The Forest of Dean & Wye Valley

One of the last remaining tracts of ancient woodland in the United Kingdom, the Forest of Dean alongside the Wye Valley is home to an intriguing array of birds of mammals.

Located in West Gloucestershire with Herefordshire to the north and the Wye River meandering along its western edge, the Forest of Dean was once a medieval hunting ground as well as a source of timber for the Royal Navy during the Tudor era. Nowadays, the forest is protected and is now home to wide variety of flora and fauna as well as beautiful landscapes. Famously, the Forest of Dean is also a home to a population of wild boar which were re-introduced to the area after escaping from a nearby farm in the late 1990s and they have established themselves in the forest ever since.

There are several bird species that can be encountered in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley with redstart, wood warbler, nightjar, hawfinch, peregrine falcon and goshawk being some of the notable highlights. In addition, the forest is a stronghold for dragonflies and butterflies with white admiral, small pearl-bordered fritillary, wood white and speckled wood being just a few that you might observe.

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