Wildlife

Wild UK Upland Peatland Birds

Conservation of upland peatland bird communities including curlew, dunlin, and golden plover through habitat management.

Key Facts

UK upland peatlands support internationally important breeding bird populations
Curlew, golden plover, dunlin, and greenshank all depend on intact peatland habitats
Drainage of peatland for agriculture and forestry has devastated these bird communities
Peatland restoration including drain blocking recreates suitable breeding conditions
UK holds significant proportions of global curlew and dunlin breeding populations

Welfare Considerations

Upland peatland birds face welfare challenges directly linked to habitat degradation. Curlew pairs that cannot find suitable nesting habitat in drained, degraded peatland face reproductive failure after the energy-intensive return migration. Peatland restoration delivers welfare benefits for multiple species simultaneously.

What You Can Do

Support peatland restoration organizations and programs
Avoid purchasing horticultural peat products to reduce demand for peat extraction
Record upland bird sightings to contribute to breeding bird monitoring