Action Plan Front Page

Biodiversity Index

Nature & Environment Index Page

4.2 Birds (Source: RSPB Scotland)
Sea and coast
Long-tailed duck, Shelduck, Goldeneye, Velvet scoter, Eider, Black-throated
diver, Great northern diver, Auks, Red-throated diver, Cormorant, Common
scoter, Shag
Beaches
Oystercatcher, Grey plover, Ringed plover, Knot, Dunlin, Ruff, Purple sandpiper,
Godwit, Sanderling, Sandwich tern, Turnstone, Twite, Snow bunting, Common
tern, Arctic tern, Little tern
Cliffs & heaths
Puffin, Storm petrel, Fulmar, Lesser black-backed gull, Kittiwake, Herring gull,
Razorbill, Raven, Guillemot, Black guillemot, Cormorant, Shag, Peregrine
Rivers & lochs
Slavonian grebe, Mute swan, Wigeon, Whooper swan, Greylag goose, Greenland
white-fronted goose, Osprey, Pink footed goose, Red-throated diver, Scaup,
Black-throated diver, Sand martin, Great northern diver, Common scoter, Heron,
Teal, Wader species
Wetlands
Moorhen, Grasshopper warbler, Spotted crake, Teal, Water rail, Pochard, Reed
bunting, Black headed gull, Pintail, Common Gull, Shoveler, Lapwing, Curlew,
Snipe, Redshank, Greenshank, Grey heron
Rough grassland
Twite, Starling, Lapwing, Redshank, Curlew, Skylark, Meadow pipit
Arable/field margins
Corncrake, Grey partridge, Brambling, Corn bunting, Chaffinch, Swallow,
Greenfinch, Linnet, Quail, Reed bunting, Redwing, Fieldfare, Mistle thrush,
Geese & swans, Golden plover, Lapwing, Redshank , Goldfinch, Snow bunting,
Twite
Semi natural woodland
Redstart, Song thrush, Tree pipit, Bullfinch, Wood warbler, Woodcock, Fieldfare,
Redwing, Mistle thrush, Willow warbler
Policies & plantations
Short-eared owl, Goldcrest, Hen harrier, Spotted flycatcher, Merlin, Kestrel, Barn
owl, Long eared owl, Song thrush
Bog, moor & hill
Red-throated diver, Whimbrel, Black-throated diver, Great skua, Wigeon, Arctic
skua, Common scoter, Cuckoo, Golden plover, Meadow pipit, Greenshank,
Stonechat, Dunlin, Raven, Greylag goose, Teal, Short-eared owl, Curlew, Golden
eagle, Hen harrier, Merlin, Peregrine
Heather moor
Curlew, Short-eared owl, Hen harrier, Merlin, Peregrine, Red grouse
Hills/mountains
Ptarmigan, Dotterel, Raven, Ring ouzel, Golden eagle
Towns
Swift, House sparrow, House martin
Roads & verges
Tree sparrow, Dunnock, Yellow hammer, Linnet, Goldfinch

4.3 Amphibians (Source: Highland Biological Records Centre)
Adder Palmate newt
Common frog Slow worm
Common toad Viviparous lizard

4.4 Fish (Source: Caithness & Sutherland Trout Angling Group)
Arctic char Ferox trout
Atlantic salmon Sea trout
Brown trout Three spined stickleback
Eel Minnow (introduced)

4.5 Invertebrates
a) Freshwater Invertebrates
A survey of freshwater invertebrates in Caithness, identifying over 314 species of hydra, flatworms, true
worms, bristle worms, leeches, snails, bivalves, water beetles, water bugs, flies, may-flies, dragon-flies, alderflies, stone flies, caddis flies, opossum shrimps, water lice, fresh water shrimps and water fleas. Source: Melanie Spirit (1986) ‘Freshwater Invertebrates of Caithness’. Caithness & Sutherland District Councils Community Programmes Agency, contact Scottish Natural Heritage in Golspie for a copy of the report.

