| Leighton Moss | |
|---|---|
 The view from Causeway hide at Leighton Moss. | |
  Location in the City of Lancaster district  Location in Lancashire | |
| Location | City of Lancaster, Lancashire, England |
| Coordinates | 54°09′47″N 2°48′04″W / 54.163°N 2.801°W |
| Operator | Royal Society for the Protection of Birds |
RSPB Leighton Moss is a nature reserve in Lancashire, England, which has been in the care of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds since 1964.[1] It is situated near Silverdale, Carnforth, on the edge of Morecambe Bay and in the Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Leighton Moss contains the largest area of reed bed in north-west England.[2] The site provides habitats for many species of wildlife, including bearded tits, marsh harriers, bitterns, otters and red deer. As a wetland of international importance, it was designated a Ramsar site in 1985.[3] It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area, and an Important Bird Area.[2]
The RSPB also protects a large area of Morecambe Bay, where a saltmarsh provides a habitat for birds such as avocets.[4]
- ^ UNITED KINGDOM Ramsar Site 323 Archived 2013-04-16 at archive.today
- ^ a b BirdLife International. "Important Bird Areas factsheet: Leighton Moss". Retrieved 30 December 2012.
- ^ "Leighton Moss". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ "Avocets flourish at RSPB Leighton Moss nature reserve". BBC News. 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2013.