Wildlife at Attingham

The Attingham Estate is home to many creatures great and small. From the tiny saproxylic insects to the herd of fallow deer - find out more about the wildlife that have made their home at Attingham. 

Wood and water

There's around 370 acres of glorious woodland at Attingham. The park abounds with trees that have seen the centuries come and go, including our magnificent 650 year old Repton Oak on the Deer Park walk.

The old and veteran trees on the estate are the perfect habitat for saproxylic insects - important for the woodland eco-system, and more commonly known as deadwood invertebrates. They thrive at Attingham, and part of the estate has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of this.

Attingham is host to around five miles of river, featuring beautiful stretches of the Severn and Tern. Our many ponds are a haven for wildlife, from ducks, swans and otters to dragonflies.

Creating homes

The estate has many miles of hedges, but far less than it would have had 50 years ago. To help put back what we have lost, our dedicated team of staff and volunteers plant or lay about a mile of new hedge each year. Hedges are important for wildlife. Over 100 wildlife species are known to be significantly associated with hedges, from lichens, birds, insects, mammals, and amphibians. Hedgerows act as wildlife corridors, connecting different habitats to each other while providing safety and a home for some species.

Find out more about the traditional type of hedgelaying we do, and why, in our Ranger Blog Post from 2019 - 'Hedging your bets'.

Wildlife and nature highlights

•     Birds: the barn owl, raven and buzzard are the top predators here.
•     Birds: green and great spotted woodpeckers (in the woods during early summer - May usually).
•     Fungi: from giant puffballs to tiny waxcaps, we have lots of fungi in the woodlands, best spotted in autumn. Our advice on fungi, wherever you are, is 'click don't pick' - they make a great photo, but can be poisonous so don't touch.  

•     Bats: around 10 species of bat, including over 1,000 pipistrelle bats. Seen at dawn and dusk.
•     Deer: there are around 180 fallow deer in the Deer Park - found roaming in the Deer Park and around the World War II Walk.
•     Trees: some of the tallest and straightest oaks in the country are here on the estate, including the Repton Oak.

•     Dead wood: trees and branches are perfect homes for insects, including deadwood invertebrates.

•     Cattle: pedigree Jerseys and Longhorn cattle belonging to Home Farm graze in the front parkland during spring and summer months.

The Attingham deer herd