b) Butterflies & Moths (Source: Highland Biological Recording Group)

Angle Shades
Antler
Ash Pug
Autumn Green Carpet
Autumnal Rustic
Barred Chestnut
Barred Red
Barred Straw
Barred Yellow
Beautiful Golden Y
Black Rustic
Brick
Bright-line Brown-eyed
Brimstone Moth
Brindled Ochre
Brown-line Bright Eye
Burnished Brass
Cabbage Moth
Campion
Chevron
Clouded Drab
Clouded Yellow
Clouded-Bordered Bri
Common Blue
Common Carpet
Common Marbled Carpet
Common Pug
Common Quaker
Common Rustic
Common Wave
Convolvulus Hawk-moth
Coxcomb Prominent
Currant Pug
Dark Arches
Dark Brocade
Dark Green Fritillary
Dark Marbled Carpet
Dark Sword-grass
Diamond Backed Moth
Dotted Border
Dotted Clay
Double Dart
Dusky Brocade
Ear Moth
Early Thorn
Flame Carpet
Flame Shoulder
Flounced Rustic
Foxglove Pug
Garden Carpet
Garden Tiger
Ghost Moth
Gold Spangle
Gold Spot
Golden-rod Pug
Gothic
Green Carpet
Green Pug
Green-veined White
Grey Chi
Grey Mountain Moth
Grey Pine Carpet
Grey Pug
Haworth’s Minor
Heath Rustic
Hebrew Character
Ingrailed Clay
July Belle
July Highflyer
Larch Pug
Large Ear
Large Heath
Large Wainscot
Large White
Large Yellow Underwing
Lesser Broad Bordered
Light Emerald
Magpie Moth
Map-winged Swift
Marbled Coronet
May Highflyer
Meadow Brown
Middle-barred Minor
Mottled Grey
Mottled Rustic
Mottled Umber
Narrow-winged Pug
Northern Deep-brown
Northern Spinach
November Moth
Oblique Carpet
Painted Lady
Pale Eggar
Pale Mottled Willow
Pale-shouldered Brocade
Pine Beauty
Pink-barred Sallow
Poplar Hawk-moth
Purple Bar
Purple Emperor
Red Admiral
Red Carpet
Red Chestnut
Red Sword-grass
Red-green Carpet
Riband Wave
Rosy Minor
Rosy Rustic
Ruddy Highflyer
Rush Veneer
Sallow
Satyr Pug
Scalloped Hazel
Scalloped Oak
Scarce Umber
Setaceous Hebrew Character
Shaded Broad-bar
Shears
Silver Y
Silver-ground Carpet
Six-spot Burnet
Six-striped Rustic
Slender-striped Rufo
Small Angle Shades
Small Autumnal Moth
Small Blue
Small Copper
Small Dotted Buff
Small Dusty Wave
Small Fan-footed Wave
Small Heath
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Small Phoenix
Small Rivulet
Small Square-spot
Small Tortoiseshell
Small Wainscot
Smoky Wainscot
Smoky Wave
Snout
Spectacle
Spruce Carpet
Square-spot Rustic
Streak
Striped Twin-spot Carpet
True Lover’s Knot
Twin-spot Carpet
Water Carpet
White Ermine
Winter Moth
Wood Tiger
Wormwood Pug
Yellow Shell

Small blue, large heath and lunar yellow underwing are nationally important species known to occur in
Caithness, and narrow bordered bee-hawk moth is thought to exist in some areas.

c) Bees & Wasps (Source: Highland Biological Recording Group)

Bumble bees (Bombus soroeensis, B. lucorum, B. magnus, B. jonellus, B. pratorum, B. lapidaries, B.hortorum,
B.muscorum, B. pascuorum, B. distinguendus, Psithyrus bohemicus)
Social bee
Common carder bee
Common wasp
Norwegian wasp
Red wasp
Tree wasp

4.6  Higher Plants