Woodlarks are ground-nesting birds of heathland and forest edges that require a mosaic of bare ground, short turf and taller vegetation, and have recovered following targeted heathland and forestry management.
Woodlark welfare depends on access to the right habitat mosaic rather than simply heathland in general. Sites with uniform vegetation coverage, whether bare or scrubbed over, are unsuitable. Early nesting means chick welfare is particularly vulnerable to late cold spells that suppress invertebrate prey availability in March and April.