Wildlife at Stowe

Sheep with their baby lambs look directly towards you at Stowe with the Gothic Temple behind them — Bountiful lambs in the gardens at Stowe throughout spring

A view of sheep peeping through a hole in a tree route, standing in the snow in the gardens of Stowe — One of the cheeky sheep that roam the gardens and parkland at Stowe

From the fluffy through to the tiny, a wide variety of animals call Stowe home. Take a look at what you might spot as you explore the gardens. Some are easier to find than others!

At over 1,250 acres, the gardens and parkland provide a large varied landscape. From the multiple lakes that wind through the gardens to the wooded environment in Wick Quarter, vast grassy fields to wild meadows, the gardens provide the perfect home to countless animals. We work hard to encourage these animals to thrive in the gardens, providing them with the habitat they need to survive.

Water

There's a variety of animals who don't mind getting their feet wet. With multiple large lakes, a river and various other smaller bodies of water, the gardens serve as the perfect home to water-loving creatures. Tiny bugs live on or around the water, feeding the fish, which feed the other creatures.

Swans, Geese and Ducks

Commonly found fighting on the banks of the octagon lake, the bodies of water in the gardens are popular with a wide range of birds. The islands provide peaceful oasis where the birds can lay their eggs without interruptions from humans

Heron

Herons are often seen hunting in the gardens. They have long legs for wading in water and they are very adept at being motionless for long periods in order to catch their prey.

Otters

Amongst our most elusive is a family of Otters who live close to the Oxford bridge near the Boycott Pavilions. We've created an Otter holt to encourage their return and whilst they tend to stay hidden, tell tail signs such as spraint to mark their territory has been spotted. Various camera traps in the area have also captured their activities.

Land

Land-based animals can sometimes be a little easier to spot. They mainly eat plants, nuts, bugs and other animals and live underground or in the trees. The varying landscapes and terrains in the gardens give these animals plenty of places to live and find food. Some are put to use around the gardens, helping make our lives easier whilst some just call it home.

Grazing Animals

Our Tenant farmers use the land in much the same way as in the Cobham era. Sheep and cows control the grass growth, provide food and help recreate the historic views. The Longhorn Cattle, which can be spotted in the parkland, were also kept by the third Duke in the mid-1800s who won several prizes for his show herd.

Squirrels

A common site around the wooded areas, especially in the Elysian Fields where they scour through the grass for nuts to get them through winter. As cute as they look, they can also cause problems, stripping the bark off young trees and killing them. We encourage them in the gardens but also monitor their numbers.

A grass snake in Quarry Bank's Apprentice House garden

Grass Snakes

Another shy animal, we've seen evidence of a nest found in leaf litter underneath one of the fallen tree trunks. The grass snake is also aquatic and is usually found near ponds, lakes and ditches so Stowe is ideally suited to their needs. The snake is a good swimmer and can stay submerged for over half an hour. They feed on frogs, toads and young birds. They are often spotted making their way through the rivers in the Elysian Fields.

Muntjac deer

Hundreds of wild deer roam the parkland. They tend to be most active at dawn and dusk, generally hiding during the day in hedges. They are native to china and introduced to the UK in the early twentieth century. Various ‘escapees’ have now populated the British countryside. They can live up to 19 years.

The night time crowd

There's a whole other team of animals who join the night shift. Badgers, hedgehogs and more call the gardens home, sleeping during the day and venturing out at night. Find out about some of the techniques we use to find out who they are.

Air

1,250 acres is much easier to get around by air. Stowe is home to an eclectic range of birds, some more recognisable than others. Bird boxes and a range of good nest building materials make the gardens the perfect location.

Green Woodpecker

A woodpecker can usually be heard before they are seen. They have a distinctive, fast clack…clack….clack….clack…sound. They're either looking for insects on tree-bark or, searching for ants’ nests on the ground. The green woodpecker is the largest of the three woodpeckers that breed in the UK. It is quite stocky in appearance with a long, strong beak. Green woodpeckers are easily identified as they are a greeny-grey colour with a bright green rump and red head.

Barn Owl

Barn Owl’s nest in and around the buildings at Stowe and can often be seen at dusk when they are leaving their roost to hunt. They hunt over rough grassland across the Parkland where they can find mice and voles. They have acute hearing to detect small mammals and sensitive vision and their low flight is almost silent. They have long legs and toes to reach their prey in thick vegetation.

Butterflies

In the summer, the gardens come alive with a variety of plants, which inevitably attract butterflies. There are 59 different varieties of butterflies across the UK and a large number can be spotted at Stowe during the summer months.

Conservation

We work hard to give these animals the perfect environments to live and develop. We've created habitats for animals to live it, put up bird boxes and whenever we've worked on a project in the garden, we've avoided disrupting the local population.

For ever, for everyone

By supporting the trust, you help to protect these animals and the landscapes they live in for future generations. You could even take it a step further and volunteer with us. We have various roles from wildlife surveyors through to joining the ranger team, or even joining our Sunday gardening group.

Two ladies sit on a golf buggy, with bunting. They hold a small chalkboard which reflects on what makes Stowe special to them.

Volunteering at Stowe

If you’ve got some spare time to lend a hand and would like to learn something new or share in a passion you have, then we’d love to hear from you. There's a variety of positions available for volunteers, or tell us what interests you most.