The peregrine falcons are the star attractions at Malham Cove. However you can also see and hear many other upland birds here.
Curlew
On the circular route from Malham village to Malham Tarn look out for curlew, lapwing and redshank. You may see great crested grebe. It is also one of the best areas in the Dales for yellow wagtails.
Dipper
The path to Malham Cove follows Malham Beck. Here dippers bob in and out feeding on insects and grey wagtails pluck them from the air. You might also see them on and around the beck on the way to Janet's Foss waterfall.
Green woodpecker
The woodpecker's loud laughing 'yaffle' call frequently echoes around Malham Cove. Before new leaves appear, look for them in the upper branches of trees. At other times, scan for green woodpeckers searching for ants on the sloped edges of Malham Cove. Later in the summer, young woodpeckers head to the limestone grassland to look for food.
Little owl
A pair of little owls used to keep watch on the Cove from their favourite hawthorn tree. Little owls hunt by day for beetles and earthworms. Introduced to Britain in the late nineteenth century, their plumage makes them hard to see against limestone countryside. They are quite aggressive, seeing off magpies or jackdaws. Little owls nest under rocks or in drystone walls and even rabbit burrows!
Redstart
The brightly coloured male redstarts return from their African wintering grounds in late April and May. Look out for them on tree tops and along the approach path, using high vantage points as song posts. In June and July, the adult birds spend more time collecting food for their young. They regularly perch in the bushes next to the viewpoint.
Spotted flycatcher
Spotted flycatchers, Willow warblers and blackcaps all live in the woodlands around Malham, on the way to Malham Cove and surrounding Janet's Foss.
Swifts and martins
House martins and swifts have nest sites on the face of Malham Cove. Watch out as they zoom around overhead as they speed to and from their homes
