Nature & Wildlife

Britain’s grouse moors support threatened birds, protect against wildfires, and sustain rural communities, revealing a far more complex story than critics suggest.

The things you come across on a grouse moor. The pictures need few words. An adder, stoat, grey partridges and a greyhen. All filmed by gamekeepers.

Richard Bailey from the Peak District Moorland Group shows how careful spraying and controlled burning are reversing bracken’s dominance and creating space for wildlife to flourish.

Curlew, lapwing and golden plover thrive on managed grouse moors, where keeper-led conservation delivers rare bird success despite national declines.

Black grouse have bred in the North York Moors for the first time in nearly 200 years, thanks to a pioneering reintroduction and habitat restoration project.

Curlews are vanishing fast. Predator control proves vital, yet delay and denial risk their extinction. Saving Britain’s curlews means acting now.

Red grouse are famed for their ability to thrive on heather, a plant that makes up most of their diet. Heather is tough, woody, and full of fibre - not the easiest food to digest. A new study has revealed how grouse manage it.

A new study comparing two large heathlands in Europe has found that prescribed fire can significantly benefit bird species that rely on open heath habitats.

The UK’s uplands have faced a hidden crisis for centuries: severe air pollution. These areas suffered dramatically from industrial emissions, notably "acid rain" that wiped out vegetation and acidified rivers.

The RSPB’s claim that its moorland rewetting programme is boosting bird numbers, including curlew, at its Dove Stone reserve may reflect optimism bias.

Generalist predators like carrion crows and foxes have thrived in modern Britain. Their rise has come at a cost - particularly to our most vulnerable ground-nesting birds.

A study shows grouse moors supported twice as many breeding waders, including curlew, lapwing, and golden plover. Curlew breeding success was four times higher on grouse moors.