Birches Barn Meadows

Also within

Warwickshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Alluvium, Sandstone

Landscape processes: Fluvial

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

Description

Description Birches Barn Meadows comprises two unimproved fields adjacent to the south bank of the River Anker. They are situated at the extreme north of Warwickshire near the town of Atherstone and have been managed as hay meadows since 1913. The meadows are on alluvium and overlie Keuper sandstone with ridge and furrow topography in part. There is evidence that in the nineteenth century this grassland type was widespread and common in some parts of Britain, particularly in the Midlands and also southern England in the case of flood meadows. In the twentieth century, however, they have declined severely as a result of agricultural improvement, the neglect of common meadow rights and from gravel extraction. Birches Barn Meadows are now the last remaining flood meadows in the Anker valley. The sward associated with the meadow foxtail great burnet community characteristic of the site, is species rich with a great diversity of herbs. Eighteen species of grass have been recorded. The most abundant species are crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus, cock’s foot Dactylis glomerata, red fescue Festuca rubra, Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, rough meadow grass Poa trivialis and yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens. Other abundant grasses include common bent Agrostis capillaris, meadow foxtail Alopecurus pratensis, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum and meadow barley Hordeum secalinum. Among the most abundant herbs are common knapweed Centaurea nigra, common mouse ear Cerastium fontanum, meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis, autumn hawkbit Scorzoneroides autumnalis, ribwort plaintain Plantago lanceolata, bulbous buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus, meadow buttercup Ranunculus acris, common sorrel Rumex acetosa, great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis and pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus. Adder’s tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum, a plant with a limited distribution in Warwickshire is also found here. A feature of the meadows is the frequent presence of pignut Conopodium majus indicates some affinity to the northern type of hay meadow. Two species of bird that breed in the meadows, the quail Coturnix coturnix and curlew Numenius arquata are restricted to few other localities in Warwickshire.

Species mentioned

Insects to look out for

These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.

Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

Plant communities