Skip to main content

 

Best wishes for the holiday season! Please note, we will be closed from 20 Dec to 2 Jan.

Suffolk's Priority Habitats

We aim to provide practical and useful information on priority habitats in Suffolk. Species are listed under each of the priority habitats in which they are likely to occur.

Species may also be found in undesignated habitats. At the bottom of the page are brief descriptions of some of the widespread habitats in Suffolk and examples of some characteristic priority species.

Background

All public bodies have a statutory duty to have regard to the conservation of biodiversity, as set out in the Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006 s.40. Find out more on the Government's Legislation website. Section 41 of the Act is the list of priority species and habitats (referred to in the Act as ‘living organisms and types of habitat which are of principal importance for the purpose of conserving biodiversity’ (in England')). These are also referred to as ‘UK Biodiversity Action Plan’ or ‘BAP’ species and habitats. There are over 302 priority species and 25 priority habitats in Suffolk.  Find out more on the JNCC website.

Priority Species checklist

By clicking on the priority habitat below, you can see which priority species are associated with that habitat.

Please note that the lists provide guidance only. For further information on Suffolk species and habitats contact Suffolk Biodiversity Information Service.

Species marked (Suffolk priority species) are not national priority species, but are special to Suffolk. For example, East Anglia is the UK stronghold for the Little Tern, supporting almost half of the UK population. So Suffolk has an important role to play in protecting this charismatic species.

Priority Habitats


 

 


 

Priority Species in the Wider Countryside and Built Environment

Priority species may be found in other habitats, such as clay farmland, conifer plantations and gardens, which are clearly important in the landscape. The following sections include some of the priority habitats listed above as well as some additional ones. A brief description of the main habitats is provided together with a few examples of characteristic priority Species to watch out for.

Wider Countryside

Farmland

These Priority habitats are often found on farmland: Arable field margins, Coastal and floodplain grazing marshes, Hedgerows, Lowland fens, Lowland meadows, Lowland mixed deciduous woodlands, Ponds, Rivers and Streams, Traditional orchards, Wet woodlands, Wood pastures and parklands

Clayland Farmland

Large plateau area, slightly undulating, on chalky boulder clay with small rivers and streams and the River Waveney. Some small, scattered parkland estates and a mix of ancient small irregular fields with pollard hedgerow oaks and large, modern fields devoid of hedges and trees. Large common grazing grounds and greens. Mostly arable, except for pasture in river valleys and remnant parkland. Boundaries are formed by deep ditches, sometimes with hedges. Many small copses. Further info: Natural England National Character Area 83 >

Hedge Accentor (Dunnock)

Common Starling

House Sparrow

Swift

Hedgehog

Song Thrush

Great Crested Newt

Common Toad

Brown Hare

Shepherd's Needle

Corn Bunting

Eurasian Tree Sparrow (north Suffolk)

Linnet

Skylark

Northern Lapwing

Turtle Dove

Grey Partridge

Yellowhammer

Coastal Sandy Farmland (Sandlings)

Flat or gently rolling landscape, very low rainfall. The soils are generally free-draining, infertile sands and gravels. The proximity of the sea ameliorates the temperature in winter to produce a more oceanic climate than in the Brecks. 

Hedge Accentor (Dunnock)

Common Starling

House Sparrow

Swift

Hedgehog

Song Thrush

Great Crested Newt

Common Toad

Brown Hare

Stone Curlew

Woodlark

Nightjar

Linnet

Skylark

Northern Lapwing

Turtle Dove

Grey Partridge

Yellowhammer

Adder

Silver-studded Blue Butterfly

Annual Knawel

Fine-leaved Sandwort

Brecks Farmland

The soils of the Breckland area in north-west Suffolk are free-draining, infertile sands and gravels. The distinctive landscape ranges from flint-strewn fields lined by twisted pines to sandy heath. The term 'breck' refers to open sandy fields that went in and out of cultivation. They support species typical of early successional stages of heaths with lower competitive ability and a preference for well-drained soils and open sites. Further Info: Natural England National Character Area 85 >

Hedge Accentor (Dunnock)

Common Starling

House Sparrow

Swift

Hedgehog

Song Thrush

Great Crested Newt

Common Toad

Brown Hare

Tower Mustard

Red-tipped Cudweed

Annual Knawel

Fine-leaved Sandwort

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Linnet

Skylark

Northern Lapwing

Turtle Dove

Grey Partridge

Yellowhammer

Green Lanes

Green Lanes contain sheltered grassland habitats which may have escaped improvement and retained semi-natural features.

