Moorland Raptors

On Dartmoor Snipe probe mud and wet grassland for small invertebrates which they detect by their sensitive long bills.

The Meadow Pipit lives mainly in the high pastures where it lives off small insects.

The moors are the haunt of upland raptors, such as the Hen Harrier, and the Short-eared Owl. Both fly close to the ground with slow beats of their wings interspersed with silent glides. The male hen harrier is unmistakeable in its smart grey plumage with black tips to the primary feathers.

Merlins are much smaller but with the sharp wings of the flacon.