SPA description
(information as published 2001)
Berwyn
Berwyn is an extensive area of acidic North Wales upland,
reaching an altitude of 827 m, straddling the Glyndwr, Montgomery
and Meirionnydd districts of Clwyd, Powys and Gwynedd respectively.
It comprises blanket mire and heather-dominated heath, with some
acidic grassland and Bracken Pteridium aquilinum dominated
areas. It is one of the largest and most important upland massifs
of this type in Wales. It supports large and diverse assemblages of
breeding upland birds, including raptors such as Hen Harrier
Circus cyaneus, Merlin Falco columbarius and
Peregrine Falco peregrinus.
Qualifying species
For individual species accounts visit the Species
Accounts section
This site qualifies under Article 4.1 of the
Directive (79/409/EEC) by supporting populations of European
importance of the following species listed on Annex I of the
Directive:
During the breeding season;
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus, 14 pairs representing at
least 2.8% of the breeding population in Great Britain (5 year
mean, 1991-1995)
Merlin Falco columbarius, 14 pairs representing at
least 1.1% of the breeding population in Great Britain (5 year
mean, 1991-1995)
Peregrine Falco peregrinus, 18 pairs representing at
least 1.5% of the breeding population in Great Britain (5 year
mean, 1991-1995)
Note:
Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of
a site in these pages does not imply any right of public
access.