pipit

In the Mournes, Mr Fisher said rove beetles and other insects "support the skylarks and the meadow pipits that come from the lowlands to nest up in the uplands during this time of year".

Nightingale, greenfinch, grey partridge, marsh tit, skylark, nightjar and tree pipit - all Red List species - have been recorded.

Birds like the meadow pipit and skylark use the heather for nesting, and it is also a source of food for the red grouse.

Meadow pipit were the most common, with up to 80 individuals feeding on the site at once.

Birds like the African plain-backed pipit combat this with a powerful immune response.