Birds covering the breeding season (between middle of April and July 2024). A team of four surveyors recorded species data across the whole area and assessed the condition of the vegetation, as this can affect breeding birds.

Senior Conservation Officer Ali Hawkins shares what we’ve learnt so far.

We were so excited to lead the Moorland Breeding Survey, it’s a particularly useful baseline for landscape scale projects across Exmoor moorland. Exmoor’s moorland provides vital habitats for the upland and farmland birds that have suffered considerable declines in other parts of the UK. Amazing work was carried out by our brilliant moorland bird survey team, who were out every day before dawn tirelessly surveying across every corner of our moorland on Exmoor – that’s 17,000ha!

They have recorded over 30,000 birds and over 90,000 environmental variables, giving us a huge amount of useful habitat data and an invaluable picture of how our moorland bird are faring and the state of the moorland itself. We’d also like to thank landowners who worked with our rangers on access for survey work to take place.

Although Exmoor has lost many of its breeding waders, largely due to changes in climate, there have been some real winners particularly in response to the work of the Southwest Peatland Partnership, of which the National Park Authority is part. Restored peatlands on Exmoor have helped it remain a stronghold for important species, like Grasshopper Warbler, Reed Bunting and Snipe.

Other important species that recovered or increased compared to the previous Survey in 2014 were Dartford Warbler, Linnet, Whinchat and Tree Pipit.

We’d like to say a big thank you to partners such as the RSPB for supporting us. Funding for the survey, together with data analysis and reporting has been secured from organisations including the Exmoor Society, Natural England, South West Peatland Partnership, National Trust, Devon Birds and from the Exmoor Heartlands Landscape Recovery Project. It will provide valuable information for farmers entering new support schemes and contribute to Natural England’s SSSI condition monitoring.

Keep an eye on our website and social media for more updates on what we’re learning from the survey data.