Inchtavannach and Inchconnachan

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 56.0862, -4.6263

Condition (NatureScot)

Unfavourable Declining (1) Unfavourable No Change (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
F1 Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), breeding Unfavourable Declining 2011-03-17
F2 Upland oak woodland Unfavourable No Change 2005-03-31

Description

INCHTAVANNACH AND INCHCONNACHAN The islands of Inchtavannach and Inchonnachan are situated in Loch Lomond, approximately 1 km south of the village of Luss and together comprise Inchtavannach and Inchonnachan Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The site is of national and international importance for both its upland oak wood habitat and for its populations of breeding capercaillie. The upland oak woodland present on these two islands together represents one of the largest examples of this woodland type in the Stirling district. On Inchtavannach, the larger of the two islands, the woodland is dominated by sessile oak Quercus petraea and downy birch Betula pubescens with ground flora consisting of greater woodrush Luzula sylvatica, wavy hair-grass Deschampsia flexuosa, creeping soft-grass Holcus mollis, blaeberry Vaccinium myrtillus and typical acid oak woodland mosses such as Polytrichum formosum, Thuidium tamariscinum and liverworts Diplophyllum albicans and Plagiochila asplenioides. On Inchonnachan, the southern half is dominated by former oak-birch coppice over luxuriant blaeberry Vaccinium myrtillus. The northern half is more varied and has been planted in past years with conifers, mainly larch Larix spp. and throughout the island there is Scots pine Pinus sylvestris and some spruce Picea spp. Inchtavannach and Inchconnachan also provide suitable feeding and breeding habitat for capercaillie which are present on both islands throughout the year. These birds breed during the summer months and the site supports over 1% of the UK breeding population for this species.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
capercaillie Tetrao urogallus EN (Breeding) bird-game phasianidae
wavy hair grass Deschampsia flexuosa Not listed in GB list grass poaceae
creeping soft grass Holcus mollis LC grass poaceae
white earwort Diplophyllum albicans LC liverwort jungermanniales
greater featherwort Plagiochila asplenioides LC liverwort jungermanniales
bank haircap Polytrichum formosum LC moss polytrichales
common tamarisk moss Thuidium tamariscinum LC moss hypnales
great wood rush Luzula sylvatica LC rush juncaceae
billberry Vaccinium myrtillus LC shrub ericaceae
downy birch Betula pubescens LC tree betulaceae
Scot's pine Pinus sylvestris LC tree pinaceae
sessile or durmast oak Quercus petraea LC tree fagaceae

Plant communities

W11 — Altantic hazel wood, Atlantic oak wood, Caledonian forest, Upland birch wood, Wood pasture

Quercus petraea-Betula pubescens-Oxalis acetosella woodland

Matches 10 species from the description above: Betula pubescens, Deschampsia flexuosa, Diplophyllum albicans, Holcus mollis, Luzula sylvatica, Plagiochila asplenioides, Polytrichum formosum, Quercus petraea, Thuidium tamariscinum, Vaccinium myrtillus

Acer campestre, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus hybrid, Quercus petraea, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Larix decidua, Sorbus aucuparia, Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea, Juniperus communis, Vaccinium myrtillus, Cytisus scoparius, Crataegus monogyna, Rubus saxatilis, Carex pilulifera, Luzula campestris, Luzula multiflora, Luzula pilosa, Luzula sylvatica, Mnium hornum, Plagiomnium affine, Plagiomnium undulatum, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Cirriphyllum piliferum, Eurhynchium striatum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum cupressiforme, Isothecium myosuroides, Kindbergia praelonga, Loeskeobryum brevirostre, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichum commune, Polytrichum formosum, Polytrichum longisetum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila asplenioides, Plagiochila spinulosa, Angelica sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Campanula rotundifolia, Lonicera periclymenum, Succisa pratensis, Cerastium fontanum, Stellaria holostea, Pyrola minor, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Lathyrus montanus, Geranium robertianum, Hypericum pulchrum, Ajuga reptans, Teucrium scorodonia, Convallaria majalis, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Veronica chamaedrys, Veronica officinalis, Rumex acetosa, Lysimachia nemorum, Primula vulgaris, Trientalis europaea, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus repens, Potentilla erecta, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Galium saxatile, Melanpyrum pratense, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis vinealis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis, Blechnum spicant, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas, Thelypteris limbosperma, Athyrium filix-femina

W17 — Altantic hazel wood, Atlantic oak wood, Caledonian forest, Upland birch wood, Wood pasture

Quercus petraea-Betula pubescens-Dicranum majus woodland

Matches 10 species from the description above: Betula pubescens, Deschampsia flexuosa, Diplophyllum albicans, Holcus mollis, Luzula sylvatica, Plagiochila asplenioides, Polytrichum formosum, Quercus petraea, Thuidium tamariscinum, Vaccinium myrtillus

