A trial is under way on a Bodmin Moor lake marsh to restore the habitat of a rare breeding bird.

The snipe was once common on the marshy moorland but now, due to changes in the environment, only a handful of breeding pairs are left, said Clare Mucklow of the RSPB.

She said: ‘Only one drumming male was recorded in recent years at this particular site, very possibly because the purple moor grass has become really dense, some areas have dried out, and willow has encroached.

’All this makes it unsuitable for the snipe to breed as they prefer more open vegetation and wetter areas.

’We hope these trials will show that snipe can be encouraged back.’

The South West Lakes Trust (SWLT) has been working with the RSPB, the Cornwall Birdwatching and Preservation Society and owners of the site South West Water to create three ‘snipe suitable’ areas.

Time and monitoring will tell if the intervention is successful, says the SWLT.