WITH the bird breeding season already started visitors are asked to be extra careful when on Dartmoor.
The Dartmoor National Park Authority, English Nature and the RSPB are working together with many other people, including landowners, the Ministry of Defence, commoners and recreational user groups to conserve moorland birds.
People are asked to minimise disturbance by keeping to tracks and paths, particularly in areas of dense heather, clitter and wetlands; keeping dogs on leads, especially as most lambing takes place at the same time as birds are nesting, and avoid young birds on the ground or distressed parent birds by walking around the area and moving away quickly.
People are also asked to 'spread the word' by telling others how they can help during the bird breeding season from March to mid-July.
Many factors play a part in influencing the success of breeding birds, including climate change and human disturbance. Even short-term disturbance can be fatal. When a bird is forced to leave its nest, the eggs or newly fledged young, can chill and die quickly, or predators can move in and take eggs or nestlings.
The lapwing and curlew are now so reduced in numbers they are threatened with extinction as breeding birds on Dartmoor. Even the skylark, long considered a herald of summer days in the countryside, is now finding the uplands of Dartmoor to be its last stronghold.
Research has shown that the meadow pipit is the most common bird on the moorland and breeds on Dartmoor in internationally important numbers.
A leaflet entitled 'Dartmoor — a special place for moorland birds' provides information on Dartmoor's breeding birds and why it is so important to help protect them. It is available free from Dartmoor National Park Authority information centres or telephone (01822) 890414.