Hedera helix, Salix caprea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus hybrid, Quercus petraea, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Sorbus aucuparia, Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea, Erica tetralix, Juniperus communis, Rhododendron ponticum, Vaccinium myrtillus, Crataegus monogyna, Carex pilulifera, Luzula multiflora, Luzula pilosa, Luzula sylvatica, Andreaea rupestris, Mnium hornum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Campylopus flexuosus, Dicranella heteromalla, Dicranodontium denudatum, Dicranum fuscescens, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Dicranum scottianum, Leucobryum glaucum, Ptychomitrium polyphyllum, Racomitrium fasciculare, Racomitrium heterostichum, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Eurhynchium striatum, Heterocladium heteropterum, Hylocomiastrum umbratum, Hylocomium armoricum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Hypnum jutlandicum, Isothecium myosuroides, Kindbergia praelonga, Loeskeobryum brevirostre, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Pseudotaxiphyllum elegans, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sematophyllum demissum, Sematophyllum micans, Thuidium delicatulum, Thuidium tamariscinum, Polytrichum commune, Polytrichum formosum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fimbriatum, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum subnitens, Tetraphis pellucida, Adelanthus decipiens, Anastrepta orcadensis, Barbilophozia attenuata, Barbilophozia floerkei, Bazzania tricrenata, Bazzania trilobata, Blepharostoma trichophyllum, Calypogeia fissa, Calypogeia muelleriana, Cephalozia bicuspidata, Diplophyllum albicans, Frullania tamarisci, Fuscocephaloziopsis lunulifolia, Harpanthus scutatus, Jamesoniella autumnalis, Jungermannia gracillima, Lepidozia pearsonii, Lepidozia reptans, Lophocolea bidentata, Lophocolea heterophylla, Lophozia ventricosa, Marsupella emarginata, Microlejeunea ulicina, Mylia taylorii, Nowellia curvifolia, Plagiochila asplenioides, Plagiochila atlantica, Plagiochila killarniensis, Plagiochila porelloides, Plagiochila punctata, Plagiochila spinulosa, Ptilidium ciliare, Saccogyna viticulosa, Scapania gracilis, Scapania nemorea, Scapania umbrosa, Tritomaria exsectiformis, Tritomaria quinquedentata, Cladonia arbuscula, Cladonia chlorophaea, Cladonia digitata, Cladonia furcata, Cladonia impexa, Cladonia polydactyla, Cladonia squamosa, Cladonia squamules, Cladonia subcervicornis, Parmelia saxatilis, Sphaerophorus fragilis, Sphaerophorus globosus, Solidago virgaurea, Lonicera periclymenum, Succisa pratensis, Cornus suecica, Hypericum pulchrum, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Goodyera repens, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Rumex acetosa, Lysimachia nemorum, Trientalis europaea, Anemone nemorosa, Potentilla erecta, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium saxatile, Melanpyrum pratense, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Agrostis vinealis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Molinia caerulea, Poa nemoralis, Poa pratensis, Blechnum spicant, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris aemula, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas, Hymenophyllum tunbrigense, Hymenophyllum wilsonii, Polypodium vulgare, Thelypteris limbosperma, Athyrium filix-femina

W10 — Atlantic oak wood, Lowland dry oak and birch wood, Lowland mixed oak and ash wood, Wood pasture

Quercus robur-Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus woodland

Matches 9 species from the description above: Betula pubescens, Deschampsia flexuosa, Holcus mollis, Luzula sylvatica, Pinus sylvestris, Polytrichum formosum, Quercus petraea, Thuidium tamariscinum, Vaccinium myrtillus

Hedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Carpinus betulus, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Castanea sativa, Quercus hybrid, Quercus petraea, Quercus robur, Tilia cordata, Tilia x europaea, Fraxinus excelsior, Larix decidua, Pinus nigra, Pinus sylvestris, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Malus sylvestris, Prunus avium, Sorbus aucuparia, Alnus glutinosa, Populus tremula, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Viburnum opulus, Rhododendron ponticum, Vaccinium myrtillus, Cytisus scoparius, Ulex europaeus, Ligustrum vulgare, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Carex sylvatica, Juncus effusus, Luzula multiflora, Luzula pilosa, Luzula sylvatica, Mnium hornum, Plagiomnium rostratum, Plagiomnium undulatum, Ceratodon purpureus, Dicranella heteromalla, Dicranoweisia cirrata, Dicranum scoparium, Amblystegium serpens, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Isothecium myosuroides, Kindbergia praelonga, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Pseudotaxiphyllum elegans, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichum formosum, Lophocolea bidentata, Pellia epiphylla, Narcissus pseudonarcissus, Aegopodium podagraria, Anthriscus sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Sanicula europaea, Jacobaea vulgaris, Solidago virgaurea, Lonicera periclymenum, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Euphorbia amygdaloides, Mercurialis perennis, Corydalis claviculata, Geranium robertianum, Ajuga reptans, Glechoma hederacea, Lamiastrum galeobdolon, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Veronica chamaedrys, Rumex acetosa, Rumex sanguineus, Lysimachia nemorum, Lysimachia nummularia, Primula vulgaris, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Potentilla sterilis, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Galium odoratum, Galium saxatile, Melanpyrum pratense, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis ramosa, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Melica uniflora, Milium effusum, Poa nemoralis, Poa trivialis, Blechnum spicant, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas, Thelypteris limbosperma, Athyrium filix-femina

