Species


Red grouse
(Divis and the Black Mountain)
A game bird found in upland areas, the red grouse feeds mainly on young shoots of heather. It is becoming an increasingly rare sight in Ireland and Great Britain, but a few pairs are known to be present on the upper hill slopes. If you are in the Belfast Hills listen out for its evocative call which sounds rather like “go-back go-back
go-back”.Found in Heathland
and Bogs



Dipper
(Glenside Community Woodland and Colin Glen Forest Park) This bird specialises in feeding on aquatic insects in fast flowing rivers and streams. It is often seen bobbing up and down on stones in the middle of streams, where it runs underwater to forage for food. The dipper is a good indicator of water quality and abundance of insect life. High numbers of dippers have
been observed on the Colin River.
Found in Freshwater







Snipe
(Carnmoney Hill, Cave Hill Country Park and Divis and the Black Mountain) These shy waders specialise in feeding in soft mud and wet soil which they probe with that wonderful beak looking for worms and insects. They feed and nest in rough pasture and heath in the hills, where in early summer they change character and show off in wonderful displays, producing
noises which sound just like a
bleating goat - but from the sky!
Found in Heathland and Bogs, 
Freshwater, and Grassland



Marsh fritillary
(Carnmoney Hill and Divis and the Black Mountain) This beautiful butterfly was recorded at Divis, Black Mountain and Slievenacloy up to the mid 1990s. It feeds on devil’s-bit scabious, a relatively common plant in the hills. Opinion is divided as to whether it may still be present in the Belfast Hills, with tantalizing sightings being reported in more recent years.
Watch this space! Found in
Heathland and Bogs and
Grassland






Wood Sorrel
(Slievenacloy Nature Reserve)
This plant is a good indicator of old woodland as it takes a very long time to spread and establish. It has clover-like leaves and a beautiful white flower in spring, creating a white carpet where there is moist and rich woodland soil. Found in Woodland and Hedges










Peregrine falcons
(Glenside Community Woodland and Carnmoney Hill) Peregrine falcons have been called nature’s finest flying machines. They have been clocked diving or swooping at speeds of up to 130 miles per hour! Peregrine falcons feed primarily on birds they take in the air. Their prey includes ducks, pheasants, and pigeons. Females lay two to four eggs in a scrape on cliff ledges or on the ground. Many falcons make
their homes in working quarries
despite the risk of the disturbance
of quarrying activities. Found in
Heathland and Bogs and Quarries
and Cliffs

Bog cotton
(Divis and the Black Mountain and Slievenacloy Nature Reserve) It is not hard to guess why bog cotton, or cotton grass, received its name; it has heads that look like tufts of cotton wool! The “cotton” is made up of long white hairs that help the seeds to disperse in the wind. Bog cotton is a common sight across boggy ground with peaty, acid soils and can spread rapidly.Found in
Heathland and Bogs




Salmon
(Colin Glen Forest Park) Atlantic salmon can reach the impressive length of 120cm when mature. Although much of their adult life is spent at sea, salmon return to the precise freshwater tributary in which they were born, even leaping up waterfalls to reach their destination. How they return to the same spot is unknown, although odour has been
suggested as playing an important
role in this process. After spawning
in shallow gravel beds most adults
die and their young in turn migrate
to sea after a couple of years.
Found in Freshwater



Irish hare
(Divis and the Black Mountain)
There are still Irish hare found in the Belfast Hills despite a substantial decline in their population in Northern Ireland in the last 10 to 20 years. These incredible animals have long powerful back legs that help them reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour and jump heights of around two metres! Hares shelter in a hollow depression
above ground known as a form
and raise their leverets there.
They can live for up to nine years.
Found in Grassland



Bats
(Cave Hill Country Park and Slievenacloy Nature Reserve)
There are eight different species of bats known to live in Northern Ireland. In the Belfast Hills the most common bats are pipistrelles and Leisler’s which roost in both trees and buildings. The saying ‘blind as a bat’ is totally unfounded as bats have very good eyesight. Their most highly developed sense however is hearing as they use a form of
sonar to locate their food. One
pipistrelle can eat up to 3,500
insects in one night. Found in
Freshwater and Woodland and
Hedges



Damselflies
(Cave Hill Country Park and Glenside Community Woodland) These spectacular insects are bedecked with iridescent green, red or blue colours and are often found flying or resting near quarry pools. They catch midges and small flies on the wing and take them to nearby vegetation to feed. The adults live for a few summer weeks while their larvae are underwater predators for up to
three years. During this time they
are sensitive to pollution, so their
presence is a strong indication of
good local water quality. Found in
Freshwater and Quarries and Cliffs

Common Blue Butterfly
(Slievenacloy Nature Reserve, Glenside Community Woodland and Colin Glen Forest Park) Don’t be fooled by the name, this small dazzling butterfly is no longer that common. It needs good areas of food plants, mostly bird’s foot trefoil, to sustain a permanent population and is therefore found in meadows with poor soil where thick, tall grass does not
overwhelm these low growing
plants. Found in Grassland