Home > Heath (habitat)
2 Moorland
Upland moorland habitats occur mainly in northern & western Britain and Ireland, and are similar in also often being dominated by heather, but differ from typical heathland in being colder and much wetter, often with extensive bogs, giving rise to a different mix of associated fauna, such as Red Grouse, Hen Harrier, Merlin, Golden Plover, Curlew, Sky Lark, Meadow Pipit, Whinchat, Ring Ouzel and Twite. Reptiles are fewer due to the cooler conditions, with only the Common Viper being frequent. When moorland is overgrazed by excessive numbers of sheep or deer, most of the heather is lost, being replaced by coarse, unpalatable grasses and bracken, with a greatly reduced fauna.
Notable areas of moorland in Britain include Bodmin Moor, Dartmoor, Exmoor, the Dark Peak, the North York Moors, the Forest of Bowland, the Pennines, the Southern Uplands of Scotland and the Scottish Highlands.
1 See also
