Habitat associations of breeding Meadow Pipits Anthus pratensis in the British uplands

Habitat associations of Meadow Pipits breeding in British upland 1 km and 1 0 km squares were investigated using data from the British Trust for Ornith ology's (BTO) Breeding Bird Survey (BBS, 1994-97), The New Atlas of Breedin g Birds in Britain and ireland 1988-1991 and habitat data front the Institu te of Terrestrial Ecology's (ITE) Land Cover Survey (1994). Meadow, Pipit d ensity was highest in 200 m sections of BBS 1 km transects containing unenc losed grass moor, heather and bog, but there was no difference in Meadow Pi pit density between? these habitat types. Meadow Pipit density (number of i ndividuals per 1 km square) increased with heather cover up to about 7.5 20 0 NI sections (often per I km square) of heather, but fell thereafter There was a positive association between Meadow Pipit density and the extent of grass moor cover nle ITE Land Cover data gave results that were consistent with the BBS habitat data at both the 1 km and 10 km square scale. There wa s a non-linear relationship between hill grass cover and Meadow Pipit abund ance, which reached a maximum when hill grass covered between 40% anti 60% of a square. Our results suggest that a mosaic of heather, bog and grasslan d may be the optimum habitat for Meadow Pipits. Recent changes in land mana gement practices may have led to the disappearance or degradation of these mosaics in some areas. Meadow Pipits are widespread and easily counter. We suggest that this species might be a useful bioindicator of changes in heat her and grassland ratios that result front land management practices such a s grazing and rotational burning, though further research is required.