The influence of different aspects of grouse moorland management on nontarget bird assemblages

Abstract

Conflict between stakeholders with opposing interests can hamper biodiversity conservation. When conflicts become entrenched, evidence from applied ecology can reveal new ways forward for their management. In particular, where disagreement exists over the efficacy or ethics of management actions, research clarifying the uncertain impacts of management on wildlife can move debates forwards to conciliation. Here, we explore a case‐study of entrenched conflict where uncertainty exists over the impacts of multiple management actions: namely, moorlands managed for the shooting of red grouse (willow ptarmigan) Lagopus lagopus in the United Kingdom (UK). Debate over how UK moorlands should be managed is increasingly polarized. We evaluate, for the first time at a regional scale, the relative impacts of two major moorland management practices—predator control and heather burning—on nontarget bird species of conservation concern. Birds were surveyed on 18 estates across Northern England and Southeast Scotland. Sites ranged from intensively managed grouse moors to moorland sites with no management for grouse shooting. We hypothesised that both targeted predator control and burning regimes would enhance ground‐nesting wader numbers and, as a consequence of this, and of increased grouse numbers, nontarget avian predators should also be more abundant on heavily managed sites. There were positive associations between predator control and the abundance of the three most widespread species of ground‐nesting wader: strong effects for European golden plover Pluvialis apricaria and Eurasian curlew Numenius arquata and, less strongly, for common snipe Gallinago gallinago. These effects saturated at low levels of predator control. Evidence for effects of burning was much weaker. We found no evidence of enhanced numbers of nontarget predators on heavily managed sites.

Placement, survival and predator identity of Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata nests on lowland grass-heath

“…The impact of land management interventions (e.g. rotational moorland burning) on Curlew abundance has previously been studied in upland habitats (Douglas et al, 2014, Littlewood et al, 2019. Here, for the first time, we have shown that physical ground-disturbance, which is advocated as a conservation measure within lowland dry grassland and grass-heath for many rare, scarce and threatened species (Fuller et al, 2017;Hawkes et al, 2019a,b), also provides suitable Curlew nesting habitat, with no reduction in nest survival.…”

Alternative future land use options in the British uplands

“…Tharme et al 2001), especially from legal predator control (e.g. Fletcher et al 2010, Littlewood et al 2019, there are also some negative effects. Species reported to show positive effects include Red Grouse and some waders, especially European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria and Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata (e.g.…”

“…Species reported to show positive effects include Red Grouse and some waders, especially European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria and Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata (e.g. Tharme et al 2001, Littlewood et al 2019. On the other hand, Newton (2021) concludes that raptor persecution on grouse moors is so widespread and intense that it affects population levels, including of Hen Harrier and Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus, both on and beyond grouse moors.…”

“…2001, Littlewood et al . 2019). On the other hand, Newton (2021) concludes that raptor persecution on grouse moors is so widespread and intense that it affects population levels, including of Hen Harrier and Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus , both on and beyond grouse moors.…”

Vegetation fires in temperate upland heaths: environmental impacts, recovery, and management implications

“…Few studies directly focus on the impacts of burning on birds and rather focus on the impacts of grouse moor management or vegetation structure in general Tharme et al, 2001;Calladine et al, 2014;Douglas et al, 2017). The influence of different aspects of grouse moorland management on bird assemblages were assessed by Littlewood et al, (2019) and found a positive relationship between the abundance of three ground nesting birds (Golden Plover -Pluvialis apricaria Linnaeus, Curlew -Numenius arquata Linnaeus and Common Snipe -Capella gallinago Linnaeus) and predator control. Evidence for the effects of burning on the same three species were, however, weak (Littlewood et al, 2019).…”