Pleistocene and Prehistoric birds of South-West Britain (UBSS Proceedings v.18(1))

Abstract: Recently re-examined Pleistocene bird material from south-west Britain is summarised. The sites yielding material include sixteen caves, together with an early Holocene and five Iron Age/Roman sites to complete the record into the Holocene. The area covered is from south Wales to Wiltshire, with cave sites clustered in the Gower Peninsula, Mendip and south Devon areas. The sites are roughly grouped as Late Wolstonian Glaciation, Ipswichian Interglacial, Devensian Glaciation, End of Devensian, Devensian/Holocene Transition and Holocene. There are 136 species with a possible additional five where species-pairs cannot be separated on the specimens available. The possible significance of species occurrences is discussed within each group of sites. Comparisons are made with a list of species from the Pleistocene of south-east England. In general, in the range of species present, the variation between the warmer and colder periods is less marked than might be expected. Although data are sparse, correlations between a number of sites are apparent, notably in the occurrence of grouse species and the Common Shelduck.