Bird Life of Mountain and Upland

This book describes the bird life of the various upland regions of the British Isles. However, unlike the other books that present upland birds, this is the first one to present the various species from an ecological standpoint. The book relates the bird distribution and abundance to the various environmental influences of climate, topography, geology, soil type and human land use. The book initially sets the scene by describing and examining the changes and bird fauna following the major climatic shift since the end of the Ice Age. The uplands are grouped into several main types - sheepwalks, grouse moors, deer forests, flows (peat bogs), maritime hills and high tops and the distinctive bird assemblages are described together with details of the natural history of the more important species. The final chapter deal withs the issues involved in the conservation of upland birds. The book will appeal to the informed layman and to the keen bird-watcher who wants to learn more about the life of upland birds and the ways in which they are adapted to their environments.