Reedbed Habitats

Reedbeds support a wealth of wildlife, including several of Britain's rarest bird species. The vegetation is usually dominated by common reed or, less frequently, reedmace, which provide safe nesting sites for birds including marsh harrier, bearded tit, Waterrall, spotted crake and bittern (all of which are nationally threatened), as well as more familiar species such as reed warbler, sedge warbler and reed bunting. Reed buntings, although still common throughout much of Britain, have declined by more than 50% since the late 1960s.

Reedbeds are also valuable as roosting sites for a variety of birds. Swallows often roost en masse in reedbeds shortly before leaving on migration. At some large reedbeds, such as Blacktoft Sands near the Humber Estuary, the impressive spectacle of many thousands of starlings can be seen swarming into the reeds in the evenings, while marsh harriers come out to hunt them.

 

Water birds hunting at the edges of open water often use reeds for cover. Herons and bitterns lurk at the margins, looking for their prey, which can include amphibians and small mammals as well as fish. Kingfishers sometimes perch on reeds whilst waiting for fish to pass. Water rails stalk through the reeds, usually hidden from view, taking amphibians, invertebrates and even small mammals and birds. In addition to wildlife relying specifically on reedbeds, water voles, otters and many other animal species typical of more general wetland habitats use reedbeds from time to time.

Traditional reedbed management to harvest reeds for thatching prevents reedbeds progressing by natural succession to carr (wet woodland), and benefits some wildlife. Bearded tits have suffered particularly badly as a result of changing management practices. Their numbers fluctuate greatly from year to year, depending largely on weather and food supply (reed seeds and small invertebrates) through the winter.

At present, the Sheffield area has only a few small reedbeds, including at Blackburn Meadows and at Catcliffe and Holbrook in the Rother Valley. Some of the wildlife may return if reedbeds are re-planted, although some of the species mentioned above, especially bittern, require extensive reed beds covering several hectares.