Heathland Birds: Curlews, Nightjars and Stonechats

Britain's heathlands are fragments of a lost landscape. Lowland heath, with its purple heather, gorse and scattered birch, is rarer than rainforest. Upland heath and moorland stretch across the north and west. These open, insect-rich places support birds that are hard to find elsewhere. Three of the most rewarding to learn are the curlew, the nightjar and the stonechat. Each has a distinctive voice, a particular place to nest, and a seasonal rhythm that you can tune into.

Lowland and Upland Heath: Know Your Ground

Lowland heath is generally below 300 metres, with sandy or gravelly soils. It is warm in summer, buzzing with insects, and home to nightjars and stonechats. Upland heath is higher, wetter, and often grazed. Curlews breed here among cotton grass and bog. Both habitats need management: without grazing or cutting, they scrub over and the birds disappear. When you're out foraging for bilberries or crowberries, notice the structure: short heather, bare patches, scattered trees, damp flushes. That mosaic is what these birds need.

Curlews: The Upland Heath's Haunting Call

The curlew is Europe's largest wading bird, with a long, down-curved bill and mottled brown plumage. In flight, look for a white rump and wedge-shaped tail. Its call is unforgettable: a rising "cur-lee" or "cour-li", often followed by a bubbling, trilling song during display flights in spring. You will hear it most often at dawn or dusk from March to July.

Curlews nest on the ground, in a scrape hidden among rushes, heather or rough grass. They need damp, soft ground for probing for earthworms, leatherjackets and beetles. In winter, many move to estuaries and mudflats, where they feed on worms and small crabs. The UK holds a globally important part of the curlew population, but numbers are falling. Practical tip: listen for the bubbling song on still, clear mornings. Keep your distance from any bird that is alarm-calling or feigning a broken wing.

Nightjars: The Twilight Churring of Lowland Heaths

Nightjars are masters of camouflage. Grey-brown, with long wings and tail, they look like a piece of bark until they move. At dusk, the male gives a sustained, mechanical churring song - a sound like a distant engine or a cicada. It rises and falls, and can go on for minutes. In flight, look for white patches on the wings and tail corners, and listen for a soft "coo-ick".

These summer visitors arrive from Africa in May and leave in August or September. They nest on bare ground, often in clearings among heather, bracken or gorse. No nest is built; the two eggs are laid directly on the ground. At night, they hunt moths, beetles and other flying insects, often around oak or birch edges. Practical tip: visit a known heath at dusk on a warm, still evening in June or July. Arrive early, settle quietly, and wait. Avoid using torches near nesting areas.

Stonechats: The Chat on the Gorse

Stonechats are small, smart and approachable. The male has a black head, white half-collar, and a bright orange-red breast. The female is browner but shares the pale throat and upright posture. They often perch on the topmost spray of gorse or a fence post, flicking their wings and tail. Their call is a sharp "wheet-chak-chak", like two stones being tapped together - hence the name.

Stonechats nest low in dense heather, gorse or bracken. They feed on insects, spiders and worms in summer, switching to berries in winter. Many British birds are resident, but some move to coastal areas or lower ground when it snows. They are vulnerable to hard winters. Practical tip: walk slowly along heathland paths and scan the tops of scrub. If you see a small bird bobbing on a gorse bush, you have found a stonechat. While foraging for wild thyme or salad burnet, keep an eye on the fence line.

Fieldcraft for Heathland Birding and Foraging

Heathland birds are easily disturbed, especially during the nesting season from March to July. Follow these simple rules:

• Stay on paths where possible. Ground-nesting birds like curlews and nightjars rely on camouflage, and a stray foot can crush eggs or chicks.
• Keep dogs on leads on heathland in spring and summer. Even a friendly dog can flush incubating birds.
• Use binoculars rather than approaching. You will see more behaviour and cause less stress.
• Listen first. Dawn and dusk are best. Curlews call at first light; nightjars churr at twilight; stonechats call all day.
• Forage lightly. If you pick bilberries, crowberries or wild herbs, leave plenty for the birds. Berries are an important winter food for stonechats and others.
• Report disturbances to the local wildlife trust or landowner. Never share precise locations of rare nests online.

With patience, you will learn the heath's seasonal soundtrack. The curlew's spring bubbling, the nightjar's summer churring, and the stonechat's year-round clicking will become familiar friends. Each one tells you that this rare habitat is still alive and working.