Shelter characteristics of mountain hare resting sites

• Published in: Ecography
• Main Authors: Thirgood, S. J., Hewson, R.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1987
• Subjects: mountain hare
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0587.1987.tb00771.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1600-0587.1987.tb00771.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1600-0587.1987.tb00771.x

Mountain hares in Scotland live on open tree‐less moorland in a harsh winter environment with frequent high winds and drifting snow. By day they rest in forms in tall heather, seats in shorter heather or snow, or scrapes in snow or peat. All these reduce wind speeds by 84‐90%, but vary in the degree of shelter and concealment. Forms afford the best concealment and shelter and occur as often on flat ground as elsewhere. Seats and scrapes are commoner on sheltered slopes. They command a wide field of view but offer little concealment. During snow‐lie, when forms may be covered, hares move to seats and scrapes, often at the edge of snowfields and gather, sometimes in large groups, on sheltered slopes.