W16 — Atlantic oak wood, Lowland dry oak and birch wood, Wood pasture

Quercus spp.-Betula spp.-Deschampsia flexuosa woodland

Matches 8 species from the description above: Betula pubescens, Deschampsia flexuosa, Holcus mollis, Luzula sylvatica, Pinus sylvestris, Quercus petraea, Thuidium tamariscinum, Vaccinium myrtillus

Hedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Castanea sativa, Quercus hybrid, Quercus petraea, Quercus robur, Pinus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Sorbus aucuparia, Populus tremula, Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea, Rhododendron ponticum, Vaccinium myrtillus, Ulex europaeus, Ulex gallii, Frangula alnus, Crataegus monogyna, Luzula sylvatica, Mnium hornum, Orthodontium lineare, Pohlia nutans, Campylopus flexuosus, Campylopus pyriformis, Dicranella heteromalla, Dicranodontium denudatum, Dicranoweisia cirrata, Dicranum fuscescens, Dicranum scoparium, Leucobryum glaucum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Hypnum jutlandicum, Isothecium myosuroides, Kindbergia praelonga, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium nemorale, Plagiothecium succulentum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Pseudotaxiphyllum elegans, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Thuidium tamariscinum, Tetraphis pellucida, Barbilophozia attenuata, Barbilophozia floerkei, Calypogeia fissa, Calypogeia trichomanis, Cephalozia bicuspidata, Gymnocolea inflata, Lepidozia reptans, Lophocolea bidentata, Lophocolea heterophylla, Cladonia coccifera, Cladonia coniocraea, Cladonia fimbriata, Cladonia polydactyla, Cladonia squamosa, Solidago virgaurea, Lonicera periclymenum, Corydalis claviculata, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Rumex acetosella, Potentilla erecta, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium saxatile, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Molinia caerulea, Blechnum spicant, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata

Insects to look out for

These moths and butterflies are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.

SpeciesStatusVia host-plant
Speckled footman
Coscinia cribraria
Critically Endangered Vaccinium myrtillus
Oak lutestring
Cymatophorina diluta
Endangered Quercus petraea
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Betula spp., Quercus spp.
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx
Vulnerable Betula spp., Quercus spp.
Broom moth
Ceramica pisi
Vulnerable Betula spp., Pinus spp., Vaccinium myrtillus
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Betula spp., Quercus spp., Vaccinium myrtillus
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria
Vulnerable Quercus spp.
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria
Vulnerable Betula pubescens, Quercus spp.
Early moth
Theria primaria
Vulnerable Quercus spp., Vaccinium myrtillus
Pale eggar
Trichiura crataegi
Vulnerable Betula spp., Quercus spp., Vaccinium myrtillus
Oak hook-tip
Watsonalla binaria
Vulnerable Quercus petraea
Flounced chestnut
Agrochola helvola
Near Threatened Betula spp., Quercus spp., Vaccinium myrtillus
Beaded chestnut
Agrochola lychnidis
Near Threatened Vaccinium myrtillus
Garden tiger
Arctia caja
Near Threatened Pinus sylvestris
Rosy marsh moth
Coenophila subrosea
Near Threatened Vaccinium myrtillus
Pine-tree lappet
Dendrolimus pini
Near Threatened Pinus sylvestris
Kentish glory
Endromis versicolora
Near Threatened Betula pubescens
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Betula spp., Quercus spp.
September thorn
Ennomos erosaria
Near Threatened Betula spp., Quercus spp.
The Silurian
Eriopygodes imbecilla
Near Threatened Vaccinium myrtillus
Autumnal rustic
Eugnorisma glareosa
Near Threatened Betula spp.
Double dart
Graphiphora augur
Near Threatened Betula spp., Quercus spp.
Clay fan-foot
Paracolax tristalis
Near Threatened Quercus spp.
Frosted green
Polyploca ridens
Near Threatened Quercus petraea
Scotch burnet
Zygaena exulans
Near Threatened Vaccinium myrtillus
White prominent
Leucodonta bicoloria
Regionally Extinct Betula spp.

Hostplant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation (Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.