Ground Nesting Birds - Yorkshire Dales National Park

Ground Nesting BirdsThe Big Five in theYorkshire Dales National Park

SkylarkSkylarkSparrowWhat do I looklike?What do I soundlike?How big am I?Where can yousee me?Streaky brown with a distinctiveraised crest when alarmedContinuous warbling song18-19cm longSmall bird, between a sparrow and astarling in sizeRough grasslandOften inconspicuous on the ground,it is easy to see when in its distinctivesong flight

Red grouseRed grouseSparrowWhat do I looklike?What do I soundlike?How big am I?Where can yousee me?Reddish brown with a plump bodyand short tailExplosive ‘go back, go back’ call37- 42cm longDuck-sizedHeather moorland, away from trees,and upland bogs

OystercatcherOystercatcherSparrowWhat do I looklike?What do I soundlike?How big am I?Where can yousee me?Stocky, black and white body, longorange bill, reddish pink legs andpointed wingsLoud and aggressive piping call40-45cm longPigeon-sized bodyNear rivers and in valley bottoms

CurlewCurlewSparrowWhat do I looklike?What do I soundlike?How big am I?Where can yousee me?Brown body, paler underbelly, a longdown curved bill and long legsLoud bubbling ‘curlee’ call50-60cm longPigeon-sized body but heron-likeshapeAny damp pastures

In 2005, the Countryside and Rights of Way Act opened uplarge new areas of the National Park to the public, allowingyou to walk freely across open country without the need tostay on paths.New rights bring new responsibilities. This leaflet explainshow you can help protect ground nesting birds whilst makingthe most of this new right.For more information about the right of Open Access visitwww.countrysideaccess.gov.ukDogs and birds don’t mix!Your dog may mean no harm but nesting birds see dogs aspredators and may flee the nest. While parents are gonethe eggs may get cold, hatchlings can die of exposure andthe nest may be targeted by scavengers like crows.Please give these birds a chance and keep your dog ona lead between March and July.0300 456 0030info@yorkshiredales.org.ukwww.yorkshiredales.org.ukUse your phone app to scan the barcodes inthis leaflet and find out more about these birdsthrough the RSPB website.© Yorkshire Dales National ParkAuthority 2011Designed by Lathwell & AssociatesPhotographs: Whitfield Benson,Fran Graham