Wildlife

As well as being in a designated 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty', most of Savernake Forest is a registered SSSI - a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Though Savernake's high scientific status is primarily related to its rare lichens and fungi, visitors may encounter a wide variety of other rare wildlife. Bird residents of the Forest include Hawfinchs, Redstarts, Nightjars, Woodpeckers, Crossbills, and Nightingales.

As well as very numerous Owls, all the main British birds of prey are present, especially Sparrowhawks, Buzzards, Kestrels and Red Kites.

Roe Deer

Most main Deer species are present in Savernake Forest, including Roe, and ever-increasing numbers of Muntjac, though the biggest numbers are made up by the most native of all British Deer - the Fallow. Badgers & Foxes are very numerous.

Savernake Forest is rightly famous for its splendid avenues of tall 200 year old beech trees, and these are seen to their best in October when the green leaves turn to glorious shades of gold, copper, and brown. Parts of the floor of the Forest are thickly carpeted in early May with thousands of bluebells.