Birds

With its hugely diverse landscapes, from the Cairngorm plateau down to the farmland of the straths, the National Park is home to a vast variety of bird species. Eagles nest high-up on the moorland and snow buntings, dotterel and ptarmigan can also be seen in the semi-tundra habitats.

In the spring the straths of Badenoch and Strathspey support one of the UK’s largest mainland populations of breeding waders including lapwing, oystercatcher, snipe and curlew. The woodlands are home to the unique Scottish crossbill, crested tits and woodcocks, while goldeneye and ospreys frequent the lochs.