HABITAT UTILIZATION IN A STRATIFIED UPLAND LANDSCAPE BY 2 LAGOMORPHS WITH DIFFERENT FEEDING STRATEGIES

1. Mountain hares (Lepus timidus L.) are summer grazers that switch to browse in winter, while rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.) eat mostly grasses throughout the year. These different feeding strategies may u nderlie seasonal patterns of habitat selection by the two species. 2. In this study the habitat utilization by adult female mountain hares a nd adult female rabbits was studied by radio-tracking in a habitat com posed of open moorland, upland pasture and young forestry plantation w ith an abundant ground flora. The selection of feeding habitats by pop ulations of both species was assessed by faecal counts within the same landscape. 3. Despite the common perception that mountain hares in Br itain are associated with moorland, open moorland was avoided by the r adio-tracked adult female mountain hares relative to its availability. Throughout the year, the radio-tracked hares preferred the forest and pasture habitats relative to availability. Only seven of the 20 hares radio-tracked were ever located on the moorland, which would suggest that the presence of moorland is not a prerequisite for the presence o f mountain hares. 4. Radio-tracked adult female rabbits utilized the h abitats in proportion to their availability. 5. Counts of faecal pelle ts indicated that utilization of forestry plantations by both species declined as a spruce forest matures although hare populations persist in mature pine plantations with an abundant ground flora. 6. Mountain hares appear to be more adaptable than rabbits in their use of the hab itats in this study, a behavioural tactic underpinned by their flexibl e feeding strategy. Rabbit populations would persist in areas followin g afforestation, especially where upland pastures are in close proximi ty to woodland and mountain hares would be capable of exploiting many of the new habitats that are created, at least in the early years of f orest development.