Hedge Accentor (Dunnock)

Common Starling

House Sparrow

Swift

Hedgehog

Song Thrush

Great Crested Newt

Common Toad

Brown Hare

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Crested Cow-wheat

Scrub

Hedge Accentor (Dunnock)

Common Starling

House Sparrow

Swift

Hedgehog

Song Thrush

Great Crested Newt

Common Toad

Brown Hare

Tree Pipit

Bullfinch

Linnet

Turtle Dove

Sloe Carpet

Goat Moth

Dingy Mocha

Grey Carpet (Brecks)

Conifer plantations

Hedge Accentor (Dunnock)

Common Starling

House Sparrow

Swift

Hedgehog

Song Thrush

Great Crested Newt

Common Toad

Brown Hare

Nightjar

Woodlark

Improved grassland

Hedge Accentor (Dunnock)

Common Starling

House Sparrow

Swift

Hedgehog

Song Thrush

Great Crested Newt

Common Toad

Brown Hare

Quarries

Hedge Accentor (Dunnock)

Common Starling

House Sparrow

Swift

Hedgehog

Song Thrush

Great Crested Newt

Common Toad

Brown Hare

Wall butterfly

Chalk Screw moss

Frog orchid

Bordered Gothic moth

Road verges(important for providing linkage between habitats)

Hedge Accentor (Dunnock)

Common Starling

House Sparrow

Swift

Hedgehog

Song Thrush

Great Crested Newt

Common Toad

Brown Hare

Tower Mustard

Spring Speedwell (Brecks)

Wild Grape Hyacinth (Brecks)

Crested Cow-wheat

Spanish Catchfly (Brecks)

Railway embankments (provide important links between habitats)

Hedge Accentor (Dunnock)

Common Starling

House Sparrow

Swift

Hedgehog

Song Thrush

Great Crested Newt

Common Toad

Brown Hare

Wall butterfly

River banks (provide important links between habitats)

Hedge Accentor (Dunnock)

Common Starling

House Sparrow

Swift

Hedgehog

Song Thrush

Great Crested Newt

Common Toad

Brown Hare

Otter

Water Vole

Built Environment - Towns and Villages

The built environment includes managed greenspaces such as school and hospital grounds as well as developments and green infrastructure, churchyards and retail parks. These sites may be home to priority species, for example, old buildings provide roosts for bats. 

Priority habitats that may be found in the Built Environment: Hedgerows, Open mosaic Traditional orchards

Gardens and Allotments

Hedge Accentor (Dunnock)

Common Starling

House Sparrow

Swift

Hedgehog

Song Thrush

Common Starling

Stag beetle (Ipswich and Woodbridge areas)

Herring Gull subsp. argenteus

Weevil Hunting Wasp

5-banded Tailed Digger Wasp

Wall butterfly

Goat Moth

Four-spotted Moth

Thatch Moss

Great Crested Newt

Common Toad

Adder

Common Lizard

Slow Worm

Grass Snake

Broad-leaved Cudweed

Annual Knawel

Fine-leaved Sandwort

Large Garden Bumblebee

Marsh tit (rural gardens)

Wall butterfly

Necklace Ground Beetle

Parks, Recreation Sites and playing fields

Hedge Accentor (Dunnock)

Common Starling

House Sparrow

Swift

Hedgehog

Song Thrush

Common Starling

Stag beetle (Ipswich and Woodbridge areas)

Herring Gull subsp. argenteus

Weevil Hunting Wasp

5-banded Tailed Digger Wasp

Wall butterfly

Goat Moth

Four-spotted Moth

Thatch Moss

Great Crested Newt

Common Toad

Adder

Common Lizard

Slow Worm

Grass Snake

Broad-leaved Cudweed

Annual Knawel

Fine-leaved Sandwort

Harvest Mouse (parks)

Common Lizard

Slow Worm

Golf courses

Hedge Accentor (Dunnock)

Common Starling

House Sparrow

Swift

Hedgehog

Song Thrush

Common Starling

Stag beetle (Ipswich and Woodbridge areas)

Herring Gull subsp. argenteus

Weevil Hunting Wasp

5-banded Tailed Digger Wasp

Wall butterfly

Goat Moth

Four-spotted Moth

Thatch Moss

Great Crested Newt

Common Toad

Adder

Common Lizard

Slow Worm

Grass Snake

Broad-leaved Cudweed

Annual Knawel

Fine-leaved Sandwort

Linnet

Skylark

Wood Lark

Corn Bunting

Churches and Churchyards

Hedge Accentor (Dunnock)

Common Starling

House Sparrow

Swift

Hedgehog

Song Thrush

Common Starling

Stag beetle (Ipswich and Woodbridge areas)

Herring Gull subsp. argenteus

Weevil Hunting Wasp

5-banded Tailed Digger Wasp

Wall butterfly

Goat Moth

Four-spotted Moth

Thatch Moss

Great Crested Newt

Common Toad

Adder

Common Lizard

Slow Worm

Grass Snake

Broad-leaved Cudweed

Annual Knawel

Fine-leaved Sandwort

Brown Long-eared Bat

Pipistrelle Bat


Grateful thanks to our partners for their invaluable assistance on this project, in particular, the RSPB, Suffolk Naturalists' Society (Suffolk County Recorders) and Suffolk Amphibian and Reptile Group.